The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have signed infielder Maikel Garcia to a five‑year contract extension running through the 2030 season, with a club option for 2031. The agreement covers what would have been Garcia’s first four arbitration years as well as his initial year of free agency.
Garcia, 25, delivered a breakout 2025 campaign, earning his first All‑Star selection, his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award, and recognition as a finalist for the Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award at the Utility position.
He set career highs across nearly every major offensive category, including games played (160), hits (170), doubles (39), home runs (16), RBI (74), on‑base percentage (.351), slugging percentage (.449), and OPS (.800).
In 2025, Garcia became the first third baseman in Royals history (minimum 75% of games at the position) to record at least 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season. Only two Major Leaguers accomplished the feat this year — Garcia and Cleveland’s José Ramírez (30 HR, 44 SB).
Among American League leaders in 2025, Garcia ranked:
- 5th in doubles
- T‑5th in triples (5)
- T‑7th in hits
- 9th in batting average (.286)
- T‑15th in stolen bases
His 50 multi‑hit games were tied for sixth‑most in the AL.
Defensively, Garcia was one of the league’s elite performers. He became just the second Royals third baseman ever to win a Gold Glove, joining George Brett (1985). He finished 4th in the AL with 17 Outs Above Average, and his 18 OAA at third base led all players at the position, per Baseball Savant.
Among AL third basemen, Garcia ranked:
- 1st in total chances (346)
- 1st in putouts (105)
- 1st in fielding percentage (.980)
He committed only seven errors all season — the fewest among AL third basemen with at least 125 starts — and made just one error over his final 75 games.
A native of La Sabana, Venezuela, Garcia signed with Kansas City as an international free agent in July 2016 and debuted on July 15, 2022. Over parts of four Major League seasons, he has appeared in 449 games, and his +.055 jump in batting average from 2024 to 2025 ranked as the fifth‑largest improvement in MLB.
