Royals players and their option status

The Royals will spend the next few weeks shaping the roster that they will carry to Atlanta for the season opener. One large factor in deciding who makes the team will be which players have options remaining. Options allow teams to send a player to the minors without exposing them to be claimed by another team off waivers, and teams have increasingly used this to shuttle players up and down. J.J. Picollo has talked a lot this offseason about his desire to have players with options, particularly on the pitching side, to give the club roster flexibility.

When a player is placed on the 40-man roster, they have three option years remaining. If they do not make the active 26-man roster or are placed on the Injured List, they are sent on “optional assignment” to the minors. Position players must remain in the minors at least 10 days, and pitchers must remain up to 15 days before being recalled, with exceptions made for (a) players serving as the “27th man” for a doubleheader; and (b) players recalled to replace an injured player.

Once a player has been optioned and has spent at least 20 total days in the minors that year, it counts as an option year. A player can be optioned up to five times per year – after that, to be sent to the minors, they must pass through outright assignment waivers where any team can claim them.

Once a player is out of options, they can still be sent to the minors, but they must first be designated for assignment and taken off the 40-man roster, exposing them to waivers. Players with more than three years of MLB service time, or players who have been outrighted before, can reject being outrighted to the minors and become free agents without termination pay. Players with at least five years of MLB service time can reject a minor league assignment at any time, and still retain their guaranteed salary.

Let’s start with the option status of players on the 40-man roster.

Mears seems very likely to make the team after putting up a solid 3.49 ERA in 63 games for the Brewers last year. The Royals signed Falter to a $3.6 million contract instead of non-tendering him last fall, despite a shaky track record and a bicep injury that caused him to miss the final month of the season. The Royals acquired him last summer from the Pirates for pitching depth, so if healthy, he seems likely to make the team as a long reliever that can start if needed. However, because of his salary, he might be able to clear waivers without being claimed if the Royals decide to send him to Omaha.

Drew Waters now has 684 career MLB plate appearances, and is a career .234/.300/.369 hitter. He provides nice depth as a switch-hitter with solid defense, but the 27-year-old is probably on the outside looking in for a roster spot, and could be claimed off waivers if the Royals don’t have room for him.

One option year remaining

Garcia is making the team, and Lange seems like a good bet to make the team if he is healthy. Marsh will begin the year on the Injured List. Daniel Lynch IV had a very solid 3.06 ERA in 57 games last year, although his strikeout and walk numbers were very underwhelming. He seems likely to make the team, although the presence of Falter may make him redundant. McArthur is working his way back from injury and may be sent to Omaha to give him a chance to ramp up and allow the Royals to stash some more “inventory.” Nick Loftin and Kameron Misner are each competing for bench roles, and Mason Black was acquired from the Giants as a depth piece and could compete for a bullpen spot.

Two or more option years remaining

Bergert seems like he would make a lot of rosters, but he may be a casualty of the depth the Royals have accumulated since the team can stash him in the minors until needed. Newly acquired Mitch Spence could make the team with an impressive spring, but it seems more likely he’ll begin in Omaha and come up when a starter is needed. Stephen Kolek, Steven Cruz and Luinder Avila each has a fair shot at making the roster in the bullpen, while Eric Cerantola is a longer shot, but having options remaining could work against them. Michael Massey still has options remaining if the Royals want him to get regular reps and get his career back on track after injuries derailed his 2025 season. Tyler Tolbert and John Rave seem likely to start for Omaha, but are likely to be given chances to contribute to the Royals this summer. Dairon Blanco could be in jeopardy of being removed from the 40-man roster.

Players with more than five years of service time who can refuse assignment include catcher Salvador Perez, infielder Jonathan India, outfielder Lane Thomas, and pitchers Kris Bubic, Carlos Estévez, Seth Lugo, John Schreiber, Matt Strahm, and Michael Wacha.

The non-roster invitees have signed minor league contracts and can be assigned to a minor league club without options or exposing them to waivers. Once their contract is purchased by the Royals and they are promoted to the active and 40-man roster, they require options to be sent back down, otherwise they are exposed to waivers.

Infielder Abraham Toro is out of options. Infielder Connor Kaiser and pitchers José Cuas, Eli Morgan, and Helcris Olivárez all have at least one option year remaining. The players with five years of service time who can refuse minor league assignment are catcher Jorge Alfaro, infielders Brandon Drury, Kevin Newman, and Josh Rojas, and pitchers John Means, Héctor Neris, and Aaron Sanchez. Some players may have opt-outs in their contracts that allow them to seek free agency if they aren’t on the MLB roster by a certain date.