Kansas City Royals: Five Most Disappointing Players in 2017

Honorable Mention

Labeling players as disappointing is an incredibly subjective practice. Some view it as strictly the difference between what a player is reasonably expected to contribute and what they ultimately bring to the team. However, mitigating factors, such as injuries, also need to be taken into account. A player’s salary also can influence the decision or what other players were involved in a trade to acquire them.

So before we dive into the five most disappointing Kansas City Royals of 2017, let’s hand out a few honorable mention awards. (Note: We did not include any deadline trade acquisitions—even though Trevor Cahill and Brandon Maurer have disappointed—because their impact on half of the season is less damaging than these other players’ impact on a full one.)

• Raul Mondesi — Named the Opening Day second baseman, the then-21-year-old was put in a situation in which he was never going to succeed. He has hit much better since being recalled.
• Jorge Soler — Came with a Wade Davis-sized price tag, but Soler also struggled to stay healthy. He was always seen as more of a future piece than a 2017 starter.
• Joakim Soria — Leads the team with seven blown saves, but that’s about what fans expected from him anyway. Given where the bar was set, Soria didn’t disappoint as much as some others did.

And now, on to the main event. (Another note: The following five players are not listed in any sort of best-to-worst or worst-to-best order. They are strictly listed in alphabetical order.)