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  • Kansas City Royals Trade & Free Agent Rumors

    Follow the latest Kansas City Royals trade and free agent rumors, along with quick notes on the big league club, the minor leagues and the draft.
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    Kevin O'Brien
    On Friday, the Royals acquired free-agent catcher Elias Diaz, signing the 35-year-old to a Minor League deal. He is not expected until next week, according to the announcement on the Royals' social media account.
    Diaz made the All-Star team with the Rockies in 2023. That season, he hit 14 home runs and collected 72 RBI, but only posted an 82 wRC+ and -0.1 fWAR. Last year, he played 106 games with the Padres and had nine home runs, 29 RBI, a 74 wRC+, and a 0.4 fWAR in 283 plate appearances. In terms of Statcast, Diaz didn't excel in any particular areas, though he is aggressive on pitches in the strike zone, as illustrated in his Statcast summary below.

    Since debuting with the Pirates in 2015, he has played 830 career games and had 2,800 plate appearances at the Major League level. In that time span, he has 71 home runs and 326 RBI, but a career 78 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR. At this point in his career, he may be a Major League backup catcher, at best. 
     
    The Royals seem set at catcher with Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen on the big league roster. Perez showed he is ready for the upcoming season in Kansas City's first Spring Training game of the year, hitting a 441-foot home run on Friday against the Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi.
     
    However, the Royals may need some catching depth this spring, as they have been down a couple of catchers. Jorge Alfaro has not been able to report yet due to visa issues. Luke Maile hasn't reported due to personal reasons. Thus, Diaz likely was acquired due to the issues with those two catchers, who both were signed on Minor League deals in the offseason.
    Diaz will likely start the year in Triple-A Omaha, though he may opt out of his deal if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. It is unlikely Diaz will have a shot at making the active roster unless an injury happens to Perez or Jensen in Spring Training. 
     
    Philip Ruo
    The Royals announced last week their broadcast schedule for Spring Training games in the Cactus League, outlining how fans can enjoy the Royals as they prepare for the 2026 MLB season.
    The Royals begin playing games this Friday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. CT against the Texas Rangers at their shared stadium in Surprise, Arizona.
    Only three of their games will not be broadcast in any format this Spring. All three of those games fall on days where two games are played.
    Three games will be televised on Royals.tv, the new home for Kansas City’s regular season games:
    March 5 vs. the Texas Rangers - 7:05 p.m. CT
    March 13 vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks - 8:05 p.m. CT
    March 17 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers - 8:05 p.m. CT
    You can find our guide on how to watch Royals.tv here.
    29 games will be available for audio streaming on royals.com. 22 of those games will be available on a radio broadcast; 16 games on 96.5 The Fan (including the three Royals.tv broadcasts), and six on The Bet 1660. The remaining seven games will air exclusively at royals.com. See the post from the Royals above for the breakdown of which games will be available on which stations. All games are listed on Central Time.
    Kevin O'Brien
    Royals pitchers and catchers began workouts on Wednesday, and many of the Royals' beat writers were sharing video of players back in action in camp in Surprise, Arizona.
    While pitchers and catchers reporting was the biggest news of the day, another big story was Kris Bubic and his arbitration case getting settled. According to Mark Feisand, Bubic was awarded $6.15 million for the upcoming season. That is $1 million higher than what the Royals filed this offseason.
    Bubic underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023, which limited him to just 16 IP that season. He ended up returning to the Royals in 2024, but primarily pitched in the bullpen. However, the role suited him, as he posted a 2.67 ERA and 1.95 FIP in 30.1 IP. He was a key setup man for Kansas City down the stretch and in the postseason in 2024. 
    Fully healthy, the Royals returned Bubic to the rotation in 2025, and the early results were solid. The Stanford lefty posted a 2.55 ERA and 2.89 FIP in 20 starts and 116.1 IP. That performance helped him earn his first-ever appearance in the All-Star game.  Unfortunately, he only pitched 7.2 innings in the second half before suffering a shoulder injury that shut him down for the remainder of the season.
    With Bubic working out in Surprise on Wednesday, it seems he's fully recovered and ready to go for 2026. He is entering his last year of team control with the Royals (he will be a free agent after this season), and because of that, his name has been frequently floated in trade talks. As of now, Bubic is still on the Royals' roster, and he should start the season in the rotation, though it will be interesting to see if manager Matt Quatraro manages his innings load to keep him healthier this season. 
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Thursday afternoon, the Royals announced that they would be bringing back catcher Luke Maile on a minor league deal. That also includes an invitation to spring training. 
    Maile played in 25 games and had 54 plate appearances with the Royals last year, primarily filling in as the backup catcher after Freddy Fermin was traded to San Diego at the Trade Deadline. The 34-year-old journeyman catcher hit .244 with the Royals and also posted a .316 wOBA, 99 wRC+, and 0.3 fWAR. 
    He was primarily known for his defense with the Royals, especially in the framing department. He was two runs above average in terms of framing runs and sported a +1 FRV in 143 innings behind the plate. On the offensive side, he swung and missed a lot, but he made up for it with a strong walk rate, hard-hit rate, and sweet-spot percentage. That is evident in his TJ Stats summary below.

