KC Royals announce 23 non-roster invites for 2025 spring training

The Kansas City Royals made waves with the announcement that top prospect Jac Caglianone will join MLB spring training camp, but he’s far from the only exciting name on the list. On January 10, the Royals unveiled their full roster of non-roster invitees, featuring 23 players — a blend of promising prospects and former MLB players aiming to earn a spot on Kansas City’s 40-man roster.

KC Royals announce 23 non-roster invitees for MLB spring training this year

The group includes 10 pitchers, six catchers, five infielders, and two outfielders.

Pitchers

Austin Cox, Tyson Guerrero, Ben Kudrna, Anthony Simonelli, Steven Zobac, Chandler Champlain, Andrew Hoffmann, Beck Way, Taylor Clarke, Junior Fernández

Catchers

Kyle Hayes, Omar Hernández, Carter Jensen, Blake Mitchell, Luca Tresh, Brian O’Keefe

Infielders

Jac Caglianone, Tyler Tolbert, Javier Vaz, Cam Devanney, Cavan Biggio

Outfielders

Gavin Cross, John Rave

Among the invitees are nine of Kansas City’s Top 30 prospects, including five of the top six. Leading the charge is Caglianone, but catcher Carter Jensen and outfielder Gavin Cross also have plenty to prove. Jensen will look to build on his strong Arizona Fall League performance, while Cross will aim to get his MLB trajectory back on track. Mitchell, the Royals’ first-round pick in 2023, enters the season as MLB Pipeline’s eighth-ranked catching prospect, further elevating the intrigue surrounding this group.

Veteran additions Biggio and Fernández bring major-league experience to the fold. Biggio, a six-year MLB veteran, is slated for a super-utility role with the Royals and will aim to show that his 2024 struggles at the plate were an anomaly rather than a trend. Fernández, meanwhile, returns to the U.S. after a stint in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines. His past MLB experience with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates from 2019-2022 makes him a prime organizational depth option.

This spring marks the first invitation to major league camp for 11 players, including Guerrero, Kudrna, Simonelli, Zobac, Hayes, Hernández, Mitchell, Caglianone, Vaz, and Cross. All but Hoffmann were drafted or signed as amateur free agents by the Royals, putting the organization’s homegrown talent front and center.

With the Royals’ spring training roster now at 63 players, there’s still room for additions before camp opens. Whether it’s a top-tier signing for the 40-man roster or another depth addition, Kansas City has flexibility to round out its roster. The first workout for pitchers and catchers is set for February 12, followed by the first full-squad workout on February 17. Royals fans have plenty to look forward to as the team prepares for an exciting spring in Surprise, Arizona.