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Royals Select Ben Kudrna, Steven Zobac

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The Royals announced that they have selected right-handers Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac to their 40-man roster. That protects both players from being selected in next month’s Rule 5 draft. Kansas City’s 40-man roster count climbs from 37 to 39.

The 22-year-old Kudrna was a second-rounder back in 2021. He’s long ranked among the top pitchers in what’s now a thin Royals system. Kudrna struggled to a 5.30 ERA in 106 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season, posting an average 22.9% strikeout rate and a worse-than-average 10.8% walk rate. He’s 90-93 with his sinker, generating a slightly above-average ground-ball rate and a better swinging-strike rate (12.3%) than one might expect for a sinker pitcher with pedestrian velocity.

Zobac, 25, was a 2022 fourth-rounder who missed time this season with a knee injury. He logged an ugly 7.25 ERA with a sub-par 21.7% strikeout rate but has drawn average or better grades for his heater, slider and command. Zobac posted a 3.64 ERA in 126 minor league innings during a healthy 2024 season, and the Royals unsurprisingly didn’t want to risk losing someone they’re envisioning as a potential big league starter even on the heels of an injury-marred ’25 campaign.

Kris Bubic Drawing Trade Interest From Multiple Clubs

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Royals left-hander Kris Bubic is drawing interest from multiple unspecified clubs, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic. Perhaps just as importantly, Sammon also notes that the Royals are open to the possibility of moving the southpaw.

Bubic, 28, didn’t find much success in his first few major league seasons. Early in 2023, he added a slider and seemed to be on the cusp of a breakout, but that lasted just three starts before he required Tommy John surgery.

He missed the remainder of that campaign and worked out of the bullpen when he returned in 2024, but with great success. He gave the Royals 30 1/3 innings with a 2.67 earned run average. His 32.2% strikeout rate, 4.1% walk rate and 56.2% ground ball rate were all excellent figures. He posted a 1.93 ERA over four postseason appearances as well.

The Royals stretched him back out in 2025. He wasn’t quite as dominant as he was as a reliever in 2024, but his results were still quite good. He logged 116 1/3 innings over 20 starts with a 2.55 ERA, 24.4% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 47.2% ground ball rate. A rotator cuff strain put him on the injured list at the end of July and he missed the final two months of the season. At the time of that injury, it was reported that he would not require surgery and would have a normal offseason. According to the MLB.com injury tracker, he was recently cleared to resume throwing.

Thanks to the slow start to his career and injury absences, his track record of success isn’t massive, but he has shown very intriguing flashes of upside. His winding journey also means that he is now just a year away from free agency and projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $6MM salary. That’s quite modest by modern pitching standards, especially compared to what the top free agents are likely to get this winter. For instance, the top pitcher on MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents list was Dylan Cease. He was projected for $189MM over seven years, or $27MM annually.

The Royals are looking to bolster their offense, particularly in the outfield and at second base. However, they probably don’t have a lot of financial wiggle room. They aren’t usually huge spenders and owner John Sherman recently stated that the payroll would probably stay fairly flat compared to 2025. RosterResource currently projects them for a $142MM payroll in 2026, a tad higher than the $138MM they had at the end of 2025.

Trading some pitching is probably the club’s best path for adding offense. Their projected rotation currently includes Bubic, Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Noah Cameron, Stephen Kolek, Ryan Bergert, Luinder Avila, Ben Kudrna and others. Sammon reports Ragans is not likely to be available. That’s not surprising since he’s controlled for another three seasons. Even if the Royals were motivated to move him, now wouldn’t be a good time since he’s coming off a poor and injury-marred season. Wacha and Lugo have recently inked extensions, with each signed through 2027 with club options for 2028.

That leaves the most likely trade candidates as Bubic or one of the younger and more controllable arms. The Royals may consider moving one of the other guys but they are cheap and have options, making them valuable pieces for a club without huge payroll capacity. Bubic’s value will be somewhat capped by the fact that he only has the one year of control and some spotty health on his track record. However, the salary is attractive for other clubs and could allow the Royals to save a bit of cash to use on other pursuits.

