It may still feel like the middle of winter, but the 2026 MLB season is closer than you think.
With pitchers and catchers reporting this week for the start of Spring Training, the countdown to Opening Day has officially begun.
This time of year always brings a renewed sense of hope among baseball fans. Every team starts fresh, players come in with a clean slate, and just about anything feels possible.
A new season also comes with new expectations. While some players have firmly established their place in Major League Baseball, others head into 2026 with a lot to prove.
For them, this year represents an opportunity to answer their critics and show they belong among the game’s best players.
Here are the 10 MLB players with the most to prove in 2026.
Kyle Tucker, Dodgers, RF
Any time you sign a contract with an average annual value of $60 million, you’re going to be feeling the pressure.
Tucker joins a Dodgers team where anything short of a World Series title will be considered a failure.
Los Angeles will look for him to be a consistent middle-of-the-order run producer. It’s up to Tucker to show that he can thrive under the spotlight and deliver on the Dodgers’ championship expectations.
Gunnar Henderson, Orioles, SS
Henderson enters the 2026 campaign looking to take the leap from rising star to MVP-caliber player. The 24-year-old shortstop has shown flashes of superstardom over his first few MLB seasons.
Now he needs to prove he can be the anchor in Baltimore’s lineup and help them contend in a competitive AL East.
In a division where every win matters, the Orioles will need Henderson to embrace his full potential.
Bo Bichette, Mets, SS
The former Blue Jay made a splash in free agency, signing a 3-year, $126 million contract with the Mets. Staying healthy will be Bichette’s top priority, having missed considerable chunks in each of the past two seasons.
New York will look to him for elite offensive production, along with reliable defensive play. This will be a pivotal year for Bichette, and a strong showing will help reestablish him as one of the game’s premier shortstops.
Tatsuya Imai, Astros, SP
All eyes will be on Tatsuya Imai as he becomes the next big name to jump from Japan’s NPB to Major League Baseball.
Despite being a three-time NPB All-Star who finished last season with a 1.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP, he’ll still need to prove that his stuff translates against MLB hitters.
Expected to fill the No. 2 spot in Houston’s starting rotation, Imai hopes to follow in the footsteps of other great Japanese pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Yu Darvish.
Dylan Cease, Blue Jays, SP
The Blue Jays turned heads this offseason when they signed free agent pitcher Dylan Cease to the largest free-agent contract in franchise history (7-year, $210 million).
Coming off a disappointing year with the Padres that raised some serious questions about his command and consistency, Cease will need a strong 2026 to prove he can still be a reliable big-game starter.
If he cuts down on walks and becomes a consistent inning-eater, he’ll give Toronto one of the deepest starting rotations in baseball.
Anthony Volpe, Yankees, SS
Playing shortstop for the Yankees is always going to come with lots of pressure and little margin for error.
Entering his fourth season, Volpe is being counted on to be a key contributor for a team with World Series aspirations.
Defense and speed are his strengths, but he’ll need to deliver more consistent production at the plate in 2026. Playing in a market that demands greatness, Volpe needs to show he can be more than a glove-first shortstop.
Alek Manoah, Angels, SP
It’s been a tough few years for Alek Manoah, having started his career with tremendous promise before struggling mightily over the past two seasons. A former All-Star with the Blue Jays in 2022, he had a dismal 2023 with a 3-9 record and 5.87 ERA.
The right-hander underwent elbow surgery in 2024 and did not appear in a single MLB game last season.
Having signed with the Angels over the winter, this could be Manoah’s final chance to show he can still handle a regular rotation workload at the MLB level.
Jordan Walker, Cardinals, RF
He may only be 23 years old, but the pressure is already beginning to mount for Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker. There’s no question that he has the raw tools to become a consistent Major Leaguer. Whether he can convert that into real production remains to be seen.
Defensive fit and positional stability remain major question marks, but a strong performance in 2026 will help take him from high-upside project to bona fide MLB talent.
Want to know how to bet on MLB ahead of the new season? Ozoon has you covered.