KC Royals Potential Departures, Vol. 6: Unlikely to Leave

 I spent a couple of weeks breaking down the different potential free-agent departures the KC Royals were looking at possibly losing, whether through in-season trade or off-season signing. Now it’s time for the guys under contract—who makes the most sense to deal, where could they go and what could they bring back (or force the Royals to give up in order to ship them out of town). Dive in for a two-part extravaganza!

Group One: The Untouchables

Salvador Perez, Hunter Dozier, Danny Duffy

The above are the only three players whom I would be floored to see shipped off for reasons short of a felony. Perez and Duffy are locked up long-term on team-friendly contracts; both are still young and should serve as the stable vets capable of leading the next successful KC Royals team (assuming Dayton Moore builds it fairly quickly).

Dozier has yet to prove anything at the big-league level, but he’s on the 40-man and will contribute sooner rather than later.

Probability of Being Traded: 0.1 percent

Toughest Omission from This List: Jorge Soler

Group Two: Why Would The KC Royals Part With These Guys?

Jorge Bonifacio, Jorge Soler, Scott Alexander, Matt Strahm, Brian Flynn, Nate Karns, Whit Merrifield, Cheslor Cuthbert, Drew Butera, Chris Young

These guys make this list for one of three reasons:

1. Cheap, team-controlled pieces that can be valuable now and in the future.
2. Aren’t very good and therefore are unlikely to be in high demand.
3. There’s a non-zero chance one of these guys will be included to soften the blow if the KC Royals deal an upcoming free-agent; trade partners will want SOMETHING to show for it if Moose or LoCain is acquired for the stretch run and subsequently elect to bounce in the offseason.

Some would be harder than others to let go of. Moving either of the Jorge’s would need something of a monster return; their talent and potential are still far too tantalizing to include as a kicker. Drew Butera is scheduled to make $2.3 million next year; I have to believe almost every team can find a backup catcher for less than that. Chris Young is the poison pill contract some team would have to swallow for a Jorge.

There is always a chance that a team with a very nice offer simply won’t budge without a Strahm or Karns involved, and if that’s the case you have to trust Moore and Co. to make the right call. But unless there was a decent reason to make a move, I can’t see these guys leaving town.

Probability of Being Traded: Somewhere between 10-25 percent

Least Likely: Jorge Soler

Most Likely: Scott Alexander (I really have no idea, just a feeling.)

Toughest Omission from This List: Alex Gordon (yeah, I know)

Next: Vol. 5: Eric Hosmer

We’ll roll out part two tomorrow. Or the next day. Whatever, we’ll get to it. Just check the Tweeter or the Facebook. You won’t want to miss it.