Royals May Have Scored Hidden Gem on Minor-League Deal

This would be a nice early-season development

Apr 1, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of the Kansas City Royals logo on seats with complimentary flags for fans before the Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Non-roster invitees making the opening day roster is pretty rare across Major League Baseball, and that's especially true of position players.

Most position players looking for minor-league deals before the season are coming off seasons so bad that they have something to prove before a team gives them a shot at the majors again. The Kansas City Royals, however, may prove to be this year's exception.

With an uncertain bench situation, the Royals could put an NRI on the opening day roster if they impress from start to finish in camp. And three weeks into spring games, one Royals newcomer seems to be turning some heads.

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Josh Rojas in position to make the team?

Utility infielder Josh Rojas, who signed with the Royals in January after a dismal season with the Chicago White Sox, is making the most of his opportunity so far with an impressive 6-for-17 start to his spring, including a pair of home runs.

On Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com named Rojas as a top prospective contender to earn one of the spots on the bench, behind a starting lineup that is fairly well established.

"While the "everyday" players seem fairly set on the Royals’ roster, the bench competition is wide open. And it will really come down to what the Royals feel like they need the most to fill out the final two to three spots on their roster," Rogers wrote.

"The NRIs in camp each bring different skill sets, too, and Josh Rojas has particularly stood out for the results he’s had so far this spring."

Rojas, 31, has seven partial seasons of major league experience under his belt, and some of them have been quite solid. In 2021 and 2022, he put up OPS figures of .752 and .740 for the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he had a good start in 2024 for the Seattle Mariners as well before falling apart in the second half.

Because the names around him don't have established track record in Kansas City, such as Tyler Tolbert, Nick Loftin, and Drew Waters, it would be far from a shock to see Rojas earn a shot either on the opening day roster or early in the regular season.