Projecting the Angels’ 2026 Opening Day roster as spring training questions mount

Pitchers and catchers will report to Tempe, Arizona in the coming weeks, and the position players won't be far behind. It was a disappointing season for the Los Angeles Angels a year ago, which is unfortunately nothing new for fans in Anaheim.

But every spring brings hope that this year will be different. Mike Trout is back, the Halos have a new skipper, and best of all, Anthony Rendon is no longer a distraction. But that hope can be quickly crushed by reality, and Angels fans know that all too well.

As the Angels are set to embark upon another season, what might the Opening Day roster look like? Who's a lock and who's on the bubble. Let's take a quick peek at the roster before Cactus League games begin later this month.

Projecting the Angels’ 2026 Opening Day roster ahead of spring training

Angels starting lineup (9)

Zach Neto (SS), Nolan Schanuel (1B), Mike Trout (RF), Jo Adell (CF), Josh Lowe (LF), Yoán Moncada (3B), Jorge Soler (DH), Logan O'Hoppe (C), Christian Moore (2B)

Let's start with the good, shall we? The Angels starting lineup should be the team's strength heading into spring training. Zach Neto has has emerged as a budding star, Nolan Schanuel continues to get on base, and the addition of Josh Lowe brings balance to the lineup.

Mike Trout has become less of a certainty and more of question mark at this stage of his career, but the Halos will attempt to rotate him in and out of the DH spot in an effort to keep him healthy. Jorge Soler put up dreadful numbers in 2025, but posted a combined .477 slugging percentage and 123 wRC+ from 2023-2024. There's hope that he can return to that level of production.

After parting with Rendon over the winter, Yoán Moncada will be counted on at third base in 2026. Jo Adell saw some huge gains in the power department, but also struck out at an untenable rate. His defense was also subpar, and that will need to improve during the upcoming season.

The two biggest question marks in the Angels starting lineup are Christian Moore and Logan O'Hoppe. The former looked overwhelmed during his brief stint in the bigs last season, and the latter looked like a shell of his former self. If LA hopes to make any noise in 2026, these two players will be key to their success.

Angels bench (4)

Travis d'Arnaud, Vaughn Grissom, Oswald Peraza, Bryce Teodosio

The Angels bench is, well, not good. As bad as O'Hoppe was in 2025, Travis d'Arnaud might've been even worse. The Halos will need better production behind the plate in 2026, and at the moment, that's a major question mark.

Vaughn Grissom is out of minor league options and so is Oswald Peraza. Trey Mancini will try to make his mark this spring, as will Nick Madrigal, and Denzer Guzman will be given a shot as well. With all things being equal, look for Grissom and Peraza to operate as the team's backup infielders to start the season.

The outfield is lacking a left-handed presence, and Bryce Teodosio won't help in that department. But if Adell is manning center field on a nightly basis, Kurt Suzuki needs a sound glove to turn to late in games with the lead, and there might not be a better fielder in the organization than Teodosio.

Angels starting rotation (5)

Framber Valdez, Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers, Grayson Rodriguez

Let's get a little crazy here. Why haven't the Angels been playing in the deep-end with some of the big spenders this offseason? Sure, the television deal was holding up progress, but with that in the rearview mirror, it's time for Minasian to make a splash, and there's none bigger than Framber Valdez.

The former Astros ace has been languishing on the free agent market and his practically begging somebody to take a flier on him. Valdez comes with some character concerns, but a team like the Angels can't afford to sit idly by and allow a frontline starter — whose price has dropped significantly — to get away. The Angels should throw a four-year, $110 million offer Valdez's way and see if he bites.

The rest of the Angels' rotation is serviceable, but there's a lot of 'what ifs'. Yusei Kikuchi, Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers, and Grayson Rodriguez all represent middle-of-the-rotation arms, which is exactly why adding Valdez would take LA's starting staff from mediocre to competitive.

Angels bullpen (8)

Robert Stephenson, Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano, Jose Fermin, Kaleb Ort, Chase Silseth, Jayvien Sandridge

The Angels bullpen, much like the bench, is loaded with questions. Can Robert Stephenson hold up over an entire season? How much more do Drew Pomeranz and Kirby Yates have left in the tank? Is Ben Joyce fully recovered from shoulder surgery, and if so, how effective will he be?

The Angels have taken some fliers on a handful of arms like Jayvien Sandridge, Kaleb Ort, Nick Sandlin, and Miguel Castro. At least one, and maybe two of those pitchers will break camp with the big-league ball club.

Ort and Chase Silseth are out of minor-league options, and will likely get a longer leash at the outset of the season. Ryan Zeferjahn is another name to keep an eye on this spring, and Los Angeles will be looking for José Fermin to take a big step forward.