The Royals have signed utility player Josh Rojas to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, according to MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand. Rojas is a seven-year MLB veteran who hit .180/.252/.259 with two home runs in 69 games with the White Sox last season, and was worth -1.5 rWAR.
The Royals were reportedly interested in Rojas last offseason before he signed a big league deal with the White Sox. He is a left-handed hitter who has some experience playing all over the infield and outfield, although he spent most of his time last year at second and third.
Rojas was originally drafted by the Astros in 2017 out of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, but was traded to the Diamondbacks in 2019 in the Zack Greinke trade. He was a semi-regular in 2021-22 with Ariona, and his best year came in 2022 when he hit .269/.349/.391 with nine home runs and 23 steals in 125 games, good for 3.1 rWAR. He was traded to Seattle, where his productivity fell off, and he was non-tendered after the 2023 season.
Rojas has been an outstanding defender in the past, putting up 1.2 dWAR in 2024 with Seattle. But he was -7 in Outs Above Average at third base last year and -8 in Defensive Runs Saved. His numbers were better at second base, where he’d likely to be used more in Kansas City. Like most of the Royals’ recent acquisitions, Rojas does not chase much.
The move could signal that the team does not expect to bring back Adam Frazier, another left-handed utility player. Rojas will likely compete for a reserve infield role on the team with Nick Loftin, Tyler Tolbert, and fellow non-roster invitees Abraham Toro, Connor Kaiser, and Kevin Newman.
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