We are closing in on September call-up season, and to be honest, it snuck up on me. On September 1, rosters expand from 26 players to 28, meaning the Kansas City Royals can add two more guys to the Major League roster. Last September was an exciting time; the Royals called up then-#2 prospect Carter Jensen, and we got to see the young catcher start his career on a high note.
I don’t think the Royals will call up someone quite as high-profile as Jensen this season. Most of their top prospects are lower
in the minor league system and farther away from the majors. Still, the opportunity to evaluate fresh talent is always exciting, and we’re doing our best to stay excited and engaged around here. So, who are some of the players Kansas City might call up this September?
Guys we’ve already seen
Josh Rojas – Rojas is the only minor-league position player currently on the 40-man roster, making him a logical candidate to come up. However, as fun as his first game as a Royal was, this wouldn’t be the most thrilling addition.
Lucas Erceg – The Royals could really use 2024 Erceg back. It’s hard to say whether a brief stint in Omaha fixed his mechanics, but perhaps a quick mental reset was all he needed.
Mitch Spence – Spence issued more walks than strikeouts over the 9.1 innings we’ve seen from him in Kansas City. His Triple-A numbers don’t exactly blow you away either, but he’s on the 40-man, and the Royals are almost certainly going to add at least one arm.
Easton McGee – I have no memory of McGee’s 5.1 innings that he’s pitched for the Royals. The internet tells me he surrendered two home runs in just four appearances. He does manage to rack up a decent number of strikeouts, at least.
Carlos Durán – Durán would easily be the most electric arm of this group to get the nod. He might not always know where the ball is going, but he throws absolute heat and has put up impressive strikeout numbers in the minors.The Royals have prioritized getting big guys who throw the ball hard and Durán fits this mold.
You can never have too many pitchers
Nolan Hoffman – Acquired from the Phillies in August, the southpaw generates plenty of groundballs alongside a solid strikeout rate, though command remains an issue. Hoffman also had more walks than strikeouts during his few innings with the Philadelphia Phillies this year.
Luke Little – Little is a 6-foot-8 lefty who sits at 95 mph with truly wild command. A staggering 21.1% of the batters he’s faced in the majors this season have reached base via walk or hit-by-pitch. I kind of want to watch the chaos.
Steven Zobac – Zobac is currently in Double-A, but the Royals added him to the 40-man roster over the offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Unfortunately, he was placed on the Injured List earlier this month, and with his injury past, they probably won’t rush him back.
Tony Gonsolin – Gonsolin just started his rehab assignment, striking out three over three scoreless frames. A September 1st call-up might be overly aggressive, but he could be an option later in the month as injuries pile up elsewhere. I’m ready to be way too excited about Gonsolin for 2027.
Extra bats
Brett Squires – Squires has posted an OPS right around .900 across both Double-A and Triple-A this season. He primarily plays first base, a position that’s already crowded on the big-league club. I think he will be mashing overseas in a few years, but you never know.
Gavin Cross – Cross just returned to Omaha following an injury and immediately homered in his first game back. His overall numbers may look just okay, but he’s hitting .332/.386/.629 with 12 home runs in his last 46 games. He’s been locked in since July and would easily generate the most buzz among the fanbase if he gets the call.
Lucas Braun – Acquired from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter, Braun looks like a candidate to compete for rotation starts next season. Getting a brief MLB look at the end of the year would make a lot of sense.
Carson Roccaforte – Having just earned a promotion to Omaha, a September jump for Roccaforte seems unlikely. Still, the center fielder could push for a roster spot next spring thanks to his elite defense and some power that produced 30 home runs at Double-A. I wonder how close Roccaforte is today to giving the Royals the same production they get out of Kyle Isbel.
Who would you like to see the Royals call up next week? Let us know in the comments!
