Why the Kansas City Royals didn’t make any selections during 2025 Rule 5 Draft
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals declined selections in both Rule 5 phases, citing roster timeline.
- Club protected key starters on 40-man but left several prospects unprotected.
- Royals retained all unprotected players and await free-agent moves and offers.
The Kansas City Royals didn’t make a selection in either portion of the 2025 Rule 5 Draft.
On Wednesday, the Royals monitored the annual event. There were scouting representatives from all 30 teams in attendance. The Rule 5 Draft consisted of a major-league phase and minor-league component.
“We probably discussed five pitchers and it was four position players that we thought were worthy of discussion,” Picollo said. “But in the end, we view the Rule 5 player as they’re essentially an out of options player. So if you acquire them, they have to stay on your team. … I think the Rule 5 is fairly often a reflection of where a team is in their timeline and your progression.”
The Royals protected starters Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac in November. They were added to the 40-man roster ahead of the Winter Meetings. However, the Royals left talented prospects such as Javier Vaz and Chandler Champlain available for the Rule 5 Draft.
Both players remained with the Royals. In fact, the club didn’t lose any unprotected prospects during the Rule 5 Draft.
“You don’t want to lose anybody in the Rule 5, especially in the major-league phase,” Picollo said. “The major-league phase is a little bit more predictable than the minor-league phase as a lot of it is how is your Double-A team stacking up? … It’s a little bit based more on need, where the major-league phase can be pretty impactful. Guys that we may not have protected doesn’t mean they don’t factor into our major league team.”
The Royals’ current 40-man roster stands at 38 players. There’s a chance the number could grow depending on how the offseason pans out.
At the Winter Meetings, Picollo held multiple conversations with agents and other teams. He also confirmed the Royals have offers on the table. Now, the club enters a waiting game as free agents will survey their options.
“I’ll say we’re in a good spot in a sense that we’ve not lost out on anybody we have really great interest in,” Picollo said. “It’s a matter of just hanging in especially on the free-agent side.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Why the Kansas City Royals didn’t make any selections during 2025 Rule 5 Draft."
