The Royals’ 4-0 victory over Team Cuba on Tuesday gave fans a taste of things to come while the club’s World Baseball Classic participants — Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, and Vinnie Pasquantino, among others — are gone from spring camp. Until they return, KC’s lineups will feature more players on the Opening Day roster bubble than usual.
This temporary shortage of star personnel will disappoint many Cactus League fans, but there’s a silver lining to the cloud — manager Matt Quatraro and his staff get longer looks at players they might be considering for the few available Opening Day roster spots.
What better time, then, to wonder what the 26-man roster could look like when the season opens in Atlanta? Royals Keep examined that question before spring training began; now, let’s take a fresh look.
Royals Pitchers
Starting Rotation
No surprises here. Unless the dreaded injury bug hits or the Royals receive an irresistible 11th-hour trade offer for Bubic, the five-man rotation is set. Yes, Cameron stumbled in his second spring outing — he gave up three runs, six hits, and hit a batter in 2 2/3 innings against the Angels — but don’t expect that to continue.
Relievers
Consider these hurlers bullpen locks. Estévez is the presumptive closer (his recent velocity drop bears watching, though), Erceg and Strahm will set him up, Lynch is a valuable lefty who pitched well last season, and Schreiber’s two years in Kansas City have been solid.
Free agent signee and former Detroit closer Lange’s lack of any minor league options makes him a bullpen shoo-in. He’s struck out four in 2 2/3 innings this spring and could sneak into a set-up role if he returns to his 26-save form of 2023.
Falter, last year’s trade deadline pickup, who opponents battered for 12 runs in 15 innings before an August bicep injury ended his season, is also out of options and will make the club because it must see what he offers post-injury.
Five-year big-league veteran Mears came to KC via the December trade with Milwaukee, which also made Isaac Collins a Royal and sent Angel Zerpa to the Brewers. Like Collins (more on him in a moment), Mears will be in Atlanta on Opening Day.
Royals Position Players
Catchers
Like its starting rotation, Kansas City’s catching corps is set. The only question, and it’s a good one, is how much of Perez’s time behind the plate will become Jensen’s. Perez will need more “rest” time at first base and DH in his 15th big league season, and Jensen’s bat is too good to keep on the bench with only occasional reps at DH.
First Base
Who else, and rightfully so? Although he’s only 3-for-15 and hasn’t homered yet this spring, Pasquantino’s bat is big, and he’s KC’s best first baseman since Eric Hosmer left after the 2017 season.
Second Base
Will someone please convince everyone they deserve to start at second? No one did last season — India flopped at the plate and his glove left much to be desired, and injuries held Massey back, although he slashed .375/.412/.482 with a .896 OPS after returning for good in August.
For now, the nod goes to India. Somewhat surprisingly, considering offseason speculation that they wouldn’t bring him back, the Royals handed India an $8 million 2026 contract that suggests the job is his to lose. And although he’s struggling with one single in eight at-bats this spring, and the fact that Massey has spent more spring game time in the outfield (including Tuesday’s game, which doesn’t count in the stats) than he has at the keystone, hints, perhaps, that he may start the season in a Whit Merrifield-type utility role.
Shortstop
What else is there to say?
Third Base
Also enough said. That’s what a Gold Glove, .286 average, .351 OBP, 121 wRC+, and a new five-year, $57.5 million contract will do.
Outfielders
No matter what happens in spring games, at least four things are certain about the outfield. Isbel will start in center, Caglianone will get a shot at right field redemption after his horrendous 2025 debut (so far, so good — he’s slashing .400/.550/.733 this spring), newcomer Isaac Collins is the left fielder, and Starling Marte is here to play. Isbel’s defense is too good to pass up, and Caglianone’s potential is too great to ignore. The club acquired Collins to boost its everyday outfield offense, not its bench depth, and newcomer Marte’s .270/.335/.410 line and nine homers in 98 games with the 2025 Mets prove he has something left to offer.
Marte and Thomas won’t play every day, but expect Quatraro to get them in the lineup often.
Utility
No, not Nick Loftin, although with a minor league option left, he’ll remain in the organization. Instead, it’s Tolbert who should land the final roster spot — as a rookie last season, he played second, short, third, and every outfield position, and in 64 games stole 21 bases (he was caught only twice) and hit .280. That Loftin hit only .208 with a 73 wRC+ in 67 games cinches the deal for Tolbert.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source royalskeep.com ’
