2026 New York Mets Opening Day Roster Projection

[Aaron Shamilov]

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2025-2026 offseason, changes were needed. Fans knew it, coaches knew it, players knew it, and most importantly, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns knew it. Not only did the Mets overhaul almost their entire coaching staff, but they also overhauled the entire team. With spring training nearing its end with Opening Day less than two weeks out, it's time to project the Mets' Opening Day roster. 

Let's take a position-by-position look to see who will make the 26-man roster on March 26 when the Mets host two-time reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. 

Starting Rotation (6)

• RHP Freddy Peralta
• RHP Nolan McLean
• LHP David Peterson
• LHP Sean Manaea
• RHP Clay Holmes
• RHP Kodai Senga

Searching for a frontline arm all offseason, the Mets traded for Freddy Peralta on Jan. 21 from Milwaukee for top prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. It was a hefty price to pay for someone with one year left on his contract before reaching free agency, but the Mets weren't going to squander the opportunity of acquiring an ace-level talent in Peralta. Manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Feb. 27 that Peralta will take the ball for his new team on Opening Day. 

Nolan McLean, who was slated to be the club's Opening Day starter had they not acquired Peralta, burst onto the scene in August 2025 and wowed not only the Mets, but everyone across MLB. Nicknamed "Cowboy Ohtani," McLean dazzled to a 2.06 ERA in eight starts (48 innings) down the stretch. Two innings shy of exceeding his rookie status, McLean already looked like an established star. Now in 2026, the 24-year-old, who participated in the World Baseball Classic for Team USA, looks to build off his impressive 2025 cameo. 

Entering his seventh season with the Mets and his first as the longest tenured Met, David Peterson will look to rekindle his first-half form in 2025 that earned him the first All-Star nod of his career. After four up and down years, Peterson has established himself as a quality starting pitcher as he enters his first contract year. 

It was not the season the Mets or Sean Manaea envisioned the 34-year-old would have. Manaea missed significant time in 2025 with a strained right oblique in spring training and later dealt with a 7-millimeter loose body in his left elbow, which he managed with a cortisone shot rather than surgery. Heading into the new season, the Mets believe Manaea can return to the pitcher he was in 2024. 

The former closer-turned-starting pitcher Clay Holmes is entering his second season as such in a Mets uniform. Like McLean, Holmes also participated in the WBC for Team USA. Stearns didn't get a whole right last season, but Holmes was certainly a right move. He'll look to throw more innings and get deeper into games in 2026. 

Since bringing Kodai Senga over from Japan in 2023, the Mets have accommodated Senga by going to a six-man rotation. It's been quite the first three years for Senga in the US. The 33-year-old finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, seventh for NL Cy Young, and was selected to his first All-Star team. The right-hander then missed all but one start in 2024, and similarly to Peterson, Senga dominated in the first half last year. Senga came back in June after a hamstring strain and pitched to a poor 6.56 ERA and was subsequently sent down after eight starts. This offseason, Senga made changes with his "brain" as he hopes to rebound. 

"Run-prevention" has been the name of the game for Stearns and the Mets this offseason. A 1-2 punch of Peralta and McLean at the top of the rotation should help. 

Bullpen (7)

• RHP Devin Williams
• RHP Luke Weaver
• LHP Brooks Raley
• RHP Tobias Myers
• RHP Luis García
• RHP Huascar Brazobán
• RHP Craig Kimbrel

The Mets signed Devin Williams before fan favorite closer Edwin Díaz, but that quickly turned into a replacement when Díaz chose the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Mets. The club signed Luke Weaver to a two-year deal and is getting veteran left Brooks Raley back, who will serve in a setup role.

Similarly, A.J. Minter, whom the Mets signed ahead of the 2025 season, will also serve as a setup man once he returns in May from injury. Just days before the Mets were set to play their first Grapefruit League game, the club signed veteran Craig Kimbrel to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring camp. Kimbrel has made changes in his repertoire, and the Mets will likely value his experience and give him a spot on the roster. 

Tobias Myers, who was the "other piece" in the trade for Peralta, will likely serve in a long-relief or spot-starter role. For his career, Myers has appeared in 49 games (31 starts) and has pitched to the tune of a 3.15 ERA in 188 2/3 innings. 

Catchers (2)

• Francisco Alvarez
• Luis Torrens

The former No. 1-ranked prospect Francisco Alvarez is due for a breakout year. Every year, Mets fans say, "This is the year." Alvarez has shown many flashes of breaking out, but hasn't been able to fully put it all together yet. 

Traded for in May 2024, Luis Torrens has been the Mets' backup catcher the past two years. Known for his defensive prowess, Torrens led all catchers in the NL with a 40.8 Caught Stealing percentage in 2025. 

Infielders (6)

• 3B Bo Bichette
• SS Francisco Lindor
• 2B Marcus Semien
• 1B Jorge Polanco
• 3B/2B/1B/RF Brett Baty
• 3B/1B Mark Vientos

Stearns knew he would take heavy criticism from the Mets faithful after letting franchise stalwart Pete Alonso shake hands with the Baltimore Orioles; he even heard it from his own family. Instead of replacing Alonso with one player, the Mets will likely use a rotation of Polanco, Baty, and Vientos to man first base. 

Newcomer Bo Bichette, like Polanco, will also have to learn a new position at third base. Signing two players, especially ones who are not known for their defense, to play positions they are unaccustomed to had fans questioning the moves. But adding Marcus Semien, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, to play second certainly wasn't. Francisco Lindor remains on track to be on the Opening Day roster as he made his first start in spring training on Sunday. 

Outfielders (5)

• RF Carson Benge
• CF Luis Robert Jr.
• LF Juan Soto
• RF Mike Tauchman
• CF Tyrone Taylor

Since November, the Mets' top position prospect, Carson Benge, was notified that he would have the chance to come into major league camp and be able to compete for the starting right field job. Well, the 23-year-old has taken the chance and run away with it. Less than two weeks to go, and Benge is leading the team in hits with 11. Benge is hitting .367/.406/.433 with an .840 OPS in 30 at-bats. Benge, who played right field for the most part at the University of Oklahoma, said he "feels really comfortable" at the position.

Mike Tauchman, who is in direct competition with Benge for the starting right field job, has also played well this spring. While Tauchman was signed to a minor league deal, his contract includes an opt-out on March 25. The Mets will likely value his veteran-ship and keep him on the roster.  

Luis Robert Jr., whom the Mets traded for this offseason, has lots to prove. Coming off two down years, the one-time All-Star will look to recapture his tremendous 2023 form, where he hit 38 home runs and drove in 80 RBIs with an .857 OPS in 546 at-bats, showing the ability to stay healthy. 

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