While media types and fans busied themselves picking apart many of the roster moves the Kansas City Royals made last week, what the club did with its pair of base-stealing specialists drew scant attention.
But the decisions to retain Dairon Blanco and Tyler Tolbert could spawn a fascinating roster competition. The battle might not be as riveting as the Jonathan India-Michael Massey second base situation, but should be quite interesting.
It’s primarily their remarkable speed that propelled Blanco and Tolbert to the majors and secures their continuing presence on Kansas City’s radar. Neither has much power, nor are they destined to hit for a high average or win Gold Gloves. Their mutual knack for creating basepath mayhem is their stock in trade.
But will the Royals have 26-man roster room for both when the 2026 season kicks off March 26 in Atlanta? That’s one of the key questions awaiting spring training resolution. Will it be Blanco, Tolbert … or both?
That call could be tough to make.
Why Dairon Blanco might get the nod from the Royals
Blanco brings to the battle one thing Tolbert doesn’t — more major league experience. Obtained via the 2019 trade deadline deal that sent reliever Jake Diekman to the Athletics, Blanco received his first taste of the big leagues when the Royals called him up for a brief five-game debut early in the 2022 season, while Tolbert didn’t get to the big leagues until this season.
In the two seasons following his short 2022 visit to Kansas City, Blanco carved out a niche for himself as a late-inning pinch-runner. His excellent speed — among players with at least five opportunities, he tied for third in the majors in sprint speed in 2023 — enabled him to steal 24 bases that season and 31 in 2024; only Bobby Witt Jr. swiped more for KC in the former campaign, and he tied Witt for second in the latter.
Unfortunately, 2025 was different. After an Achilles tendon issue struck Blanco in spring training and forced him to the injured list before the season was even a week old, he played for the Royals only nine times and spent most of the season at Triple-A Omaha, where in 77 games he stole 32 bases and was caught stealing only three times.
Blanco’s slashed .257/.312/.416 with 14 home runs in 171 major league games. His six-season minor league .283 average and .353 OBP are excellent. Defensively, he’s primarily a left fielder and boasts a 1.000 fielding percentage, 2 DRS, and 1 OAA in 74 appearances at the position.
All that makes Blanco, who turns 33 in April, a decent candidate to return to Kauffman Stadium next season.
But what about Tolbert?
Why Tyler Tolbert might get the nod from the Royals
Ironically, it was Tolbert who replaced Blanco on the major league roster when Blanco went on the IL. The rookie speedster made the most out of the opportunity, finishing his first big league season with 21 steals (good for third on the club behind Witt’s 38 and Maikel Garcia’s 23), a nice .280 average in 50-at bats, and his first big league homer, a two-run blast he hit July 23 against the Cubs’ Drew Pomeranz at Wrigley Field.
His 28.9 sprint speed put him in the 88th percentile among major leaguers, and he was caught stealing just twice. He’s also stolen at least 50 bases three times in the minors, with a high of 60 in 2022, and swiped 48 in 2024; only 20 times in 272 career attempts have minor league catchers caught him stealing.
And don’t overlook Tolbert’s defensive versatility. He played every outfield spot, both second and third base, as well as shortstop for Kansas City, and made only one error in 169 innings at third.
Tolbert, then, has a good shot at an Opening Day roster spot to begin his age-27 season.
Who will it be for the Royals — Dairon Blanco or Tyler Tolbert?
The Royals could keep both, but that seems unlikely considering their need for more power, which Blanco and Tolbert aren’t going to provide, and general manager J.J. Picollo’s desire to find someone to platoon with right fielder Jac Caglianone. There won’t be enough roster room to go around.
Who survives if push comes to shove and KC needs to move Blanco or Tolbert? That the Royals kept Tolbert on the big league roster and Blanco in the minors even after Blanco seemed to have recovered from his Achilles injury suggests their choice will be Tolbert.
He hasn’t flashed quite the speed in the majors that Blanco has, but he’s younger and probably has a longer career ahead of him than Blanco.
Team control also matters. Blanco can test free agency after the 2029 season, but Tolbert can’t until after the 2031 campaign. Blanco has minor league options left, so the Royals can keep him in the organization if they prefer to break spring camp with Tolbert. (Tolbert also has options, so keeping Blanco in the majors doesn’t deprive the club of him).
Picollo could also swing a preseason trade — Blanco and Tolbert will both be attractive to clubs searching for the same value they give the Royals, and could be packaged in a deal designed to boost KC’s power.
Time will tell what happens. But it will be interesting to see the Blanco-Tolbert question play out.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kingsofkauffman.com ’