As Sammon points out, another thing working in the club’s favor is that a lot of other pitchers with upside are seemingly unavailable. Recent reports have downplayed the trade possibilities on guys like Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, Hunter Greene, Freddy Peralta, Joe Ryan and Pablo López. It’s probably still fair to expect guys like MacKenzie Gore, Sonny Gray and others to be out there but every name that comes off the board gives the Royals a bit more leverage.

Since Bubic is only controlled for one more season, he should only draw interest from clubs planning to contend in 2026. That may make it a challenge for the Royals to line up a deal, as those clubs probably don’t want to meaningfully subtract from their big league rosters. It’s not impossible, however, as clubs like the Angels and Red Sox have designs on contending, have a need for pitching but also have too many corner outfielders.

If the Royals can’t line up a classic “baseball trade” in that fashion, they could always flip Bubic for prospects. That could increase their ability to trade prospects for an impact bat or two, either by moving the prospects they just acquired or guys they already had who have become more expendable by the new arrivals.

Presumably, the Royals are currently evaluating all sorts of scenarios. As mentioned, they could move a cheaper and more controllable arm such as Cameron, Bergert, Kolek or others in that camp, but Bubic is an intriguing upside play for contending clubs. There’s risk with the recent injuries but Bubic is far cheaper than the options available in free agency and doesn’t require a long-term commitment. It’s also possible that he ends up recouping a draft pick down the line, if he stays healthy and pitches well enough in 2026 to justify a qualifying offer at season’s end.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Royals, Guardians Among Teams Interested In Brendan Donovan

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Cardinals infielder/outfielder Brendan Donovan figures to be one of the most sought after trade candidates this offseason. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Royals and Guardians are two of the clubs interested in acquiring him. Goold also mentions that the Yankees and Dodgers had interest prior to the deadline, which perhaps indicates they would be interested again.

Donovan, 29 in January, has a strong major league track record. He has appeared in 492 games and stepped to the plate 2,006 times. His 9.1% walk rate is solid while his 13.5% strikeout rate is much better than par. He has slashed .282/.361/.411 for a 119 wRC+, indicating he’s been 19% better than league average overall. He has also bounced around the diamond, having played all four infield positions as well as the outfield corners.

He is now two years from free agency. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects him for a $5.4MM salary in 2026. He’ll be due a raise in 2027 before hitting the open market. The Cards are reportedly planning to engage in a multi-year rebuild and likely won’t be competitive in Donovan’s window of control.

Today, a report from Ken Rosenthal, Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic says the Cards are willing to entertain offers on many of their players but would prefer to hold Alec Burleson and Iván Herrera. Burleson is controlled for three more seasons and Herrera four. That perhaps gives some insight into what the Cards are envisioning as their rebuilding timeline.

That situation alone makes Donovan a trade candidate but there’s also the club’s broader infield picture to consider. Infielder JJ Wetherholt is one of the top prospects in the sport and is knocking on the door of the majors. Masyn Winn, controlled for four more years, is a strong glove-first shortstop. Wetherholt is also a shortstop but his defense is not at Winn’s level, so he’s likely to be moved to second or third base. The Cards also have Donovan, Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman and Thomas Saggese in the mix for playing time at those spots.

Arenado and Gorman are coming off some poor seasons and don’t have huge trade value right now. That’s especially true for Arenado, considering his contract, which features a large salary and a no-trade clause. Trading Donovan is the best path for the Cards to both recoup some meaningful young talent, likely on the pitching side, while also freeing up more playing time for others.

President of baseball operations Chaim Bloom admitted to Goold this week that he would likely be focused on acquiring rotation options. That could be controllable young guys or even veterans to eat innings. That will be especially true if they trade Sonny Gray, who is getting interest.

