Royals’ biggest question at every position as spring training rapidly approaches

The Kansas City Royals open spring training this week. And as always, important questions, some bigger than others, will face the club the moment the gates to its Surprise, Arizona, spring headquarters swing open.

This year’s intrigue, however, involves more than just battles for starting positions and spots on the bench.

Consider some of these looming questions.

Royals’ biggest question at every position as spring training rapidly approaches

Catcher: Will the Royals carry three catchers?

Kansas City has plenty of catchers to choose from if they elect this option. Besides Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen, the Royals recently re-signed veteran Luke Maile, who served them well last season, and two of their best backstop prospects — Blake Mitchell and Ramon Ramirez — will be in camp with five other non-roster catchers.

But the serious need for more offensive punch renders a third catcher an extra these Royals can’t afford. They need a competent bat on the field more than they do a backup catcher on the bench. Look for only Perez and Jensen on the Opening Day roster.

First base: Can Vinnie Pasquantino continue to produce for the Royals?

No position battle looms here. Vinnie Pasquantino’s production over the last two seasons — he’s homered 51 times, driven in 210 runs since the 2024 campaign began — means first base is his.

But can he keep it up? Yes, but he’ll need to stay healthy. That was the concern heading into 2025, but he proved he can avoid the injuries that marred his first two years in the majors. He’ll have another good year at the plate.

Second base: Who plays the keystone if Jonathan India and Michael Massey falter?

That the Royals didn’t land a second base upgrade this winter suggests again that they’re willing to live with the status quo of Jonathan India and Michael Massey.

Current inventory doesn’t include any other everyday-type second sackers, a trade is unlikely, and promising newcomer Isaac Collins can play second but is needed in the outfield.

So, what happens if India and Massey have miserable springs? India’s disappointing bat and questionable defense in 2025 didn’t dissuade KC from handing him a nifty $3 million raise for 2026.
That bump probably means India gets the keystone nod … at least to start the season.

Shortstop: How many categories can Bobby Witt Jr. lead the majors in?

Tracking Witt’s achievements never bores. Already a two-time All-Star and the owner of
two Gold Gloves and a pair of Silver Sluggers, he’s homered at least 30 times and stolen at least 30 bases three times in four big league seasons and boasts a .290/.340/.504 major league line.

He led the majors in hits the past two years; had the best batting average two seasons ago; collected more triples in 2023, and more doubles in 2025, than anyone else; led all shortstops in OAA and FRV last year.

Can he pace his peers in any area in 2025? Despite his drop to .295 and 23 homers last season, Witt will battle for titles in average, hits, doubles, steals, and triples. And don’t be surprised to see his name atop more than one defensive category.

Third base: Can Maikel Garcia prove his 2025 Royals season was no fluke?

Some may consider Garcia’s outstanding 2025 effort — he slashed .286/.351/.449 with 16 homers, 74 RBI, stole 23 bases, won a Gold Glove, and became an All-Star for the first time — as an outlier, a performance just waiting to be exposed as a fluke.

Perhaps the .231/.281/.332 line of his 2024 season has erased from their memories his excellent performance the year before, when in his first full big league campaign he hit .272 and, despite stellar hot corner glovework, didn’t win the Gold Glove he deserved. That performance foretold what Garcia proved last season: he’s the club’s third baseman of the future.

The sum of Garcia’s best parts — those 2023 and 2025 performances — prove he’s the real deal. He might not match this season what he did last, but he also won’t regress to 2024 form.

Left field: Will Isaac Collins be the Royals’ Opening Day left fielder?

Yes. That’s where he spent most of 2025, his first full big league season, before the mid-December trade with Milwaukee that made him and Nick Mears Royals and Angel Zerpa a Brewer.

Although Gold Gloves don’t appear to be in his future, and he won’t displace Kyle Isbel or Jac Caglianone from their outfield spots, his 2025 numbers — .368 OBP, 122 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR, nine homers, and 56 RBI in 130 games — suggest he’s a good left field fit, especially for KC’s weak-hitting outfield.

Center field: Will Kyle Isbel’s bat be as good as his glove for the Royals?

Probably not. Yes, last season’s .255 average and .301 OBP were both full-season career highs, but Isbel lacks power and doesn’t drive in many runs. And his career 78 wRC+ speaks for itself.

But Isbel’s consistently good defense — especially his 97th percentile range — keeps his spot in center safe. He doesn’t need to swing a big bat to stay there.

Right field: Is platooning Jac Caglianone the right thing to do?

The Royals seem to think so. A right field platoon might ease the pressure on Caglianone after his stunningly poor (.157/.237/.295) 2025 debut.

The fact remains, however, that as a left-hander, he’ll still get the bulk of bats wherever he plays. And being a part-timer might not be the best thing for his confidence.

DH: Can we pencil in Carter Jensen as the main Royals’ DH?

If he handles major league pitching as well as he did during his 20-game September big league debut, let’s hope so.

Jensen slashed .300/.391/.550 with three homers and 13 RBI. The Royals need that kind of bat in their everyday lineup, not on the bench serving only as Perez’s backup.

Pitching: Do the Royals need more relievers?

Recent rumblings that KC might still be rummaging around the relief pitching market may be true, but that doesn’t mean any big bullpen moves are, or should be, imminent.

Adding Matt Strahm in December made a strong back end (think Carlos Estévez and Luke Erceg) even better, and Nick Mears promises to be an excellent addition. Add to that mix returnees John Schreiber, Steven Cruz, Daniel Lynch IV, and perhaps Alex Lange and Luinder Avila, and Kansas City has a pretty good relief corps.

So, while the Royals could use another lefty reliever, their bullpen should be just fine without further tinkering.