Mason Black News: Viewed as reliever

Black allowed no hits and two walks over a scoreless inning in Thursday's Cactus League loss to the Rangers. He did not record a strikeout.

The right-hander has worked primarily as a starter in the minors, but Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Thursday that the organization views him as more of a versatile relief arm, per Perla Peredes of MLB.com. After being traded from the Giants in November, a retooling of his repertoire has proven effective thus far in Cactus League play, as Black has tossed five scoreless innings across four appearances. The 26-year-old may open the season with Triple-A Omaha, but he could contribute at the big-league level in 2026.