Royals players reported to spring training in Surprise, Arizona, on February 11. Most of the main roster spots are well defined, but the Royals have many decisions to make in the margins of the roster. Here are five storylines to watch as the Royals shape their roster for the 2026 season.

Sorting Out the Opening Day Bullpen

Top performers from 2025, Carlos Estevez, Lucas Erceg, and John Schreiber, along with recent trade acquisitions Matt Strahm and Nick Mears, are all likely locks to make the Opening Day roster. Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV, Eric Cerantola, and Steven Cruz are fighting for the final three bullpen spots along with non-roster invites Jose Cuas, Hector Neris, Helcris Olivarez, and Eli Morgan. Bailey Falter may also be in the mix despite being viewed as a starter because he has no more minor league options remaining.

Beyond who makes the roster, bullpen roles are yet to be fully defined. Last year’s American League saves leader, Estevez, is locked into the closer role, but will Erceg or Strahm emerge as the primary setup guy or a middle-relief “fireman” role? With both Erceg and Strahm being lefties, does Lynch may face additional pressure to make an impression at spring training for the sake of bullpen balance.

Balance at Catcher and Carter Jensen’s Progression

After having a productive stint with the Royals at the end of last season, Jensen is projected to be Salvador Perez’s backup in the 2025 season. Manager Matt Quatraro will aim to strike the right balance of playing time for Jensen and Perez heading into 2026 to maximize offensive production and defensive stability.

Jensen slashed .300/.391/.550 with a 161 OPS+ in his 69 plate appearances last season. While his production will likely not be sustainable at the major-league level, Jensen has proven that his bat can be a legitimate asset to the Royals’ offense. Perez, meanwhile, has also shown that his bat is still productive entering his age-36 season, and his home run total could go up since the Royals have decided to move in the left and right field fences this offseason.

Perez will miss time in spring training to play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, which will leave Jensen as the main catcher in his absence. This should give Jensen the opportunity to work more closely with the pitching staff and allow pitchers to become more comfortable with their new battery mate.

Filling Out the Outfield

The Royals added Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas this offseason to help with outfield production. As things currently stand, it would seem that Collins will be the starter in left field with Kyle Isbel in center and Jac Caglianone in right. However, Thomas is not necessarily a lock for the 4th outfield spot. His last two seasons have had struggles at the plate, and he missed a lot of time in 2025 on the injured list.

In fact, the Royals have another five outfielders on their 40-man roster. Dairon Blanco, Nick Loftin, Kameron Misner, John Rave, and Drew Waters are all going to be challenging for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Jonathan India, Michael Massey, and Tyler Tolbert also spent time in the outfield last season but are not listed as primarily outfielders.

Thomas, Rave, Tolbert, and Misner are all capable of filling in for Isbel in center field, while Tolbert can also serve as a utility man in the infield and a pinch runner. Tolbert stole 21 bases in 23 attempts in 2025 and can provide an impact on the bases in late innings. Among 40-man players, Waters is the only outfielder who is out of minor league options, which could come into play when deciding if he makes the final roster.

Given the Royals’ struggles in the outfield last season, including the presumed locks Isbel and Caglianone, any outfielder who has a hot spring could force his way onto the Opening Day roster.

Managing a Surplus in the Rotation

The Royals have a strong starting pitching rotation. Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, and Seth Lugo are the locks at the top of the rotation, mostly because of their experience at the major-league level, and because the Royals are less likely to trade away any of them. The fourth and fifth spots are not necessarily up for grabs since both Noah Cameron and Kris Bubic had strong seasons in 2025.

The Royals also have Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert on the roster, who performed well after being traded to the Royals at last year’s trade deadline. Luinder Avila (No. 13 prospect) is also viewed as a starter, and he could also factor into the conversation in Spring and into the season.

Bubic, Cameron, and Lugo all finished the season on the injured list, raising questions as to how ready they will be to pitch this spring. Considering Lugo is set to pitch for Puerto Rico, he is more likely to be ready to pitch.

The Royals have expressed a willingness to trade a starting pitcher in order to add a bat to the lineup, but have not yet done so. As free agents start coming off the board, teams may become more desperate to acquire an arm for their rotations, and there is no shortage of teams looking to add starting pitchers. Will the Royals finally find a trading partner?

 

 

Finding the Answer at Second Base and Utility Infield

Barring injury, Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, and Vinnie Pasquantino will start almost all the games in the season. The starting spot at second base is less clear.

Jonathan India, Michael Massey, Nick Loftin, and Tyler Tolbert will all be vying for the second base and bench utility spots. They also face tough competition from non-roster invites Brandon Drury, Connor Kaiser, Kevin Newman, Josh Rojas, Abraham Toro, Daniel Vazquez, and Peyton Wilson. With the large number of infielders invited to camp, the Royals are signaling that they are willing to be creative in finding a solution at second base.

The Royals probably hope that India wins the starting job after tendering him an $8 million contract despite speculation that he could be a non-tender candidate this offseason. Whether his contract affects the Royals’ patience with his production remains to be seen. Each of the non-roster invites also had their fair share of struggles last season. Will any of them be able to push for a spot on the roster? Massey, Loftin, and Tolbert can provide more flexibility with the ability to play in the outfield, which would give them an edge for a utility role.