Top ESPN ‘reclamation project’ could address numerous Royals needs this offseason

Things are starting to move now in the MLB offseason as the Hot Stove is certainly heating up, and the Kansas City Royals are already hopping on board the hype train.

The team just bolstered its bullpen by making a low-risk, high reward signing in Alex Lange, but there's still plenty of work to be done on the offensive side.

Could someone like Willi Castro be that same type of low-risk, high-reward type signing for Kansas City's lineup this winter?

Castro knows the AL Central, so that's already a big plus in the Royals' ledger. Coming off solid 2023 and 2024 campaigns with the Minnesota Twins, in which he was an All-Star in the latter season, he had a truly awful 2025. He got off to another great start last summer, but started fading down the stretch and then played horrifically in Chicago when he was traded to the Cubs ahead of the trade deadline.

For those reasons, Neil Payne over at ESPN believes Castro might be a "reclamation project" who's potentially in line for significant turnaround in 2026.

Willi Castro could be a low-cost 'reclamation project' signing for the Kansas City Royals

On what what makes Castro a valuable free agent asset, Paine first focused on Castro's immense positional versatility.

Given Adam Frazier is currently a free agent, Tyler Tolbert looked pretty one dimensional and Nick Loftin underperformed in 2025 to a degree that warranted a late season demotion to Triple-A Omaha, the Royals could stand to bolster their bench with better utility options.

"Castro's ability to play almost every position gives him built-in appeal, but he also has much more ability than what he flashed in Chicago," Paine wrote.

"Though his Statcast expected stats in the Windy City were concerning -- he had an expected batting average of just .195 with a .256 expected wOBA -- it wouldn't be a surprise if Castro bounced back above 2 WAR next season," he also wrote.

There is a bone to pick with that take considering that Castro has one career season where he posted a WAR above 2. However, even a season above 1 WAR would be a nice low-cost addition for a Royals team that will need more than one addition to really boost the offense.

Going out and signing Castro to a prove-it deal should leave plenty of money or assets to go out and get an impact bat, and then see if the former Twin can recreate the success he had in Minnesota for for his once division rivals now.