Former Royals letdown earns record contract in NBP after incredible rebound

With just one postseason appearance to their name since climbing the World Series ladder back in 2015, the Kansas City Royals have had plenty of woeful and uninspiring seasons in that span. The peak season of misery was their 106-loss campaign in 2023, where their lineup looked pretty unrecognizable to their current batting order with plenty of forgotten major league names gracing their presence at one point or another.

One of those names was Franmil Reyes, the physically imposing outfield and first base slugger, who's 19-game cameo was as forgettable a stretch as anyone could have had. However, after the Royals cut ties with him and then a failed minor league stint with the Washington Nationals, Reyes landed in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2024. Not only did Reyes flip the script on his MLB flame-out while overseas, he's now turned it into a lucrative and lasting career choice after reportedly signing a four-year, $40 million contract extension with the Hokkaido-Nippon Ham Fighters.

Reyes' new deal will make the highest paid player in NPB history and it's certainly well deserved. In three seasons with the Ham Fighters, his trademark power and run production has been on full display, belting a combined 89 homers and driving in 237. His game has even diversified since making the overseas jump as he became more than just an easy source for power. He sports a career .294 AVG, .906 OPS in Japan and has yet to post a season wRC+ under 161.

Franmil Reyes has undergone complete 180-degree shift since move to NPB

Royals fans likely didn't think that the term "record-setting" would ever be placed in the same sentence as Franmil Reyes after his failed experiment with the team in 2023. In that aforementioned 19-game stretch, he slashed just .186/.231/.288 with a pair of homers, seven RBI, a 36.9% K-rate and measly 35 wRC+.

However, Kansas City's faith to bring him into the fold in the first place wasn't unwarranted by any means. After all, they got more of a front row seat than most to his power display during his time in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians.

In his time with the Royals' division rivals as well as season-and-half stint with San Diego beforehand, Reyes' freakish power was introduced to the MLB world, earning him the nickname "The Franimal". From 2018 to 2021 Reyes hit 92 homers and drove in 231, which featured a pair of 30+ homer and 80+ RBI. However, while his power returned, hitting abilities capable of posting a .313 AVG and sub-20% K-rate like he posted last season are entirely new for the 31-year-old.

Now firmly in his 30s, a four year contract could very well indicate that Reyes' MLB days are behind him. However, he's developed into a star in NPB, so why not cash in and continue to try and build off of a pretty favorable situation.

It may not mean much for the Royals now in their quest to return to October in 2027, but it's certainly a news worthy day in the Royals Kingdom when a former player makes history and Reyes has done just that during his time in Japan.

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