“We’ve definitely been listening on him,” Bloom said. “And definitely, as you would imagine, any time you have a good player, you’re probably going to get some attention and people who are interested. That’s not a surprise. He’s still one of the better pitchers in the league. We value him very highly. Just where we are and thinking long term, we’ve talked to him and we feel there might be something that makes sense. We’ll continue to explore that.”

Without Gray, the projected rotation includes Andre Pallante, Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy and Kyle Leahy. Even a rebuilding club will want to do better than that. Bloom also spoke of a desire to add a veteran or two to the bullpen, though that would likely come via free agency rather than trade.

Given Donovan’s defensive flexibility, he could make sense for almost any contending club, but the Royals are certainly a good fit. “Right now we don’t have somebody who can play infield and right field, and that’s something we’ve got to look at,” Royals president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo said to Goold, speaking generally, not of Donovan specifically. “If we had somebody who could go from the infield to the outfield that’s very beneficial.”

The Royals have had problems in the outfield for years. In 2025, they got a collective .225/.285/.348 line from their outfielders. That resulted in a wRC+ of 73, dead last in the majors. Second base was also a problem this year. Jonathan India and Michael Massey were the primary options at the keystone. India hit .233/.323/.346 on the year for a wRC+ of 89. Massey was even worse, with a .244/.268/.313 line and 57 wRC+. India is going into his final arbitration season, with a projected $7.4MM salary. Massey is projected for just $2MM and can be controlled through 2028.

The payroll appears to be tight in Kansas City but moving on from India and replacing him with Donovan would actually save money. It would, however, require the Royals to give up something of value to the Cardinals. Thankfully, the Cards need controllable pitching more than anything and that’s something the Royals have. Kansas City currently projects to have a rotation of Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha. That leaves just one spot for Noah Cameron, Stephen Kolek, Ryan Bergert, Luinder Avila or Ben Kudrna.

Since pitching injuries are inevitable, the Royals would presumably prefer to hang onto that depth. However, without a lot of money to spend, there’s an argument for using those arms on the trade block to address their needs on the position player side. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that they are also looking for a left fielder and righty-swinging guy to platoon with Jac Caglianone.

Donovan swings from the left side and wouldn’t help with the latter need, though he could help in left field if he is acquired and either Massey, India or someone like Nick Loftin takes hold of the second base job. Some righty platoon bats who wouldn’t break the bank include Lane Thomas, Miguel Andujar, Randal Grichuk, Austin Hays, Rob Refsnyder and Austin Slater .

The Guards are also a sensible fit. Similar to the Royals, they have been struggling to get strong production from their outfield. As mentioned, the Royals had the worst outfield production in the league in 2025. The Guards were barely above them on that list with a .225/.288/.341 line and 77 wRC+. Second base was also a weak spot, with Brayan Rocchio and Daniel Schneemann getting most of the playing time this year. Rocchio finished the season with a .233/.290/.340 line and 77 wRC+, with Schneemann posting a .206/.283/.354 line and 79 wRC+.

For both the outfield and second base, there are some potential in-house solutions. Travis Bazzana, one of the club’s top prospects, is a second baseman who is closing in on his major league debut. In the outfield, Chase DeLauter and George Valera both got late promotions in 2025. Given Donovan’s versatility, he could move around the field depending on which of those young guys are healthy and productive. His modest projected salary is also an obvious highlight for a low-spending club like the Guardians.

There’s often an abundance of controllable pitching depth in Cleveland but that’s less the case than usual right now. Their rotation was middling in 2025, but they did just bolster their pipeline by adding Khal Stephen in the Shane Bieber trade.

For the Yankees and Dodgers, their situations have changed since their reported interest in Donovan in July. The Yanks grabbed Ryan McMahon from the Rockies ahead of the deadline, moving Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second. They could still fit Donovan in the outfield but they will probably try to reunite with Cody Bellinger and/or Trent Grisham, while perhaps pursuing Kyle Tucker as well.

