The Kansas City Royals infield may be among the best in the American League with Bobby Witt Jr. leading the way. The pitching staff should be respectable at the very least. It could even be quite good. The outfield has been mentioned as a weakness at times, but Kansas City's outfielders could perform better than expected. 

Jac Caglianone has received the most attention of the team's outfielders in spring training, but Lane Thomas has been overlooked. He sent a reminder of what he can do on Thursday, hitting a home run in the Royals' 13-10 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Thomas could make an impact in 2026. He should not be overlooked.

Despite never having been an All-Star, Thomas has enjoyed some impressive seasons in the past. In 2023, the right-handed slugger crushed 28 home runs while hitting .268 with a .783 OPS.

Thomas has been limited in recent seasons. He only hit .160 with the Cleveland Guardians last year, but he also appeared in just 39 games.

Thomas finds most of his success against left-handed pitching. For his career, the veteran outfielder has slashed .292/.359/.500 against southpaws. However, he's had far more at-bats against right-handers. As a result, 51 of his 76 total home runs have come against right-handed pitching. 

In other words, Thomas is still capable of sending the ball over the fence even with a right-handed hurler on the mound. Nevertheless, his numbers are better against left-handers. 

Outfielders Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel are both left-handed hitters, while Isaac Collins is a switch-hitter. Having another right-handed option on the roster in Thomas will prove to be of the utmost importance during the '26 campaign. He may primarily be used in a platoon role. Nevertheless, the Royals will take any production they can get from Lane Thomas.

Kansas City's overall roster depth suggests the ball club could seriously compete in the American League Central. The Royals reached the postseason in 2024 but failed to accomplish the same goal in 2025. The AL Central is a winnable division, so the Royals may be able to bounce back. 

The addition of a veteran like Thomas will only help their situation.

The Royals will play their next spring training game on Friday against the Athletics at 3:05 PM EST. Kansas City will then finish the weekend with matchups against the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers.