Royals have a crowded awards table: Bobby Witt Jr. is an AL MVP finalist, with Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone up for Silver Sluggers. Kansas City also adds a new hitting coach, a former Giants hand, as the offseason gets going. 🏆
Royals' 2026 all-prospect team: Blake Mitchell (23 HR, 113 BB, 174 K) leads at catcher, Brett Squires at first, and Angeibel Gomez (.361/.467/.653 in the DSL) headlines the outfield alongside Roccaforte and Pelzer. Shields, Chourio and Lamkin anchor the rotation. 🔥
The Royals' hitting coach room is now complete, with the new hire finalizing the staff. The newsletter also argues Kansas City should jump the market and sign someone early, and the team Hall of Fame vote is live now. 🗳️
Three Royals top-10 prospects made the AFL Fall Stars: Angeibel Gomez (No. 2), Zion Rose (No. 6) and Justin Lamkin (No. 8). Rose is hitting .327 with 12 steals in 13 games, and Gomez, just 17, has an .835 OPS. The pipeline is humming. 🌵
Royals add Hunter Mense as assistant hitting coach, joining Marcus Thames, with Connor Dawson as offensive coordinator. Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen are Silver Slugger finalists. Three bats recognized, one coaching hole filled. 🔨
Zion Rose, the Royals' No. 6 overall pick in 2026, caps his first pro year as an Arizona Fall League Fall Star. After a High-A stint and Midwest League playoffs, he's using Surprise reps to make up for a junior year lost to ankle and hamstring injuries. 🌵
Bobby Witt Jr. is a finalist for the Gold Glove, AL MVP and Silver Slugger, but he could go home empty-handed. He already lost the Gold Glove to Taylor Walls, Yordan Alvarez is the MVP favorite, and Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle is a real Silver Slugger threat. 🥈
Carter Jensen is a 2026 Silver Slugger finalist at catcher, alongside Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone. A win Nov. 17 would extend the rookie streak to five years, with Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler the lone obstacle after his second-half slide. 🏆
Former Royals pick Alec Marsh signed a minor league deal with the White Sox, including a spring training invite. He was outrighted by Kansas City last month after labrum surgery wiped out his 2026 season, and he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2024.
Jac Caglianone is a Silver Slugger finalist at outfield, joining Bobby Witt Jr. and Carter Jensen as Royals finalists. After a rookie 2025 line of .157/.237/.295, the 23-year-old's turnaround is the most improbable of the three. 🔄
Bullpen help tops the Royals' 2026-27 offseason list after relievers ranked 29th in ERA (5.03). With Carlos Estevez a free agent, a high-leverage arm makes sense, though depth is likelier. A short-term outfield option could also be in play. 🔧
Bobby Witt Jr., Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone are 2026 Silver Slugger finalists. Witt is chasing a third straight award, and Jensen's 27 homers set a Royals rookie record. Winners are announced Nov. 17. 🏅
Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen are all AL Silver Slugger finalists, a sign the Royals' core is taking shape despite a down 2026. Witt is the two-time reigning shortstop winner; Jensen led AL catchers in OPS. 🏆
Royals have Bobby Witt Jr. (SS) and Jac Caglianone (OF) up for Silver Slugger honors, per the headline, and catcher Carter Jensen is a finalist too, coming off 27 homers and a .790 OPS. Winners drop Nov. 17. 🏆
Royals Hall of Fame ballot math is brutal: 12 candidates, five votes each, 75% needed. One writer's picks: Moustakas, Hosmer, Cain, Davis and Greinke, leaving six deserving names off. Ventura has already fallen off the ballot. 🗳️
Bleacher Report pegged Michael Wacha as the Royals' top trade asset, but a case is being made to keep him. After 200+ innings and a 3.32 ERA, he anchors a rotation light on proven arms. Only a blockbuster offer should move him. 🔒
Michael Massey turned 2026 into a breakout. After entering camp fighting for a roster spot, the 28-year-old second baseman posted improved offensive numbers and became an AL Gold Glove finalist, giving the Royals a clearer outlook at second base for 2027. 🧤
It’s a single-issue negotiation. MLB wants a cap, the players reject a cap. All of the details MLB has shared about its vision -- a number of which are good! -- are tied to the MLBPA accepting a cap system. Publicly, at least, the league has not put forth any vision of a non-capped league. The players, and again I’ll say this is based on what we know, appear to have no intention of accepting a payroll cap. Until one side or the other concedes on this point, there is nowhere for negotiations...
Speculation only: Jim Bowden reports the Reds would "absolutely" consider trading Elly De La Cruz, so a Royals pairing with Bobby Witt Jr. is a hypothetical. Maikel Garcia and his team-friendly extension would reportedly need to headline any package. 🤔
Franmil Reyes, who hit .186 in a 19-game stint with the 2023 Royals, reportedly signed a four-year, $40M extension with the Hokkaido-Nippon Ham Fighters, which would make him NPB's highest-paid player. Quite the glow-up. 🌏
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