SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Opening Day is now less than a week away, and the Royals’ roster is coming more and more into focus. Kansas City has trimmed its camp roster down, knows who will round out its pitching staff and what the rotation order will look like the first time through. There are only two roster spots still left to decide, both on the bench.
Here’s a final prediction ahead of the roster being officially set on Wednesday:
Catcher (2): Salvador Perez, Carter Jensen
Perez will embark on his 15th Major League season, while Jensen will begin his first full Major League season. If Jensen is hitting, expect him to get playing time at DH and behind the plate, with Perez making the majority of starts at catcher at least to start the year.
First baseman (1): Vinnie Pasquantino
Following his 32-homer, 113-RBI season, Pasquantino is back for more in the middle of the Royals’ lineup and will be coming fresh off an electric World Baseball Classic. If he needs a day off or DHs for a day, Perez or Jac Caglianone could back up here.
Second baseman (1): Jonathan India
India figures to begin the season as the main second baseman, but Michael Massey's status is questionable. He strained his left calf on March 6 and hasn’t played in a Cactus League game since, although he’s played in several Minor League Spring Training games to continue getting at-bats. The Royals will give him every opportunity to be ready for Opening Day, and it’s really a 50-50 decision right now. If he does open the year on the injured list, it wouldn’t be too long of a stint, and that might be better for his long-term health.
If Massey’s not on the team, it opens up playing time for someone like utility man Nick Loftin.
Shortstop (1): Bobby Witt Jr.
Witt will play almost every day at shortstop. If he does DH or gets a day off, Maikel Garcia can slide over from third.
Third baseman (1): Maikel Garcia
Fresh off a five-year extension and a breakout 2025 season, Garcia is the Royals’ everyday third baseman and, together with Witt, helps the Royals boast the best left side of the infield in baseball.
Outfielders (6): Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbel, Jac Caglianone, Lane Thomas, Starling Marte, Drew Waters
The Royals have a ton of outfielders in camp this spring and recently added one more in Marte, but he’ll likely get more DH at-bats than outfield playing time. The Royals are targeting Collins in left field, Isbel in center and Caglianone in right. Thomas will move around to all three spots depending on the day.
Waters is out of options, so the Royals could keep him on the roster in Massey’s absence. That’s a lot of outfielders, but Waters adds some speed to the bench. The other player in the mix for that spot would be Tyler Tolbert, who was a real asset as a pinch-runner last year and also is more versatile than Waters with the ability to play shortstop and second base.
Bench/Utility (1): Nick Loftin
If Massey is healthy enough to make the team, there’s just one spot really up for grabs here. Loftin has been a standout this spring, from his .308/.400/.654 slash line to getting a ton of defensive work all over the field, including a lot of first base in case he’s needed as a backup there. Plus, he’s a right-handed bat that could be useful against lefty starters or late in the game.
The Royals just have to weigh whether Loftin fits with the overall roster, or if they’d rather have Waters or Tolbert and their skillsets on the roster to begin the year.
Starting Pitchers (5): Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic, Michael Wacha, Noah Cameron
The Royals set their rotation to this order and will open with a five-man crew -- with the ability to adjust to a sixth man with a long reliever in their ‘pen. This was always the expected group of starters, but the Royals had some competition for the fifth spot with Ryan Bergert. Instead, they optioned the young right-hander and will have him be in Triple-A Omaha as important depth to begin the year.
Relief Pitchers (8): Carlos Estévez, Lucas Erceg, Matt Strahm, John Schreiber, Alex Lange, Nick Mears, Daniel Lynch IV, Bailey Falter
The bullpen is fairly fixed at the back end with Estévez, Erceg and Strahm. Schreiber and Mears figure to take those mid-leverage spots in middle relief. The Royals want to give Lange an opportunity to show what he can do, and Lynch earned the spot as another true lefty reliever to go alongside Strahm.
Falter rounds it out as a long reliever, with the ability to make a spot start if the schedule dictates a sixth starter is needed. He’s been staying stretched out to two-to-three innings after the Royals told him he’d go to the bullpen to stay ready. He’s out of options, so the Royals opted to preserve their depth by keeping Falter on the roster and sending Luinder Avila and Steven Cruz to Triple-A.