Here are the 26 players who will be on the field, in the dugout and in the bullpen once the regular season gets underway here in Atlanta. As is tradition around here, we’re taking a deeper look at each and every player on the Opening Day roster. This includes how they got here, their basic information and then some projections and fun facts as well.
We hope you enjoy!
PITCHERS
## – Osvaldo Bido – RHP
Age: 30 Birthplace: Los Hidalgos, Dominican Republic
Acquired: Claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees on March 24, 2026
Expected Role: Swingman/Long relief
Projection: Low-leverage reliever or swingman, 0 to 0.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Was previously claimed by the Braves off waivers in December 2025, but lost ten days later to make space for the signing of Ha-Seong Kim. This started a period of five different organizations claiming Bido in the span of five months; the Braves claimed him after the conclusion of Spring Training. Bido makes the Opening Day roster despite not appearing in camp with the Braves.
49 – Aaron Bummer – LHP
Age: 33 Birthplace: Valencia, CA
Acquired: Traded from the White Sox to the Braves on November 16, 2023 in exchange for Nicky Lopez, Braden Shewmake, Jared Shuster, Michael Soroka and Riley Gowens.
Expected Role: Middle relief
Projection: Quality reliever, 0.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Made his first career start in 2025, striking out the first five batters he faced.
55 – Bryce Elder – RHP
Age: 27 Birthplace: Decatur, TX
Acquired: Drafted by the Braves in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB Draft
Expected Role: Starter
Projection: Fourth starter, 1 to 2 WAR
Fun Fact: This is Elder’s first time on a Braves Opening Day roster; he didn’t even make it when ultimately making an All-Star Team in 2023.
72 – Didier Fuentes – RHP
Age: 20 Birthplace: Tolu, Colombia
Acquired: Signed by the Braves as an international free agent on January 15, 2022
Expected Role: Swingman/Long relief
Projection: Average swingman or starter, 0 to 1.5 WAR
Fun Fact: When making his MLB debut in 2025, was the third-youngest starting pitcher in Atlanta Braves history, and the youngest debut in MLB since 2016 (Julio Urias).
66 – Grant Holmes – RHP
Age: 29 Birthplace: Conway, SC
Acquired: Signed a minor league deal deal with the Braves on November 21, 2023
Expected Role: Starter
Projection: Average swingman or starter, 0.5 to 1.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Made his MLB debut a full decade after being drafted.
26 – Raisel Iglesias – RHP
Age: 36 Birthplace: Juventud, Cuba
Acquired: Signed a one-year, $16 million contract on November 19, 2025
Expected Role: Closer
Projection: Above-average reliever, 0.5 to 1 WAR
Fun Fact: Was once ejected for throwing a tub of sunflower seeds and a bucket of gum onto the infield while his teammates were engaged in an on-field brawl.
45 – Tyler Kinley – RHP
Age: 35 Birthplace: Plantation, FL
Acquired: Signed a one-year, $4.25 million contract on January 10, 2026
Expected Role: Middle-to-High-leverage relief
Projection: Average reliever, 0.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Kinley used to claim that he was related to U.S. President William McKinley, and that the “Mc” was missing from his family’s surname as a safety measure following the assassination of President McKinley. However, this was disproven by a someone who took it upon themselves to fact-check this.
52 – Dylan Lee – LHP
Age: 31 Birthplace: Dinuba, CA
Acquired: Signed a minor league deal with the Braves on April 15, 2021.
Expected Role: Middle-to-High-leverage relief
Projection: Average reliever, 0.5 WAR
Fun Fact: I am contractually and morally obligated to repeat the fact that when he started a game in the 2021 World Series, he had the fewest career MLB appearances for a starter in such a game, in every post talking about Dylan Lee, as well as this fun fact series.
40 – Reynaldo López – RHP
Age: 32 Birthplace: San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic
Acquired: Agreed to a three-year, $26 million deal that also includes an $8 million club option for 2027.
Expected Role: Starter
Projection: Middle of the rotation starter limited by availability, 1.5 to 2 WAR
Fun Fact: First Dominican player signed and developed by the Nationals to start a game for them. (Doesn’t include the pre-Nationals, Expos tenure.)
34 – Joel Payamps – RHP
Age: 31 Birthplace: Santiago, Dominican Republic
Acquired: Signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract on November 23, 2025
Expected Role: Middle Relief
Projection: Below-average reliever, 0 to 0.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Was included in the three-team trade that brought Sean Murphy to Atlanta. As part of the deal, the Athletics sent to Payamps to the Brewers.
51 – Chris Sale – LHP
Age: 37 Birthplace: Lakeland, FL
Acquired: Traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Braves on December 30 in exchange for Vaughn Grissom. Agreed to a two-year, $38 million deal on January 4 that also includes an $18 million club option for 2026. Signed a one-year, $27 million contract on February 25, 2026 that also includes a $30 million club option for 2028.
Expected Role: Starter
Projection: Above-average starter to elite starter, 2.5 to 4.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Has made back-to-back All-Star Team appearances after a prior seven-year stretch (2012-2018) of consecutive appearances as well.
54 – Jose Suarez – LHP
Age: 28 Birthplace: Naguanagua, Venezuela
Acquired: Claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles on January 26, 2026
Expected Role: Starter
Projection: Average reliever or swingman, 0 to 1 WAR
Fun Fact: Though he appeared with the Braves in 2025 and will likely do so at least once in 2026, spent part of the offseason (less than two weeks) with Baltimore after being claimed on waivers in mid-January. The Braves claimed him back in late January.
75 – Robert Suarez – RHP
Age: 35 Birthplace: Bolivar, Venezuela
Acquired: Signed a three-year, $45 million contract on December 11, 2025
Expected Role: High leverage
Projection: Above-average reliever, 0.5 to 1 WAR
Fun Fact: Was once ejected and suspended for a sticky substance during a routine glove check.
