Kansas City Royals: Who Will Sign an Extension Next?

Eric Hosmer

Let us begin at first base. Eric Hosmer has stated that he is interested in signing a long term extension with the Kansas City Royals, especially if the core is retained, since he feels that it would be the best place for him to win titles. Well, with Perez being locked up, the Royals are starting to do their part.

Pros: Hosmer has the type of offensive profile that fits well with the Royals, hitting the ball in gaps and making a solid amount of contact. Even if he is not a thirty home run hitting first baseman, there is still plenty of room for growth in his offensive profile, which may have begun last season. Add in his stellar glove at first base, and Hosmer is a key part of the Royals philosophy.

Cons: Right now, Hosmer is slated to become a free agent at 28 years old. As a lefty with projectable power should he leave Kauffman Stadium, other teams, like the Yankees, may end up outspending the Royals for his services. As it is, Hosmer’s potential salary may be more than would make sense for the Royals to spend on someone who compares more to a Keith Hernandez or John Olerud type of player.

Verdict: Hosmer may be the most difficult player for the Royals to sign to an extension. With his age, defensive pedigree and offensive potential, Hosmer could be priced out of the Royals budget. The case for Hosmer remaining in Kansas City may well depend on whether or not the Royals can retain other key members of the roster.

Next: Can the breakout be sustained?

Mike Moustakas

Last year, the Kansas City Royals finally got the player they expected when Mike Moustakas was one of the top prospects in baseball. After years of disappointment, and even being banished to Omaha for ten days, Moustakas broke through, hitting the ball with authority to all fields. At age 26, it seemed as though everything finally came together.

Pros: Moustakas was a solid defensive third baseman prior to his offensive breakout, posting above average numbers and making the plays he needed to. Last season, he became a complete player, hitting 22 home runs and using the entire ballpark to produce a .284/.348/.470 batting line. Coupled with Kendrys Morales, Moustakas helped give the Royals that much needed power threat in the lineup.

Cons: Can Moustakas build on his 2015 season, or was this an aberration? After all, he had steadily declined in the previous four years, posting an aggregate .236/.290/.379 batting line with 52 home runs in 1993 plate appearances. Moustakas may also be somewhat overrated defensively, as he is considered to have cost the Royals runs in three of his first four seasons, and, if 2012 is removed from the equation, has saved the Royals exactly one run in his career.

Verdict: Of all the players that the Royals could extend, Moustakas may hold the biggest risk. While he did sign a two year extension this offseason to buy out his arbitration years, that is a lot more palatable than a longer term extension should Moustakas regress. In this case, the Royals should look to see either the same performance, or an improvement, before thinking about signing Moustakas beyond 2017.

Next: The defensive wizard

Alcides Escobar

Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar may well be the best defensive shortstop in the American League, if not in all of baseball. Finally recognized with a Gold Glove award, his glove is the glue for the Royals stellar infield. But is that really enough to look to keep Escobar around?

Pros: Of all the Royals upcoming free agents, Escobar may cost the least to retain. As the vast majority of his value is tied to his defense and speed, Escobar’s market may be somewhat limited, even with other teams beginning to value defensive capability far more than they had in recent years.

Cons: Escobar’s offense, despite being a good luck charm atop the Royals lineup, is not exactly going to remind anyone of Cal Ripken or Honus Wagner. His career .262/.298/.344 batting line is worth an OPS+ of 76, and would be easily replaced. With the Royals top prospect, Raul Mondesi, likely ready to take over at short by the end of 2017, is Escobar really worth the money?

Verdict: The only way that it may make sense to retain Alcides Escobar would be if the Kansas City Royals look to move Mondesi to second base, given the black hole that position has been over the years. However, the cost to retain Escobar is likely to be far more than his overall value to the team.

Next: Salvy's best friend

Lorenzo Cain

Seemingly anywhere Lorenzo Cain goes, so goes Salvador Perez. The two Kansas City Royals teammates appear to have a better relationship than I have with my fiancée. In fact, they may have a better relationship than I do with anything, excluding Russian imperial stouts. So, one would hope that Perez signing an extension will mean that Cain will follow suit in the next year or two.

Pros: If we thought the 2014 season was a breakthrough for Cain, then last year was his true coming out party. His power developed, as he hit a career best .307/.361/.477 with 16 home runs and 34 doubles. He continued to play his Gold Glove caliber defense in center, and finished third in the 2015 AL MVP voting. Even though the narrative about the Royals is that they succeed without a superstar, Cain certainly looked the part last year.

Cons: Is there another level to Cain’s performance? As he is going to turn 30 at the start of the 2016 season, one has to wonder if he can stay at this level going forward, or if the expected regression will happen. Should Cain regress, and perform at his 2014 level, is that enough to warrant a long term extension?

Verdict: Even if Cain ends up being closer to his 2014 self than what he was last year, that is still a valuable piece for the Royals. His defense and speed make him a solid fit for the team, and his relationship with Perez cannot be quantified. The key will be whether or not Cain can remain healthy. If so, he may be the next player that the Royals look to keep in Kansas City.

Next: Fire up the Wade-Bot

Wade Davis

We are pretty sure that Kansas City Royals closer Wade Davis is human. He smiled after the Royals won the World Series, and at times appears bored on the mound, letting opposing teams get a baserunner or two before crushing their hopes and dreams. Or did Davis get an upgrade with an emotion chip, allowing him to feign emotion and make it seem as though the rising of our robotic overloads has not happened yet?

Pros: Over the past two seasons, Davis has been the most dominate pitcher in baseball. In his last 139.1 innings, Davis has a 0.97 ERA and a 0.818 WHiP, allowing only 4.6 hits per nine innings. With a cutter that he may have inherited when Mariano Rivera retired, Davis has made opposing batters look foolish while giving the Royals worry free innings in the bullpen.

Cons: Can Davis continue at this pace? What we have seen is almost historic at this point. Closers also tend to be rather interchangeable, with few ending up as a Rivera or a Trevor Hoffman, continuing to dominate throughout their career. Can Davis be another one like that duo?

Next: Hosmer shows sabermetric projections are a joke

Verdict: The price for closers, as it has for all relievers, has been escalating in recent years. As teams look to copy the Royals model, these prices are likely to increase. As Davis has a $10 Million option for 2017, it may cost a bit more than that to keep him in town. If he is still dominating at this level, it will be interesting to see what the Royals decide to do should he hit free agency.