The Dodgers, they had Max Muncy on the injured list in July and Tommy Edman was banged up as well. Muncy got healthy by the end of the year. Edman recently underwent surgery to address his ankle and should be good to go by spring training. Both Edman and Donovan are capable of playing both second base and the outfield, so perhaps there’s a way they can co-exist. Donovan’s two-year window of control would line up with recent reporting that the Dodgers might look for a short-term outfield solution since they have so many prospects on the way. Donovan could fit into that plan but the Dodgers could also target more of a straightforward outfielder.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images

Royals Evaluating Outfield Trade Market

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The General Managers Meetings are taking place in Las Vegas this week, a setting where teams often start conversations on possible transactions to be made later in the offseason. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports that the Royals are evaluating the outfield trade market.

It’s a logical target for the club. The outfield in Kansas City has been a weak spot for years. 2025 was no exception. The team’s outfielders had a collective .225/.285/.348 batting line this year. That resulted in a 73 wRC+, indicating the club’s outfield group was 27% worse than league average. That was easily the worst mark in the majors, with the Guardians’ jardineros second-last with a wRC+ of 77.

The current group in Kansas City includes Jac Caglianone, Kyle Isbel, John Rave, Dairon Blanco, MJ Melendez, Kameron Misner, Drew Waters and others. Caglianone came into 2025 as a top prospect but struggled badly in his first major league call-up. No one else in the group has any real track record of big league success either.

Upgrading there is an obvious way to improve the club overall. The trade market also makes sense as a way to go about doing it, considering the club’s finances. About a month ago, owner John Sherman said that he expects the 2026 club to have a fairly similar payroll to 2025. RosterResource currently estimates the Royals for a payroll of about $140MM next year. That’s slightly higher than the $138MM RR pegged their spending at the end of 2025.

That doesn’t suggest the front office will have a huge amount of spending capacity. They could lower their commitments by non-tendering some of their arb-eligible players. Jonathan India has the highest projected salary in the Royals’ class at $7.4MM and he’s coming off a poor season. The club could also perhaps trade Kris Bubic and his projected $6MM salary since the rotation could still be in decent shape without him.

Even if the club does pinch a few pennies, they’re not going to suddenly become favorites for a big free agent like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. Re-signing Mike Yastrzemski is feasible but it’s understandable that president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo would check to see what’s available on the trade market.

Morosi mentions the Red Sox and Angels as possible trading partners. Those seem like speculative picks but they make sense. The Angels have a question in center field but have a crowded mix in the corners. Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler give them four options for three spots, between the two outfield corners and the designated hitter slot. Trout isn’t going anywhere and Soler has negative trade value at the moment, since he is owed $13MM next year and is coming off a down season.

Trading one of Adell or Ward seems like the move for the Angels, as that could clear up the logjam while potentially adding some much-needed pitching help. MLBTR put both of them on our recent list of the Top 40 Trade Candidates for this offseason. Last week, Morosi reported that the Halos would indeed listen on Ward and Adell.

Ward has the better track record. He has essentially been a 20-plus homer guy for four years now. He only got to 14 long balls in 2023 but was limited by injuries to just 97 games. He just hit 36 homers in 2025 with a strong 11.3% walk rate to boot. Reviews on his defense are mixed. He’s been credited with seven Outs Above Average in his career but minus-14 Defensive Runs Saved.

Adell got many chances with the Angels and didn’t take advantage of most of them but he has shown some promise lately. He did 20 homers in 2024 and 37 this year. His walk and strikeout rates are poor, limiting the overall value of his offense, but he was still a decent contributor in 2025. His .236/.293/.485 line translated to a 112 wRC+. His defensive grades were poor in center but more passable in right.

Though Ward has the longer résumé, the trade value might be comparable. Ward is just one year from free agency and is projected for a salary of $13.7MM next year. Adell, meanwhile, is projected for just $5.5MM and can be controlled through 2027.

The Red Sox have a well-known glut of outfield options which currently includes Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida and Jhostynxon García. Anthony signed a big extension with the club and isn’t going anywhere. That’s likely also the case for Rafaela, who also signed an extension and is an elite glove in center. García isn’t yet proven at the major league level but is optionable and swings from the right side, a potential asset in a lefty-heavy lineup.

