Royals Acquire Outfielder Isaac Collins in Trade with Brewers

The Kansas City Royals just pulled off one of the stealthiest upgrades of the offseason. They landed versatile outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for lefty Angel Zerpa.

This isn’t the kind of deal that’ll dominate national headlines. But it quietly reshapes the Royals’ outfield mix and deepens their bullpen—all for the price of one inconsistent reliever.

Royals Land a Switch-Hitting Sparkplug in Isaac Collins

The centerpiece here for Kansas City is Isaac Collins, a 28-year-old switch-hitting outfielder. He showed last year that he can contribute every day at the big-league level.

In his rookie season with Milwaukee, Collins put together an impressive offensive profile. He backed it up with strong on-base skills and real defensive value.

Offensive Profile: On-Base Machine with Sneaky Pop

Collins’ rookie line of .263/.368/.411 shows a hitter who understands the strike zone and doesn’t give away at-bats. His production translated to a 122 wRC+, so he was 22 percent better than league average at the plate.

Key 2024 numbers for Collins:

His mix of contact, patience, and baserunning gives the Royals something they’ve really lacked. Here’s a hitter who can set the table and still do damage if pitchers challenge him.

Elite Plate Discipline and Split-Proof Production

The most exciting thing about Collins might be his elite chase and walk rates. He just doesn’t expand the zone much, so pitchers have to come to him and he creates constant chances to get on base.

As a switch-hitter, he brings lineup flexibility. Collins was better against righties, like a lot of switch-hitters, but still managed above-average production vs. lefties.

He’s more than just a platoon guy; he’s a legitimate everyday candidate for the corner outfield.

Defensive Versatility Across the Grass and Dirt

Collins mostly played left field last season. But the Brewers also used him in right field and even some infield spots.

That defensive flexibility is gold for a Royals club that’s been juggling pieces all over. His defensive metrics helped drive that 2.6 fWAR, and his speed shows up in the outfield and on the bases.

He fits the modern, athletic profile Kansas City has been chasing.

Room for Regression, but Plenty of Value

There’s one little caution flag: Collins’ wOBA outpaced his xwOBA by 24 points. Some of his results were a bit better than the underlying contact quality, so a step back is possible.

Still, even if he regresses some, Collins is extremely valuable. He’s still on his first MLB contract, so the Royals get several years of control over a 2–3 win player at a bargain.

Nick Mears Adds Upside to the Royals’ Bullpen

The second piece, Nick Mears, isn’t just a throw-in. He’s a right-handed reliever entering his age-29 season, and while his results have bounced around, there’s some real upside in the profile.

Strikeouts, Chase Rate, and Team Control

Mears brings a promising strikeout profile and can get hitters to chase outside the zone. For a Royals bullpen that’s lacked swing-and-miss arms at times, that’s pretty important.

Bonus: Mears is under team control through 2027. If the coaching staff can help him find some consistency, Kansas City might have a cost-controlled late-inning option for several seasons.

What the Royals Gave Up: Angel Zerpa

To get Collins and Mears, the Royals parted with lefty reliever Angel Zerpa. The 24-year-old has the kind of arm teams crave—a hard-throwing lefty with enough velocity to miss bats.

Command Issues and Inconsistent Results

Zerpa’s story is all about command issues and only moderate strikeout numbers. He became the Brewers’ main left-handed reliever, but in Kansas City, he never found much consistency.

Relievers with his kind of arsenal sometimes bloom late, and Milwaukee will bet they can refine his control. But for the Royals, flipping an inconsistent lefty for an everyday outfielder plus a controllable righty reliever? That’s a risk worth taking every time.

Why This Trade Matters for Kansas City’s Future

On paper, this move looks like a significant upgrade for both the Royals’ outfield and their bullpen depth. They managed it at a pretty reasonable cost, too.

Collins instantly strengthens their lineup and defensive alignment. Mears brings a live arm and could lock down some meaningful innings if things break right.

This deal really fits the pattern for Kansas City’s roster building. They keep targeting controllable, versatile players in their prime years.

If Collins keeps up anywhere near his rookie level and Mears finds some consistency, the Royals might turn one volatile reliever into two real contributors. That could put them in a much better spot to climb the standings this season—at least, that’s what fans are hoping for.

 
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