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After announcing the contract extensions of Dayton Moore and Ned Yost, the Royals also reported that they had agreed to minor league contracts with Clint Barmes, Brian Duensing, and Ross Ohlendorf. All three spent time at the major league level last season, but each will have to prove themselves this spring in order to make the Royals' 25-man roster.
In 224 plate appearances during the 2015 season, Barmes hit .232/.281/.353 with a wOBA of .275 and a wRC+ of 75. His defense, which had been a bright spot for Barmes throughout his career, took a hit last season, which is likely a reason that he had to settle for a minor league deal. From 2008 to 2014, he posted a positive Def rating, as well as consistently great DRS figures; however in 2015, he experienced a serious decline in production.
As for Duensing, he spent all of last year with the Twins, and in 48.2 innings, compiled a K/9 of 4.44, a BB/9 of 3.88, a HR/9 of 0.92, and an ERA of 4.25. His maximum velocity topped out at 96.83 MPH according to Brooks Baseball, and given the success of Kansas City's bullpen in recent years, it wouldn't be surprising to see Duensing molded into a valuable contributor. He had a good season as recently as 2013, and at just 33 years of age (he'll turn 33 in four days), there's no reason to think that his career is over.
Ohlendorf is more of a wild card, as he's never experienced prolonged stretches of success. In his career, which spans 521 innings, he owns an ERA of 4.84, along with an FIP of 4.76. He didn't throw a pitch in the major leagues in 2014, but was able to make it back last season with the Rangers. In 19.1 innings, he posted a K/9 of 8.84, a BB/9 of 3.26, and an abysmal HR/9 of 1.86. If he can make it to the big leagues with Kansas City, their expansive outfield should help limit the number of home runs he allows, which has consistently been a problem in his career. Ohlendorf also has a mid-90's fastball, and if he could figure out how to keep the ball in the ballpark, he could turn into a valuable reliever.