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Maybe you didn’t see a third lefty hitting catcher, J.C. Escarra, making last year’s Yankees Opening Day roster.
Because of spring training injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, rookie Will Warren and non-roster veteran Carlos Carrasco – longshots to make the club last February - opened in the Yanks’ 2025 rotation.
And does anyone remember Pablo Reyes?
A solid spring training performance earned Reyes a utility spot on the Yanks’ 26-man roster to begin 2025, and he was an ex-Yankee after 31 at-bats.
In other words, a lot can happen between now and March 25, but that won’t deter us from this all-too-early exercise in projecting the Yanks’ 2026 Opening Day roster.
Here’s how it looks now, with Yankees pitchers and catchers set to report to Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday (NRI = non-roster invitee).
Starting on the injured list: RHPs Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt; LHP Carlos Rodon.
In the conversation: RHP Paul Blackburn; LHP Ryan Yarbrough.
Longshot candidates: RHPs Osvaldo Bido, Adam Kloffenstein (NRI), Drake Fellows (NRI), Elmer Rodriguez, Carlos Lagrange, Brendan Beck (NRI), Alexander Cornielle (NRI), Ben Hess.
Summary: The expectation is that Rodon (bone spur, left elbow) returns sometime in May, Cole (rehab, Tommy John surgery) arrives around early June and Schmidt (TJ rehab) is in play by September.
Fried, Schlittler and Warren had their heaviest professional workloads in 2025, while Gil and Weathers combined for 19 MLB starts last year due to IL stints, something to be mindful of as camp begins.
After the veterans Blackburn and Yarbrough, the 30-year-old Bido – a recent waiver pickup – has some big-league starting experience with the Pirates and Athletics.
Of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects (Rodriguez, Lagrange, Hess) only Rodriguez has reached Triple-A (one start) but could be factors later this season, or as trade chips in an impact deal.
In the conversation: RHPs Jake Bird, Dylan Coleman (NRI), Paul Blackburn, Osvaldo Bido, Yerry de los Santos.
Longshot candidates: RHPs Kervin Castro, Yovanny Cruz (NRI), Drake Fellows (NRI), Bradey Hanner (NRI), Travis McGregor (NRI), Michael Arias (NRI), Harrison Cohen (NRI).
Summary: The hard-throwing Winquest became a rare Yankee Rule 5 Draft pick who must remain on the big-league roster, or else be offered back to his original club (Cardinals).
Chivilli, with 73 games of MLB experience (6.18 ERA) also has a big arm and there’s hope he might be the Yanks’ next diamond-in-the-rough relief find after last month’s minor trade with Colorado.
Headrick could be the lefty complement to Hill. Bird still has promise but lasted just three appearances after landing via Colorado at the trade deadline and things got worse at Triple-A (6.32 ERA).
Ben Rice
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Jose Caballero
Ryan McMahon
Amed Rosario
Paul Goldschmidt
Starting on the injured list: Anthony Volpe.
In the conversation: Oswaldo Cabrera, Seth Brown (NRI), Paul DeJong (NRI), Zack Short (NRI), Jorbit Vivas.
Longshot candidates: George Lombard Jr. (NRI), Ernesto Martinez, Jr. (NRI).
Summary: Volpe’s shoulder rehab could keep him out until sometime in May, giving Caballero some runway toward keeping a regular spot or transitioning back into a utility role.
Rosario, mainly the right-handed complement to McMahon, might have seen some time at first base before Goldschmidt was re-signed.
Coming off last May's ankle fracture, Cabrera might be the odd man out (at least to begin the season), potentially leaving the Yanks without a reliable backup shortstop.
Brown, the lefty-hitting seven-year MLB veteran with the A’s, is also an outfield candidate. DeJong, a nine-year MLB vet, made starts at all four infield spots for the 2025 Washington Nationals.
Aaron Judge
Cody Bellinger
Trent Grisham
Jasson Dominguez
Giancarlo Stanton
In the conversation: Seth Brown (NRI), Spencer Jones, Yanquiel Fernandez, Marco Luciano (NRI).
Longshot candidates: Kennedy Corona (NRI), Duke Ellis (NRI)
Summary: Barring an injury situation, Dominguez is the fourth outfielder, and the lefty-hitting slugging prospect Jones might be ticketed back to Triple-A, with both as potential trade depth.
Fernandez is a lefty hitter with some power who debuted in 2025 (52 games) with the Rockies.
Another recent waiver claim with limited MLB experience (Giants), the right-handed hitting Luciano has also seen time as a middle infielder.
How much, if any outfield time, might Stanton see in his age-36 season?
Austin Wells
J.C. Escarra
In the conversation: Payton Henry (NRI), Ali Sanchez (NRI).
Longshot candidates: Abrahan Gutierrez (NRI), Miguel Palma (NRI).
Rice also provides some depth, but ideally, he's the regular first baseman and the Yanks could import a right-handed hitter to pair with Wells, making Escarra a potential trade candidate.
Henry, 28, last played in the majors in 2022 (20 MLB games total), while Sanchez has appeared in 43 games with three teams (Miami, Boston, Toronto) in the last two seasons.
Gutierrez was a Rule 5 selection (minor league phase) with eight minor league seasons in three separate organizations. Palma, 24, spent the last six seasons in the Houston Astros’ system.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees projected Opening Day 2026 roster as spring training arrives
Continue reading...
Because of spring training injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil, rookie Will Warren and non-roster veteran Carlos Carrasco – longshots to make the club last February - opened in the Yanks’ 2025 rotation.
And does anyone remember Pablo Reyes?
