Royals claim infielder Braden Shewmake off waivers

The 27-year-old was a former first-round pick with the Braves.

The Royals announced they have claimed infielder Braden Shewmake off waivers from the White Sox. The 27-year-old hit .125/.134/.203 with one home run and five steals in 67 plate appearances with the White Sox last year.

Shewmake was a first-round pick by the Braves out of Texas A&M Univerity in 2019. He hit .234/.299/.407 with 16 home runs in Triple-A in 2023 before reaching the big leagues for two games in Atlanta. In the off-season, he was packaged with four other players, including former Royals infielder Nicky Lopez, in a trade to the White Sox for pitcher Aaron Bummer.

Shewmake has primarily played shortstop in his career, although he also has experience at other infield positions. With the waiver claim, the Royals now have a full 40-man roster.