KC Royals reunite with former draft pick on minor-league contract

After starting the offseason strong with a new deal for Michael Wacha and a trade for Jonathan India, the Kansas City Royals have been quiet for the last few weeks. Finally, the team broke their silence on January 2, and while it wasn't the big news fans were hoping for, it signals a continued relationship that could be beneficial to the Royals this season.

The Royals announced on social media that they have re-signed pitcher Austin Cox to a minor league deal, keeping the 27-year-old in the only organization he's ever played for in his professional career. Cox made his debut in the majors in 2023, but after being designated for assignment at the end of the year, he stayed in Triple-A through last season. Now back on a new deal, could Cox see major league time in 2025?

KC Royals bring back Austin Cox

The Royals selected Cox in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he made his professional debut with the team's Rookie-level affiliate that same year. He was promoted to Single-A and High-A in 2019, and when the 2020 minor-league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was one of the top 10 prospects in the Royals' system according to both Baseball America and FanGraphs.

Cox started 2021 with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals, and despite struggling more than he had in previous seasons, he was promoted to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers in late September. Still, he continued to struggle — his previously elite fastball had dropped in velocity, and as his strikeout rate fell, so did his ranking among prospects in the Royals' farm system. Cox stayed in Triple-A through 2022, ending the season with a 7-7 record, 4.21 ERA, and 1.43 WHIP in 147.1 innings of work.

After starting the 2023 season in Triple-A, Cox made his major league debut on May 3, and for a short while, it seemed he'd left his struggles back in the minors. The left-hander set a modern MLB record by not allowing a hit to any of the first 39 batters he faced, but unfortunately, his stats fell after that. He ended up appearing in 24 games for the Royals in 2023 — 21 relief outings and 3 starts — accumulating a 4.54 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts in 35.2 innings before an ACL tear ended his season on September 8.

At the end of the 2023 season, the Royals designated Cox for assignment and he subsequently elected free agency, but the team re-signed him to a minor league contract the next day. After starting 2024 in Triple-A, he opted out of his deal and elected free agency on July 11, but signed a new minor league contract with the Royals just five days later. Cox spent the entire 2024 season in Triple-A before electing free agency on November 6.

Now, Cox will return to the Royals organization — the one where he's spent his entire professional career — and hope to impress enough in Triple-A to earn another shot at the majors.

As Kansas City continues to look at bolstering the bullpen after a disappointing showing last season, it's not out of the question for Cox to get a chance to prove himself, and he offers depth that the Royals could utilize in case of injuries or continued underperformance from the current squad. Still, the 27-year-old's numbers certainly haven't developed how the Royals would've liked since 2020, and he has a lot of work to do if he wants to earn a permanent spot on the major league roster.