Predicting where the 7 remaining KC Royals free agents will sign

As is the case every winter, the Kansas City Royals saw a handful of players exit to free agency at the end of the 2024 season. Two of those players — Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen — have since re-signed with the Royals for 2025 and beyond, but multiple others remain on the market.

With spring training camps opening in less than a month, seven former Royals — Will Smith, Garrett Hampson, Adam Frazier, Yuli Gurriel, Paul DeJong, Tommy Pham, and Robbie Grossman — are still without teams. So, where are these players likely to end up for the 2025 season?

Will Smith, LHP

Smith made his MLB debut with the Royals back in 2012, and was traded away to the Milwaukee Brewers at the end of the 2013 season. Eleven years and five teams later, the left-hander came back for a second stint in Kansas City last winter, but after a disappointing campaign, he's once again on the free agency market.

When Smith joined the Royals on a one-year, $5 million deal at the start of 2024, he was coming off three consecutive World Series wins with the Atlanta Braves (2021), Houston Astros (2022), and Texas Rangers (2023). Hopes were high that he'd bring that winning performance to Kansas City, but after giving up four runs in his first appearance as the team's closer, it didn't take long for him to be transitioned into only being called on in low-leverage situations. A back injury in August meant that Smith didn't pitch at all during the Royals' playoff campaign.

With his streak of winning World Series titles behind him and having struggled to a disappointing 6.53 ERA with just 29 strikeouts in 41.1 innings last year, Smith is a risky acquisition. Still, the 35-year-old might get lucky with a one-year deal this winter — perhaps with a team that knows him well. The Atlanta Braves have limited relief options going into 2025, and with a good track record of extending careers, they may be interested in reuniting with Smith, who pitched three years for them from 2020-22.

Predicted Team: Atlanta Braves

Garrett Hampson, UTL

When the Royals signed Hampson to a one-year, $2 million deal before 2024, the utility man was coming off one of the better offensive seasons of his career, having posted a .276/.349/.380 line in 252 plate appearances with the Miami Marlins.

Unfortunately, that reliability at the plate didn't come with him to Kansas City. In 231 plate appearances with the Royals, Hampson slashed .230/.275/.300 with no home runs and 16 RBI, marking career-worst stats in both OBP and slugging. Still, he was extremely versatile in the field, playing seven different positions during the season — center field (52 games), left field (28), right field (7), first base (8), second (24), third (2), and shortstop (8) — while also appearing in 22 games as a pinch hitter, 6 as a pinch runner, and even one as a pitcher.

With the Royals' outfield priorities this winter focused on improving offense, it's pretty clear Hampson isn't going to be returning to Kansas City this winter, but the 30-year-old will almost certainly be picked up on a low-cost deal before spring training. The Athletics have been uncharacteristically aggressive this offseason, and Hampson's versatility across multiple positions makes him an attractive bench target to gain a lot of roster flexibility.

Predicted Team: Athletics

Adam Frazier, UTL

Frazier joined the Royals on a one-year, $2 million deal before the 2024 season, and the fact that the team declined their end of his $8.5 million mutual option for 2025 — and paid the $2.5 million buyout — should indicate how well it went.

Originally intended to be the Royals' everyday second baseman, Frazier struggled on both offense and defense, resulting in the 34-year-old being transitioned to a utility role, if he was in the lineup at all. In 294 plate appearances in 2024, Frazier posted a career-worst .202/.282/.294 line with 4 home runs and 22 RBI, so it wasn't any shock when the team chose not to keep him for another season.

Still, Frazier's versatility as a utility player may be enough to land him a new deal this winter, even after a very underwhelming 2024 campaign. In addition to second base, he has experience in shortstop and all three outfield positions, which could make him a low-cost fit for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates are going into 2025 with relatively unproven youngster Nick Gonzales at second base, shortstop-turned-outfielder Oneil Cruz at center field, and no clear answer at right field at all. Frazier could add depth to all three positions, and while he's certainly not going to be a showstopper, he could give Pittsburgh flexibility as Gonzales and Cruz continue developing.