    The Royals will have eight catchers in Spring Training camp, which is important given that pitchers and catchers report in five days. It is likely that the Royals will begin the year with Carter Jensen as the backup to Salvador Perez, who will likely be the regular catcher in 2026 after signing a two-year extension this offseason.
    That said, Maile will provide a veteran presence in Arizona while Perez plays for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, Maile could also help Jensen in his adjustment to catching at the Major League level in Perez's absence. Once the season starts, the Royals could promote Maile to the Majors if Perez or Jensen gets hurt (or if Jensen struggles out of the gate and needs time in Omaha to reset). 
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals continued to add to their Cactus League roster by signing infielder Brandon Drury to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training.
    Drury is certainly familiar to baseball fans due to his journeyman career. The 33-year-old infielder has played in 867 career games, which include stops in Arizona, the Bronx (Yankees), Toronto, Queens (Mets), Cincinnati, San Diego, and Anaheim (Angels). In 3,159 career plate appearances, he has posted .308 wOBA, 90 wRC+, and 5.4 fWAR. 
    While the former 2010 13th-round pick has certainly seen his fair share of teams, he didn't play in the Majors at all in 2025. Drury played in the White Sox and Angels organizations, but he primarily stayed in Triple-A. In 53 games and 228 plate appearances in Triple-A, he posted a .315 wOBA and 70 wRC+. That included three home runs, 26 runs scored, and 17 RBI.
    Surprisingly, the infielder actually posted decent Statcast metrics in the Minor Leagues last season, especially in the categories of 90th EV, O-Swing%, and walk rate. That is illustrated in the TJ Stats summary below.

     
    Even though Drury ranked in the 19th percentile in wOBA, he actually had a 69th percentile xwOBA, which shows that he might have been a little unlucky in Triple-A last season. Furthermore, Drury sported a patient approach at the plate, which was illustrated not just in his chase (86th percentile), but also in his low swing rate on pitches in the zone (second percentile Z-Swing%). It seemed to pay off for him, as he sported a strong Z-Contact% (73rd percentile) and whiff% (63rd percentile).
    The Royals have been targeting patient hitters this offseason who minimize swinging outside of the strike zone. Isaac Collins from the Brewers and Lane Thomas from the Guardians fit that profile, as do Minor League signings such as Josh Rojas, Abraham Toro, and Kevin Newman. 
    While Drury had success in 2022 and 2023 (5.8 fWAR combined), he had a -2.1 fWAR in his last MLB season in 2024 and seems to be at the tail end of his career. Not only did he fail to make the White Sox Opening Day roster last year, he was designated for assignment, picked up by the Angels and languished in Salt Lake City (the Angels' Triple-A team). Thus, it's not a surprise that he didn't earn an MLB deal this offseason.
    He likely will have a hard time making the Royals' Opening Day roster, especially with so much competition in the infield this spring. It is likely that Drury will give the Royals Cactus League roster some at-bats while infielders Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. play in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela and the United States, respectively. 
    Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
     
