Two AppleSox Make MLB Opening Day Rosters in 2026

The 2026 MLB season begins today, and two former AppleSox players are on Opening Day rosters, with more potentially joining big league squads later this season.

Drew Rasmussen and Casey Legumina will both begin the new season with their major league ballclub.

Rassmussen spent 2014 in Wenatchee and is coming off an All-Star season with the Rays and returns to Tampa Bay for his fifth Major League season. He has a 30-17 record with a 2.89 ERA over 460.2 innings pitched with 428 strikeouts and only 119 walks in his major league career. Drew will be the Opening Day starter for the Rays when they kick off their season Thursday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Legumina, a 2016 right-hander for the 'Sox, enters his fourth big league season, and his second with the Seattle Mariners. He has recorded a 5-6 record with a 6.03 ERA with 73 strikeouts and 36 walks over his three major league seasons.

Meanwhile, Griffin Canning, who spent 2014 in the Wenatchee Valley, signed a contract with the San Diego Padres this off-season after making the 2025 Opening Day Roster for the New York Mets. An All-Star in 2021, he went 7-3 with a 3.77 ERA in 16 games started last season. He will begin the season on the Injured List for San Diego, but he is expected to become part of the rotation later in the season.

After debuting for the Padres in 2023, Alek Jacob, a 2017 Wenatchee right-handed pitcher, played for Team Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. After appearing in 26 games for the Padres in 2025, he is expected to start the season in Triple-A for the El Paso Chihuahuas

After spending parts of four big league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, 2016 AppleSox utility man Ryan Kreidler signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins. While he is not on the Opening Day Roster, he is part of the team’s 40-man roster, which makes him eligible to join the big league squad at any time.

Keston Hiura, a 2015 alum for the ‘Sox, signed a minor-league deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and participated in Spring Training this year. He is expected to start the season for Triple-A Affiliated Oklahoma City Comets.

Michael Toglia, a 2016 first baseman for Wenatchee, will start of the season in Triple A for the Cincinnati Reds for the Louisville Bats.

Skyler Hales, a 2021 Wenatchee AppleSox pitcher, received an invite to Spring Training this season for the St. Louis Cardinals. He is expected to start the season in the minor leagues, but could make a big league roster later in the season.

22 former players have made it to the MLB since the AppleSox began play in 2000. To learn more about former players appearing in the major leagues, please visit applesox.com/applesox-in-the-pros

The AppleSox open up their 26th season on May 29 on the road against the Edmonton Riverhawks. The 'Sox will welcome fans to the ballpark for their first homestand on June 5 as they welcome in the Kamloops NorthPaws for three games.

The 2026 season consists of 29 home games. General Admission Season Tickets start at $150, while a Premium Season Ticket costs $250.

About The AppleSox: The Wenatchee AppleSox are a summer collegiate baseball team in the West Coast League. All players on the AppleSox must have college eligibility and retain their amateur status. Wenatchee is a co-founding member of the WCL and has won five WCL championships, second-most in league history. The AppleSox have a storied history of success with six league championships (one in the Pacific International League), nine division championships, and 17 playoff appearances. The 2025 AppleSox fell short against the Bellingham Bells in the Divisional Championship round and qualified for the postseason for the fourth straight season.