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Royals KCR

202265–97 (0.401)
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GM: J.J. Picollo

Overview

Ranks vs the 30 teams in 2022, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).

to

Front Office

PoorAverageGreat
Value
Payroll $M
$87M
Surplus $M
-22
Win %
0.401
TAB
-10.8
WAB
-10.7
Roster composition
Roster fWAR
17.5
Dead money %
28%
Depth Players
2.0
Dead WAR
-4.7

Offense

PoorAverageGreat

Pitching & Defense

PoorAverageGreat

Roster

2022 depth chart — stacked by playing time

C

LMJ Melendez78
RSalvador Perez77
RCam Gallagher18
RSebastián Rivero17
RFreddy Fermin3

1B

BCarlos Santana⇄52
LNick Pratto43
RHunter Dozier42
LVinnie Pasquantino37
LRyan O'Hearn13

2B

RWhit Merrifield⇄90
LNicky Lopez68
LMichael Massey48

3B

REmmanuel Rivera⇄63
RBobby Witt Jr.55
LNicky Lopez30
RHunter Dozier27
RNate Eaton15
LMichael Massey1

SS

RBobby Witt Jr.98
LNicky Lopez52
BAdalberto Mondesi15
RMaikel Garcia8

LF

LKyle Isbel29
LMJ Melendez23
REdward Olivares12
RHunter Dozier9
RBrent Rooker⇄8
LNick Pratto7
RNate Eaton6
BDrew Waters4
RBrewer Hicklen2

CF

RMichael A. Taylor123
LKyle Isbel30
BDrew Waters12
RNate Eaton5
RDairon Blanco3
RBrewer Hicklen1
REdward Olivares1

RF

LKyle Isbel49
RHunter Dozier35
REdward Olivares27
RNate Eaton20
BDrew Waters17
LMJ Melendez15
LRyan O'Hearn13
RBrewer Hicklen2
RBrent Rooker⇄1
LNick Pratto1

DH

RSalvador Perez40
LVinnie Pasquantino35
RHunter Dozier25
LMJ Melendez23
LRyan O'Hearn15
REdward Olivares8
RWhit Merrifield⇄5
RBrent Rooker⇄5
RBobby Witt Jr.2
LKyle Isbel2
LMichael Massey2
LAndrew Benintendi⇄1
RDairon Blanco1
RMichael A. Taylor1

Starters

RBrady Singer3.0 WAR
RZack Greinke1.9 WAR
LDaniel Lynch IV0.8 WAR
RBrad Keller0.8 WAR
LKris Bubic0.6 WAR
LGabe Speier0.1 WAR
RDaniel Mengden0.1 WAR
RMax Castillo⇄-0.1 WAR
LAngel Zerpa-0.1 WAR
RCarlos Hernandez-0.1 WAR
RJonathan Heasley-0.4 WAR

Bullpen

★ RScott Barlow24 sv
RDylan Coleman16 h
RJose Cuas11 h
LAmir Garrett10 h
RTaylor Clarke10 h
RCollin Snider7 h
RJosh Staumont5 h
RJoel Payamps⇄0 h

Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.

Key additions (new vs 2021)

PlayerfWAR
Bobby Witt Jr.2.3
Zack Greinke1.9
Vinnie Pasquantino1.4
Nate Eaton0.8
Taylor Clarke0.7
Amir Garrett0.6

Key subtractions (gone from 2021)

Player2021 fWAR
Danny Duffy1.7
Domingo Tapia0.5
Jakob Junis0.5
Hanser Alberto0.4
Richard Lovelady0.2
Ervin Santana0.1

Contract Value

WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Royals. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 2022; everyone else is shown as a 2022 season snapshot.