Duran and Abreu are fairly redundant as lefty-swinging corner guys. Both cracked the aforementioned MLBTR list of Top 40 Trade Candidates for this winter. Duran has more big league experience and has shown a higher ceiling but he’s down to three years of club control and will make $7.7MM in 2026. Abreu, on the other hand, hasn’t yet qualified for arbitration and still has four seasons of club control remaining.

Both the Angels and Red Sox plan to compete in 2026. If either club were to trade an outfielder, they would likely be looking for a return that would help the big league club, as opposed to prospects. Both clubs could use pitching, which is something the Royals have. MLBTR’s Nick Deeds recently took a look at the club’s rotation depth and the possibility that the club could leverage that into an offensive upgrade.

The offseason is still young, so there are still many possible paths for the Royals to take. In addition to the Angels and Red Sox, clubs like the Cardinals, Twins, Diamondbacks and others could have outfielders available, while signing Yastrzemski or someone similar is possible as well.

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Royals Acquire Mason Black

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The Royals announced that they have acquired right-hander Mason Black from the Giants. Minor league righty Logan Martin heads in the other direction. The Giants designated Black for assignment last week. The Royals’ 40-man roster count climbs from 36 to 37.

Black, 26 next month, joins a new organization for the first time in his career. The Giants took him with a third-round pick in 2021. As he climbed the minor league ladder, he was generally regarded as one of the club’s top ten prospects.

He hasn’t yet delivered much at the big league level. Between 2024 and 2025, he tossed 40 1/3 innings for the Giants, allowing 6.47 earned runs per nine. His 8% walk rate in that time was around average but his 19.1% strikeout rate subpar.

His work in the minors has been better but he’s coming off a poor season. From 2022 to 2024, he logged 320 minor league frames with a 3.77 ERA, 28.2% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate. In 2025, he pitched 119 1/3 Triple-A innings but with a 5.81 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He struck out 21.5% of opponents and walked them at an 11.7% pace. That got him bumped off San Francisco’s roster but Kansas City will take a shot on him.

Black still has one option season remaining, so the Royals don’t need keep him on the big league roster. He could be kept in Triple-A Omaha as rotation depth. It’s also possible they experiment with him in a relief role. Black has mostly been a starter in his career but his final five appearances in 2025 were out of the bullpen for Triple-A Sacramento. In those, he faced 25 batters, striking out six while giving out two walks.

To get Black aboard, the Royals are parting with Martin. He was their 12th-round pick in 2023. Last year, he tossed 102 innings at the Single-A level with a 3.62 ERA, 22.9% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate. This year, he moved up to High-A and logged 91 1/3 innings with a 3.45 ERA, 20.6% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate. He has been pitching in the Arizona Fall League of late, though with 12 earned runs allowed in 11 innings. Back in May, Eric Longenhagen and James Fegan of FanGraphs gave Martin an honorable mention on their list of the top prospects in the Royals system.

Martin is a bit of a lottery ticket since he hasn’t yet reached Double-A but the Giants are surely happy to get any kind of chance at a return for a player they designated for assignment. Martin will be Rule 5 eligible a year from now, so the Giants can use that time to decide if he’s worth a roster spot. The Royals, meanwhile, weren’t going to get anything from Martin in the near term whereas Black has a chance to contribute to the big league club in 2026. The Royals presumably also hope that Black has the greater upside as a former third-round pick and notable prospect.

Photo courtesy of Dennis Lee, Imagn Images

Rays Trade Kameron Misner To Royals

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The Rays announced Monday that they’ve traded outfielder Kameron Misner to the Royals in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. Tampa Bay had designated Misner for assignment last week. The Royals’ 40-man roster count climbs to 36.

Misner, 28 in January, has received limited big league action with the Rays over the past two seasons. Overall, he has 232 big league plate appearances. 34.1% of those ended in a strikeout and 6.9% resulted in a walk, both subpar figures. That has led to a .203/.260/.325 batting line. He got squeezed off Tampa’s roster last week.