     
    Kevin O'Brien
    Earlier today, reports came out that Maikel Garcia would be playing for Team Venezuela in the WBC. Later in the evening, the Dominican Republic WBC selection team announced on their social media that Carlos Estevez would be playing for his home country in this upcoming tournament.
    Like Garcia, this will be Estevez's first WBC appearance. That said, the Royals closer has long expressed his desire to play for the Dominican Republic in the WBC as far back as April, as quoted in an article from Robert Rizzo of Latino Sports on April 17th. 
    It was a stellar first season in Kansas City for the 32-year-old reliever. In 67 appearances and 66 IP, he posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.67 FIP, and 1.1 fWAR. Furthermore, his 42 saves were not just a career-high, but also led all of Major League Baseball. He is the first Kansas City closer since Dan Quisenberry to lead the majors in saves. 
    Estevez's 20.1% K rate was 3.5% down from the previous season, and his 11.9% K-BB% was six percent lower than his 2024 mark. However, the Dominican-born closer found success by pounding the strike zone and keeping the ball in the yard (5.2% HR/FB rate, a career-low).
    Estevez has the stuff to succeed in the WBC and in 2026 as the Dominican Republic and Royals' closer, respectively. While he struggled to generate chase and whiff with the Royals in 2025, his strong TJ Stuff+ numbers (103 TJ Stuff+ overall) illustrated that he still overwhelmed batters in high-leverage situations.

    In addition to Garcia and Estevez, Salvador Perez (Venezuela), Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy), and Bobby Witt Jr. (USA) have all been confirmed to play in this year's World Baseball Classic. Jac Caglianone (Italy) and Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico) have committed to play if selected, but they have not officially been named to their respective rosters just yet. MLB Network will unveil all the official WBC rosters on February 5th. 
    Photo Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Thursday evening, the Kansas City Royals added to their Spring Training roster by signing right-handed reliever Eli Morgan to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
    Royals fans should be familiar with Morgan, as he pitched for four seasons with the Cleveland Guardians from 2021 to 2024. His best season with Cleveland came in 2024, as he posted a 1.93 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 3.09 K/BB ratio, and 0.3 fWAR in 32 appearances and 42 IP. He was also a key reliever for them in the postseason, as he came in and pitched in some high-leverage spots.
    The Guardians traded him to the Chicago Cubs before the 2025 season in exchange for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario. Unfortunately, Morgan struggled to transition that success from Cleveland to the North Side.
    In 7.1 IP, he posted a 12.27 ERA, 8.59 FIP, and 1.33 K/BB ratio. His K rate dropped from 20.4% in 2024 to 11.4% last year. However, it's likely that he wasn't healthy at the start of the year, as he was put on the 60-Day IL on April 15th for right elbow impingement, related to an inflamed ulnar nerve. While he was activated off the IL on September 21st, he didn't return to the Majors last season. He posted a 5.06 ERA and 3.96 FIP in 10.2 IP with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. The Cubs did not tender Morgan a contract this offseason.
    Morgan is a three-pitch pitcher who leans heavily on his changeup (41.7% usage last year). Even though his overall stuff wasn't impressive on a TJ Stuff+ end (98 overall), he did an excellent job of generating chase. He sported a 41.1% chase rate last year, with all three of his offerings having a chase rate of 40% or above, according to TJ Stats.

    Morgan will need to improve his command in 2026, as he lagged in zone rate (44.7%) and generating whiffs (21.7%) last year. However, the Royals' front office has been valuing and targeting pitchers who can induce chase, and Morgan fits the bill perfectly.
    Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney also has experience working with Morgan in Cleveland, so it's likely that Sweeney and GM JJ Picollo felt Morgan was worth taking a risk on due to their familiarity with him. The former Gonzaga product has a Minor League option remaining, which gives the Royals some roster flexibility with him should he make the team. 
    The Morgan acquisition now increases the Royals' non-roster invitee list to 26. 
    Photo Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Thursday afternoon, the Royals shared on social media that Maikel Garcia will play for Venezuela in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
     
     
    This will be Garcia's first appearance in the WBC with his home country. His inclusion on the Venezuelan team was merited, especially after a breakthrough season in 2025.
    In 666 plate appearances last year, he hit 16 home runs, scored 81 runs, collected 74 RBI, stole 23 bases, and hit .286. He also posted a 121 wRC+ and a 5.6 fWAR, the latter being the second-best mark of Royals players last season. In 449 career MLB games, Garcia has accumulated a 9.1 fWAR. 
    In addition to his gaudy metrics, he played in his first All-Star game, won a Gold Glove, and won the team's Special Achievement award (which typically goes to the second-best player on the team). The stellar campaign helped Garcia earn a five-year, $57.5 million extension this offseason. He is guaranteed to stay under contract in Kansas City until 2031. 
     
