Who will be the Orioles’ center fielder in 2026?

Orioles No. 4 prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. could ultimately be the long-term answer in center. However, according to MLB.com’s Jake Rill, the 2023 first-round pick is unlikely to be an option for the big league club until the second half of next season at the earliest.

Bradfield, who turns 24 in December, has just 15 games of experience at the Triple-A level, where he posted a .512 OPS over 62 plate appearances after being promoted on Sept. 2. His 2025 campaign was limited by a pair of hamstring injuries, but when healthy, he showcased his 80-grade speed with 36 stolen bases in 76 games and impressive range defensively.

Acquiring a veteran stopgap center fielder would be ideal for an Orioles team hoping to return to contention in 2026. Here is a look at who could be available in free agency:

Cody Bellinger (4.9 fWAR in 2025)
Bellinger, 30, batted .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBIs over 152 games during his first season in the Bronx. The former NL MVP was also one of the top defenders in the sport, accumulating +7 OAA and +8 DRS between the three outfield positions and first base.

According to ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, Bellinger plans to decline his $25 million player option for 2026 and test free agency, where he could command a lucrative multi-year contract. While it would be ideal for the Orioles to find a right-handed bat to balance their lineup, Bellinger led all left-handed hitters in on-base percentage (.415) and slugging (.601) against lefties in 2025.

Harrison Bader (3.2 fWAR in 2025)
Bader, 31, carries a $10 million mutual option for 2026, which requires both the player and the team to agree for him to return on that salary. If either side declines, he will become a free agent.

In 146 games split between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, Bader hit .277/.347/.449 with a career-high 17 home runs and 54 RBIs. The former Gold Glove Award winner was credited with +7 OAA defensively and ranks in the 85th percentile for sprint speed.

Trent Grisham (3.2 fWAR in 2025)
Grisham, who turns 29 in November, put together a career year in his second season with the Yankees. He produced an .811 OPS over 143 games while setting career highs in home runs (34) and RBIs (74).

Like Bellinger, Grisham’s lefty bat may not be the perfect fit in Baltimore’s lefty-heavy lineup. He also went just 4-for-29 (.138) with 10 strikeouts at the plate in October, but he has consistently been an above-average defender throughout his seven-year career, earning two Gold Glove Awards.

Cedric Mullins (1.3 fWAR in 2025)
Mullins, 31, had a terrific 7.5-year run in Baltimore before being traded for three pitching prospects in July, establishing himself as a cornerstone during the team’s rebuild. He was an All-Star in 2021 and made countless highlight-reel plays in center during his time with the Orioles.

But Mullins struggled heavily during his half-season stint in Queens, batting .182/.284/.281 with two home runs and 10 RBIs over 42 games. Before the trade, the lefty-hitting outfielder produced a .738 OPS with 15 home runs and 49 RBIs over 91 games with Baltimore.

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Garrett Hampson (-0.2 fWAR in 2025)
Hampson, 31, batted .143/.250/.169 with no home runs and one RBI across 91 plate appearances split among three teams this season. He was released twice and waived once.

Before this season, Hampson spent most of his eight-year career with the Colorado Rockies. The right-handed hitter carries a career .235/.298/.353 slash line over 692 MLB games.

Manuel Margot (-0.1 fWAR in 2025)
Margot, 31, went 6-for-19 (.316) with three RBIs over six games with the Detroit Tigers before landing on the 10-day injured list with left knee inflammation. Upon his activation on May 7, he was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Toledo. He was released on July 8.

Across 10 big league seasons, Margot is a career .254/.306/.359 hitter. The veteran righty bat posted a .626 OPS over a 129-game sample in 2024, while recording a career-worst -4 OAA.

If none of these names appeal to Baltimore, the club could also look to the trade market to address its need in center field. The White Sox appear likely to pick up Luis Robert’s $20 million club option after failing to find a trade partner at this year’s deadline, but with Chicago still a ways from contending, perhaps teams will call about the righty-hitting outfielder again this winter.