CATCHERS
30 – Drake Baldwin – C
Age: 24 Birthplace: Madison, WI
Acquired: Drafted by the Braves in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft
Expected Role: Starting catcher
Projection: Above-average regular, 2 to 4 WAR
Fun Fact: Led his home state of Wisconsin in high school hockey goal scoring as a junior in 2018.
20 – Jonah Heim – C
Age: 30 Birthplace: Buffalo, NY
Acquired: Signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract on February 10, 2026
Expected Role: Backup catcher
Projection: Below-average to average regular, not expected to play frequently, 0 to 2 WAR depending on playing time
Fun Fact: As a child, started switch-hitting because, in his own words, “hitting from the right side is boring.”
INFIELDERS
1 – Ozzie Albies – 2B
Age: 29 Birthplace: Willemstad, Curaçao
Acquired: Signed as an international free agent by the Braves in 2013. Signed a seven-year, $35 million extension with two club options on April 11, 2019.
Expected Role: Starting second baseman
Projection: Average regular, 1.5 to 2.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Hit a walkoff three-run homer in the 2026 WBC with two outs and a two-run deficit, preventing Nicaragua from getting their first-ever victory in WBC play.
14 – Mauricio Dubón – UTIL
Age: 31 Birthplace: San Pedro Sula, Honduras
Acquired: Traded by the Houston Astros on November 19, 2025 in exchange for Nick Allen
Expected Role: Super utilityman, temporary starting shortstop
Projection: Below-average regular, 0.5 to 1 WAR
Fun Fact: Moved to the U.S. at 15 to play baseball after a chance meeting with a mission group in his native Honduras; second native-born Honduran to play in MLB, first to appear in the MLB playoffs, and first to win a Gold Glove Award.
15 – Kyle Farmer – INF
Age: 35 Birthplace: Atlanta, GA
Acquired: Signed a minor-league deal on February 6, 2026
Expected Role: Bench
Projection: Replacement level (or below), 0 WAR
Fun Fact: Appeared in the film, The Blind Side, as a high school quarterback.
2 – Jorge Mateo – UTIL
Age: 30 Birthplace: San Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic
Acquired: Signed a one-year, $1 million contract on January 19, 2026
Expected Role: Utilityman
Projection: Below-average regular, 0 to 1 WAR
Fun Fact: Named the fastest minor leaguer ahead of the 2018 season by Baseball America. Then, led MLB in steals in 2022.
28 – Matt Olson – 1B
Age: 31 Birthplace: Atlanta, GA
Acquired: Traded by the Athletics on March 14, 2022. Signed an eight-year, $168 million extension with a club option for 2030 on March 15, 2022.
Expected Role: Starting first baseman
Projection: Above-average regular, 3 to 3.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Was ejected for the first time in his career for arguing a batter interference call during the second-to-last game of the 2025 regular season.
27 – Austin Riley – 3B
Age: 27 Birthplace: Memphis, TN
Acquired: Selected by the Braves in the supplemental first round, 41st overall, of the 2015 MLB Draft. Signed a ten-year, $212 million extension on August 1, 2022.
Expected Role: Starting third baseman
Projection: Above-average regular, 3 to 4 WAR
Fun Fact: In addition to baseball, played quarterback for his high school team during his freshman and sophomore years. Attempted to quit the football team to focus entirely on baseball, but was retained as the squad’s punter.
8 – Dominic Smith – 1B
Age: 30 Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA
Acquired: Signed a minor-league deal on February 17, 2026
Expected Role: Left-handed pinch-hitter
Projection: Below-replacement to generic bench production, -0.5 to 0.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Had an insane WPA game in the final game of the 2019 season by hitting a three-run, pinch-hit walkoff homer against the Braves while down by two runs and with two outs in the 11th. But, the game was ultimately meaningless for the standings, so no one remembers this as particularly dramatic.
OUTFIELDERS
13 – Ronald Acuña Jr. – RF
Age: 28 Birthplace: La Guaira, Venezuela
Acquired: Signed by the Braves as an international free agent in July 2014. Signed an eight-year, $100 million extension with club options for 2027 and 2028 on April 2, 2019.
Expected Role: Starting right fielder
Projection: All-Star production, 4.5 to 5.5 WAR
Fun Fact: WBC 2026 champion, baby.
23 – Michael Harris II – CF
Age: 24 Birthplace: DeKalb County, GA
Acquired: Selected by the Braves in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft. Signed an eight-year, $72 million extension with club options for the 2031 and 2032 seasons on August 17, 2022.
Expected Role: Starting center fielder
Projection: Above-average regular, 3 to 4 WAR
Fun Fact: In his 2022 Rookie of the Year campaign, won Rookie of the Month in three of the four full months that he was up with the big league club.
36 – Eli White – OF
Age: 31 Birthplace: Greenville, SC
Acquired: Signed a minor league deal with the Braves on July 25, 2023
Expected Role: Bench, potential weak side platoon outfielder
Projection: Replacement level to regular-quality production 0 to 1.5 WAR in limited PAs
Fun Fact: Was once part of a trade that also involved eventual teammate and current problem child Jurickson Profar. White went from the Athletics to the Rangers in the deal, while Profar went the other direction. Also, the Rays and a bunch of other players were involved.
18 – Mike Yastrzemski – LF
Age: 35 Birthplace: Andover, MA
Acquired: Signed a two-year, $23 million contract on December 10, 2025
Expected Role: Strong side platoon outfielder
Projection: Below-average to average regular, 0.5 to 2.5 WAR
Fun Fact: Is part of one of four grandfather-grandson pairs to each hit 100 homers in MLB.
Read the full article here
