Royals Face Tough Decision With Several Candidates for Crucial 2026 Role

The Royals have options.

May 9, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of Kansas City Royals hat and glove in the dugout during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals fell short in 2025 due to a lack offense. They still finished 82-80 and weren't far back in the American League Wild Card race, but they also needed more offense this winter, and they got it with Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas.

However, there are still some question marks about where the team stands in spring training and who will fill certain roles. Anne Rogers of MLB.com notes that the leadoff spot is still a question mark, but that manager Matt Quatraro, while having not decided yet, has plenty of intriguing potential candidates in mind to fill the role.

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Royals' leadoff candidates

Sep 25, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino (9) tosses his bat after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

"Asking Matt Quatraro today who might hit leadoff this year, he obviously did not tell me who will be the leadoff hitter, but he did list names and said he likes all of the "options" -- [Maikel] Garcia, [Bobby] Witt [Jr.], [Isaac] Collins, [Jonathan] India. Even mentioned Vinnie Pasquantino has crossed his mind at times," Rogers posted on X.

India has the most experience as a leadoff hitter between the five options listed, having filled that role early in 2025 with the Royals and several times with the Cincinnati Reds before being traded to the Royals. But the other options are quite intriguing.

Witt makes sense, but it might be better to have his bat in the middle of the lineup rather than at the top because of his power. Garcia makes sense as well, but it's the same case as Witt, and his power might be better suited in the middle of the lineup.

Collins filled the role with the Milwaukee Brewers on several occasions, and his versatility makes him an ideal option. Perhaps the biggest outlier here is Pasquantino. He, like Garcia and Witt, is a power hitter, but sometimes, a power bat at the top of the lineup isn't such a bad idea. But Collins probably makes the most sense since he is a switch hitter and versatile.

The Royals still have some decisions to make, but it should be interesting to see where they ultimately land in their internal search for the perfect leadoff hitter. They have a lot of good options already on the roster. They don't necessarily need to go out and add any pieces.

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