86 players from SEC schools make 2026 MLB Opening Day rosters
By Rolando Rosa
Published:
MLB Opening Day is always one of the most special moments on the sports calendar. The first day of this MLB season is filled with former SEC standouts including LSU’s Paul Skenes and Alex Bregman as well as Vanderbilt’s Dansby Swanson.
According to the conference, there’s 86 players from SEC programs on 2026 MLB Opening Day rosters. This figure includes players from current member schools when the program was in another conference.
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There’s 71 former SEC players on active rosters, while 15 are on injured lists. Florida (12) has the most current MLB players, followed by LSU (11), and Vanderbilt (8).
Some of Florida’s MLB players include Pete Alonso (Baltimore Orioles), A.J. Puk (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Harrison Bader (San Francisco Giants). Beloved Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola is a former LSU star. Notable ex-Vanderbilt players in the MLB right now are Sonny Gray (Boston Red Sox), and Walker Buehler (San Diego Padres) and Bryan Reynolds (Pirates).
The Kansas City Royals (7) have the most former SEC players of any MLB team this season. In total, there’s 29 MLB franchises with at least one former player from a current SEC school.
Arkansas
Jalen Beeks, Texas Rangers
Andrew Benintendi, Chicago White Sox
James McCann, Arizona Diamondbacks
Peyton Pallette, Cleveland Guardians
Ryne Stanek, St. Louis Cardinals
*Heston Kjerstad, Baltimore Orioles
Auburn
Ryan Bliss, Seattle Mariners
Edouard Julien, Colorado Rockies
Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers
Ryan Watson, Boston Red Sox
*Bailey Horn, Detroit Tigers
Florida
Pete Alonso, Baltimore Orioles
Harrison Bader, San Francisco Giants
Hunter Barco, Pittsburgh Pirates
Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals
Jonathan India, Kansas City Royals
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers
Brady Singer, Cincinnati Reds
Brandon Sproat, Milwaukee Brewers
Jacob Young, Washington Nationals
*A.J. Puk, Arizona Diamondbacks
*Hurston Waldrep, Atlanta Braves
*Danny Young, Atlanta Braves
Georgia
Kyle Farmer, Atlanta Braves
Emerson Hancock, Seattle Mariners
Kentucky
Zach Pop, Philadelphia Phillies
Ryan Ritter, Colorado Rockies
Taylor Rogers, Minnesota Twins
LSU
Alex Bregman, Chicago Cubs
Hunter Feduccia, Tampa Bay Rays
Jake Fraley, Tampa Bay Rays
Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
Cole Henry, Washington Nationals
Jaden Hill, Colorado Rockies
Alex Lange, Kansas City Royals
Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies
Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Josh Smith, Texas Rangers
Grant Taylor, Chicago White Sox
Ole Miss
Nick Fortes, Tampa Bay Rays
Drew Pomeranz, Los Angeles Angels
*Gunnar Hoglund, Athletics
*James McArthur, Kansas City Royals
Mississippi State
Adam Frazier, Los Angeles Angels
J.T. Ginn, Athletics
Nathaniel Lowe, Cincinnati Reds
Jake Mangum, Pittsburgh Pirates
Brent Rooker, Athletics
Brandon Woodruff, Milwaukee Brewers
*Jordan Westburg, Baltimore Orioles
Missouri
Pete Fairbanks, Miami Marlins
Spencer Miles, Toronto Blue Jays
Max Scherzer, Toronto Blue Jays
Rob Zastryzny, Milwaukee Brewers
*Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox
Oklahoma
Cade Cavalli, Washington Nationals
Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs
Jake Irvin, Washington Nationals
Steven Okert, Houston Astros
South Carolina
Carlos Cortes, Athletics
Carmen Mlodzinski, Pittsburgh Pirates
Christian Walker, Houston Astros
*Jordan Montgomery, Texas Rangers
*Clarke Schmidt, New York Yankees
Tennessee
Jordan Beck, Colorado Rockies
Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
Chase Dollander, Colorado Rockies
*Ben Joyce, Los Angeles Angels
Texas
Kody Clemens, Minnesota Twins
Bryce Elder, Atlanta Braves
David Hamilton, Milwaukee Brewers
Hoby Milner, Chicago Cubs
Texas A&M
Brooks Raley, New York Mets
Christian Roa, Houston Astros
Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals
*Stephen Kolek, Kansas City Royals
*Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners
*A.J. Minter, New York Mets
Vanderbilt
Walker Buehler, San Diego Padres
Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox
Jack Leiter, Texas Rangers
Austin Martin, Minnesota Twins
Bryan Reynolds, Pittsburgh Pirates
Kumar Rocker, Texas Rangers
Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs
Mike Yastrzemski, Atlanta Braves
(* = injured list)
Meanwhile, the 2026 MLB Draft is set for July 11-13 from Philadelphia and there’s some highly touted SEC prospects. Three SEC players are projected to go in the top 10 according to Flo Baseball: Alabama shortstop Justin Lebron (No. 3), LSU outfielder Derek Curiel (No. 7), and Florida pitcher Liam Peterson (No. 10).
