Going Oppo: Why the Royals Will Compete In 2027

[Cory Moen]

Image courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

No one would argue that the 2026 season did not go as planned for the Royals. It turned out to be disappointing for a variety of reasons, but there is still some optimism if you look at parts of the roster.

A return to being more competitive, not only in the AL Central but in the American League as a whole, is still realistic, even if it might not feel that way when looking at the Royals sitting in last place this year.

While parts of the roster need more addressing than others, there are plenty of reasons for optimism when looking ahead to 2027 and beyond. Some of those reasons include a group of young lineup pieces that the organization should be able to build around, some veterans in both the rotation and in the lineup, and a group of complementary pieces who could take a step forward next year.

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This is one of two articles. To read the opposing viewpoint, click here.

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Let’s take a look at those things more in depth.

Young Royals Players to Build Around

The list of young players to build around goes well beyond superstar Bobby Witt Jr. Anyone who knows anything about baseball can see that Witt Jr is a bona fide superstar and someone that the Royals were smart to lock up when they did. At 26 years old, he will be well worth his contract. He has three top-10 MVP finishes and is likely headed for a fourth to go with two Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers as well.

Witt’s contract has him signed through 2030 at a minimum with four years of player opt-outs, and then three years of club options beyond that. If Witt continues to perform to the standard he has set, it would be a foregone conclusion that he will opt out of his contract given the first opportunity after the 2030 season. This means he will stay with the Royals for at least the next four seasons.

There are other young players to build around, giving the organization and fans alike hope for the future. Both OF/1B Jac Caglianone and C Carter Jensen have bounced back from tough starts to the year to look like locks in the lineup going into the future.

Caglianone is under team control through 2031 via the arbitration process, and Jensen is as well. With those two under team control for a handful more years, the team will look to build around the core three and return to contention sooner rather than later.

Complementary Roster Pieces

Speaking of surrounding Witt Jr, Caglianone, and Jensen, the Royals have a few other pieces who could complement them and help them return to contention. These players include Vinnie Pasquantino, who is having a down year in 2026, and Maikel Garcia, whom the Royals signed to a long-term contract through 2030, including a club option for 2031.

Both Pasquantino and Garcia have underperformed expectations, but it isn’t too crazy to think they could return to previous form and extend the Royals lineup. Both have upside as being above-average hitters, with Pasquantino having an above-average OPS+ each of the first four seasons prior to 2025 and Garcia having an above-average 2025, which earned him his long-term deal. However, he has regressed some and still been solid offensively in 2026.

There is plenty of upside in other parts of the offense as well, including outfielders Kyle Isbel and Isaac Collins, and IF Michael Massey, so it is quite easy to see how the Royals could have an above-average offense as soon as the 2027 season.

Veterans in the Rotation

The Royals decided to keep both Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha at the trade deadline, even with trade rumors swirling around both right-handers. Both Lugo and Wacha provide stability in a rotation that includes some younger arms.

Noah Cameron is having a coming-out party as of late, so he should easily slot into a rotation slot for next year as well.

If healthy, Cole Ragans has tons of upside, as shown recently in 2024, when he threw 186 ⅓ innings, striking out 223 batters and pitching to a 3.14 ERA with an even better 2.99 FIP.

With four of the spots already accounted for, finding a fifth starter shouldn’t prove too difficult, whether that be inserting Randy Dobnak into that spot until a younger pitcher with more upside is ready, or giving a longer look to Luinder Avila or Stephen Kolek as internal options.

Another choice would be to sign a veteran fifth starter to provide more depth and stability to the end of the rotation, if they don’t want to rely on the trio of Dobnak, Avila and Kolek.

Prospects Looking to Make an Impact

The Royals will also have prospects that could be ready to make an impact as early as 2027. While many of the Royals' top prospects are in the lower minors, there are a few intriguing pieces that could carve out roles for themselves in the next year or so.

There are a couple of position players, including OF Carson Roccaforte (#9 on Royals Keep), who has torn up Double-A this year, and C Blake Mitchell (#4), who has hit extremely well in High-A this year and could be on the fast track to the majors if he continues to hit for over a .900 OPS.

On the pitching side, LHP Justin Lamkin (#12) and RHPs Lucas Braun, Ben Kudrna (#18), Drew Beam (#13) and L.P. Langevin could all be at Kauffman Stadium depending on how they perform in the near future.

Braun was acquired in the Lane Thomas deal and is pitching at Triple-A Omaha. Kudrna is also at Triple-A, but has spent most of this year injured; otherwise, he may have made his debut already.

Lamkin is in Double-A in his first professional season after being drafted in the second round in 2025, while Beam hasn’t pitched well at Double-A but could have a turnaround year and move up the organizational ladder, potentially as an option out of the bullpen.

Langevin has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen with a 44.7% strikeout rate over 47 ⅔ innings this year. With those kinds of numbers, he could move up levels pretty quickly and be a force out of the Royals bullpen for quite some time.

In looking at all of these things, it’s not hard to convince yourself that the Royals could return to contention, especially in the AL Central, and across the AL with how weak the American League has been this season.

Let’s discuss in the comments what you expect from the Royals in 2027 and beyond!

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