Who are the best internal options for the KC Royals remaining 40-man spots?

The Kansas City Royals are on a bit of a slide, but with a winning month of May and some elite performers leading the way, this team is still firmly in the thick of things as June begins. The Royals trimmed some roster fat earlier this month, notably moving on from pitcher Chris Stratton and outfielder Hunter Renfroe. Both had forgettable tenures in Kansas City, but their departures cleared up two valuable spots on the 40-man roster, potentially opening the door for other players to step up.

The Royals already took one step toward filling those holes by selecting the contract of outfielder John Rave from Triple-A Omaha. While the challenge system cruelly robbed him of his first MLB hit in his debut, there’s still plenty of time for Rave to prove the doubters wrong. His addition brought Kansas City’s 40-man roster count to 38 players ahead of a series against Cincinnati.

And then there were two.

The Royals have plenty of directions they could go to fill the remaining spots. Players like pitchers Alec Marsh and James McArthur, currently on the 60-day IL, could rejoin the roster down the line as they recover. But if the team wants to act sooner, there are other immediate options. Prospects who’ve been knocking on the door, or veterans looking for another shot, could all be in the mix. With the dog days of summer approaching, the Royals’ choices in filling these 40-man spots could shape the rest of the season.

Who are the best internal options for the KC Royals remaining 40-man spots?

1B/OF Jac Caglianone

If Royals fans had their way, first baseman Jac Caglianone might have broken camp with the big-league club to start the 2025 season. But after demolishing minor-league pitching in Double-A Northwest Arkansas and now in Triple-A Omaha, there’s little on-field reason to keep Caglianone off the 26-man roster. The case for his promotion has already been made—and even Royals general manager J.J. Picollo knows it’s on the table.

UTIL Cam Devanney

After Rave and Caglianone, utilityman Cam Devanney seemed like a serious contender to join Kansas City’s roster this week. That case hasn’t changed after Rave’s promotion, and with two spots still open on the Royals’ 40-man roster, Devanney’s opportunity remains front and center.

Devanney has been one of the International League’s hottest hitters to start the season, with seven home runs and 22 RBIs in his last 13 games. Both marks are tied for the most in professional baseball since May 10. He’s also delivered in clutch situations, with three grand slams this season—tied for the minor-league lead. That’s the kind of run production the Royals lineup sorely needs, and Devanney could be part of the solution, even if not the ultimate one.

Right now, having both Nick Loftin and Devanney on the 26-man roster might feel like a slight redundancy, but Devanney has made his case outside of his utilityman role. He can effectively cover three different positions—and do so at an elite level. His highlight-reel plays at shortstop alone would add real depth behind Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia.

While Devanney isn’t a base-stealing savant, he gets on base at a solid clip and has a career-high .618 slugging percentage to start the season. His expected numbers suggest this isn’t a mirage. There’s no question the 28-year-old is ready for his call to The Show. The real question is whether Kansas City will give him that opportunity sooner rather than later.