KANSAS CITY -- Isaac Collins was moving into his new house in Denver on Saturday, when his agent called to inform him of a trade in the works. It looked like Collins was headed to Kansas City.
Thirty minutes later, Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold called, followed by Royals general manager J.J. Picollo, solidifying Collins’ new organizational home. He’s still getting settled into that Denver home, after all.
“I’m excited,” Collins said. “It feels really good to know that an organization is excited about me and values me. That just gives me confidence.”
Kansas City is Collins’ third organization. He was selected by the Rockies in the ninth round of the 2019 Draft out of Creighton University, and the Brewers drafted Collins in the Minor League phase of the Rule 5 Draft in ’22.
Collins went from bench player to an integral part of Milwaukee’s offense in ‘25, when he posted a slash line of .263/.368/.411 and a 118 OPS+ across 441 plate appearances (130 games).
Entering last season, Collins hadn’t yet seen sustained success at the big league level. He had barely seen an opportunity, having logged only 11 games in 2024. There’s the usual doubt that comes with a player needing to prove himself, but once Collins had the opportunity to play, his confidence grew.
After helping the Brewers to the best record in baseball and a National League Championship Series appearance, the 28-year-old Collins finished fourth on the NL Rookie of the Year ballot.
“Caught that wave and rolled with it as long as I could,” Collins said. “Every day, I was learning more and more that my game works and I just need to trust my process and stick to it. …
“In the position I was in, I essentially had to give [Brewers manager Pat Murphy] no reason not to play me. I needed to do everything right. I needed to control the zone. I needed to be smart on the basepaths. I needed to make the plays in left field and force my way into that lineup. Consistently doing that over and over gave me confidence. Last year was a big year for me.”
Collins’ skill set fits the Royals’ roster in that he does a little bit of everything. While they envision him playing left field, as the roster stands now, his defensive versatility is an asset, both during the season and as they continue to explore ways to improve their offense this offseason.
Collins has played some second and third base. He’s a switch-hitter, something the Royals felt they needed. Collins isn’t a power hitter, but he brings on-base ability to a lineup that desperately needs it.
“He’s the type of player that we value,” Picollo said. “Versatility, the speed component, there’s a defensive component. Ball in play, on base. It’s a very well-rounded player that I think is what our offense needs. He’ll fit very well.”
Among players with at least 400 plate appearances in 2025, Collins’ .368 on-base percentage was tied for 16th in MLB. The highest Royal on that list was Maikel Garcia at .351, tied for 47th. Collins’ 12.9% walk rate was tied for 19th, the same as former Royals outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, who did not join Kansas City until the Trade Deadline. Collins’ contact rate (79%) is good, and his chase (18.4%) and whiff (22.5%) rates are low.
At the same time that Collins fits into the Royals’ hitting philosophy of putting the ball in play, he also brings something different with the on-base attached to it. No matter what else the Royals do this offseason, adding Collins is an upgrade to their outfield, a group that hit just .225 with a 73 wRC+ in ‘25.
“I’m not necessarily going to have 100 RBIs every year,” Collins said with a laugh. “But I’m going to get on base for the big dogs and have them knock me in.”
Collins’ brother, Roman, was a fifth-round pick by the Royals in the 2015 Draft and played three seasons in their system. But perhaps the most relevant connection to the organization is how highly Isaac speaks of Connor Dawson, the Brewers’ assistant hitting coach for the past three seasons and now one of the Royals’ hitting coaches.
When Picollo checked in with Dawson about Collins before the trade, Dawson said the player was “as consistent as you could possibly want a hitter to be.”
Having Dawson in Kansas City is a bonus, Collins said.
“He does a really good job with scouting reports,” Collins said. “Knowing what to look for with pitchers and knowing what’s worked well in the past. He does a really good job of preparing us as hitters for what’s to come. I’m excited to continue to work with him.”