It's now February, which means that baseball season is right around the corner. While those of us in the Northeast are still facing down the rest of winter, the Philadelphia Phillies will be converging in Florida shortly to begin preparations for the 2026 season. It still feels a long way off, but we'll have the welcome images and sounds of spring training baseball before we know it.
For better or for worse, the Phillies seem content with their roster after re-signing Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto and adding right fielder Adolis García and reliever Brad Keller in free agency. There's still time for minor moves around the edge of the roster, but fans can expect many of the same faces to show up at the team's Carpenter Complex in Clearwater.
So, what do fans need to know about Phillies spring training? Let's dive in and get prepared for baseball!
Reporting dates for Phillies 2026 spring training
We're so close to spring training we can taste it. While it's not uncommon to see players turn up early, the Phillies have set Feb. 11 as the reporting date for pitchers and catchers.
Position players typically report five days after pitchers and catchers, but with the World Baseball Classic this spring, Phillies players who are participating in that event will report to Clearwater on Feb. 12. The Phillies' first full squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 16 when the rest of the roster arrives.
The Phillies have already announced their list of 27 non-roster invitees (players who aren't on the 40-man roster). Top prospects Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller headline that group, but there are some veterans invtees who could force their way onto the Opening Day roster with strong spring showings.
Unfortunately for Phillies fans traveling to Clearwater to see their favorite players up close, many of them won't be with the team through the entirety of spring training.
Currently, 10 Phillies players, including Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and Cristopher Sánchez, are confirmed participants in the World Baseball Classic. They'll be heading out to their respective countries' camps before the beginning of the competition. The tournament runs from March 4 through March 17, but pool play wraps up on March 11, so players will begin trickling back into Phillies camps after that.
Interesting wrinkles in the Phillies' 2026 spring training schedule
Not long after training camp starts, Grapefruit League action gets underway. The Phillies will play 29 Grapefruit League games with their first contest set for Sat. Feb . 21 when they make the short trip to Dunedin to take on the World Series finalist Toronto Blue Jays. That's 1:05 p.m. ET start time at TD Ballpark.
Their first home game at BayCare Ballpark will take place the following day, on Feb. 22, with a 1:07 p.m. ET tilt against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Phillies prospects will also participate in the now-annual MLB Spring Breakout event. This year, Phillies prospects will play two games, against Minnesota Twins prospects on March 19 and Baltimore Orioles prospects on March 21.
There's also another interesting wrinkle this year, thanks to the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Right before the international tournament begins, the Phillies are scheduled to play an exhibition game against Team Canada on March 4 at BayCare Ballpark.
The Phillies' Grapefruit League schedule wraps up on March 23 against the Tampa Bay Rays. From there the team will pack up and head north for Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park against the Texas Rangers on March 26. And the real baseball season will finally begin!