ESPN insiders link Kansas City to underrated All-Star infielder

While the majority of the focus surrounding the Royals’ offseason has been split between outfield targets and determining which starter they may have to sacrifice in order to balance their lineup, what can’t be forgotten is Kansas City’s need to bolster their second base situation.

Perhaps the team agreeing to terms with the Jonathan India for 2026 has sort of quelled the excitement of brighter days. After all, the move did make the notion of the Royals sticking with the risky duo of him and Michael Massey a lot more believable.

However, anything can happen in an offseason. Just because they agreed to terms with India and tendered Massey a contract doesn’t mean they’re necessarily completely sold on the idea of running with those two in 2026. After all, they’re not exactly bank-breaking options that would be hard to move on from if they really wanted to.

And if Picollo decides that’s the route to take and bring in some new life at second base, they may be able to look to the West Coast for it.

On Tuesday, ESPN insiders Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel listed the Royals as a trade fit for San Diego Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth, and it’s a fit that could make a lot of sense.

Jake Cronenworth could fit in well within this Royals lineup

While he may not be the flashiest name in baseball, Cronenworth provides prospective suitors with stability around the infield, with Passan and McDaniel describing him as “steady”.

“Cronenworth doesn’t have big tools or a huge upside, but is a steady player with medium tools and outstanding control of the strike zone,” Passan and McDaniel wrote.

“Being average to a touch above across the board while playing second base and hitting from the left side makes him a solid every-day player with a high floor and lots of contractual control,” they also wrote.

While an NL Rookie of the Year runner-up finish in 2020, followed by All-Star nods in 2021 and 2022 may be the pinnacle moments of his career to this point, Cronenworth rebounded to similar form once again in 2025.

He posted a 2.9 fWAR, his highest since his back-to-back 3.5+ fWAR season in ’21 and ’22, while hitting .247 with 11 HR, 59 RBI, a .744 OPS, 13.4% walk rate an 117 wRC+. This resulted in the 31-year-old being named a finalist for this year’s NL Silver Slugger Award at the utility position.

Cronenworth was primarily the Padres’ second baseman last season, but he also has extensive experience at first base as well as some time at short, which he returned to at moments again in 2025 for the first time in four seasons.

While he wouldn’t need to occupy another position on a regular basis other than second base with the Royals – given the presnece of Vinnie Pasquantino at first base and Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop – KC values flexibility. So, if you look at him as a more luxury upgrade to their veteran ultility man last season in Adam Frazier, suddenly the fit makes a lot more sense.

The Royals have a good core of hitters already with their quartet of Silver Slugger finalists in Witt Jr. Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez. They simply need stable production in their complementary bats to surround them with.

A hitter like Cronenworth, who has just one below average season in the eyes of wRC+ under his belt in his six year big league career, could provide just that and it likely wouldn’t take a king’s ransom to pry him away from the Friars either, given his lower ceiling and the remaining five seasons of a 7-year, $80 million contract, along with the current financial situation the Padres find themselves in this winter.