The Royals gave their offense a boost.
The Kansas City Royals signed infielder/outfielder Brandon Drury to a minor league contract, the team announced Wednesday. Drury's contract includes an invite to spring training.
Kansas City's infield is strong but the outfield has questions. Drury's versatility will help the Royals in a pivotal way if he makes the big league ball club out of spring training.
Drury made his MLB debut in 2015 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He would later spend time in MLB with the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels.
In 2022, when Drury played for the Reds and Padres, he earned a Silver Slugger Award as a utility player. The 2022 campaign saw Drury hit .263 to go along with an .813 OPS, 28 home runs, 31 doubles, 87 runs scored and 87 RBI.
Drury last appeared at the big league level with the Angels in 2024. During the 2025 season, Drury spent time with the Chicago White Sox and Angels' minor league teams, and he also dealt with an injury concern. He is hoping to have a bounce back 2026 campaign if given an MLB opportunity.
Will Brandon Drury Make Royals' MLB Roster in 2026?
Brandon Drury has a realistic opportunity to make the MLB roster out of spring training. As mentioned, the infield is already set with Vinnie Pasquantino, Jonathan India, Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia handling duties from first base to third base. The outfield is where the uncertainty begins.
Jac Caglianone, Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbel and Lane Thomas are among the outfield candidates. Sure, Drury may not earn a starting role out of spring training, but having a veteran with a proven big league track record on the roster would not hurt by any means. Drury could help the outfield while also spending some time in the infield whenever a player needs a day off.
With all of that being said, he will have to prove to the Royals that he can still find success in spring training. He signed a minor league deal, so nothing is guaranteed for Drury from a big league standpoint. The former Silver Slugger winner should have a respectable chance of earning an MLB roster spot with a strong performance this spring, though.
This low risk signing by the Royals could prove to make a significant impact during the upcoming 2026 MLB season.