The Royals’ latest Silver Slugger finalists list reads like a snapshot of where this franchise is headed. Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen all landed among the American League finalists at their positions, giving Kansas City another reminder that the next wave is already here.
Witt is no stranger to the spotlight. He’s the back-to-back reigning winner at shortstop in the AL, and his 119 WRC+ and .809 OPS both ranked second among AL shortstops. He also led the position in doubles.
For Caglianone and Jensen, this is a first-time honor. Jensen put together a breakout season behind the plate, leading all AL catchers in OPS and WRC+, while his 27 home runs tied him with co-finalist Dillon Dingler. Caglianone also made his case loudly, finishing in a three-way tie for third in home runs among AL outfielders and ranking fifth in WRC+.
That trio is only part of the picture. The Royals also have an infield packed with Gold Glove finalists, and that doesn’t even account for Maikel Garcia, who missed half the season because of injury.
For Kansas City fans, the big-picture feeling is hard to miss. Even after a rough 2026 season, the future looked bright because Witt was still performing at a high level, Caglianone showed why he was the No. 6 overall pick, and Jensen arrived and immediately made noise as a rookie. The Silver Slugger finalists only sharpen that optimism.
It has a familiar ring to it, too. In 2012, the Royals went 72-90, but that roster was already taking shape around a young core.
Salvador Perez was in his first full major league season, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas were in their second, Alcides Escobar was in his second year with Kansas City, and Lorenzo Cain was still a bench piece. Alex Gordon was the lone established name.
That group became the foundation for 2014 and 2015.
That’s the model small-market clubs have to follow, and it’s the same blueprint that has powered teams like the Rays, Brewers and Guardians, all of whom reached their respective Championship Series with rosters built around homegrown talent and players they developed.
J.J. Picollo has been steering Kansas City that way since taking over in 2022.
He didn’t draft Witt, but he was in charge when Witt signed his long-term extension. He did draft Caglianone and Jensen.
He was also running the show when the Royals ended their playoff drought in 2024.
For a small-market team, there’s no shortcut. You can’t patch every hole in one offseason and call it a day. The Royals are building the long way, and these Silver Slugger nominations are another sign that the process is working.
In Other News...
Royals Just Made An Offensive Hire Young Bats Cant Ignore
The Royals have added another familiar name to their coaching mix, hiring Hunter Mense as a hitting coach and giving the staff a voice with both major league experience and local roots. Mense arrives after serving as the San Francisco Giants hitting coach in 2026, following a stretch as an assistant hitting coach with the Toronto Blue Jays from 2022 to 2025. For a Kansas City club still looking to sharpen its offensive identity, the move brings in someone who has worked in different big league environments and knows the grind of helping hitters adjust at the highest level.
Menses background also gives the hire a little extra resonance around here. He is a Missouri native and a former University of Missouri player, so this is not just another outside addition to the coaching staff, but someone with ties to the region and an understanding of the baseball culture that comes with it. For young Royals bats especially, the next question is how that experience will translate once the work begins in Kansas City. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Face A Narrow Window To Fix Their Biggest Roster Problem
The Royals are heading into an offseason where every move figures to be measured against both the payroll and the calendar. With financial constraints hanging over the club and an impending lockout looming, Kansas City is expected to shop carefully even as it tries to address the biggest issue on the roster: a pitching staff that needs help if the team is going to stay on track for a 2027 push.
Clay Holmes and Casey Mize are among the names being floated as possible fits, a reminder that the Royals may have to find value rather than splash. The challenge is not just identifying the right arms, but getting those decisions made in time to build a staff that can support the clubs longer-term plans before the market and the labor situation make the window even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Prospect Pipeline Is Demanding Attention Again
The Royals farm system is getting another spotlight in the Arizona Fall League, where Angeibel Gomez, Zion Rose and Justin Lamkin were chosen to represent the American League in the Fall Stars Game. It is another reminder that Kansas Citys prospect pipeline is drawing real attention again, with three different names earning recognition on a stage that tends to separate the merely interesting from the truly notable.
Gomezs selection stands out even more because he is the youngest player ever picked for the game, while Lamkins presence adds a different kind of storyline after he returned to action following a shoulder injury. The Fall Stars Game will be shown live on MLB Network and streamed on MLB.com and the MLB app, giving Royals fans a chance to keep tabs on a group that is starting to make some noise beyond the organizations own prospect lists. [Read more 🡒]