Royals Opening Day Roster Projection 1.0: Young Sluggers, No. 5 Starter Battle
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The Kansas City Royals were active this offseason, addressing areas that kept them out of the postseason in 2025. The club made several notable additions to both the lineup and pitching staff, creating key decisions as it shapes its Opening Day roster.
Spring training is underway, giving Kansas City the next few weeks to evaluate its roster before making final cuts. Several players are firmly on the radar, and with a strong camp, they could position themselves to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Without further ado, let’s project what the roster will look like on March 27th in Atlanta.
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Royals Opening Day Roster Projection 1.0
Lineup:
Maikel Garcia 3B
Bobby Witt Jr. SS
Vinnie Pasquantino 1B
Salvador Perez C
Isaac Collins LF
Lane Thomas RF
Jac Caglianone DH
Jonathan India 2B
Kyle Isbel CF
One of the biggest questions heading into Opening Day is where young sluggers Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen will land. With Chris Sale on the mound for the Atlanta Braves in Game 1, the decision at designated hitter is not an easy one.
Despite Jensen’s outstanding debut in September 2025, the Royals appear eager to see the continued development from Caglianone this season which could give him the edge on Opening Day.
Bench/Utility:
Carter Jensen
Nick Loftin
Michael Massey
Tyler Tolbert
Some of these spots remain up for grabs and could ultimately hinge on how players perform during camp. Given manager Matt Quatraro’s reliance on analytics and matchup data, those pinch-hitting roles could shift based on performance and roster needs.
Rotation:
Cole Ragans (L)
Seth Lugo (R)
Michael Wacha (R)
Kris Bubic (L)
Noah Cameron (L)
The Royals appear to have a solidified top four in the rotation with Ragans, Lugo, Wacha and Bubic. The No. 5 spot remains the most competitive battle in camp, but it is difficult to overlook the season Cameron put together last year, which gives him an early edge.
That said, a six-man rotation remains a realistic possibility given Kansas City’s pitching depth.
Bullpen:
Steven Cruz
Daniel Lynch IV
Nick Mears
Alex Lange
John Schreiber
Matt Strahm
Lucas Erceg
Carlos Estévez
For now, this feels like the safest bullpen group. As mentioned earlier, the Royals have enough starting depth that pitchers who do not make the rotation could still carve out roles in relief.
One of Kansas City’s most notable offseason moves was trading for Matt Strahm. Pairing him with Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez will give the Royals a dynamic late-inning trio capable of slamming the door when it matters most.
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Brian Sparks is a graduate of the University of Missouri–Kansas City with a background in digital journalism and sports media. Born and raised in Kansas City, he brings experience in writing, radio, and social media to sports coverage across multiple digital platforms.
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