The AL Central has been abnormally quiet in what's been a rather busy offseason, though the Royals have at least been one of the more proactive teams in baseball's slumbering division.
They re-signed Michael Wacha to a sizable three-year deal at the start of the offseason, then added Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer in a trade that sent Brady Singer to the Reds.
Though not the kind of splashy moves that fans will remember from this offseason, they're smart transactions by a team that finally broke out in 2024 thanks to a historically great season by AL MVP runner-up Bobby Witt Jr.
Now, they're continuing that trend of subtle-yet-smart additions, adding Cavan Biggio on a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.
#Royals sign utilityman Cavan Biggio to a minor-league deal.
— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) January 5, 2025
Biggio is a potential option to fill the left-handed versatile infielder role that the club has sought this offseason. https://t.co/CNNeZDs1Hl
Biggio played for four teams in 2024, including the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Giants, and Braves. He'll be hoping that Kansas City proves to be more of a permanent home in 2025 and beyond.
Biggio could fill lefty platoon role with key Royals contributors
Biggio, the son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, hasn't lived up that billing since finishing fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 after posting a .793 OPS and accruing 3.0 WAR.
2024 was the younger Biggio's low-point in his MLB career, as he slashed just .197/.314/.303 across his three big league stops (he never appeared in a game with the Giants).
Biggio hasn’t really been the same since his injury-riddled 2021 campaign, hitting only .216/.325/.349 over 1,159 plate appearances since 2021. Still, this is a player who tallied 5.0 WAR and a .798 OPS (116 OPS+) in his first two seasons, and the potential for a quality contributor is obviously there.
The 29-year-old isn't a sterling defender anywhere on the diamond, though he is exceptionally versatile, having played 1B, 2B, 3B, and both corner outfield spots at varying points throughout his career. That defensive flexibility alone gives him some value, as does the fact that he hits left-handed.
The Royals currently have Hunter Renfroe (right field) and Maikel Garcia (third base) projected as everyday starters in 2025, though both could enjoy more productive seasons if they are allowed to focus on opposing southpaws more frequently. Renfore posted a .702 OPS against lefties and a .684 OPS against righties last year; Garcia was at a .636 OPS (versus left-handers) and a .606 OPS (versus right-handers).
Biggio has an uphill climb ahead of him to make a contending team's roster, though he could fill the ever-valuable super utility role for the Royals if he wins a job out of camp. Though he's struggled in recent years, his track record and family ties suggest great promise if he's given the chance to play regularly in Kansas City.