Salt Lake Bees Announce 2026 Opening Day Roster
SOUTH JORDAN, UT (March 27, 2026) - The Salt Lake Bees, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Angels, have announced the Salt Lake preliminary roster ahead of the 2026 opener on Friday, March 27, against the Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A, Athletics) in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2026 Opening Day roster
SOUTH JORDAN, UT (March 27, 2026) - The Salt Lake Bees, in conjunction with the Los Angeles Angels, have announced the Salt Lake preliminary roster ahead of the 2026 opener on Friday, March 27, against the Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A, Athletics) in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 2026 Opening Day roster consists of 17 returners from last season’s roster, headlined by Yolmer Sánchez, who appeared in 120 games a season ago, the most among the group of returners for Salt Lake. Brett Kerry and Zach Humphreys join the Bees for the fourth straight year, while Jared Southard leads returners in games pitched with 27.
Alongside Sanchez, Niko Kavadas and Matthew Lugo both return to the Beehive State after appearing in over 100 games during the 2025 season — Kavadas played in 116, while Lugo appeared in 102.
Kavadas, Lugo, and Sanchez highlight a lineup that features two members of the Angels Top-30 prospect list, OF Nelson Rada (#3) and INF Denzer Guzman (#8). Alongside the two, last year’s number one prospect in the organization, Christian Moore, comes back to Salt Lake after spending 30 games with the club a season ago.
As the Bees did last year, Rada slashed .323/.433/.416 in 161 at-bats, Guzman tallied 123 hits, and in 20 games with Salt Lake, Moore posted a .999 OPS and hit four home runs. They’ll welcome in several newcomers like Wade Meckler, who was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants, and Nick Madrigal, who brings just over five years of MLB service time.
On the mound, last season’s Opening Day starter, Shaun Anderson, leads the staff with Aldegheri, Kerry, Victor Mederos, and George Klassen complementing the rotation.
Nearly 75 percent of the 28-man roster holds major league experience, having at least made their MLB debut. Trey Mancini leads the group of former big leaguers, with 831 games played at the highest level of professional baseball. Aldegheri, Anderson, Mitch Farris, Jose Fermin, Guzman, Kavadas, Lugo, Mederos, Moore, and Hunter Strickland all appeared for the Angels in the 2025 season.
Jose Siri (Mets), Donovan Walton (Phillies), Kaleb Ort (Astros), Meckler (Giants), Angel Perdomo (Athletics), and Taylor Saucedo (Mariners) all spent time in the big leagues last year.
Three members of the Bees’ Opening Day roster also recently appeared in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Pitchers Aldegheri and Samy Natera Jr. represented Italy and Mexico, respectively, while Lugo put on the colors of Team Puerto Rico.
Huascar Ynoa (Atlanta Braves 2021) is a Bee that brings a championship pedigree, being a part of a World Series title team. Ynoa brings four years of MLB experience to Salt Lake with Atlanta, including a 100-strikeout 2021 season with the Braves in 2021.
Salt Lake will roster two former first-round draft picks, which include Moore, who was selected 8th overall in 2024 by the Los Angeles Angels, and infielder Nick Madrigal, who was drafted 4th overall in 2018 by the Chicago White Sox.
RHP: Shaun Anderson, José Fermin, Bretty Kerry, George Klassen, Victor Mederos, Kaleb Ort, Nick Sandlin, Jared Southard, Hunter Strickland, Huascar Ynoa
LHP: Sam Aldegheri, Mitch Farris, Samy Natera Jr., Angel Perdomo, Taylor Saucedo
Catchers: Omar Martinez, Sebastián Rivero
Infielders: Denzer Guzman, Niko Kavadas, Nick Madrigal, Trey Mancini, Christian Moore, Yolmer Sánchez, Donovan Walton
Outfielders: Matthew Lugo, Wade Meckler, Nelson Rada, Jose Siri