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

UTL Harold Castro

The Royals, under manager Matt Quatraro, have leaned into a matchup-based approach—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Whether it’s crafting the lineup, deciding who comes off the bench as a pinch hitter, or determining which reliever gets the call, matchups are always a consideration. The recent decision to option utilityman Cavan Biggio to Omaha in favor of John Rave, another left-handed bat, was a calculated move. However, while Rave offers a lefty presence, he doesn’t bring any infield experience to the mix. If the Royals are still looking to fill that infield void—despite having Nick Loftin on the roster—MLB veteran Harold Castro could be a name to watch.

Castro, a contact-first player since breaking into the big leagues with the Detroit Tigers in 2018, was a bright spot on some struggling Detroit teams. After leading the Tigers in batting average and posting several career highs in 2022, the club non-tendered the Venezuelan. Since then, he’s struggled to stick, spending time with the Colorado Rockies and eventually landing in the Mexican League last year. His latest deal with Kansas City marks his return to affiliated ball, and he’s produced a solid .275/.322/.440 line through 32 games in Triple-A.

While Castro’s ceiling isn’t high—closer to a Garrett Hampson-type than a Ben Zobrist—his versatility holds value. He has two minor-league options remaining, which gives Kansas City some flexibility. They could add him to the 40-man roster and shuttle him back to Omaha depending on his opt-out clauses. Given his steady performance at the plate in Triple-A, Castro’s appearance in a Royals uniform in 2025 feels more like a question of when, not if.