The Royals announced Wednesday morning that they’ve signed infielder/outfielder Brandon Drury to a minor league contract. The Wasserman client will be in big league camp with Kansas City this spring as a non-roster invitee.
Drury, 33, put on a show in spring training with the White Sox last year when he hit .410/.439/.821 with three homers and seven doubles in only 41 plate appearances. He looked to have secured a spot on Chicago’s Opening Day club but suffered a broken thumb in the final days of camp, sinking any hope of cracking the roster. The veteran utilityman struggled in the minors upon returning and was eventually cut loose by the ChiSox. He didn’t fare much better on a minor league deal with the Angels. Drury didn’t play in the majors last year and closed out the season with a disappointing .214/.338/.323 slash in 228 minor league plate appearances following that ill-timed hand injury.
Of course, Drury has plenty of track record in the big leagues. It’s been an up-and-down career for the righty-swinging slugger, but at his best he’s shown the ability to pop 25 homers in a season, albeit typically with a low on-base percentage.
Drury’s most recent big league work came in 2024, when he struggled through a career-worst year and hit just .169/.242/.228 with sub-par defense in 97 games for the Angels. In the two preceding seasons, however, he was terrific. From 2022-23, Drury slashed .262/.313/.495 with 54 home runs, 64 doubles, five triples, a 5.8% walk rate and a 24% strikeout rate in 1091 plate appearances between the Reds, Padres and Angels.
A bat-first utility player, Drury has extensive experience at all four corner positions and second base, though he hasn’t been considered a strong defender at any of those five spots. That’s not likely to change as he progresses into his mid-30s, but there’s still some value in even being a below-average option at multiple spots in the diamond if his bat can get back on track.
The Royals have Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia entrenched at first base and third base, respectively. They added Isaac Collins in an offseason trade with the Brewers and figure to give the late-blooming switch-hitter the bulk of the playing time in left field. Former top pick and top prospect Jac Caglianone will get the first crack at right field, with free agent pickup Lane Thomas perhaps serving as a platoon partner. Jonathan India will aim for a rebound campaign at second base.
The presence of that quintet — plus catcher Salvador Perez, who figures to spend a chunk of time at DH and first base this year — makes for a crowded outlook at Drury’s positions. He could still compete for a bench job, and having him on hand provides some depth in the event of injuries to the primary options currently on the roster.