Kansas City Royals Announce Trade With Tampa Bay Rays at Spring Training

SURPRISE, Ariz. – The Kansas City Royals formally closed the loop on an off-season deal Friday, announcing the completion of a November trade with the Tampa Bay Rays by sending right-handed pitcher Matthew Hoskins to Tampa Bay as the long-awaited player to be named later.

The transaction finalizes the swap that originally brought outfielder Kameron Misner to the Royals organization on Nov. 10. Terms at the time listed the return for Misner as either cash considerations or a player to be named later; Hoskins, 22, now becomes that final piece.

Hoskins, a 12th-round selection by Kansas City in the 2025 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia, has yet to appear in an affiliated professional game. During his collegiate career, however, the hard-throwing righty attracted scouts with a fastball that regularly parks in the upper-90s and has brushed triple digits. His slider is considered his most advanced secondary pitch, and he also mixes a changeup into his repertoire.

While command remains an area for improvement, the Rays have earned a reputation for coaxing the most out of power arms. Hoskins will enter Tampa Bay’s pitching development pipeline with the hope that refined mechanics and sequencing can turn raw velocity into outs at the highest level.

For the Royals, the trade was effectively completed months ago when Misner, 28, joined the club. The left-handed-hitting center fielder was in camp this spring competing for a spot on the Opening Day roster before being reassigned to minor-league camp in early March. He remains a defensive-minded depth option should Kansas City need outfield reinforcements during the season.

With Hoskins now ticketed for the Rays’ system, the Royals can finalize their 40-man roster and pivot fully toward the regular season. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, adds another high-upside arm to a development staff that has repeatedly turned unheralded pitchers into major-league contributors.