Royals reportedly making significant changes to Kauffman Stadium dimensions
Kauffman Stadium has been one of the hardest places in MLB to hit home runs
By
Mike Axisa
•
1 min read
Kauffman Stadium, long one of baseball's most cavernous and home run unfriendly ballparks, is getting a facelift. The Kansas City Royals are bringing the walls in about 10 feet this coming season, ESPN reports. The team aims to make Kauffman Stadium more neutral rather than so unkind to power hitters. The Royals are expected to officially announce the changes Tuesday.
Here are more details from ESPN:
While the Royals will keep center field at 410 feet, they plan to taper in the fences starting in the power alleys, which will be shortened from 389 feet to 379, sources said. The fences will continue on that path, 9 to 10 feet shorter, nearly all the way to the corners, where the 330-foot foul poles will remain. The height of the fence will also be shortened from 10 feet to 8½.
Kauffman Stadium has played as roughly a league average ballpark the last few seasons, though it has skewed heavily in favor of doubles and triples. Statcast's park factors rate it as a top-five park for doubles and triples, and a bottom-five park for homers. In 2025, the Royals hit 70 home runs at home (27th in MLB) compared to 89 on the road (18th in MLB).
The primary beneficiaries will be Kansas City's young power bats, specifically Jac Caglianone and Vinnie Pasquantino. Pasquantino, a lefty with significant pull power, hit 14 home runs at home and 18 on the road last year. Stalwart catcher Salvador Perez has hit 171 of his 303 career home runs away from Kauffman Stadium (56%).
The Royals have tinkered with the Kauffman Stadium walls several times in the past. They moved the walls in 10 feet in 1995 before moving them back to their original dimensions in 2004. The team's front office researched the changes and recommended bringing the walls in 10 feet again to make the stadium a little more neutral.
Kauffman Stadium opened in 1973. The Royals are seeking a new stadium and have pushed for a $2 billion facility near downtown Kansas City. The NFL's Kansas City Chiefs currently play at Arrowhead Stadium in the same complex as Kauffman Stadium. The Chiefs are moving to Kansas in 2031.
