HOUSTON -- The Mets¡¯ Opening Day roster includes a former top prospect who forced his way into the picture with a strong spring, a childhood Mets fan who did much the same, and a longtime Minor League catcher who¡¯s spent the past two offseasons working at a grocery store.
Lest this seem like a ragtag bunch, it also includes a $765 million right fielder, a $341 million shortstop and -- for the fifth consecutive season -- a Top 3 payroll.
Consider it a varied group, then, that will fill the Mets¡¯ dugout and bullpen at Daikin Park in Houston. Here are the 26 players that will be active on Opening Day:
Catcher (2): Luis Torrens, Hayden Senger
The Mets lost starter Francisco Alvarez early in camp, resulting in a promotion for Torrens. He¡¯ll start most days behind the plate, while Senger -- the ¡°Whole Foods catcher¡± -- makes his long-awaited Major League debut as a defensive-minded backup. Alvarez is due to return in late April or early May.
First baseman (1): Pete Alonso
The corner infield situation looked a whole lot messier until Alonso re-signed around a week before the start of Spring Training. Fresh off a season in which he appeared in every game, Alonso will reprise his role as the starter. His long history of durability indicates he shouldn¡¯t need much help at the position.
Second basemen (2): Brett Baty, Luisangel Acuña
A mid-camp injury to Jeff McNeil solidified Baty¡¯s place on the roster. The former first-round Draft pick did the rest, sealing things by hitting four homers, producing a 1.186 OPS and proving adept at second base in Grapefruit League play. He¡¯ll platoon at second with Acu?a, who posted a much weaker stat line but made the roster regardless. The Mets¡¯ seventh-ranked prospect will back up every infield position but first base, at least until McNeil returns.
Shortstop (1): Francisco Lindor
No surprises here, as Lindor will reprise his role at short and -- if he can maintain his health -- play pretty much every inning of every game. Moving on.
Third baseman (1): Mark Vientos
So long as Vientos even resembles the player he was a year ago, he¡¯ll play nearly every day at third. The Mets are counting on his breakout being real.
Outfielders (6): Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, Tyrone Taylor, Jose Siri, Jesse Winker, Starling Marte
Soto will start most days in right, with Nimmo in left and a combination of Taylor and Siri in center. Winker figures to receive plenty of work at designated hitter, as does Marte. Both are outfielders by trade and could see time at the corners, but they¡¯ll mostly serve in a DH platoon.
Starting pitchers (5): Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson, Kodai Senga
Injuries to Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas upended this situation. With those two set to miss Opening Day, the Mets gave jobs to Megill and Canning instead. Holmes, a converted reliever, will start the opener, followed by the other four in the order listed above. While the Mets may eventually move to a six-man rotation, they need to get healthier before they can consider doing so on a full-time basis. In addition to Manaea, Montas and Paul Blackburn, prospects Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell wait in the wings.
Relief pitchers (8): Edwin Díaz, A.J. Minter, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, Jose Butto, Danny Young, Max Kranick, Huascar Brazobán
D¨ªaz, Minter and Stanek will serve as Mendoza¡¯s top three relievers, with Minter feeling spry following August hip surgery. Dedniel Núñez would have been a lock if healthy, but the Mets put him on a slow progression back from a right flexor tendon injury, which he suffered last summer. He should be ready to join this group by mid-April.
The Mets¡¯ final decision seemed to be between Kranick and Brazob¨¢n, but a late injury to Blackburn opened space for both. The decision was particularly emotional for Kranick, a childhood Mets fan who¡¯s been out of the Majors since 2022.
Injured list (8): Francisco Alvarez, Jeff McNeil, Nick Madrigal, Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn, Christian Scott, Drew Smith, Ronny Mauricio
Alvarez (recovery from left hamate bone surgery), McNeil (right oblique strain), Manaea (also a right oblique strain) and Blackburn (right knee inflammation) could all return before the end of April. Montas (right lat strain) may be out until June. Madrigal would have been a strong bench candidate had he not fractured his left shoulder, requiring surgery; he¡¯ll miss the entire season. So will Scott and Smith, who are rehabbing from Tommy John surgery in hopes of contributing in 2026.