Fresh off their first postseason berth in nine years, the Kansas City Royals have signed executive vice president and general manager J.J. Picollo to contract extension through 2030, the team announced Monday. The deal includes a club option for 2031. The Royals also announced they have exercised their 2026 option for manager Matt Quatraro.
Kansas City completed a stunning turnaround last season, going from a franchise record 106 losses in 2023 to 86 wins and a wild-card berth in 2024. It was their first winning season and their first postseason trip since their 2015 World Series championship. The Royals swept the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Series, then were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the ALDS.
Picollo, 54, began his front office career with the Atlanta Braves in 1999. He followed former Royals GM Dayton Moore to Kansas City in 2006, first serving as their director of player development and assistant GM. Picollo was promoted to general manager in September 2021, after Moore was promoted to team president. Moore was fired a year later.
During his time with the Royals, Picollo was instrumental in building the team's 2015 championship team, including drafting players like Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, and signing Salvador Perez as an amateur. As GM, Picollo extended franchise player Bobby Witt Jr., and acquired others like Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, and Lucas Erceg.
Quatraro, 51, is entering his third season as Royals manager. His contract was set to expire after 2025. He guided the Royals during their turnaround from 106 losses in 2023 to a postseason berth in 2024. When a team reverses its fortunes that quickly, the manager usually gets rewarded. Quatraro is now under contract through 2026.
With Witt leading the way, the Royals will again be in contention for a postseason berth this coming season, if not for the AL Central title. Kansas City last won the division in 2015.
