Spring training for the 2026 MLB season effectively started in mid‑February 2026 , when pitchers and catchers began reporting to camp, with exhibition games starting on February 20.

Quick Scoop: When did spring training start?

For the 2026 season:

  • Pitchers and catchers began first workouts around February 10–13, 2026 , depending on the team.
  • Full-squad workouts rolled in between February 14–17, 2026.
  • The first official spring training games were scheduled for February 20, 2026 , across both the Cactus League (Arizona) and Grapefruit League (Florida).

So if you’re thinking “when did spring training start,” most fans mark that as February 20, 2026 for game action, with camps coming to life about 10 days earlier.

Key dates at a glance

Here’s a simple snapshot for 2026:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Spring Training Milestone (2026)</th>
      <th>Typical Date Range</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Pitchers & catchers first workouts</td>
      <td>Feb. 10–13, 2026 [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>First full-squad workouts</td>
      <td>Feb. 14–17, 2026 [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>First spring training games</td>
      <td>Feb. 20, 2026 [web:1]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Opening Day (regular season)</td>
      <td>March 26, 2026 [web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

Because 2026 is a World Baseball Classic year, reporting dates nudged a bit earlier so players could get ramped up in time.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.