Predicted Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Yuli Gurriel, 1B/DH

When Vinnie Pasquantino broke his thumb in August 2024, the Royals quickly acquired Gurriel in a minor league trade with the Atlanta Braves, hoping the veteran would cover first base through the rest of the season and — if needed — into the playoffs. Fortunately, Pasquantino was able to return from the IL before the Wild Card Series, but since Gurriel had proven himself to be one of the team's more reliable hitters down the stretch, he was kept in the lineup for all six of the Royals' postseason games.

In 65 plate appearances during the regular season, Gurriel — who was immediately promoted him to the majors upon being acquired — slashed .241/.338/.296 with 6 RBI. He went on to post 4 hits during the playoffs.

At 40 years old, there's a good chance Gurriel hangs up his bat this winter — either by choice or by simply not receiving a new deal for 2025. If he does decide he has another year of baseball in him, the Marlins may be interested in a repeat of the minor league deal he signed before the 2023 season. You never know — perhaps Gurriel will earn a spot on their Opening Day roster at spring training, just as he did last time.

Predicted Team: Miami Marlins on minor league deal or retirement

Paul DeJong, INF

DeJong started the 2024 season with the brutally underperforming Chicago White Sox, where he smashed 18 home runs before being traded to the Royals on July 31 in exchange for pitcher Jarold Rosado. In 119 plate appearances with Kansas City, the 37-year-old slashed .222/.277/.417 with a further 6 home before the end of the regular season.

Like Gurriel, DeJong's age may work against him as he looks for another major league contract, but if that can be overlooked, there are a number of teams that could benefit from the depth he provides. On January 13, Just Baseball's Joe Rowan suggested the New York Yankees as the most likely landing spot for DeJong, commenting that adding the veteran at the hot corner would allow the team to use Oswaldo Cabrera in a super-utility role, where he may actually be better suited.

Predicted Team: New York Yankees

Tommy Pham, OF

Just hours before the deadline for teams to acquire postseason-eligible players, the Royals claimed Pham off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals, hoping the veteran would add some offensive consistency to their struggling outfield.

Pham played for three teams during 2024, having signed a minor league deal with the White Sox in April before being traded to the Cardinals in July. After he posted a disappointing .206/.286/.368 slashline with 2 home runs and 12 RBI in 77 plate appearances for St. Louis, he was designated for assignment on August 30. The Royals claimed him off waivers the following day, and in 104 plate appearances with Kansas City, he posted a marginally better .228/.250/.337 line with 2 home runs and 8 RBI. Still, the 36-year-old turned it on for the Royals' playoff berth, batting .333 with 5 hits and 2 RBI in the AL Division Series against the Yankees.

Despite a shaky regular season, Pham provided veteran leadership that was much appreciated by Kansas City as they advanced to their first postseason campaign since 2015, and now he's a free agent, that will something teams value. A reunion with the Arizona Diamondbacks — with whom Pham played for the second half of 2023, including their appearance in the World Series — is most likely, so long as the outfielder will accept a role off the bench as right field depth and designated hitter.

Predicted Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

Robbie Grossman, OF

It's easy to forget that Grossman even played for the Royals, since his time in Kansas City was extremely brief and had very little impact. The 35-year-old outfielder was claimed off waivers on August 31, 2024, and in just 38 plate appearances for the Royals, he slashed an abysmal .125/.263/.125 with 4 hits — all of which were singles — and 13 strikeouts. He was left off the Royals' postseason roster and became a free agent at the end of the season.

The Royals were just one of three teams that Grossman played for in 2024. He started the season on a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox, and after just 25 games with the major league team, he was traded to the Texas Rangers on May 8. Grossman appeared in 45 games for the Rangers before being placed on outright waivers — and subsequently being claimed by the Royals — in August.

Considering the underperformance that plagued his 2024 campaign, Grossman is unlikely to secure a major league deal this winter. He may be able to get a team to give him a minor league contract with an invite to spring training, but it certainly won't be the Royals.

Predicted Team: Minor league deal or retirement