The Kansas City Royals have made securing a high on-base hitter a primary goal this off-season. According to Ken Rosenthal and C. Trent Rosencrans of The Athletic, one potential target is Cincinnati Reds infielder Jonathan India.
India, the Reds’ second baseman, is among the hitters the Royals are pursuing, sources familiar with the team’s discussions have revealed. Meanwhile, Brady Singer, a right-handed starting pitcher coming off one of his best seasons, is attracting attention from the Reds and other teams in need of bolstering their rotations.
At present, a trade involving India and Singer is not imminent and remains one of several options being explored by both teams. The Royals are also considering trading other pitchers, such as left-hander Kris Bubic or right-hander Alec Marsh, in exchange for younger hitting talent.
India and Singer, who were teammates at the University of Florida and were both first-round draft picks in 2018, have similar timelines in their careers. India debuted in 2021, a year after Singer, and was named Rookie of the Year after hitting .269/.376/.459 with 21 home runs. Over his four seasons in the majors, India has consistently been an effective on-base hitter, including a career-high 80 walks in 2024, ranking fifth in all of baseball. While his power has slightly declined from his rookie season, he still hit 15 home runs and 28 doubles, posting a .248/.357/.392 line.
India, 27, has two years left on his contract, with a $5 million salary for the upcoming season. Both the Reds and Royals are looking to compete in 2025, making this trade a logical fit. The Reds have a crowded infield with Matt McLain returning, and they could benefit from adding pitching to complement their young offensive core. The Royals, with the worst leadoff hitter production in baseball last season, could use India as the table-setter they need in front of MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr.
Although India has exclusively played second base, a position currently held by Michael Massey for the Royals, either player could potentially transition to third base, or Massey might be traded to address another need. India, in fact, played third base in 2019, his final year in the minors.
For his part, Singer bounced back from a rough 2023 campaign, posting a 3.71 ERA in 32 starts, with 170 strikeouts over 179 2/3 innings. Since his debut in 2020, Singer has accumulated 10.5 fWAR, ranking 36th among 173 starting pitchers during that time.
