Baseball is back! It’s time to look at the 2026 MLB spring training schedule. With pitchers and catchers already reporting or hitting the fields this week (starting Feb 10), the 2026 MLB spring training season is underway in Arizona’s Cactus League and Florida’s Grapefruit League. This year brings extra excitement thanks to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) exhibitions in early March, Spring Breakout games, and a push toward Opening Day on March 26.
Spring training is our first look at roster battles, prospect debuts, new faces, and rotation tweaks-plus affordable games, autographs, and sunshine for fans planning trips. Below is your complete guide to key dates, report times, first games, and breakdowns by league. Bookmark this hub page-we’ll link updates like top prospects to watch, opening day highlights, and more.
2026 MLB Spring Training Schedule: Key Dates & Timeline
Here’s the high-level 2026 MLB Spring Training schedule for you. Pitchers and catchers report on February 10th(ish). We also are in a WBC schedule year, so that will change up when your favorite player(s) are going to be when for some teams.
- Feb 10-13: Pitchers and catchers report/first workouts (varies by team; early starters include D-backs, Braves, Red Sox, Giants, Rangers on Feb 10).
- Feb 14-17: First full-squad workouts (position players join; most teams by Feb 15-17).
- Feb 20: First spring training exhibition games (light slate across both leagues).
- Feb 21: Full slate of games (all 30 teams in action).
- March 3-4: WBC exhibition games (MLB teams vs. national squads; e.g., Team USA matchups, plus special series like Tigers in Dominican Republic).
- March 4-17: World Baseball Classic tournament.
- March 19-22: Spring Breakout games (top prospects showcase).
- March 24: Final spring training games (most teams).
- March 25: Yankees-Giants on special Opening Night (per some reports).
- March 26: 2026 MLB Opening Day.
(Pro tip: Use our free implied probability calculator to crunch odds on futures like rookie of the year or division winners as spring storylines emerge!)
2026 Spring TrainingPitchers & Catchers Report Dates by Team
Here’s a breakdown of when pitchers and catchers officially report/first workout (subject to minor changes; full squads follow 4-7 days later for most). Grouped by league for easy reference.
Cactus League (Arizona) – Early Birds & Others
- Feb 10: Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants
- Feb 11: Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels
- Feb 12: Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners
- Feb 13: Los Angeles Dodgers (and others as needed)
Grapefruit League (Florida)
- Feb 10: Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox
- Feb 11: Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals
- Feb 12: Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays
(Full-squad dates typically follow: e.g., many Feb 15 for early reporters, Feb 16-17 for later ones. Check team sites for exacts.)
First 2026 MLB Spring Training Games: Feb 20 Slate
The action kicks off Friday, Feb 20, with a light but exciting schedule (times ET; home team bold):
- New York Yankees @ Baltimore Orioles – 1:05 PM (Grapefruit League opener at Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota)
- Arizona Diamondbacks @ Colorado Rockies – ~1:10 PM (Salt River Fields, Scottsdale)
- San Diego Padres @ Seattle Mariners – ~1:10 PM (Peoria Sports Complex)
- Kansas City Royals @ Texas Rangers – ~1:05-3:05 PM (Surprise Stadium or similar)
- Chicago Cubs vs Chicago White Sox – ~3:05 PM (Sloan Park, Mesa – crosstown rivalry!)
Full slate hits Feb 21 (every team plays). Expect prospect innings, new pitchers, and WBC prep vibes. You can checkout the complete MLB Spring Training schedule here.
Cactus League (Arizona) vs. Grapefruit League (Florida) Breakdown
So, if you are new to following MLB Spring Training, then you are probability like what the heck is the Cactus and Grapefruit league? Well, it refers to the teams who are clustered in the different states for spring training (it doesn’t matter what league the teams are in during the regular season).
Cactus League (15 teams, clustered in Phoenix/Scottsdale area – easy multi-park days):
- Great desert weather, fan-friendly stadiums like Sloan Park (Cubs), Salt River Fields (D-backs/Rockies), Camelback Ranch (Dodgers/White Sox).
Grapefruit League (15 teams, more spread out with coastal/inland vibes):
- Stadiums like George M. Steinbrenner Field (Yankees, Tampa), JetBlue Park (Red Sox, Fort Myers), CoolToday Park (Braves, North Port).
2026 MLB Spring Training Fan Tips
MLB Spring Training tickets are on sale via SeatGeek, MLB.com, or team sites-grab early for popular matchups (e.g., Yankees games). Once the games get going, it ends up being fairly easy to get some, but plan ahead. Best parks for visitors: Salt River Fields (modern, great food), Sloan Park (Cubs fans paradise).
Spring training sets the tone for 2026-stay tuned here for:
- Top Prospects to Watch
- Opening Games Recap
- Storylines & Predictions
You can check out more on the 2026 MLB regular season schedule and the 2026 MLB Playoff and World Series schedules here.
(Last updated: Feb 9, 2026. Dates subject to change-verify at MLB.com/spring-training.)