A solid spring training performance earned Reyes a utility spot on the Yanks’ 26-man roster to begin 2025, and he was an ex-Yankee after 31 at-bats.
In other words, a lot can happen between now and March 25, but that won’t deter us from this all-too-early exercise in projecting the Yanks’ 2026 Opening Day roster.
Here’s how it looks now, with Yankees pitchers and catchers set to report to Tampa, Florida, on Wednesday (NRI = non-roster invitee).
Yankees' projected rotation (5)
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- Max Fried, LHP
- Luis Gil, RHP
- Cam Schlittler, RHP
- Ryan Weathers, LHP
- Will Warren, RHP
Starting on the injured list: RHPs Gerrit Cole, Clarke Schmidt; LHP Carlos Rodon.
In the conversation: RHP Paul Blackburn; LHP Ryan Yarbrough.
Longshot candidates: RHPs Osvaldo Bido, Adam Kloffenstein (NRI), Drake Fellows (NRI), Elmer Rodriguez, Carlos Lagrange, Brendan Beck (NRI), Alexander Cornielle (NRI), Ben Hess.
Summary: The expectation is that Rodon (bone spur, left elbow) returns sometime in May, Cole (rehab, Tommy John surgery) arrives around early June and Schmidt (TJ rehab) is in play by September.
Fried, Schlittler and Warren had their heaviest professional workloads in 2025, while Gil and Weathers combined for 19 MLB starts last year due to IL stints, something to be mindful of as camp begins.
After the veterans Blackburn and Yarbrough, the 30-year-old Bido – a recent waiver pickup – has some big-league starting experience with the Pirates and Athletics.
Of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects (Rodriguez, Lagrange, Hess) only Rodriguez has reached Triple-A (one start) but could be factors later this season, or as trade chips in an impact deal.
Yankees' projected bullpen (8)
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- David Bednar, RHP
- Fernando Cruz, RHP
- Camilo Doval, RHP
- Tim Hill, LHP
- Cade Winquest, RHP
- Angel Chivilli, RHP
- Brent Headrick, LHP
- Ryan Yarbrough, LHP
In the conversation: RHPs Jake Bird, Dylan Coleman (NRI), Paul Blackburn, Osvaldo Bido, Yerry de los Santos.
Longshot candidates: RHPs Kervin Castro, Yovanny Cruz (NRI), Drake Fellows (NRI), Bradey Hanner (NRI), Travis McGregor (NRI), Michael Arias (NRI), Harrison Cohen (NRI).
Summary: The hard-throwing Winquest became a rare Yankee Rule 5 Draft pick who must remain on the big-league roster, or else be offered back to his original club (Cardinals).
Chivilli, with 73 games of MLB experience (6.18 ERA) also has a big arm and there’s hope he might be the Yanks’ next diamond-in-the-rough relief find after last month’s minor trade with Colorado.
Headrick could be the lefty complement to Hill. Bird still has promise but lasted just three appearances after landing via Colorado at the trade deadline and things got worse at Triple-A (6.32 ERA).
Yankees' projected infielders (6)
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Ben Rice
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Jose Caballero
Ryan McMahon
Amed Rosario
Paul Goldschmidt
Starting on the injured list: Anthony Volpe.
In the conversation: Oswaldo Cabrera, Seth Brown (NRI), Paul DeJong (NRI), Zack Short (NRI), Jorbit Vivas.
Longshot candidates: George Lombard Jr. (NRI), Ernesto Martinez, Jr. (NRI).
Summary: Volpe’s shoulder rehab could keep him out until sometime in May, giving Caballero some runway toward keeping a regular spot or transitioning back into a utility role.
Rosario, mainly the right-handed complement to McMahon, might have seen some time at first base before Goldschmidt was re-signed.
Coming off last May's ankle fracture, Cabrera might be the odd man out (at least to begin the season), potentially leaving the Yanks without a reliable backup shortstop.
Brown, the lefty-hitting seven-year MLB veteran with the A’s, is also an outfield candidate. DeJong, a nine-year MLB vet, made starts at all four infield spots for the 2025 Washington Nationals.
Yankees' projected outfielders (5)
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Aaron Judge
Cody Bellinger
Trent Grisham
Jasson Dominguez
Giancarlo Stanton
In the conversation: Seth Brown (NRI), Spencer Jones, Yanquiel Fernandez, Marco Luciano (NRI).
Longshot candidates: Kennedy Corona (NRI), Duke Ellis (NRI)
Summary: Barring an injury situation, Dominguez is the fourth outfielder, and the lefty-hitting slugging prospect Jones might be ticketed back to Triple-A, with both as potential trade depth.
Fernandez is a lefty hitter with some power who debuted in 2025 (52 games) with the Rockies.
Another recent waiver claim with limited MLB experience (Giants), the right-handed hitting Luciano has also seen time as a middle infielder.
How much, if any outfield time, might Stanton see in his age-36 season?
Yankees' projected catchers (2)
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Austin Wells
J.C. Escarra
In the conversation: Payton Henry (NRI), Ali Sanchez (NRI).
Longshot candidates: Abrahan Gutierrez (NRI), Miguel Palma (NRI).
Rice also provides some depth, but ideally, he's the regular first baseman and the Yanks could import a right-handed hitter to pair with Wells, making Escarra a potential trade candidate.
Henry, 28, last played in the majors in 2022 (20 MLB games total), while Sanchez has appeared in 43 games with three teams (Miami, Boston, Toronto) in the last two seasons.
Gutierrez was a Rule 5 selection (minor league phase) with eight minor league seasons in three separate organizations. Palma, 24, spent the last six seasons in the Houston Astros’ system.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees projected Opening Day 2026 roster as spring training arrives
Continue reading...
