The Royals enter this offseason looking to upgrade an offense that finished with the fifth-fewest runs scored in baseball. The biggest area of weakness was easily the outfield. Royals outfielders combined to hit .225/.285/.348, equaling a 73 wRC+, by far the worst in baseball.
The Royals are hoping for some improvement to come from development by Jac Caglianone, who had the second-worst debut season by an outfielder since integration. But internal improvement alone won’t be enough to fix an outfield that
lacked both on-base skills and power. Kansas City will almost certainly need to look outside the organization for at least one outfielder. Here are the free agent options available this winter.
The starters
Kyle Tucker
.266/.377/.464, 22 HR, 25 SB, 4.6 rWAR
Age: 28
Tucker is generally considered the top free agent available this offseason. He’s a four-time All-Star, and although he’s coming off a bit of a down year where he played through a hand fracture. He will turn 29 in January, so he will be a bit younger than most hitters when they hit free agency, and should still be well in his prime. Some have speculated he could get as much as $400 million this offseason, with big market clubs like the Yankees and Dodgers likely the top bidders. He seems more likely to land a ten-year deal worth around $350 million, but if teams balk at the asking price, perhaps he goes for a one-year deal to reestablish himself as an elite bat.
Cody Bellinger
.272/.334/.480, 29 HR, 13 SB, 5.1 rWAR
Age: 30
Bellinger has been a very enigmatic player, going from an MVP season in 2019 to being non-tendered in 2021. He bounced back with the Cubs in 2023, but was underwhelming the next year and was traded to the Yankees for nothing. The short right field porch at Yankee Stadium was a godsend to Bellinger, who hit 18 of his 29 home runs at home, but he hit just .241/.301/.414 on the road. His inconsistent track record and underwhelming road numbers will make him a dicey proposition for other teams to invest in a long-term deal. He is open to returning to the Yankees, and I expect they’ll make a push to retain him with a four- or five-year deal worth between $22-25 million per year.
Trent Grisham
.235/.348/.464, 34 HR, 3 SB, 3.5 rWAR
Age: 29
Grisham was known more for his glove than his bat in San Diego, taking home two Gold Gloves there. But after initially struggling in Yankee pinstripes in 2023, he erupted for 34 home runs in 2024, double his previous career-high. Unlike Bellinger, he put up his monster numbers on the road, hitting .269/.367/.537 with 21 home runs away from Yankee Stadium. He really struggled against lefties this year, hitting just .182 against them. Surprisingly, he was made a Qualifying Offer by the Yankees, which he should be tempted to accept. If he hits the market, the Royals would have to forfeit a second-round pick to sign him. That could depress his market, and he could be one of those players that is unsigned going into spring training. A team could swoop in there with a one- or two-year deal, worth around $12-15 million, and find themselves a bargain.
Harrison Bader
.277/.347/.449, 17 HR, 11 SB, 3.9 rWAR
Age: 31
In the three seasons coming into this one, Bader was a .239/.284/.360 hitter – nearly identical to Kyle Isbel. But this year he put it all together, hitting career highs in batting average (.277), on-base percentage (.347), home runs (17), and doubles (24). He has always been a terrific defender capable of playing left field or center – he won a Gold Glove in 2021. He has decent power potential and doesn’t strike out much, although he doesn’t walk much at all. There is a decent chance his offense regresses next year, but he’s a good enough defender that he can still provide value. Expect him to land a two-year deal worth around $10-14 million per year.
The role players
Randal Grichuk
.228/.273/.401, 9 HR, 0 SB, -0.8 rWAR
Age: 34
Grichuk has been known as a lefty masher in his career, which is why the Royals acquired him in July to complement their outfield. He hit just .206/.267/.299 with the Royals, which is why they declined his option. They could still bring him back, but his career is in its last days, and he may not be worth a MLB contract anymore.
Austin Hays
.266/.315/.453, 15 HR, 7 SB, 0.8 rWAR
Age: 30
Hays was an All-Star with the Orioles in 2023, but regressed in 2024 and was scooped up by the Reds this year. He rebounded this year, although his number slid in the second half. He hit .319 against lefties, so he is probably best suited in a platoon role, but he has good pop that the Royals could use.
Max Kepler
.216/.300/.391, 18 HR, 3 SB, 0.1 rWAR
Age: 32
Kepler is a left-handed hitter who should only hit against righties at this point. He has good pop and doesn’t strike out much, but he will be a low-average option as a career .235 hitter. Kepler is an adequate defender capable of playing either corner outfield position and should probably expect a one-year offer around $6-7 million.
Rob Refsnyder
.269/.354/.484, 9 HR, 3 SB, 1.2 rWAR
Age: 34
Refsnyder has enjoyed a ten-year career, but has never had as many as 300 at-bats in a season. He has always been a good on-base guy with a career 10.7 walk rate. He has developed some decent power the last two seasons in Boston. His skillset is fairly limited, but what he does – get on base – he does quite well.
Austin Slater
.216/.270/.372, 5 HR, 1 SB, -0.1 rWAR
Age: 32
Slater has quietly carved out a respectable nine-year career as a right-handed bench outfielder, though his production has declined in recent seasons. Once known for his ability to mash left-handed pitching — he owns a career .787 OPS against southpaws, although this year he hit just .224/.290/.435 against them. He still brings solid plate discipline and can play all three outfield spots in a pinch, but shouldn’t be counted on as an impact player.