Despite that tepid offensive showing thus far, there are reasons why the Royals would be interested. His sprint speed was ranked in the 75th percentile this year and he stole eight bases in nine tries. His work in the outfield this year resulted in five Defensive Runs Saved and three Outs Above Average.

It’s also possible that there’s more in the bat than he has shown so far. From 2023 to 2025, he took 1,203 trips to the plate at the Triple-A level. In those, he slashed .233/.358/.449 for a wRC+ of 106, with a really strong 15.7% walk rate. His 31.7% strikeout rate in that time wasn’t great but he at least showed signs of improvement. When he first arrived at Triple-A in 2023, he was punched out at a massive 35.8% clip, but he got that down to 29.3% and then 26.1% in the two most recent seasons.

The Royals have been struggling to put together a good outfield group for years. In the 2025 season, the club’s outfielders posted a collective .225/.285/.348 line. The resultant wRC+ of 73 was dead last in the majors.

Misner still has an option remaining, so he doesn’t need to be guaranteed a job on the big league roster. Currently, the Royals project to have Jac Caglianone, Kyle Isbel, John Rave, Dairon Blanco, MJ Melendez and Drew Waters. They front office will likely be on the lookout for more meaningful upgrades throughout the offseason. For now, Misner gives them another option to at least bolster the floor with his speed and defense. If his bat takes a step forward, he could separate himself from the pack. If not, he can at least be in Triple-A as depth.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Royals Add Marcus Thames To Coaching Staff

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The Royals are hiring former big league outfielder and veteran coach Marcus Thames as a hitting coach, reports Anne Rogers of MLB.com. He’ll join recently hired Connor Dawson, 32, as a second hitting coach under senior director of hitting Alec Zumwalt. Kansas City did not renew the contracts of now-former assistant hitting coaches Joe Dillon and Keoni DeRenne at season’s end.

Thames, 48, enjoyed a decade-long career in the big leagues as an outfielder and designated hitter from 2002-2011. Shortly after his playing career ended, he took a job as a minor league hitting coach in the Yankees’ system. Within three years, he’d been promoted to the major league staff in the Bronx.

From 2016-21, Thames was an assistant hitting coach or hitting coach with the Yankees’ big league staff. He’s since jumped to the Marlins, Angels and White Sox, holding hitting coach titles within each system. The Mississippi native spent the past two seasons as the hitting coach for the White Sox but was let go as part of a coaching staff shakeup at season’s end.

Thames played in 640 major league games and totaled 2016 plate appearances as a big leaguer. In that time, the former 30th-round pick slashed .246/.309/.485 with 115 home runs, 83 doubles, four triples, a 7.9% walk rate and a 25.3% strikeout rate. Thames’ bat was particularly potent against left-handed pitching in his playing days, as evidenced by a .260/.328/.496 line in his career. The 2026 season will mark his eleventh consecutive year on a big league coaching staff.

Royals Sign Connor Kaiser To Minor League Deal

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The Royals announced that Connor Kaiser has been signed to a minor league contract.  Kaiser was outrighted off the Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster two days ago and he then elected free agency, so it was a short stay on the open market for the infielder.

Kaiser is a local product who was born in nearby Overland Park and he played his high school ball in Stilwell, Kansas.  A contract with his hometown team is a nice early birthday gift for Kaiser (who turns 29 on November 20) and perhaps an opportunity to win a bench job in Spring Training.  His primary position of shortstop is obviously covered by Bobby Witt Jr., but Kaiser has experience at all four infield spots, and could work himself into the Royals’ uncertain second base picture.

A third-round pick for the Pirates in the 2018 draft, Kaiser’s MLB resume consists of three games with the Rockies in 2023, and 11 games with the Diamondbacks last season.  Arizona signed Kaiser to a minors contract last winter and he got some playing time in the Show after the D’Backs dealt away starters Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor at the trade deadline, and after Lourdes Gurriel Jr. suffered a torn ACL at the start of September.  Kaiser’s brief stint saw him record his first two career big league hits, but his career slash line over 23 plate appearances is only .091/.130/.136.