PlayerPeriodfWARTier Market $MPaid $MSurplus $M$ / WARTierContract
Brady Singer 2022 +3.0 +46.2 0.7 +45.6 $0.2M 1.96× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $12.8M AAV
Bobby Witt Jr. 2022 +2.3 +16.7 0.7 +16.0 $0.3M 0.89× –
Michael A. Taylor 2022 +1.7 +16.9 4.5 +12.4 $2.6M 1.22× –
Zack Greinke 2022 +1.9 +23.0 13.0 +10.0 $6.7M 1.49× –
Scott Barlow 2022 +0.9 +9.8 2.4 +7.4 $2.6M 1.34× Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $2.0M AAV
Taylor Clarke 2022 +0.7 +7.6 1.0 +6.7 $1.4M 1.34× Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $1.6M AAV
Vinnie Pasquantino 2022 +1.4 +6.4 0.4 +6.0 $0.3M 0.56× Arb extension · 2026–2027 · $5.5M AAV
Daniel Lynch IV 2022 +0.8 +6.5 0.7 +5.8 $0.9M 1.02× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $1.0M AAV
Nate Eaton 2022 +0.8 +5.2 0.2 +5.0 $0.3M 0.83× –
Kris Bubic 2022 +0.6 +4.8 0.6 +4.2 $1.1M 1.02× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $6.2M AAV
Drew Waters 2022 +0.4 +2.8 0.2 +2.6 $0.4M 0.83× –
Kyle Isbel 2022 +0.5 +3.2 0.7 +2.5 $1.4M 0.83× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $2.7M AAV
Dylan Coleman 2022 +0.4 +2.3 0.7 +1.6 $1.7M 0.67× –
Andrew Benintendi↔ 2022 +1.4 +7.7 6.3 +1.5 $4.5M 0.69× Free Agent · 2023–2027 · $15.0M AAV
Brad Keller 2022 +0.8 +6.4 4.8 +1.5 $6.2M 1.02× Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $11.0M AAV
Amir Garrett 2022 +0.6 +3.0 2.0 +1.0 $3.6M 0.67× –
Edward Olivares 2022 +0.2 +1.7 0.7 +1.0 $2.8M 0.83× –
Emmanuel Rivera↔ 2022 +0.3 +1.2 0.2 +1.0 $0.8M 0.58× –
Nicky Lopez 2022 +0.8 +3.5 2.5 +0.9 $3.3M 0.56× Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV
Wyatt Mills↔ 2022 +0.2 +1.0 0.1 +0.9 $0.7M 0.67× –
Michael Massey 2022 +0.2 +1.1 0.3 +0.8 $1.1M 0.56× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $1.6M AAV
Daniel Mengden 2022 +0.1 +0.7 0.1 +0.6 $0.6M 0.67× –
Gabe Speier 2022 +0.1 +0.7 0.3 +0.4 $2.4M 0.67× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $2.1M AAV
Maikel Garcia 2022 +0.1 +0.3 0.1 +0.2 $1.0M 0.61× Arb extension · 2026–2031 · $11.5M AAV
Matt Peacock↔ 2022 +0.1 +0.3 0.1 +0.2 $1.8M 0.67× –
Josh Staumont 2022 +0.1 +0.9 0.7 +0.1 $9.0M 1.34× –
Dairon Blanco 2022 -0.0 -0.0 0.1 -0.1 – 0.83× –
Joel Payamps↔ 2022 +0.1 +0.3 0.4 -0.1 $6.2M 0.67× –
Foster Griffin↔ 2022 -0.0 -0.2 0.0 -0.3 – 0.67× Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $5.5M AAV
Luke Weaver↔ 2022 +0.2 +1.2 1.5 -0.3 $6.9M 0.67× Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $11.0M AAV
Freddy Fermin 2022 -0.1 -0.4 0.0 -0.5 – 0.52× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $2.1M AAV
Jose Cuas 2022 -0.0 -0.1 0.4 -0.6 – 0.67× –
Max Castillo↔ 2022 -0.1 -0.6 0.0 -0.6 – 1.02× –
Albert Abreu↔ 2022 -0.1 -0.6 0.1 -0.7 – 0.67× –
Cam Gallagher 2022 +0.0 +0.2 0.9 -0.7 $23.2M 0.52× –
Sebastián Rivero 2022 -0.1 -0.5 0.3 -0.7 – 0.52× Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV
Brewer Hicklen 2022 -0.1 -0.8 0.0 -0.8 – 0.83× –
Angel Zerpa 2022 -0.1 -0.6 0.3 -0.9 – 1.02× Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $1.1M AAV
Collin Snider 2022 -0.1 -0.6 0.4 -1.0 – 0.67× –
Nick Pratto 2022 -0.2 -0.7 0.2 -1.0 – 0.56× –
Arodys Vizcaíno 2022 -0.2 -1.0 0.1 -1.1 – 0.67× –
Carlos Hernández 2022 -0.1 -0.7 0.4 -1.1 – 0.67× –
Brent Rooker↔ 2022 -0.2 -1.1 0.1 -1.2 – 0.83× Arb extension · 2025–2030 · $12.0M AAV
Ronald Bolaños 2022 -0.2 -1.1 0.2 -1.3 – 0.67× –
Jackson Kowar 2022 -0.3 -1.5 0.2 -1.7 – 0.67× –
Whit Merrifield↔ 2022 +0.5 +2.9 4.8 -1.9 $9.1M 0.69× –
Jake Brentz 2022 -0.3 -1.5 0.7 -2.2 – 0.67× –
Adalberto Mondesi 2022 +0.0 +0.1 3.0 -2.9 $155.7M 0.61× –
MJ Melendez 2022 -0.6 -2.7 0.6 -3.3 – 0.52× Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $1.5M AAV
Ryan O'Hearn 2022 -0.4 -2.2 1.3 -3.5 – 0.69× Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $14.5M AAV
Carlos Santana↔ 2022 +0.1 +0.6 4.2 -3.6 $30.1M 0.56× Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $2.0M AAV
Hunter Dozier 2022 -1.1 -4.8 4.8 -9.6 – 0.56× –
Salvador Perez 2022 +0.8 +3.2 18.0 -14.8 $23.5M 0.52× Extension · 2026–2027 · $12.5M AAV
Anthony Misiewicz↔ 2022 +0.0 +0.3 0.2 +0.0 $4.4M 0.67× –
Jonathan Heasley 2022 -0.4 -3.3 – – – 1.02× –
Total—+17.4+163.787.2+79.4—

