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Walbert Ureña (Photo by John E. Moore/Getty Images)

Twenty–two players on Opening Day rosters enter the 2026 season with zero days of MLB service. The players break down into five main categories.

Tatsuya Imai, RHP, Astros
Munetaka Murakami, 1B, White Sox
Kazuma Okamoto, 3B, Blue Jays

These three Japanese stars signed lucrative major league contracts and open the year in starting roles. Former KBO star Sung-Mun Song signed an MLB deal with the Padres, but the versatile infielder opens the year on the Padres’ injured list.

Carter Baumler, RHP, Rangers
Spencer Miles, RHP, Blue Jays
Jedixson Paez, RHP, White Sox
Peyton Pallette, RHP, Guardians
Matt Pushard, RHP, Cardinals
Daniel Susac, C, Giants
Ryan Watson, RHP, Red Sox
Cade Winquest, RHP, Yankees

Two other Rule 5 picks are staying with their drafting clubs out of camp. No. 1 overall Rule 5 pick RJ Petit is on the Rockies’ injured list after the 26-year-old righthander had Tommy John surgery. The Astros are carrying 25-year-old righthander Roddery Muñoz in the bullpen. He has previous MLB experience in 2024 and 2025 equating to 123 days of service. 

Carson Benge, OF, Mets
Justin Crawford, OF, Phillies
Chase DeLauter, OF, Guardians
Kevin McGonigle, SS, Tigers
Andrew Painter, RHP, Phillies
JJ Wetherholt, 2B Cardinals

Five of the six Top 100 Prospects listed here are making their MLB debuts. The sixth is Chase DeLauter, who will make his regular season MLB debut. The Guardians added him to their postseason roster during the AL Wild Card Series last year, and he collected his first hit and walk before appearing in a regular season game.  

All six are members of a 19-player cohort that will add Prospect Promotion Incentive eligibility if they remain in the big leagues all season.

Ryan Weiss, RHP, Astros

Weiss returns to affiliated ball fresh off an MVP season in Korea in which he went 16-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 178.2 innings. He updated his repertoire to focus on a riding fastball and dangerous sweeper. Weiss also throws a curveball and changeup. The 29-year-old enters the year as an Astros reliever who would be a candidate for spot starts as needed.

Now, we come to the most notable Opening Day roster members, those who won jobs based on their spring training performance—and not because of major league contract status, Rule 5 selection or PPI enticement.

These players opened eyes and sped up timetables.

Jose Franco, RHP, Reds

The Reds are swimming in power-armed young pitchers. The 25-year-old Franco earned an Opening Day bullpen spot late in spring training when a cascade of injuries created a role. He tossed 4.2 Cactus League innings and allowed two runs on five hits—but he also struck out eight and generated a 19.5% swinging-strike rate that tied for tops among spring training pitchers who made multiple starts. Franco pitches in the mid 90s with an effective slider and occasional changeup. It’s a repertoire that should suit him well as a multi-inning reliever and spot starter. The Reds added Franco to the 40-man roster last November after he pitched well at Double-A and Triple-A. 

Anthony Nuñez, RHP, Orioles

Nuñez has made one of the most fascinating journeys in baseball. This spring, he threw five scoreless innings with six strikeouts and just three hits allowed in Grapefruit League play to make the Orioles’ Opening Day bullpen. A year ago, he was an unknown minor league reliever in the Mets’ system. Two years ago, he was a third baseman for Division II Tampa. Nuñez began pitching during his junior year at Tampa in 2024 and caught the attention of the Mets, who signed him as an undrafted free agent. He quickly climbed to Double-A in 2025 and was a key part of the trade that sent Cedric Mullins to the Mets.

Nuñez continued dominating in the Baltimore chain and finished his season with a 2.06 ERA and nine saves in 49 appearances, striking out 83 and walking 24 in 56.2 innings. He allowed two home runs and a 0.81 WHIP. Batters struggle to adapt to Nuñez’s wide pitch mix, which is headlined by a mid-80s slider, low-90s cutter and devastating changeup. He spots his 96 mph fastball to set up his outstanding secondary pitches and also throws as sinker and curveball.  

T.J. Rumfield, 1B, Rockies

Troy Johnston and Blaine Crim were the presumed favorites in the Rockies’ wide-open first base competition, but the former opens on the bench and the latter on the injured list. Rumfield will get the nod at first base after launching five home runs, hitting a ball as hard as 113 mph and striking out just twice in 23 Cactus League games.

Colorado acquired the 25-year-old lefthanded hitter in January when they traded reliever Angel Chivilli to the Yankees. Rumfield spent the past two seasons at Triple-A, posting hard-hit rates of about 37% and zone-contact rates near 90%. In other words, he may be more than a spring training fluke. Rumfield is notable among the four most surprising Opening Day roster players in that he was not previously a member of the 40-man roster. The Rockies had to make a move to add him. 

Walbert Ureña, RHP, Angels

Added to the Angels’ 40-man roster last November, Ureña spent most of last season at Double-A Rocket City but quickly pitched his way onto the MLB radar this spring by firing off sinkers that topped at 100 mph. In 16.2 Cactus League innings, he struck out 16, walked seven and allowed nine runs on 15 hits, but his power sinker could make him an asset as a groundball machine in the bullpen or possibly rotation if he throws enough strikes. The 22-year-old Ureña throws a quality changeup and also a slider, giving him the raw ingredients to start and aspire to become the next Jose Soriano.