A rising star in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 2026 spring training has officially made the squad.
Santiago Espinal, who’s expected to compete for time at second base, will be on the roster, according to multiple reports.
Espinal has exploded this spring training, hitting .412 with a pair of home runs and 13 RBIs.
He also added three doubles and 12 runs scored.
Where Did Santiago Espinal Come From?
Espinal was signed to a minor league deal with starting second baseman Tommy Edman still recovering from injury, but he came with some MLB experience.
He’s struggled in Cincinnati in 2024 and 2025, but he played for the Toronto Blue Jays before that, recording much better stats and earning himself an All-Star selection in 2022.
He regressed a little in 2023, his last season in Toronto, and that led into the struggles in Cincinnati.
Last season, he had 328 plate appearances without a home run and only 16 RBIs. He slashed .243/.292/.282 for a .575 OPS.
In fact, he’s only batted over .300 once in his career, slashing .311/.376/.405 in 2021.
With the Dodgers, though, his performance thus far has been exemplary.
Manager Dave Roberts said he’s fit in “seamlessly” with the team and weeks ago predicted Espinal would make the Opening Day roster.
What Does Santiago Espinal Do Well?
Despite his offensive struggles, Espinal is known for his excellent defense.
He had a league average or better glove in each of his first three seasons in the majors, and he placed in the top 10% of baseball in outs above average. He hasn’t quite hit that same level of success since then, but he still managed two outs above average in 2025.
In spring training, he’s shown off those defensive skills, including last month while playing third base against the LA Angels.
In the third inning, he grabbed a hard-hit grounder along the third baseline, then threw it to first from his knees.
The umpire ruled that the runner beat the throw, but the glove and arm strength can’t be doubted.
Are you excited to see what Santiago Espinal can do for the Dodgers in 2026?
