TAMPA, Fla. – As Aaron Boone prepares for his ninth season as the Yankees’ manager, he knows what’s coming. The American League East remains baseball’s most demanding division, and the road back to the World Series is never smooth.
“It’s going to be a grind,” Boone said recently. “There’s no guarantees ever, but our plan is to go get back to the postseason and try and go win a world championship. And I think we have a roster that is capable of doing that.
“We’ve got a lot of things to accomplish to get to that point, but I’m excited to take our chances with this group.”
With Yankees pitchers and catchers set to report on Wednesday, here is our first Opening Day roster projection:
Catchers (2): Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra
Though general manager Brian Cashman said it “would make sense” to add a right-handed-hitting catcher, the Yankees are positioned to again enter the season with a pair of lefty bats behind the plate. Wells’ 21 homers were tied for fifth most among Major League catchers in 2025, batting .219 with 71 RBIs in 126 games.
First baseman (2): Paul Goldschmidt, Ben Rice
Rice scorched the ball throughout his first full season in the Majors, tying for seventh in hard-hit percentage (56.1) and tying for ninth in average exit velocity (93.3 mph). Of his 119 hits, 58 went for extra-bases: 28 doubles, four triples and 26 homers. The next step is proving he can consistently handle left-handed pitching. Goldschmidt, 38, figures to get most of his playing time against left-handed pitching and as a late-inning defensive replacement.
Second baseman (1): Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Chisholm became the third Yankee (fourth time) to notch a 30-30 campaign, joining Bobby Bonds and Alfonso Soriano. He hit .242 with 31 homers, 80 RBIs and 31 stolen bases, crediting a “70 percent” mindset for helping him play more under control. Chisholm can be eligible for free agency after the season.
Shortstop (1): José Caballero
With Anthony Volpe expected to miss all of April as he recovers from left shoulder surgery, Caballero will be the likely Opening Day shortstop. Acquired from the Rays in July, Caballero led the Majors with 49 steals in 60 attempts.
Third baseman (1): Ryan McMahon
The slick-fielding McMahon will begin his first full season in the Bronx after being acquired from the Rockies in July. With New York, he batted .208 (33-for-159) with four homers and 18 RBIs in 54 games. McMahon was a Gold Glove finalist for four consecutive years with Colorado (2021-24).
Outfielders (3): Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, Aaron Judge
Judge won his third AL MVP Award in four years, setting career highs in batting average (.331) and runs scored (137) while leading the Majors in batting average, on-base percentage (.457), slugging percentage (.688) and other categories. Bellinger re-signed in January, and Grisham accepted a qualifying offer in November, solidifying the outfield alignment. Jasson Domínguez may be ticketed for Triple-A to begin the season.
DH (1): Giancarlo Stanton
Limited by severe tennis elbow in both arms, Stanton batted .273 with 24 homers and 66 RBIs in 77 games last season, making 18 starts in the outfield. Stanton’s 24 homers after July 2 were tied for the fourth most in the Majors over that span.
Bench/Utility (2): Oswaldo Cabrera, Amed Rosario
Cabrera should be ready to compete for a bench role after sustaining a season-ending left ankle injury on May 13. He has appeared in 302 games for the Yanks since 2022, playing every defensive position besides pitcher and catcher. Rosario returns as well, offering versatility and a proven bat against left-handed pitching.
Starting Pitchers (5): Max Fried, Luis Gil, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, Ryan Weathers
With Carlos Rodón slated to return in April/May and Gerrit Cole due back in May/June from Tommy John surgery, the Yankees’ pitching staff will evolve as the season progresses. Fried enters his second season atop the starting five after going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 32 starts last year. One thing to monitor: Fried (195 1/3 innings), Schlittler (149 2/3 in Majors/Minors) and Warren (162 1/3) are all coming off career-high workloads.
Relief Pitchers (8): David Bednar, Jake Bird, Paul Blackburn, Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, Tim Hill, Cade Winquest, Ryan Yarbrough
The ninth inning belongs to Bednar after he posted a 2.19 ERA and 10 saves in 22 appearances after being acquired from the Pirates in July. Cruz, Doval and Hill figure to take on most of the high-leverage work, with Blackburn and Yarbrough profiling for multi-inning roles or long relief.