Can Jonathan India have rebound season? Why Royals still believe in his talent
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals acquired Jonathan India to spark the lineup alongside Witt and Perez.
- He struggled in 2025 with position changes, injuries and a .669 OPS.
- Royals signed him for $8M, gave regular at-bats and expect a 2026 rebound.
The Kansas City Royals had a clear goal when they acquired Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds last offseason.
India would be a spark plug atop the lineup. His presence would pair well alongside Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. And defensively, the Royals would shift their alignment to accommodate him.
The Royals hoped India was the missing ingredient to return to the playoffs. He would create more scoring chances and represent a net positive for the batting order.
There were lofty expectations. However, the Royals believed in India’s track record — he won the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year Award — and felt his value was worth surrendering homegrown pitcher Brady Singer in the deal.
However, India’s first season in Kansas City didn’t go as expected.
India admitted he didn’t feel comfortable at times. He juggled learning two positions for the first time in his career and dealt with nagging injuries throughout.
The Royals tried India across the diamond. He began the 2025 campaign splitting time between second base, third base and left field.
Nothing stuck.
India eventually saw his playing time fluctuate. He remained at second base and operated as the designated hitter at times. The Royals tried everything to keep his bat in the lineup as Maikel Garcia emerged as a Gold Glove third baseman and Michael Massey — who dealt with injuries of his own — returned.
India finished the season hitting .233 with nine home runs, 45 RBIs and a .669 OPS (on-base plus slugging) — the lowest of his career.
There were concerns about whether India would return in 2026. He was considered a potential non-tender candidate after a dismal year.
The Royals gave India a vote of confidence in November. He agreed to a one-year deal worth $8 million to avoid arbitration.
It was a second chance to make a strong impression.
“Jonathan’s a proven major-league player that had a down year offensively for him,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida. “But, I don’t see any reason to think, with his bumps and bruises healed up and being in his second year in this city and understanding the organization, I think we really think it’s going to be a bounce-back year.”
The Royals view India as an everyday player. He will be given the inside track to log regular at-bats.
“I mean, that’s why we acquired him, because we really value the on-base, leadoff ability and the neutrality of the splits and all those kinds of things,” Quatraro said.
There is a chance India can revert to form. He logged 29 doubles — his fourth time recording 20 or more doubles in his career — and appeared in 136 games. The Royals also hired two new hitting coaches to work with the lineup.
India struggled with lofting the baseball in the air. It resulted in more popups than were desirable and caused him to be out of sync at the plate. There is hope India can make incremental changes in 2026.
“You talk to him, he wasn’t happy with the quality of his at-bats,” Quatraro said. “He knew he was popping too many balls up. It wasn’t that he was trying to hit homers, he just couldn’t get out of that swing funk. I think more than anything, I would attribute a lot of that to the fact that he was trying to learn two new positions in spring training and went into the first year with a new organization out of his comfort zone.”
The Royals are not expected to pursue infield help this offseason. They are content with the returning group. India will play second base and is not likely to be in a platoon with Massey.
Instead, Massey will get a chance to receive at-bats in different lineup spots. He has more versatility as he can play second base and in the outfield.
“We like to use the whole roster,” Quatraro said. “So it doesn’t have to be one guy can only play second. We have the DH spot and we can do righties (versus) lefties. Massey can obviously play in the outfield as well. So, you know, they have to earn their at-bats. I don’t look at it as a strict platoon at second base.”
If India can produce a rebound campaign, the Royals could infuse their offense with more run production. It’s possible the Royals also add at least two more bats via free agency or trades this offseason.
Royals general manager J.J. Picollo has held discussions with prospective agents and teams at the Winter Meetings. It’s clear the Royals are looking for outfield help and have reportedly been linked to free agents Austin Hays, Mike Yastrzemski and Harrison Bader, among others.
On the trade front, the Royals are seen as a desirable partner. They have starting pitching depth and could swing a deal this offseason. At the moment, the Royals have reported interest in Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran and St. Louis Cardinals star Brendan Donovan among others.
India could be a key piece regardless of how the offseason plays out. The Royals still believe in his bat, and it makes him worth monitoring heading into spring training.