Trades

Every graded 2022 deal involving the Royals — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 12 total.

2022 · ATL / KCR Jul 11, 2022
ATL · Alex Anthopoulos +$1.6M
Draft pick (≈#35)
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$1.6M
CJ Alexander, Andrew Hoffmann, Drew Waters
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · ARI / KCR Aug 1, 2022
ARI · Mike Hazen +$5.6M
Emmanuel Rivera
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$5.6M
Luke Weaver
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · SEA / KCR Aug 1, 2022
SEA · Jerry Dipoto +$0.0M
cash / PTBNL
KCR · J.J. Picollo +$0.0M
Anthony Misiewicz
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · NYY / KCR Jul 27, 2022
NYY · Brian Cashman +$1.6M
Andrew Benintendi
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$1.6M
Chandler Champlain, Beck Way, T.J. Sikkema
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · BOS / KCR Dec 16, 2022
BOS · Chaim Bloom +$0.0M
Wyatt Mills
KCR · J.J. Picollo +$0.0M
Jacob Wallace
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · SEA / KCR Jun 27, 2022
SEA · Jerry Dipoto +$0.8M
Carlos Santana
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$0.8M
William Fleming, Wyatt Mills
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · KCR / ARI Apr 24, 2022
KCR · J.J. Picollo +$0.8M
Matt Peacock
ARI · Mike Hazen −$0.8M
cash / PTBNL
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · KCR / TOR Jul 16, 2022
KCR · J.J. Picollo +$0.0M
Jonatan Bernal
TOR · Mark Shapiro +$0.0M
Foster Griffin
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · TOR / KCR Aug 2, 2022
TOR · Mark Shapiro +$2.4M
Whit Merrifield
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$2.4M
Samad Taylor, Max Castillo
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · TEX / KCR Jun 3, 2022
TEX · Jon Daniels +$0.8M
Yohanse Morel
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$0.8M
Albert Abreu
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · SDP / KCR Aug 2, 2022
SDP · AJ Preller +$0.8M
Cam Gallagher
KCR · J.J. Picollo −$0.8M
Brent Rooker
Too soon to call unsettled
2022 · KCR / CIN Mar 16, 2022
KCR · J.J. Picollo +$4.8M
Amir Garrett
CIN · Nick Krall −$4.8M
Mike Minor
Too soon to call unsettled

