Kansas City Royals: Will Nicky Lopez put pressure on Hunter Dozier?

During this upcoming season, Nicky Lopez could challenge Hunter Dozier for the role of the Kansas City Royals starting third baseman.

Even though Hunter Dozier has barely seen any time in the majors himself, it may be time to look to the future and let Nicky Lopez and Dozier hash it out for the starting job. Lopez is ready for the majors and needs to be put into the Kansas City Royals starting lineup sometime this upcoming season.

Looking at the positions available for Lopez, Whit Merrifield is occupying second base for three more years now, while Adalberto Mondesi has solidified his job at shortstop, which leaves third base open for Lopez.

Comparing 2018 Statistics

Last year in AA and AAA Lopez raked, which earned him the spot near the top of the Royals prospect list. in 2018, Lopez slashed .308/.382/.417/.799. Overall, his average was solid, even above average if you will (no pun intended), which is something this current Kansas City Royals lineup could very much use.

He also had a nice OBP, while the only thing weighing him down is his low slugging percentage. Although a higher slugging percentage would be nice, that is not why the Royals drafted Lopez, or why he is a top prospect. Lopez is known for his ability to get on base, while adding nice speed and defense to that.

Now, lets take a look at Dozier’s 2018 stats. He slashed .229/.278/.395/.673. Not to put any damper on a player, but all of those stats are merely below average to say the least. As we all know, Dozier has not lived up to the hype at all. He might be a solid bench player to keep on the team for a few more years, but it is time to look towards the future and bring Lopez up to show us what he’s got.

Even though the Royals might not bring up Lopez right away, every Royals fan should look forward to seeing Lopez in a Royals uniform sometime this upcoming season. If Dozier does not perform well in the field or at the plate, Nicky Lopez may find himself in the starting third base role for the Kansas City Royals.