A Look At How The Royals' Offense Stacks Up Heading Into 2026

The Kansas City Royals’ offense was in the middle to bottom half of Major League Baseball for many of the offensive categories. To name a few, the Royals finished 26th in runs, 18th in hits, 26th in home runs, 15th in average, 22nd in on-base percentage, and 18th in slugging. 

The 82-80 record in 2025 was a reflection of the poor offense at times, but there is reason to believe that the lineup in 2026 could help lead to better results for a Royals team looking to get back to playoff baseball. 

The Silver Slugger Group

Last season, the Royals had four players nominated for an American League Silver Slugger Award. Salvador Perez was nominated at the catcher position, Vinnie Pasquantino was nominated at first base, Bobby Witt Jr. was nominated at shortstop, and Maikel Garcia was nominated for the utility position. 

These four combined to hit 101 of the Royals’ 159 total home runs, really driving the force for a team that lacked offensive firepower. Speaking at the Royals rally on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium, Royals general manager J.J. Picollo spoke about the level of production from this group and how they continue forward.

“Trying to evaluate our offense, it’s like the tale of two stories,” Picollo said. “You’ve got an outfield that didn’t produce at all, and then you’ve got an infield that was the best infield in baseball.” 

The Royals were one of only three teams that had at least four players nominated for the Silver Slugger award, showing that the top end of their lineup can produce with the best teams in baseball 

Perez, Pasquantino, and Witt Jr. have all hit 30-plus home runs in a season before. Mixed in with the power-speed combo that Garcia brings, these four give the Royals a chance to have a special top half of the lineup in 2026. 

The Recent Acquisitions 

In the past two offseasons, the Royals have brought in Jonathan India and Isaac Collins by way of trade and Lane Thomas on a one-year, $5.25 million contract. These three players are going to be key to help lengthen the Royals’ lineup in 2026. 

India’s first season as a Royal didn’t go as he or the team alike had hoped for when they acquired the former Rookie of the Year from the Cincinnati Reds. India batted .233 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs, while also posting a career low .346 OBP. A career .249 hitter, the Royals need India to find that 15-20 home run range, which could only get easier with the recent dimension change at Kauffman Stadium. 

Collins was brought in along with reliever Nick Mears in December for reliever Ángel Zerpa in mid-December. In Collins’ first full season at the MLB level, the outfielder batted .263 with nine home runs, 54 RBIs, and a .368 OBP. Part of what Picollo was talking about this past Saturday is the need for more outfield production, and the hope is that Collins can provide that from the left side of the plate. 

One cause for concern is the second-half slump Collins entered. Over the 28-year-old’s final 30 games, the average dipped to .189 with one home run and 13 driven in. Where Collins struggled with the bat at times, the sharp eye remained, finishing the season in the top 10 percentile in MLB for base on ball rate, walking at a 12.9% clip. 

Thomas was brought in to help bring more production to an outfield that struggled for much of 2025. A bounce-back candidate after a tough 2025 that saw Thomas appear in only 39 games, batting .160, with four home runs and 11 RBIs. The three seasons prior, Thomas blasted 17, 28, and 15 home runs, so the power threat is there. A career .292 hitter against left-handed pitchers, Thomas brings what Picollo was looking for to the Royals lineup. 

“Going back to the beginning of the offseason, I think we were pretty clear that we needed to address our outfield,” Picollo said at the time of the signing. “The more we had our meetings, the more we dove into things, the more we talked about what players fit us well, right-handed became very apparent to us. And then versatility. Somebody who could play all three outfield spots, and more importantly, take time in center field. We went through several meetings with our pro personnel department and front office,e and we kept coming back to Lane.”

The Rookies 

2025 saw both Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen make their MLB debuts. Both players flashed potential that could help make them mainstays in the Royals’ lineup for years to come. 

Caglianone went through struggles many power-hitting rookies face while adjusting to pitching at the MLB level. The 22-year-old batted .157, with a .237 OBP, slugging seven home runs and driving in 18 runs. The 22.8% strikeout rate is concerning, but the outfielder flashed the ability to drive the ball, posting a max exit velocity of 114.1 MPH, which slots in the 10th percentile for all MLB batters. 

Jensen was called up to make his MLB debut on September 1 and impressed during the final month of the regular season. The catcher batted .300 across 60 plate appearances, swatting three home runs and driving in 13 runs, to go along with an impressive .391 OBP. In the 20 games, Jensen’s barrel percentage was 20.8%, a strong number for the 22-year-old.

 If Jensen builds on what was a strong September showing, the Royals will find ways to keep both Perez’s and Jensen’s bat in the lineup by utilizing catcher, first base, and designated hitter to bring a steadier offense to the lineup. 

The Rest Of The Offense

The rest of the Royals’ lineup will be made up of Michael Massey, Kyle Isbel, and a couple of Dairon Blanco, Nick Loftin, Kameron Misner, John Rave, and Drew Waters as the Royals hunt for better offensive results in 2026.