A couple weeks into spring training, the Orioles appear to have as little Opening Day roster drama as any year in recent memory.
With no surprise injuries to 26-man roster favorites revealed by general manager Mike Elias at the start of camp, Baltimore is mostly healthy with just a few players set to begin the 2025 season on the injured list. That means there aren’t many — if any — jobs truly up for grabs, especially when taking incumbents out of minor-league options into account.
Of course, an injury or two at the wrong position would quickly change the conversation.
Below is a look at the Orioles’ projected 26-man roster for Opening Day:
STARTING PITCHERS (5): Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer, Tomoyuki Sugano
Skinny: While the likes of Albert Suarez, Cade Povich, and Brandon Young are the next candidates on call and projected Triple-A Norfolk starters Trevor Rogers (knee) and Chayce McDermott (lat) are recovering from short-term injuries, the rotation is all but set after the Orioles invested a combined $28 million in Morton and Sugano to help replace ace Corbin Burnes. Whether there’s enough upside for October is the big concern, but there’s a solid collection of depth options to help navigate the 162-game season. And that’s not including Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells, who are working their way back from major elbow surgeries and could be in the conversation at some point after the All-Star break.
BULLPEN (8): Felix Bautista, Andrew Kittredge, Yennier Cano, Seranthony Dominguez, Gregory Soto, Cionel Perez, Keegan Akin, Albert Suarez
Skinny: With Monday’s news that Bautista isn’t far from making his Grapefruit League debut, the odds of him being ready for Opening Day are only looking better, which is what you hoped to see 16 months after Tommy John surgery. Otherwise, the bullpen appears just about set with Suarez — who’s out of options — expected to work in relief if the projected starting rotation stays healthy. The most notable bubble reliever out of options is right-hander Bryan Baker, but his performance has gone in the wrong direction since a successful 2022 season, leaving his roster chances on unflattering footing without an injury to another established reliever. Colin Selby, Roansy Contreras, Luis Gonzalez, and Kade Strowd are also on the 40-man roster, but Contreras is the only one of those four out of minor-league options.
CATCHERS (2): Adley Rutschman, Gary Sanchez
Skinny: There’s nothing to see here beyond the need for Rutschman to put his nightmare second half of 2024 behind him. In the event of an injury, however, the Orioles don’t have a third catcher on the 40-man roster, and you wouldn’t yet expect them to start the clock for top prospect Samuel Basallo, who enters 2025 with just 21 Triple-A games under his belt. That would mean turning to a non-roster option like Maverick Handley or someone outside the organization.
INFIELDERS (6): Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Ryan Mountcastle, Ryan O’Hearn, Ramon Urias
Skinny: The 21-year-old Holliday would need to have a very poor spring to reconsider his Opening Day status, which means this group is all but set with utility man Jorge Mateo (elbow) unlikely to be ready for the start of the season. That leaves Urias as the top reserve, and the positional versatility of Henderson, Westburg, and Holliday leaves little need for another infielder. With Mountcastle and O’Hearn gobbling up the at-bats at first base as well as many at designated hitter, prospect Coby Mayo seems destined to start the season at Norfolk. Emmanuel Rivera remains a non-roster corner infield option in the event of an injury.
OUTFIELDERS (5): Colton Cowser, Cedric Mullins, Tyler O’Neill, Heston Kjerstad, Ramon Laureano
Skinny: Cowser, Mullins, and O’Neill are the projected starters, but the platoon splits of this group should lead to mixing and matching. Elias signed O’Neill to replace All-Star right fielder Anthony Santander, but the former’s injury history and so-so production against right-handed pitching in recent seasons should still lead to plenty of at-bats for Kjerstad, who is entering a pivotal season for his development and future. An injury would open the door for reclamation project Dylan Carlson, a 26-year-old who finished third in NL Rookie of the Year back in 2021 and has options remaining.
INJURED LIST: INF Jorge Mateo, LHP Trevor Rogers, RHP Chayce McDermott, RHP Kyle Bradish, RHP Tyler Wells
Skinny: Bradish and Wells are the only ones expected to be sidelined deep into the 2025 season as each had his ulnar collateral ligament repaired last June.