    The Royals' third baseman will be joining family member Ronald Acuna Jr. (of Atlanta) and teammate Salvador Perez in the World Baseball Classic. Perez was named the captain of Team Venezuela back in November. 
     
     
    Pool play for the WBC will begin on March 5th and go until March 11th. The WBC final will be on March 17th at loanDepot Park in Miami. For more information, check out the World Baseball Classic's official site here. 
    Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
    Brock Beauchamp
    The 2026 MLB season is right around the corner, and we're looking to expand our video coverage. Have you ever considered being on-camera and talking about the Royals? If yes, we'd love to talk to you about it.
    Our videos are typically in a wide variety of styles: breaking news, analysis, and historical study. We're open to any and all ideas as long as they're centered around the Kansas City Royals. We're looking for serious baseball talk, so leave the hot takes at home.
    If you'd like to learn more about this cool little side gig, please email Brock Beauchamp at brock.beauchamp@royalskeep.com.
    Here is an example of a recent Royals video from us:
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Tuesday morning, in some unexpected news, Robert Murray of Fansided reported that the Royals signed pitcher Aaron Sanchez on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training. 
     
    Sanchez is a former highly touted arm from the Blue Jays organization who made the All-Star team as a 23-year-old in 2016. That season, he made 30 starts, pitched 192 innings, won 15 games, posted a 3.00 ERA, 3.55 FIP, and accumulated a 3.5 fWAR. After the year, it was thought that Sanchez would be the ace of the Toronto rotation for a long time.
    Unfortunately, injuries and ineffectiveness have limited Sanchez's career since that All-Star campaign. 
    Since 2017, Sanchez has accumulated a 2.0 fWAR in 79 starts and 367.2 IP. His ERA rose to 4.25 in 2017 and 4.89 in 2018 before ballooning to 5.89 with the Blue Jays and Astros in 2019. After missing all of 2020 due to injury, he had a nice bounce-back campaign with the Giants in 2021, posting a 3.06 ERA in nine appearances and 35.1 IP. However, things regressed back to awful levels in 2022, as he sported an ERA of 6.60 in 15 appearances and 60 IP with the Nationals and Twins.
    The 33-year-old righty hasn't pitched at the Major League level since that 2022 season, and he actually did not pitch at all at any level in 2025. In 2024, his last season in the Minors, Sanchez posted a 7.92 ERA and 6.49 FIP in 14 outings and 61.1 IP with the Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays' Triple-A team. Not only was Sanchez hit hard that season (19.4% HR/FB rate), but he also struggled with command (1.05 K/BB ratio) and didn't show great stuff either, based on TJ Stats metrics. 

    Sanchez's groundball rate was decent at 44.3% with the Bisons, and he also limited productive contact, posting a .336 xwOBACON. That said, he sported below-average stuff with a 93 TJ Stuff+ mark overall, and his zone rate (44.4%), chase% (24.3%), and whiff% (23%) were subpar as well. Thus, when he made mistakes, hitters made him pay dearly (illustrated by the HR/FB rate). With Buffalo, his curveball, which he threw 20.3% of the time, was his best offering, as it sported a 100 TJ Stuff+, 33.6% chase%, 35.7% whiff%, and .292 xwOBACON. 
    Below is a breakdown of Sanchez's curveball against left and right-handed hitters via TJ Stats. It's possible that pitching coaches Brian Sweeney and Mike McFerran think he could improve his repertoire this spring, with the curveball as his foundational offering (it generated a 35.1% CSW against right-handed hitters). 

    After taking a year off, Sanchez returned to baseball by pitching with Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League (LiDOM) this winter. The former All-Star thrived in his return to the mound in LiDOM, posting a 1.55 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 3.78 K/BB ratio in eight starts and 46.1 IP. His strong performance earned him top pitching honors in Winter League play. 
     
     
    The Royals likely picked up Sanchez due to his strong Winter League performance, hoping that he can show something on the mound again, whether at the Minor or Major League level. It's unlikely that Sanchez will make the Royals rotation, as it is incredibly deep right now with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, Noah Cameron, Ryan Bergert, Luinder Avila, and Stephen Kolek all vying for spots this spring.
     
    That said, the Royals likely want pitching depth, just in case their rotation gets hit by injury again like it did a season ago. Furthermore, Sanchez could generate some trade interest for a pitching-desperate team, especially if they are hit by injury in Spring Training play. Such a situation could net the Royals a low-level prospect, cash, or a bench player who could provide needed depth in the system. 
    Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Monday evening, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported that the Kansas City Royals signed Hector Neris on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training.
     
