Early Orioles Roster and Lineup Projection for 2026

The Baltimore Orioles head into 2026 as one of baseball’s most intriguing contenders. Their roster as of December 28, 2025, blends proven veterans, emerging stars, and a dash of high-upside youth.

Nothing’s set in stone yet, and more moves seem likely. Still, the current projection shows just how aggressively general manager Mike Elias has reshaped both the pitching staff and the everyday lineup to chase a deep postseason run.

Orioles Rotation: A New-Look Staff Built Around Burnes

The biggest storyline in Baltimore’s winter is the transformation of the starting rotation. Elias has layered in experience around a core of talented arms, finally building a staff that can match the club’s stacked lineup.

Projected Rotation and the Push for One More Arm

Right now, the Orioles project to roll out a starting five of:

Corbin Burnes looms large over that group, after the blockbuster trade that screamed win-now. Inside the organization, folks expect at least one more established starter to join, which could bump Tyler Wells into a swingman or high-leverage relief role.

That’s the kind of flexibility Baltimore loves in Wells—he can start, bridge the middle innings, or work as a multi-inning weapon in October. Veterans like Charlie Morton and Kyle Gibson now give the Orioles something they’ve missed: reliable innings-eating depth behind their top arms.

Pair that with the upside of Baz and Rogers, and suddenly the rotation has both ceiling and stability. It’s been a while since Orioles fans could say that with a straight face.

Bullpen: Helsley Anchors a Volatile But High-Octane Group

The rotation has gained structure, but the bullpen? That’s still the wild card. There’s plenty of talent, but roles and final spots are far from settled.

Ryan Helsley Leads a Deep Relief Mix

At the back end, there’s no question. Ryan Helsley is the closer after signing a two-year, $28 million deal.

His upper-90s fastball and power breaking ball give Baltimore a true ninth-inning hammer. Behind him, the tentative relief corps features:

This group is a mix—ground-ball specialists, strikeout arms, lefties. The front office expects even more churn before Opening Day.

Relievers are the most volatile assets in baseball, so Baltimore will keep mining waivers, minor-league depth, and potential trades to fine-tune the pen. You never really know what a bullpen will look like until the season starts.

Catching: Rutschman and Basallo Form Baseball’s Best Tandem

The pitching staff might still be evolving, but catcher is locked down. It’s probably the club’s biggest competitive advantage.

Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo Lock Down the Position

Adley Rutschman is the franchise cornerstone—elite on-base skills, great game-caller, the whole package. Samuel Basallo sits right behind him, and that’s a rare luxury: a second catcher with real middle-of-the-order pop.

Manager Brandon Hyde can get creative. Rotate one to DH, mix in some first base, or play the matchups. Not many contenders can match Baltimore’s offensive punch from behind the plate, which is just wild to think about.

Infield: Power, Versatility, and Trade-Deadline Flexibility

The infield is loaded and a bit fluid. Several players can shift roles depending on performance—or if a trade shakes things up.

The Core Infielders and Potential Trade Chips

Here’s the projected infield group:

Henderson drives the group—he’s got MVP-level talent and anchors the left side. Holliday adds another dynamic lefty bat, and Westburg brings plenty of defensive flexibility.

Mountcastle and Coby Mayo are wild cards. Both offer right-handed power, but they could end up as trade chips if the right deal comes along. A move involving either could reshape the bench and open doors for prospects or more pitching help.

Right now, the Orioles are rich in corner infield thunder. That logjam might be the key to filling a midseason need.

Outfield: Depth, Defense, and Matchup Options

In the outfield, Baltimore’s put together a group that mixes power, athleticism, and defense. Hyde gets to play the matchup game every day.

Projected Outfield Alignment

As things stand, the outfield looks like:

Ward brings on-base skills and gap power. O’Neill adds plus defense and home-run pop—when he’s healthy, at least.

Cowser and Beavers give the team younger, controllable bats with real athleticism. Taveras stabilizes things with switch-hitting and quality center-field defense.

Sample Lineup and the Endless Combinations Ahead

With so many multi-position options and platoon possibilities, the Orioles’ lineup card could look different every night. Still, even one sample alignment shows just how dangerous this offense can be.

Example Orioles Lineup Projection

Here’s one possible look for Opening Day:

This is just one of many ways things could line up. The order and defense might change a lot, depending on matchups, injuries, or even a surprise trade or two.

 
Here is the source article for this story: A much-too-early projection of Orioles’ roster and lineup