Brent Rooker brings his right-handed power bat to the Kansas City Royals

Brent Rooker let his mind race a little bit in the final days before the MLB trade deadline. He sorted through potential trade scenarios that could land him in a place that might mean more opportunity.

At one point, he even landed on Kansas City as a potential destination.

Rooker, 27, just didn’t foresee things unfolding the way they did. The Royals acquired Rooker from the San Diego Padres last week in the trade deadline deal that sent catcher Cam Gallagher to the Padres.

“I wouldn’t say I expected something,” Rooker said of the trade deadline. “I knew there was definitely a possibility just because, being in El Paso and I was playing very well. There wasn’t really shaping up to be a spot for me on that major-league roster, especially once they got (Juan) Soto.

“So I kind of figured there might be something in the works, maybe trying to move me somewhere for a piece they needed or whatever.”

On Wednesday, the Royals called the 6-foot-4, 225-pound outfielder up to the majors prior to their game against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. They optioned catcher Sebastian Rivero to Double-A (Rivero will remain in KC on the taxi squad).

Rooker, who kept his phone nearby throughout the trade deadline, thought his ticket to the Royals might have been in a trade involving Andrew Benintendi, but figured that ship had sailed when the Royals traded Benintendi to the New York Yankees.

Instead, the Royals made the move to get him just before the deadline.

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo described Rooker as filling a need in the organization as a right-handed hitting power presence. The majority of the Royals top position players and power hitters called up this season have been left-handed hitters such as MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino and Nick Pratto.

In his five games with the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate the Omaha Storm Chasers, Rooker went 9 for 20 (.450) with two walks, a double, three home runs, seven RBIs and four runs scored.

This season in 66 Triple-A games between Omaha and Triple-A El Paso, he slashed .286/.393/.633 with 20 doubles, 22 home runs, 62 RBIs and 59 runs scored.

“Looking at the way the roster is made up here right now, it’s a bunch of young guys who are really talented and have a lot of upside and a lot of potential and seem to be having fun playing together,” Rooker said of the Royals. “And they’re playing really well the last few weeks. That’s an environment that I’m always excited to step into.

Rooker said he made some adjustments this season at the plate, including his positioning in the batter’s box -- moving closer to the plate. He said the two big differences he noticed were a lower strikeout rate and a higher walk rate.

A former first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins (35th overall in 2017) out of Mississippi State University, he had a decorated collegiate career that included the 2017 Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Year as well as the 2017 SEC Player of the Year.

Rooker made his major-league debut with the Twins during the pandemic-shortened 2020 MLB season.

The Padres acquired him from the Twins in the April trade that sent pitchers Chris Paddack, Emilio Pagan and a player to be named later to the Twins. The Padres also received left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers and cash along with Rooker in the deal.

Rooker figures to factor in as a bat off the bench and a right-handed option in either of the corner outfield spots for the Royals.

“We’re obviously pretty left-handed strong right now,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “We are going to be facing some lefties this next series, so (this will) have some more options for us. We’re very clear with Brent and everybody else too. We’ll try to get as many looks as we can, but these guys have been playing good.

“There will be some opportunities, whether it’s to come off the bench and be ready to do some damage or once in a while get him a start in the outfield or potentially DH. He’s a guy that we’ve seen from the other side. We know that he’s got big power. He’s been doing a great job ever since we picked him up.”