3 intriguing KC Royals spring training invitees to watch closely

No. 1 prospect Jac Caglianone isn't the only interesting player headed for the big league camp.

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Cam Devanney, INF

Like Tolbert, Devanney offers the Royals versatility — something former general manager Dayton Moore and the managers who worked for him seemed to emphasize only slightly less than present GM J.J. Picollo and field manager Matt Quatraro do. Devanney, who came to the club via a trade last winter with the Milwaukee Brewers, can and has played everywhere on the infield and also dabbled in left field.

What Devanney does that Tolbert doesn't, however, is hit a lot of home runs. Only once has Tolbert hit 10 homers, while Devanney, who like Tolbert boasts five pro seasons, hit 19 last season, 11 the year before, and a career-best 23 in 2022. He's also driven in more runs (256 to 187) than Tolbert, despite playing only six more games.

Devanney's versatility suggests he might be a viable candidate to replace current KC third-sacker Maikel Garcia should Garcia disappoint this season. He could, and probably should, also be in line for a big league utility role, which might include spending some time in the outfield. How Devanney performs this spring will have much to do with how the Royals ultimately use him in 2025.

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