Let the roster games begin! The Kansas City Royals have some extra time to sit and digest their 2025 season without playoff action, but that will not change the inevitable offseason dates.
The conclusion of the World Series will begin the countdown to several personnel deadlines. MLB players become free agents the day after the conclusion of the World Series. Still, a five-day waiting period will allow the simmering pot to start boiling before the inevitable free agency moves start boiling over.
The entirety of the free agency field has yet to be revealed, thanks to some option decisions. But there are plenty of unencumbered free agents looking for a new home and contract this winter. The Kansas City Royals only have a handful of candidates, not surprisingly, considering their homegrown roster (tied for fourth-most homegrown players on 28-man roster).
Which Royals players could find a new home with one of the other 29 teams this offseason?
UTL Adam Frazier
Who had utilityman Adam Frazier returning to Kansas City at the trade deadline on their bingo card? If a fan did, maybe start predicting lottery numbers or stock outcomes.
The veteran’s 2024 campaign with the Royals was one to forget, and he quickly returned to the club with which he made his MLB debut, the Pittsburgh Pirates. But that team was going nowhere, and Frazier had some value on the trade market. Kansas City pulled the trigger on a trade, and Frazier was surprisingly one of the most valuable traded players following the trade deadline.
Entering his age-34 season, Frazier is still seeking that coveted mark of 10 service years, so finding another one-year deal may be in his best interest. He was under contract for 2025 on a one-year, $1.5 million deal.
C Luke Maile
Catcher Luke Maile appeared in 25 games for the Royals, but still found some value and success thanks to his glove and overall average hitting.
The Kentucky product is a journeyman through and through, but his value behind the dish will keep him employed in one facet or another. Kansas City needed a veteran backup at catcher at points this year, and that applied doubly when the team traded Freddy Fermin at the trade deadline.
The emergence of Carter Jensen changes the Opening Day catcher picture for next season, but Maile is still serviceable as a third backstop for a team.
Maile is entering his age-35 season and was with Kansas City on a one-year deal with $1.18 million guaranteed and a prorated salary of $2 million.
OF Mike Yastrzemski
Unlike Frazier and Maile, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski was a San Francisco Giants mainstay before joining Kansas City at the trade deadline. He is a late-bloomer, set to hit free agency for the first time in his MLB career.
Ahead of his age-35 season, Yastrzemski had a career year in many aspects, ending the season with an exclamation point in 50 games with the Royals. He proved late this season that he can still play all three outfield spots well, something that will only drive up his free agency value more. The former Vanderbilt Commodore is a career above-average batter and still has something to offer teams in 2026.
The Giants and Yastrzemski avoided arbitration last year, agreeing to a one-year deal for $9.25 million in 2025. Also unlike Frazier and Maile, Yastrzemski is nowhere near the 10-year service time mark and would need to play most of his 30s to get there.
RHP Hunter Harvey
Right-handed pitcher Hunter Harvey is the only player on Kansas City’s Opening Day 2025 roster, and that process was a bit testy among Royals fans.
Kansas City traded for him in 2024, but injury and ineffectiveness marred his first impression. Harvey rebounded and was lights out to start 2025, allowing only one hit and no earned runs across his first seven games. However, the injury bug struck again, limiting him to 12 games overall this season.
Harvey has only had 18 games with the Royals since joining the team in July 2024, so a reunion doesn’t feel certain. He earned $3.7 million in his final year of arbitration with the Royals, setting up a hefty per-game cost. But, entering his age-31 season, Harvey has time to reestablish himself after a healthy offseason.
Do you think any of these players will re-sign with the Royals? Let us know on X at @KingsofKauffman!
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kingsofkauffman.com ’
