Opening Day against the White Sox is fast approaching. After a surprising trade and some late offseason shopping, this roster projection has the most changes of any we’ve published this winter. Caleb Durbin looked poised to be the everyday choice at third, but he plays in Boston now, so the Brewers found a new option. After trading away Freddy Peralta earlier in the offseason, the Brewers continue to get younger and deeper, with perhaps the best farm system in baseball. Virtually the entire pitching staff is young and talented, providing a litany of options for the team to choose from. The position-player group has both youth and experience, and a cluster of infield options on the cusp of the major leagues. The 2026 Opening Day Roster will be strong, and the future is very bright.

Catchers (2)

Gary Sánchez returns to Milwaukee, solidifying the backup catcher position and giving the manager Pat Murphy a right-handed power bat on the bench. The 2025 team didn’t often have an option like Sánchez on the bench, and the former top prospect will provide both stability and punch. William Contreras looks primed for another All-Star season in 2026, Jeferson Quero will get more time to keep working back toward his pre-injury form, while Marco Dinges marches toward top-100 prospect status.

V 4.0 changes: Sanchez in, Quero out.

Infielders (6)

Team USA’s Brice Turang is in fine form already, primed to build on last season’s breakout. The Brewers signed Luis Rengifo to be the new starting third baseman, but the switch-hitter has had much better success in his career against left-handed pitching, opening the door for shared time at third. That’s where things get interesting. With Andruw Monasterio accompanying Durbin to the Red Sox, the backup infielder role is open. David Hamilton was re-acquired from Boston, after originally being drafted by the Brewers, and is already a favorite of Pat Murphy. Hamilton would fit as a left-handed batter, but he’s coming off a calamitous offensive season. Jett Williams and Cooper Pratt could contribute in similar roles to Hamilton’s, as the season unfolds. 

Following a September and playoff breakout, Jake Bauers came to an agreement on a pay raise early in the offseason and looks locked into a bench role, with some chance to be more like the starting first baseman if things break right. Bauers’s defense at first is far superior to Tyler Black’s, so despite the electric start to spring training that Black has had, there isn’t room on the Opening Day roster for him; the main consequence of his stronger showing might be a boost to his trade value.

V 4.0 changes: Rengifo and Hamilton in, Durbin and Monasterio out.

Outfield (5)

Brandon Lockridge’s fast start to camp (combined with Pat Murphy’s unabashed love for the speedster) nudges him just ahead of Blake Perkins. Perkins has minor-league options available to be exercised, and given Mitchell’s injury history, Perkins will almost certainly be a valuable depth piece again this season. As on the infield, Williams and Black are considerations on the grass, but not for Day 1. Akil Baddoo and Steward Berroa also lurk on the 40-man roster.

V 4.0 changes: Lockridge in, Perkins out.

Starting Pitchers (5)

The battle for the final two spots in the rotation could be epic, with Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan—the major returns in the Durbin trade—joining Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser and Brandon Sproat in the competition. Sproat flashed elite stuff in his first spring outing, and has the baseline workload to be a big-league starting pitcher right now. If Brandon Woodruff isn’t ready or the Brewers decide Patrick is more valuable in the bullpen, Sproat could be the frontrunner for the final spot.

V 4.0 changes: None.

Bullpen (8)

The depth of rotation options on the 40-man roster also deepens the bullpen, and despite no changes in this projection, there are many strong arms available to the Brewers. Zastryzny is the only player listed without a minor-league option available, but he might also be the most likely to be replaced if a change is made. Five lefties is probably too many, and the Brewers have let Zastryzny go in the past. Replacing him with Patrick, Craig Yoho or Coleman Crow could be the answer.

V 4.0 changes: None.

With the majority of spring training still to be played and a few decisions for the Brewers still to make, they sit in an enviable position. They have a strong core, youth, and depth throughout the roster. Which stud prospects will claim rotation spots? How will the infield time shares work out? Will Mitchell stay healthy? Will Black prove this is more than a lovely desert mirage? We will find out in a few weeks, but no matter who makes it to Opening Day, the 2026 Brewers are loaded with talent.