Maikel Garcia has established himself as a critical asset for the Kansas City Royals, especially at third base, positioning himself as a cornerstone for the team’s future. Despite a challenging 2024 season, Garcia has rebounded impressively in 2025, demonstrating consistent hard contact at the plate, reliable defense, and emerging as a leader in the Royals’ offensive lineup.
As Garcia enters only his second full major league season, he remains under team control through 2030, although he will qualify for arbitration as a super two player following this year. This situation has prompted discussions about whether the Royals should pursue a long-term extension sooner rather than later to retain his growing value.
Arguments in Favor of an Early Contract Extension for Garcia
On Friday, Mike Gillespie of FanSided made a strong case for the Royals to finalize a contract extension with Garcia before the season ends. He noted Garcia’s impressive statistics, highlighting his role as
“the best third-sacker Kansas City has had since Mike Moustakas.”
Proving he’s the best third-sacker Kansas City has had since Mike Moustakas, (Garcia is) batting .299 with a nifty .362 OBP through Thursday, his 22 stolen bases are second only to Bobby Witt Jr.’s 34, his 12 homers already exceed by one the career total he brought into this season, and his 57 RBI are just one short of the career high he set last year, and he made the American League All-Star team in July,
—Mike Gillespie, FanSided
Garcia is well under team control — he can’t test free agency until after the 2029 season. But now, he’s proving that it’s his disappointing 2024 campaign, and not his stellar 2023 season, that’s an outlier. He’s definitely worth an early extension.
—Mike Gillespie, FanSided
Gillespie’s analysis underscores Garcia’s consistency and potential, suggesting the 2024 struggles were anomalies, and that the player is maturing into a dependable star for the Royals.
Considering Comparable Contracts and Financial Implications
Determining Garcia’s market value remains complex, but comparisons have been drawn to similar players, such as Jake Cronenworth of the San Diego Padres, who signed a seven-year, $80 million deal before his first arbitration season. Garcia holds an extra year of team control in comparison but has fewer All-Star appearances—one compared to Cronenworth’s two—indicating a possible adjustment in contract value.
Factoring in recent market inflation, a hypothetical offer around seven years and $90 million might be appropriate for Garcia. The question remains whether Garcia would accept such terms and if the Royals could accommodate that within their payroll constraints.
What This Means for the Royals and Garcia’s Future
Securing a long-term deal with Maikel Garcia could provide the Royals with stability at third base and solidify a key piece of their roster well into the next decade. Given Garcia’s blend of offensive production, speed, and defense, locking him in would prevent costly free agency negotiations and reward sustained development.
With arbitration looming and Garcia’s value climbing, the Royals face a strategic decision that could influence their competitiveness. An early extension might signal confidence in Garcia’s trajectory and ensure his talents remain central to Kansas City‘s plans through 2030 and beyond.