The Top 25 Kansas City Royals Player Assets of 2026: Part 2 (20-16)

In the next installment of the countdown of top Royals assets, we are highlighting the 16th-20th-most valuable player assets. If you missed the previous list of players, you can find the breakdown of players 21-25 here.

20. Carlos Estévez, RHP

Age: 32
Controlled Through: 2026 (Club Option for 2027)

In his first year in Kansas City, Estévez assumed the closer role. He is serving the last year of his 2-year, $22.2 million contract, which includes a club option for $13 million in 2027. Estévez had an excellent year in 2025, leading the American League with 42 saves. He has been a reliable anchor for this bullpen after James McArtur and Lucas Erceg shared closing duties in 2024.

His success in 2025 may have been slightly fortunate compared to the Statcast expected metrics, where his ERA, batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average against were all lower than expected.

His fastball velocity has also declined in each of the past three seasons. Still, Estévez has counteracted that by throwing his fastball at a career-low 53.5% of the time while increasing the frequency of his slider and changeup. He does not strike out a ton of batters, but he also prevents hitters from barreling the ball and is above average at keeping runners off the bases. 

It is valuable to know who is getting the ball in the 9th inning to close out a game. If Estévez can replicate his season from last year, the Royals will be in a good position to compete in 2026.

19. Kyle Isbel, CF

Age: 28
Controlled Through: 2027

Isbel has been a steady presence in the Royals' outfield. He has accrued at least 1.6 bWAR in each of the last three seasons, and is one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. His defensive excellence did not go unnoticed the previous season when he was a finalist for the Gold Glove award in centerfield. He grades in the 93rd percentile in fielding run value and outs above average. He has one of the fastest reaction times, which allows him to cover a lot of ground in Kauffman Stadium’s large outfield.

His offense is lacking, grading below the 10th percentile in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. Despite his deficiencies at the plate, his OPS+ of 83 was still higher than that of 11 players who logged time in the Royals’ outfield last season. If he can maintain his current offensive output, Isbel’s elite defense will remain a positive asset to the Royals. It will especially help if the Royals can add offensive production in the other outfield positions.

18. Isaac Collins, OF

Age: 28
Controlled Through: 2030

Speaking of outfield help, the Royals are hopeful that Isaac Collins can make an immediate impact in the lineup. On December 14th, the Royals traded for Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers along with Nick Mears. Collins should be able to fill the void in left field that plagued the Royals last season.

In his rookie campaign, Collins slashed .263/.368/.411, suitable for a 118 OPS+ and 2.1 WAR. His strong performance earned him a 4th place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Collins’ main offensive attribute is his plate discipline. He gets on base at a high rate, draws walks, and doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone. The walks will be a welcome addition to the lineup, considering the Royals ranked 29th in walks last season, and Collin’s OBP of .368 outpaced all qualified Royals hitters in the previous season. His hitting and power metrics graded last season at close to or just below average, but his ability to consistently get on base will be very valuable to the Royals.

Collins also provides versatility on defense. With the acquisition of Lane Thomas, Collins could also shift to second base if needed. This will be valuable since the Royals’ second basemen also struggled at the plate last season. With five more years of team control remaining, the Royals' Collins can develop into a consistent contributor for years to come.

17. Seth Lugo, RHP

Age: 36
Controlled Through: 2927 (Vesting Option for 2028) 

Lugo took a step back in 2025 following his Cy Young runner-up campaign in 2024. After signing an extension to keep him in Kansas City through at least 2027, Lugo struggled on the mound and eventually landed on the injured list for a lower back issue. 

Lugo will look to bounce back in 2026, hoping his regression is injury-related rather than age-related. If he can limit his walks and home runs allowed, he should be in a good place to be a reliable workhorse in the rotation and go deeper into games. In 2024, he averaged 6.26 innings per start, and in 2025, he only averaged 5.59 innings.

16. Salvador Perez

Age: 35
Controlled Through: 2027

Perez assumed more innings behind the plate after Freddy Fermin was traded to the Padres last season. Entering his age-36 season, Perez has logged significant mileage at baseball’s most physically demanding positions, especially for someone of his age. With the emergence of Carter Jensen, the Royals should probably look to cede more time behind the plate to Jensen.

Perez’s leadership is still unquestioned, and he continues to be a vocal leader in the clubhouse. He has the “C” in his jersey for a reason. Hopefully, he can turn to mentoring Jensen in his next two seasons in Kansas City. For now, he is still a valuable bat in the Royals lineup. He will continue to hit for power in the middle of the lineup, whether he is catching or serving as the designated hitter.