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Junior Caminero (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Getty Images)
Here are the 20 youngest players in the American and National Leagues on active MLB Opening Day rosters.
As usual, this is a nice mix of rookies making their debuts and established players who stand out for how much they have accomplished already. For instance, rookies Kevin McGonigle and Samuel Basallo lead off the American League list, but Rays third baseman Junior Caminero and his 52 MLB career home runs, still ranks within the top 10.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
PlayerPos.AgeTeamKevin McGonigleSS21.6Detroit TigersSamuel BasalloC21.6Baltimore OriolesRoman AnthonyRF21.9Boston Red SoxWalbert UrenaRHP22.2Los Angeles AngelsJedixson PaezRHP22.2Chicago White SoxCole Young2B22.7Seattle MarinersJunior Caminero3B22.7Tampa Bay RaysCarter JensenC22.7Kansas City RoyalsCarson WilliamsSS22.8Tampa Bay RaysEdgar QueroC23.0Chicago White SoxNick Kurtz1B23.0AthleticsCam SmithRF23.1Houston AstrosJac CaglianoneRF23.1Kansas City RoyalsMarcelo Mayer3B23.3Boston Red SoxLuis MoralesRHP23.5AthleticsEvan CarterCF23.6Texas RangersMax Muncy3B23.6AthleticsLuke Keaschall2B23.6Minnesota TwinsRyan JohnsonRHP23.6Los Angeles AngelsGrant TaylorRHP23.8Chicago White Sox
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PlayerPosAgeTeamDidier FuentesRHP20.8Atlanta BravesJackson ChourioCF22.0Milwaukee BrewersJustin CrawfordOF22.2Philadelphia PhilliesSal Stewart3B22.3Cincinnati RedsBradgley RodriguezRHP22.4San Diego PadresMoises BallesterosC22.4Chicago CubsBrady House3B22.8Washington NationalsJackson MerrillCF22.9San Diego PadresEury PerezRHP22.9Miami MarlinsAndrew PainterRHP23.0Philadelphia PhilliesCarson BengeOF23.2New York MetsChase BurnsRHP23.2Cincinnati RedsDaylen LileRF23.3Washington NationalsJames WoodLF23.5Washington NationalsBubba ChandlerRHP23.5Pittsburgh PiratesJJ WetherholtSS23.5St. Louis CardinalsJavier Sanoja2B23.6Miami MarlinsKyle Karros3B23.7Colorado RockiesJordan LawlarSS23.7Arizona DiamondbacksOwen CaissieRF23.7Miami Marlins
And here are the 20 oldest players in each league on active MLB Opening Day rosters.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
PlayerPOSAgeTeamJustin VerlanderRHP43.1Detroit TigersMax ScherzerRHP41.7Toronto Blue JaysChris MartinRHP39.8Texas RangersAndrew McCutchenOF39.5Texas RangersPaul Goldschmidt1B38.5New York YankeesKenley JansenRHP38.5Detroit TigersAroldis ChapmanLHP38.1Boston Red SoxJacob deGromRHP37.8Texas RangersStarling MarteOF37.5Kansas City RoyalsDrew PomeranzLHP37.3Los Angeles AngelsTravis d’ArnaudC37.1Los Angeles AngelsChris BassittRHP37.1Baltimore OriolesBrent SuterLHP36.6Los Angeles AngelsGeorge SpringerOF36.5Toronto Blue JaysDanny CoulombeLHP36.4Boston Red SoxSonny GrayRHP36.4Boston Red SoxGiancarlo StantonDH36.4New York YankeesSeth LugoRHP36.4Kansas City RoyalsTim HillLHP36.1New York YankeesNathan EovaldiRHP36.1Texas Rangers
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PlayerPOSAgeTeamCarlos Santana1B40.0Arizona DiamondbacksLuis GarciaRHP39.2New York MetsCaleb ThielbarLHP39.1Chicago CubsBrooks RaleyLHP37.7New York MetsBlake TreinenRHP37.7Los Angeles DodgersMiles MikolasRHP37.6Washington NationalsJose QuintanaLHP37.2Colorado RockiesMiguel Rojas2B37.1Los Angeles DodgersChris SaleLHP37.0Atlanta BravesFreddie Freeman1B36.5Los Angeles DodgersTomoyuki SuganoRHP36.5Colorado RockiesHuascar BrazobanRHP36.4New York MetsRaisel IglesiasRHP36.2Atlanta BravesPaul SewaldRHP35.8Arizona DiamondbacksJames McCannC35.8Arizona DiamondbacksColin ReaRHP35.7Chicago CubsKyle Farmer2B35.6Atlanta BravesMike YastrzemskiOF35.6Atlanta BravesMax Muncy3B35.6Los Angeles DodgersMarcus Semien2B35.5New York Mets
Oldest And Youngest MLB Rosters
The St. Louis Cardinals come into 2026 with the youngest Opening Day roster, while the Atlanta Braves by far have the oldest roster. The Braves are one of six teams where the hitters average age is 30 or older, and the Braves are one of 10 teams where the pitchers average age is 30 or older.
The Boston Red Sox are the most “average” team age wise. At 29.4 years old on average, they are just above the 29.3 average for the league. Their 28.5 average age for hitters is just below the 28.7 average age for hitters across MLB and their 30.3 average age for pitchers is just above the 29.9 average age across MLB.
In general, teams have older pitching staffs than lineups. Only eight teams have lineups older than their pitching staffs.
