Royals Demote Former Top Prospect to Triple-A

Drew Waters clears waivers and is sent down after struggling at the plate.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:28pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic motion of a baseball player's swing, with sharp geometric planes and an abstract, unrecognizable figure.A former top prospect's struggles at the plate lead to a demotion, exposing the challenges young players face in transitioning to the majors.Kansas City Today

The Kansas City Royals have optioned outfielder Drew Waters, a former top-100 prospect, to their Triple-A affiliate after he cleared waivers. Waters has struggled at the major league level, hitting just .233/.296/.349 over 575 plate appearances since the start of the 2023 season.

Why it matters

The Royals were hoping Waters would develop into an everyday outfielder, but his inability to consistently produce at the plate has led the team to send him down to the minors in an effort to get him back on track. This move highlights the challenges young players face in transitioning to the majors and the difficult decisions teams must make when top prospects fail to live up to expectations.

The details

After being designated for assignment by the Royals, Drew Waters cleared waivers and was optioned to the team's Triple-A affiliate. The 24-year-old outfielder was once considered one of the top prospects in the Braves' system before being traded to Kansas City in 2021. However, he has struggled to find his footing at the major league level, batting just .233 with a .645 OPS over the past two seasons.

  • Drew Waters was designated for assignment by the Royals on March 28, 2026.
  • Waters cleared waivers and was optioned to the Royals' Triple-A affiliate on March 30, 2026.

The players

Drew Waters

A 24-year-old outfielder who was once a top-100 prospect in the Braves' system before being traded to the Royals in 2021.

Kansas City Royals

The Major League Baseball team that has optioned Drew Waters to their Triple-A affiliate after he struggled to produce at the major league level.

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What’s next

The Royals will hope that Waters can regain his confidence and swing at the Triple-A level, with the goal of eventually bringing him back up to the major league roster.

The takeaway

This move by the Royals highlights the challenges young players face in transitioning to the majors and the difficult decisions teams must make when top prospects fail to live up to expectations. Waters' demotion to the minors is a setback in his development, but the Royals are hoping he can use this as an opportunity to work on his game and eventually return to the big leagues.