Current & Historical Payroll

2022 payroll
$87.1M
2023 guaranteed
$0M

What the front office was committed to as of 2022, 2022–2028. Guaranteed $ are contract commitments signed by 2022; arbitration & free-agent years are projected from service time. Hover a figure for its luxury-tax (CBT) & actual-cash values.

current $ guaranteed $ arbitration (proj) pre-arb (proj) free agent club option player option mutual option vesting option

Guaranteed / signed (5)

PlayerAgeSvc2022202320242025202620272028
Salvador Perez3210.050$18.0MFREE AGENT
Zack Greinke3817.057$13.0MFREE AGENT
Michael A. Taylor318.000$4.5MFREE AGENT
Carlos Santana3611.115$4.2MFREE AGENT
Arodys Vizcaíno316.168$104kFREE AGENT

Arbitration-eligible (11)

PlayerAgeSvc2022202320242025202620272028
Andrew Benintendi275.062$6.3MFREE AGENT
Brad Keller264.000$4.8MARB 3FREE AGENT
Whit Merrifield335.101$4.8MFREE AGENT
Hunter Dozier304.060$4.8MARB 3FREE AGENT
Adalberto Mondesi264.088$3.0MARB 3FREE AGENT
Scott Barlow293.030$2.4MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Amir Garrett304.099$2.0MARB 3FREE AGENT
Luke Weaver284.112$1.5MARB 3FREE AGENT
Ryan O'Hearn283.002$1.3MARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Cam Gallagher293.106$885kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Daniel Mengden293.088$77kARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Pre-arbitration (39)

PlayerAgeSvc2022202320242025202620272028
Nicky Lopez272.139$2.5MARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Taylor Clarke292.120$975kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Josh Staumont282.072$728kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jake Brentz271.000$711kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Edward Olivares261.055$706kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Daniel Lynch IV250.083$704kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dylan Coleman250.014$701kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Bobby Witt Jr.220.000$700kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kyle Isbel250.043$694kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brady Singer252.000$650kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Kris Bubic241.148$643kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
MJ Melendez230.000$604kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2FREE AGENT
Jose Cuas280.000$446kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Collin Snider260.000$412kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Carlos Hernández251.043$405kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Vinnie Pasquantino240.000$385kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Joel Payamps281.027$369kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Gabe Speier270.124$301kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Angel Zerpa220.004$288kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Sebastián Rivero230.068$265kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2FREE AGENT
Michael Massey240.000$258kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nick Pratto230.000$227kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Emmanuel Rivera260.074$216kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Anthony Misiewicz272.000$215kARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Nate Eaton250.000$212kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jackson Kowar250.049$170kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Drew Waters230.000$169kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Ronald Bolaños250.159$169kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Wyatt Mills270.061$135kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Matt Peacock280.141$117kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brent Rooker270.167$101kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Albert Abreu260.114$86kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Dairon Blanco290.000$58kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Maikel Garcia220.000$54kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Max Castillo230.000$49kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Foster Griffin261.000$38kPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Brewer Hicklen260.000$31kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Freddy Fermin270.000$12kPre-ArbPre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT
Jonathan Heasley251.000—Pre-ArbARB 1ARB 2ARB 3FREE AGENT

Graphs

How each 2022 acquisition stacked onto Royals's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.

Rosternomics — front-office performance, roster value, and transaction history. Follow @rosternomics on X.
Decision-maker records extend to 1933; resource-controlled WAR and payroll metrics cover 1985–2026. Data sources include FanGraphs, Baseball-Reference, the Chadwick Bureau register, the Lahman Database, prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and FanGraphs, and public payroll records. Transaction and trade data was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by Retrosheet. Executive birth/death data via Wikidata (CC0).
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