Monday, September 28

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TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Royals' clubhouse was quiet Monday morning, the result of 14 players participating in the World Baseball Classic -- 10 of whom are on the 40-man roster -- those players heading off to their respective team camps to prepare for the tournament that begins this week.

Royals camp is going to look different over the next few weeks because of that.

• Royals single-game tickets for 2026 season are on sale now!

"It is going to be a little bizarre-feeling, especially with who is gone from camp,” manager Matt Quatraro said.

Quatraro is talking about the star players and leaders who are gone, including Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy), Bobby Witt Jr. (USA), Maikel Garcia (Venezuela) and Salvador Perez (Venezuela). Add in Jac Caglianone (Italy), two starters in Michael Wacha (USA) and Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico) and the Royals' closer Carlos Estévez (Dominican Republic), and it makes sense why it was so quiet.

But with the quiet comes opportunity. And there is none bigger than what those still left in camp have, with more at-bats and innings available.

"That’s going to be a positive for some guys,” Quatraro said. “That’s your opportunity to seize. To go out there and play your best and put your best foot forward. That’s what I hope to see.”

Here are four players who can do just that in Royals camp:

1. Nick Loftin, UTIL

Outfielder Starling Marte’s addition to the team narrows the field for an already crowded competition for the final one or two spots on the bench. Loftin is right in that competition and is trying to showcase all he can do, from hitting a grand slam on Saturday in Scottsdale to playing as many positions as he can all over the field. Loftin has hit well in Triple-A, but hasn’t seen that translate completely to the Majors. But his versatility could help.

"Just [want to show] that I’m that consistent guy that’s been here since the start of it all,” Loftin said. “That I can help the team win, whether it’s on defense or offense, in the infield or outfield, DH, whatever it is.”

2. Drew Waters, OF

In a similar spot as Loftin is Waters, with the important note that Waters is out of Minor League options in 2026. This spring is really the switch-hitting outfielder’s last shot at showing he can be an asset for the Royals, whether that’s with his power or speed or defense, and he’ll have to break through an already crowded outfield. Getting a few more starts -- when hitters are more likely to face Major League-caliber pitching -- rather than in-game replacement appearances gives him a better opportunity to do that.

"Having the opportunity to have three or four at-bats on a regular basis in starts, not only is that great leading into the season, but just as an opportunity to go out and show what you’re capable of,” Waters said.

The same goes for the non-roster invitee bats the Royals have in camp like Josh Rojas, Kevin Newman and Brandon Drury.

3. Steven Cruz, RHP

Pitchers are always going to get their work in no matter who’s in camp, but there is a difference between “B” games and a Cactus League game with fans in the stands. With Estévez and Luinder Avila (Venezuela) two of the Royals' relievers playing in the WBC, there are a few more innings to go around for others fighting for a spot.

There are only one or two spots available in the bullpen, and Cruz is among the group competing for one. He made his spring debut Monday against the Angels and struck out two in a scoreless inning. The 26-year-old showed flashes of what he can do for the Royals last year, and he still has that big stuff this spring.

The Royals have to decide if he fits on the roster right away, or if he should be in Triple-A to preserve some depth. His performance could make the decision tough.

4. Carter Jensen, C

Barring something crazy, Jensen is expected to make the team, so his inclusion here isn’t because of any competition. But with Perez gone, Jensen is first up on the catching depth chart -- meaning he’s going to get a lot of starts with Major League pitchers. While most of them are familiar with Jensen from either the Minor Leagues or last September in the Majors, there are a few he’s still learning and building a relationship with, and Spring Training is a great time to do that.

Take what Bailey Falter said about Jensen last week after throwing to him for the very first time: “There’s not enough I can say about him. The baseball IQ, he’s a hell of an athlete -- for the two innings and 20 pitches we had together, it was a lot of fun working with him."

While the Royals are missing a lot of faces in camp, they’ll have a new one join them Tuesday when outfielder Starling Marte arrives after passing his physical Monday and officially signing a one-year deal with Kansas City.

Marte, 37, is a two-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove outfielder and 14-year veteran of the game, most recently with the Mets for the last four years. The Royals were interested in trading for him at several points in the last few years, but Marte’s injuries limited the trade opportunities. He played in only 396 games during his four-year stint with the Mets, plagued by groin injuries, a neck strain, migraines and a bone bruise in his right knee. He was the designated hitter in 77 of his 98 games in 2025 but posted a .270/.335/.410 slash line.

The Royals were searching for a right-handed outfielder who could be an option for them off the bench or against tough lefties. He won’t be an everyday player and understands that’s his role – but if he’s hitting and is productive, the Royals will find spots for him in the lineup.

Over the span of a couple of pitches last week as he was warming up, Stephen Kolek went from being uncomfortable to concerned about the tightness he was feeling in his side. At the advice of trainers and coaches, he shut it down and went inside to get testing done. Two days later, the right-hander was diagnosed with a Grade 1+ left oblique strain.

“Hoping that a week from last Wednesday, we’ll be able to maybe start playing catch again and get going,” Kolek said. “I’m trying to take it day by day. Can’t be mad at it, it is what it is, and just go for it.”

An oblique strain takes time to heal, and Kolek’s recovery is going to depend more on how he feels than anything. The longer it takes for the tightness to subside, the longer it will take to build his workload back up.

"I want to definitely push to see how fast I can come back from this and do whatever I can to be ready for the earliest possible date,” Kolek said.

"But we’ll take it day by day and treat it symptomatically, checking one box after another.”

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