Royals will seek offense at Winter Meetings. Here’s a look at potential targets
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals enter Winter Meetings seeking bats, shopping free-agent and trade aisles.
- KC offers surplus starters like Kris Bubic and Noah Cameron as trade chips.
- Targets include Duran, Donovan, Hays, Bader, plus re-signing Yastrzemski and Frazier.
The Kansas City Royals will enter baseball’s Winter Meetings with a purpose.
And that’s to find more offense.
The baseball world convenes this week in Orlando for the annual event. Starting Sunday, front-office personnel from all 30 teams will be in attendance — all looking to improve their respective organizations through trades and other maneuvers this offseason.
The Royals will shop both the free-agent and trade aisles. They are positioned as strong buyers given their surplus of starting pitching. KC has solid trade chips — mainly Kris Bubic and Noah Cameron — who could fetch an impact bat.
The question is whether the Royals can pull off a blockbuster trade. Multiple teams are aware of Royals general manager J.J. Picollo’s willingness to swing a deal. However, the Royals will not give away their pitching depth without a good return.
In recent weeks, the Royals have been mentioned in multiple trade rumors. Reports have pinned the Royals as potential suitors for Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran and St. Louis Cardinals infielder Brendan Donovan.
Both players are former All-Stars and could fit with the current roster. Duran hit .256 with 16 home runs and 84 RBIs last season. He plays great defense and could solve the Royals outfield deficiency.
Donovan is a rising star in the league. He offers positional versatility and could operate as an everyday utilityman across the diamond. Donovan posted 132 hits and a .775 OPS (on-base plus slugging) in 118 games for the Cardinals.
The Royals could face a lot of competition to acquire both players. The Red Sox already added two starters — Sonny Gray and Johan Oviedo — this offseason. Meanwhile, the Cardinals haven’t solidified their plans on whether Donovan will be moved.
As a result, the Royals might be forced to look elsewhere. Here are a few players that make sense as potential offseason targets.
Austin Hays
The Royals like to find value by operating on the margins. It’s been a successful formula that netted them Mike Yastrzemski, Adam Frazier and Tommy Pham in recent years.
This offseason, the Royals could take a look at veteran outfielder Austin Hays. The 30-year-old left fielder hit .266 with 15 home runs and 64 RBIs in 103 games with the Cincinnati Reds.
Hays also crushes left-handed pitching. He posted a .949 OPS against southpaws last season and could fill a need in the middle of the order.
Hays has produced four seasons with 15 or more homers. He was also a 2023 All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles and can play across the outfield.
The Royals have looked for an everyday left fielder and another right-handed option in the lineup. Hays could be a potential solution in free agency.
Harrison Bader
Harrison Bader is coming off a strong 2025 season.
He began the year with the Minnesota Twins before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. At each stop, Bader played Gold Glove defense and hit at a solid clip.
Bader hit .277 with 17 home runs and 54 RBIs. He produced a 3.9 WAR (wins above replacement) and figures to command a significant salary this offseason.
The Royals already have a top defensive center fielder in Kyle Isbel. However, Bader could give the club another stellar defender from the right side of the plate.
Luis Robert Jr.
New Royals hitting coach Marcus Thames coached Luis Robert Jr. with the Chicago White Sox. So there is some familiarity involved here.
Robert has long been mentioned in trade rumors. He hit .223 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs but found his stride down the stretch.
In the second half, Robert posted a .808 OPS and reduced his strikeout percentage. Teams will be interested in Robert’s elite power. He belted 38 home runs during his All-Star campaign in 2023.
Two factors could halt a potential deal.
Robert is owed $20 million in 2026 and has a $20 million club option in 2027. It’s likely teams will want the White Sox to help eat a portion of the salary. Additionally, Robert hasn’t shown consistency at the plate.
It’s unlikely Robert will be high on the Royals’ list. Still, he enters his age-28 season and has worked with Thames in recent years. It will be up to the Royals to decide if Robert can tap into his potential with a change of scenery.
Mike Yastrzemski and Adam Frazier
The Royals could decide to re-sign both Mike Yastrzemski and Adam Frazier at some point during the offseason. Both players were vocal leaders in the clubhouse and thrived as midseason acquisitions.
Yastrzemski hit nine home runs in 50 games with the Royals. Meanwhile, Frazier posted a .283 batting average and finished the year strong. Frazier played all over the field and could return in a similar utility role if resigned.
The Royals have interest in reuniting with both players. It could be something to watch as the Winter Meetings get underway.
Other names to consider
Expect the Royals to do their due diligence on a few possible trade targets.
There are rumors that outfielders such as Colorado Rockies star Brenton Doyle and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos could be available.
The Winter Meetings are a place to sort through those possibilities. How Picollo navigates trade markets will define the offseason.
