Royals Release Veteran Catcher Jorge Alfaro

The Kansas City Royals have released veteran catcher Jorge Alfaro, who spent the 2026 season playing in the minors. Alfaro is now set to enter free agency in search of a new opportunity.

Alfaro, 33, joined the Royals on a minor league contract in December and was invited to MLB Spring Training, although he did not participate in any games. During the season, he played for Kansas City's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates, achieving a batting line of .223/.287/.468 with 15 home runs over 62 games.

Despite his power potential, Alfaro struggled with a high strikeout rate of 41.5%. Throughout his nine-year MLB career with six different teams, he has consistently faced challenges with strikeouts, maintaining a 34% strikeout rate across 1,749 plate appearances. His physical tools, including notable bat speed and exit velocity, may attract interest from teams looking for a backup catcher with power.