    Neris pitched for three teams last year: the Braves (two outings; one IP), the Angels (21 outings; 14 IP), and the Astros (12 outings; 11.2 IP). In 26.2 overall innings, the 36-year-old righty reliever posted a 6.75 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 5.35 FIP, and -0.1 fWAR. He was primarily hurt by a 16.7% HR/FB rate, his highest mark in that category since 2019 (when he was with the Phillies). 
    While the results weren't good, Neris did post a strikeout rate of 28.2% and a K-BB% of 15.3%, both solid marks. He also had a 26% CSW and 28.3% O-Swing%, indicating he can generate strikes and chase pitches, two qualities the Royals are seeking from their relievers in 2026.  
    Neris struggled to find the strike zone consistently and gave up too many hard hits, according to xwOBACON. That said, the stuff was pretty solid last year from a 36-year-old reliever. 

    Neris sported six pitches last year, with his splitter (43.5%) and four-seamer (40.5%) being his most utilized offerings. Of his six pitches, five had TJ Stuff+ marks of 100 or higher, and four had grades of 50 or higher. He also generated a 28.6% whiff rate, with his splitter sporting a 35.9% whiff rate, the best mark in that category of his six offerings .
    The splitter has seen an increased usage by Neris over the past two seasons. He's thrown it over 40% of the time in 2024 and 2025 after only throwing it 28.8% of the time in 2023. Consequently, his four-seamer usage over the past two years has declined while splitter usage has risen, as seen in his career pitch-tracking chart via Savant.

    Because he's on a Minor League contract, Neris will have to earn his spot on the Royals roster this spring. If he doesn't make the roster, he has the option of becoming a free agent after Cactus League play.
    As of now, the Royals' bullpen seems pretty set with Carlos Estevez as closer and Matt Strahm, John Schreiber, and Lucas Erceg serving as setup men. Nick Mears, Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV, Bailey Falter, Steven Cruz, and James McArthur will likely battle Neris for a spot in the Kansas City bullpen in Spring Training. 
    Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
    Matthew Lenz
    Carlos Beltran is headed to Cooperstown! After receiving 358 votes (84.2%), the switch-hitting outfielder joins Andruw Jones as a member of the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class.
    Beltran, drafted in the 2nd round of the 1995 MLB Amateur Draft, played his first seven of 20 seasons with the Kansas City Royals. The 18-year-old from Puerto Rico needed just a little over three seasons in the minor leagues to debut on September 14th, 1998. He made the 1999 Opening Day roster and never looked back, slashing .293/.337/.454 with 22 home runs and 27 stolen bases on his way to winning American League Rookie of the Year. He'd make his first All-Star Game in 2004, weeks after being traded to the Houston Astros. Across 795 games with the Royals, Beltran slashed .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs and 100 stolen bases accuring 24.8 bWAR.
    Despite establishing himself as one of the premier center fielders in baseball, donning the Royals' royal blue, it wouldn't be until he joined the New York Mets that his production and talents were truly recognized. In all, he'd go on to finish his career with three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, nine All-Star appearances, and a 2017 World Series champion.
    What hat will be featured on Beltran's bust? Let us know what you think in the comments.
    Matthew Lenz
    The Kansas City Royals have been involved in a fair number of rumors this offseason. Specifically, they were looking to flip some pitching for an outfield bat. On Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic provided an update on two of the names that have been tied to the most.
    According to Rosenthal, the Royals are "unlikely to land" Jarren Duran or Brendan Donovan. He goes on to say, "Barring further moves, the Royals expect to rely heavily on offseason acquisitions Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas in their outfield, as well as rookie Jac Caglianone and holdover Kyle Isbel.”
    Of that group, only Collins was an above-average hitter last year, posting a .779 OPS with nine home runs and 16 stolen bases. This resulted in a 122 wRC+, whereas the next-highest from that last group was Isbel, who posted a 79 wRC+. Additionally, Collins was in the 86th percentile of Out Above Average (OAA), accruing four (six in left field and -2 in right). Isbel is also a plus defender, accruing +12 OAA, whereas Thomas and Caglianone are more known for their arms.
     
