Two Royals Who Are Playing Their Way Into Bigger Roles in 2027

Despite the Kansas City Royals’ 55-74 record, there have still been some positive takeaways from the 2026 season. For instance, Bobby Witt Jr. continues to play at a high level, while young slugger Jac Caglianone has enjoyed a breakout year and looks like the Royals’ next superstar.

But there is still work to be done this offseason. While injuries have held the team back all season, there are still holes on Kansas City’s roster, making this an important offseason if the Royals want to get back to being a competitive team.

There are a handful of players on the current roster who have either quietly put together productive seasons or completely turned their seasons around with an increase in production. Two of those players are setting themselves up for bigger roles next season.

Two Royals players looking to take on bigger roles in 2027

Noah Cameron

Starting pitcher Noah Cameron is coming off an impressive rookie season in which he finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. Expectations were high for the 27-year-old following his rookie campaign, but he didn’t get off to the hottest of starts.

After a couple of solid starts scattered throughout the year, it wasn’t until he made one change that completely flipped his season around. Cameron started calling his own pitches, which has seemingly made all the difference. He has been by far the Royals’ most dominant pitcher in recent weeks, highlighted by his first career complete-game shutout in his last start.

Kansas City’s rotation has been hit hard by injuries yet again this year. Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila have all undergone elbow surgery, making their outlooks for 2027 uncertain. The trade of Kris Bubic ahead of this year’s deadline has added even more uncertainty to the mix.

With Cameron’s recent success, which includes a 1.19 ERA across his last 37 2/3 innings to go along with 34 strikeouts, he is setting himself up to play a key role in the rotation in 2027.

Michael Massey

Second baseman Michael Massey has quietly put together a solid season both at the plate and in the field, and not many people are talking about it. Massey started the season on the injured list and wasn’t activated until early April, but he has been productive ever since.

At the plate, Massey is currently slashing .278/.311/.447 with 43 RBIs, 11 home runs and 21 doubles. Up to this point, it has been his most productive season offensively. Something that may also go unrecognized is his defense. The 28-year-old has a serious shot at an American League Gold Glove Award at second base, as he currently has seven outs above average, according to Statcast.

Something that has plagued the Royals’ lineup in recent years has been the lack of production from the supporting cast behind the top of the order. After getting through the first three or four hitters, there hasn’t been much support. That is where Massey could come into play. He has a chance to anchor the back half of the lineup next season while providing elite defense.

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