At the Winter Meetings, Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo was confident with the offers he had on the table.
The Royals were in the market for an outfield bat. There were multiple avenues at Picollo’s disposal to improve the club. And on Sunday, Picollo swung a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers to acquire two players.
KC added outfielder Isaac Collins and reliever Nick Mears in exchange for left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa.
“We were in the market for an outfield bat, and you know, through our process we started having conversations with Milwaukee,” Picollo said. “And immediately, it centered around Zerpa, and we still felt like we need to take care of our bullpen. So there was some reluctance at first, but the more we thought about it, and once another name jumped into the situation like Mears, you know, we felt like it was something worth discussing.”
Collins brings positional versatility. He can play both second and third base in addition to the corner outfield spots. However, the Royals will use him primarily in left field to begin the 2026 campaign.
Additionally, Collins is set to boost the Royals offense. He recorded a .263 batting average with nine home runs and 54 RBIs in 130 games. The Royals valued his on-base percentage and ability to work deeper counts.
Collins is expected to hit throughout the lineup. There is a chance he could lead off depending on the situational approach.
“Isaac’s positional versatility is very attractive,” Picollo said. “When you combine that with the number of years of control, we know right now that the outfield is the primary spot he is going to play. It never hurts to have another player that has been in other positions and has done well in other positions. We feel like there is a lot of upside to this and safety at the same time because it helps you manage your roster well.”