    Do you think the Royals should do what it takes to land Duran or Donovan? Let us know in the comments!
    Kevin O'Brien
    The Royals' future with FanDuel Sports Network is in doubt for the 2026 season.
    On Thursday, Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported that Kansas City and eight other teams (Braves, Tigers, Reds, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Rays, and Cardinals) terminated their agreements with Main Street Sports Group, the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network.
    Main Street Sports Group had been in a questionable financial position for a while, as many teams reported missing scheduled payments. The parent company of the Fanduel Sports Network hoped that a deal with DAZN, a London-based sports streaming network, would solve its financial issues. Unfortunately, Main Street and DAZN were reportedly unable to reach an agreement, according to Tom Friend of The Sports Business Journal.
    Here's what Friend said in his article regarding the DAZN and Main Street negotiations. 
    Friend reported that Fubo may be in negotiations to acquire Main Street, but it's hard to tell how far along and legitimate those talks are. According to the SBJ report, some sources have denied Fubo's involvement with Main Street, and Fubo spokespeople have denied comment. 
    A deal for Main Street is needed for Fanduel Sports Network to remain operational after the conclusion of the NBA and NHL seasons. However, without such a deal, it's likely that Main Street would declare bankruptcy. Thus, it makes sense that the Royals and eight other clubs would decide to terminate their deal now to figure out a broadcasting plan by Spring Training.
    Clubs can renegotiate with Main Street if the media company's situation changes. That said, if nothing comes to fruition on Main Street's end, then it's possible that the nine teams could give their broadcast rights to Major League Baseball. Currently, MLB owns and distributes the broadcast rights for the Padres, Rockies, Guardians, Twins, Diamondbacks, and Mariners.
    Local fans of those teams can watch their club via a team-specific MLB.TV subscription. Whether the Royals will do that or go with another broadcasting option is yet to be determined. 
    Photo Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
    Matthew Lenz
    The Kansas City Royals have been involved in their fair share of rumors this offseason, though the temperature on the hot stove has remained low to medium. Now, for the third time this offseason, they have come to a minor league agreement with a utility backup. Having previously signed Jorge Alfaro and Abraham Toro, they have agreed to terms with Josh Rojas.
    Mark Feinsand of MLB.com is reporting that Rojas also received a non-roster invite to spring training.
    Rojas, 32, played 69 games for the Chicago White Sox last season. Across 211 plate appearances, he had a .511 OPS with two home runs and four stolen bases. He appeared at second base, third base, and left field. In seven seasons, Rojas has been a below-average hitter (88 wRC+) and has spent time at every position except center field and catcher. He'll look to compete with Alfaro and Toro for one of the last spots off the bench.
    Do you think the Royals have done enough this offseason to improve the roster? Let us know what you're thinking in the comments!
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Monday, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reported that the Royals agreed to a Minor League deal with catching veteran Jorge Alfaro. 
     
    The 32-year-old catcher started in the Phillies organization, but has played with the Marlins, Padres, Rockies, Red Sox, and Nationals. In 14 games in D.C. last season, he posted a 54 wRC+ and -0.3 fWAR in 39 plate appearances. According to his Statcast summary via TJ Stats, Alfaro showed some ability to launch the ball and hit the ball with some above-average exit velocity. That said, the rest of his metrics were paltry, especially in the plate discipline areas. 

     
    Alfaro hasn't been exceptional defensively over his career. He has a -19 DRS, -2.1 FRM, and -17 FRV in 3,481 career innings behind the plate. Thus, even if Alfaro makes the Majors, it is likely that he wouldn't be a long-term option for the Royals. 
    Though it isn't official, the Royals will likely invite Alfaro to Spring Training for catching depth. He will also likely begin the year in Omaha, serving as an emergency catcher who can be promoted and serve as a backup catcher if anything happens to Salvador Perez or top prospect Carter Jensen. 
    Luke Maile served in this role last year and posted a 99 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR. Like Alfaro, he was inconsistent with his plate discipline, but Maile was more patient at the plate (86th percentile walk rate) and showed more upside with his batted-ball metrics with the Royals a season ago.
     

    Maile is still a free agent, so it's possible that the Royals could still bring him back on a Minor League deal. Regardless, the Royals likely want some depth in Omaha, since top catching prospects Blake Mitchell and Ramon Ramirez are still a couple of years away from debuting in the show (at the earliest). 
    Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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