Santiago Espinal Looks Poised to Break Camp After Early Spring Showing

santiago espinal, a veteran infielder in camp as a non-roster invitee, has drawn high praise from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who said it’s “hard to imagine [Espinal] not being on the team” as roster decisions approach for Opening Day.

Santiago Espinal fits in "seamlessly" and could fill a second-base role

The Dodgers signed Espinal to a minor league deal shortly after pitchers and catchers reported, and Roberts has called his clubhouse fit “seamless. ” With Tommy Edman expected to begin the season on the injured list, Espinal figures as a right-handed option at second base alongside lefty-hitting Hyeseong Kim and established alternatives such as Miguel Rojas and prospect Alex Freeland.

Versatility backed by heavy defensive innings

Beyond his spring form, santiago espinal brings clear defensive depth: he has logged 1794 MLB innings at third base and 1621 innings at second base, plus 343 major league frames at shortstop (most coming in 2020). He’s also spent 114 innings in the outfield corners and another 16 at first base, the sort of flexibility managers value for bench construction.

Past struggles at the plate and the roster ripple effects

Espinal spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati, where he struggled offensively, hitting a combined. 245/. 294/. 322 in 719 plate appearances as a Red. He posted a down year in 2025, finishing with a. 243/. 292/. 282 slash line in 114 games. If Espinal breaks camp with Los Angeles, that would make it easier to keep Alex Freeland in Triple-A for regular at-bats while the major league club carries a versatile right-handed bench bat.

Roberts’ comments underline how quickly spring performance can change roster math. The Dodgers will continue evaluating players through the final weeks of camp, with Opening Day roster decisions arriving as spring training wraps.