Over 1006 career PA at the Triple-A level, Kaiser has hit .230/.347/.378 with 21 homers and 23 steals (in 28 attempts).  These modest numbers are diminished a bit more given that most of Kaiser’s Triple-A career has been spent in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.  Known as a strong fielder, Kaiser’s defense and versatility may be the keys to whatever playing time he ends up earning with the Royals in 2026, though it helps that he has all three minor league options remaining.

Royals Hire Connor Dawson As Hitting Coach

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Connor Dawson is heading home. as the Royals announced today that the Kansas City-area native has been hired as the team’s new hitting coach. Dawson has been a hitting coach for the Brewers since 2022. David Lesky of Inside The Crown reported earlier this week that Dawson was joining the K.C. coaching staff.

Dawson went to high school near Kauffman Stadium. He played community college ball a couple of hours south of Kansas City. Dawson got his start with Seattle, serving as a minor league hitting coach from 2019 to 2021. He joined Milwaukee as a hitting coach in 2022, working in tandem with Ozzie Timmons. Dawson worked under lead hitting coach Al LeBoeuf in 2025. “It’s a tough loss for us, but it’s home for him,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold told reporters on Thursday, including Anne Rogers of MLB.com.

The Brewers ranked top 10 in scoring in three of Dawson’s four seasons with the team. Milwaukee finished third in runs this past season. Toronto was the only team with a better walk-to-strikeout ratio in 2025. The Brewers found offensive success without a standout season from any player. No Milwaukee regular posted an OPS above .800, though Andrew Vaughn did post an .869 mark in his half-season with the team. The Brewers were able to generate runs by stacking up a bunch of hitters with OPS marks around .750.

The balanced approach on offense could work in Kansas City. While the Royals got strong production from the top of the lineup, they struggled to find viable options beyond their first five hitters. The club ranked 26th in scoring this past season. Kansas City made contact at an elite rate, but wasn’t able to generate much power. The Royals hit the fifth-fewest home runs and finished middle-of-the-pack in slugging percentage and isolated power.

It was reported in early October that the club wouldn’t renew the contracts of assistant hitting coaches Keoni DeRenne and Joe Dillon. Alec Zumwalt, hitting coach and senior director of hitting performance, remains with the team. The club’s press release announcing the Dawson hire mentioned that another coach would be added to the hitting department.

Royals’ Kyle Wright Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency

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The Royals announced right-hander Kyle Wright has cleared waivers and elected free agency. Wright had been placed on outright waivers earlier this week. Left-hander Sam Long has also cleared waivers and elected free agency.

Wright will depart from the organization without making a big-league appearance. Kansas City acquired him in a November 2023 trade that sent Jackson Kowar to the Braves. Wright was recovering from shoulder surgery at the time. He did not throw a pitch in 2024. Wright made eight appearances at two minor-league levels in 2025, but an oblique injury ended his season in July.

Atlanta took Wright with the fifth overall pick in 2017. He debuted with the team the following year. Wright struggled in brief MLB stints from 2018 to 2021, but found his footing in 2022. He made 30 starts with the Braves, posting a 3.19 ERA while leading the majors with 21 wins. Wright entered 2023 with a firm spot in Atlanta’s rotation, though shoulder soreness delayed his start to the season. He made five appearances before hitting the IL again with shoulder inflammation. Wright returned for 12 1/3 innings in September, only to undergo shoulder surgery in the offseason.

Kansas City signed Long as a minor league free agent ahead of the 2024 season. He was solid in 43 appearances with the club, notching a 3.16 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning. Elbow inflammation cost Long a couple of months in 2025. He was a steady part of the bullpen upon returning from the IL in late June.

Long has tossed at least 40 innings at the big-league level in each of the past five seasons. The 30-year-old will be looking for his fourth team in five years.

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