Mike Yastrzemski
.233/.333/.403, 17 HR, 7 SB, 2.8 rWAR
Age: 35
The Royals picked up Yastrzemski this summer, and he was great for them, hitting .237/.339/.500 with nine home runs in 50 games. He has always shown a patient eye at the plate and 15-20 home run power, although he is a career .238 hitter. He still plays good defense and was a Gold Glove finalist in 2024. He could be looking for a two-year deal, but may have to settle for a one-year deal at his age.
Positional versatility
Miguel Andujar
.318/.352/.470, 10 HR, 1 SB, 0.8 rWAR
Age: 30
Andujar finished second in Rookie of the Year voting with 27 home runs in 2018, but has never had a season remotely approaching that since. He fell out of favor with the Yankees and bounced around a bit before enjoying a career bump with the Athletics this season. He was traded to the Reds mid-season and went on a tear, hitting .359 over the final two months. His .348 BABIP may be a concern for regression, but he puts the ball in play, can fill in at first and third, and could be a solid right-handed bat.
Willi Castro
.226/.313/.366, 11 HR, 10 SB, -0.2 rWAR
Age: 28
Castro was an All-Star with the Twins in 2024, but he hit poorly in the second half and continued his regression into this year. The switch-hitter strikes out a lot for a player with modest power, and he doesn’t walk a ton. He stole 33 bases in 2023 and can still swipe a base now and then. He can play pretty much any position, although his infield defense rates poorly.
Adam Frazier
.267/.319/.365, 7 HR, 8 SB, 1.4 rWAR
Age: 33
After an underwhelming 2024 season, the Royals let Frazier rejoin the Pirates. But when he revived his bat in Pittsburgh, the Royals re-acquired him mid-season. Frazier is a 10-year veteran and former All-Star who is considered a great clubhouse presence. He hit .282/.320/.402 for the Royals over the final two months and could serve as a useful bench bat who can play a little second and third, in addition to outfield.
Dylan Moore
.201/.267/.374, 11 HR, 14 SB, 0.4 rWAR
Age: 33
Moore is a low-average versatile defender who won a Gold Glove in 2024 at the utility position. He was league-average for a few years, but regressed badly this summer, causing the Mariners to release him. He strikes out a ton for a player with modest power, but has a fair walk rate.
Luis Rengifo
.238/.287/.335, 9 HR, 10 SB, 0.4 rWAR
Age: 28
Rengifo drew a lot of trade interest after he put up a solid 2022 and 2023 season with the Angels. But he battled wrist injuries in 2024, then regressed in 2025, and the Angels ended up not trading him. He shows some pretty good pop for a utility player, hitting 33 home runs over 2022-23. He also stole 24 bases in just 78 games in 2024, despite not being much of a basestealer in other seasons.
Reclamation projects
Michael Conforto
.199/.305/.333, 12 HR, 1 SB, -0.7 rWAR
Age: 32
Conforto was a rookie when he faced the Royals in the 2015 World Series as a member of the Mets. He has had trouble landing a big contract since leaving New York, and this year he struggled so much with the bat it seems unlikely he’ll ever land that deal. In his prime, he was a great on-base hitter who was among the league leaders in walks. But he has not been the same since missing the entire 2022 season with a shoulder injury, hitting .225/.316/.390 in the three seasons since. He can still post a decent walk rate, so he’s not a terrible gamble on a one-year deal.
Cedric Mullins
.216/.299/.391, 17 HR, 22 SB, 0.5 rWAR
Age: 31
Mullins was an All-Star in 2021 with a 30/30 season, but he has steadily regressed each season since then, posting his first below-average OPS+ season this year. He was awful down the stretch after the Orioles traded him to the Mets, hitting just .182 in the final two months. He had a reverse split, actually hitting lefties better than righties, although his platoon splits have historically been all over the place. He is still an adequate defender in center, and has good power and speed potential, but the trendlines aren’t good with him.
Lane Thomas
.160/.246/.272, 4 HR, 4 SB, -0.6 rWAR
Age: 30
Thomas hit 28 home runs for the Nationals in 2023 and spent a few years with them as a league-average bat. Since being traded to the Guardians in 2024, he has been awful, and he battled plantar fasciitis in his foot much of this year, which limited him to just 39 games. He has some speed, stealing 32 bases in 2024, but is a poor defender in right field. He is a high-strikeout, low-walk player that may not project well going forward. However, if you believe injuries were the cause of his poor season, he could be worth taking a flyer on to provide good power and speed.
Alex Verdugo
.239/.296/.289, 0 HR, 1 SB, -0.3 rWAR
Age: 29
Verdugo got off to a hot start with the Braves, but quickly slumped and was let go during the summer. He was a league-average hitter each year from 2019 to 2023, even earning MVP votes in 2020, but he hasn’t been the same since leaving Boston after 2023. He was a well below-average starter for the Yankees in 2024, hitting .233/.291/.356 with 13 home runs. He is still a decent defender, and he is only 29 years old, but he also had clubhouse issues earlier in his career, which could limit his redemption opportunities.
