Matt Fields and the On Going Quest for the Majors

It must be difficult to spend ten seasons in the minor leagues without tasting what it is like to be a major league player. All the bus rides, the years of fast food and relatively cheap hotels, the continual doubt as to whether or not that dream will ever be actualized have to take a toll. At some point, one has to wonder if it will all be worth it in the end, whether or not that chance to take the field in a major league ball game will ever come.

At this point, one could not blame Matt Fields if he has those thoughts. He had flamed out in the Rays organization, putting together a decidedly mediocre .219/.294/.389 batting line across three different levels in 2010. He did manage to hit 15 home runs, but Fields was far from a prospect at that point.

A minor league free agent, Fields ended up joining the independent Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League. Spending a season and a half there, Fields continued to mash home runs, but also rediscovered his batting stroke. His exploits were eventually enough to interest the Royals, who signed him as a minor league free agent.

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Since joining the Royals farm system, Matt Fields has continued to hit for power. He led the Royals minor leagues with 31 home runs in 2013, despite posting a .222/.324/.469 batting line for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Last season, despite being promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers, Fields performed even better. Although he was only second in the Royals system with 28 homers, Fields produced a solid enough .262/.326/.514 batting line, his .840 OPS coming in as the third best mark in his minor league career, and the best mark he has had in any full season in affiliated ball.

Yet, even with the power and the improvements to the batting line, Fields still seems to be a long shot for any type of extended role in the majors. Fields still strikes out at an extremely high rate, striking out 156 times in 512 plate appearances last year. Those strikeouts become even more alarming given Fields minimal walk rate, as he walked a mere 36 times in 2014.

What Matt Fields may well be is another version of the player who led the Royals minor league system in home runs last year, Carlos Peguero. Peguero certainly has a tremendous amount of power, yet has not been able to consistently make contact. In fact, Peguero may well be a classic AAAA player, given his ability to produce at the AAA level. Is Fields that same type of player?

The first step to answering that question may come in Spring Training. Fields is one of the Royals non-roster invitees, getting a look at the Royals major league training camp. Given the dearth of power that the Royals had last year, Fields could find himself with a chance to make an impression, even if it is highly unlikely that he ends up on the Opening Day roster. Fields could still do enough to make himself either a call up should someone get injured, or to potentially get a cup of coffee as a September call up when rosters expand.

Matt Fields has had quite a long trek through the minors as he seeks his first major league appearance. Perhaps, with a strong showing in Spring Training and a solid 2015 minor league season, he can get that chance.

Next: Royals Non-Roster Invitees Headlined by Raul Mondesi, Sean Manaea