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3 KC Royals young players near the end of the line

By Shawn Bauman |
KC Royals (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
KC Royals (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /

Whether due to lack of performance, injuries, or wrong place at the wrong time, the KC Royals management has to decide at some point whether to fish or cut bait.

As fans we like to fall in love with the player recently drafted, those we see in person at a minor league park or on television and follow their career.  Bragging rights to your buddies saying you knew three years ago so-and-so was going to be a star helps us feel smarter.

Often though, the young studs from high school or a Power 5 Division I conference for a variety of reasons never make a splash in the big leagues.  Maybe there was a success in the minors but a roadblock ahead of them or perhaps their performance never materialized in pro ball.  Either way, you find many more of those stories than you do the “can’t miss” player who blossomed all the way to the majors.

Think of some of the Royals first-round picks selected tenth or higher overall and who never played in the majors or only for a small, unsuccessful stint.  Jeff Austin (1998), Mike Stodolka (2000), Chris Lubanski (2003), Kyle Snyder (1999), and Jeff Granger (1993) fit that condition.  They were stud players and would have been gobbled up by other teams shortly after Kansas City’s spot in the draft but had trouble fulfilling the destiny that was imagined.

The hard part is knowing when it is time to let a player go.  Just as fans get attached to certain players I am sure management and staff who get to know these players, many who are great people, have a difficult time telling them they are not going anywhere with the organization.

We will take a look at three young players who have a ton of potential but have not been able to put it together at the major league level yet.  This season may be the last opportunity to prove they deserve a locker spot at Kauffman Stadium as the next core of young prospects is knocking on the door to the majors.

KC Royals,
KC Royals, /

Watching the former first-round pick battle his way through tons of setbacks and injuries finally make his debut at Kauffman Stadium last summer was an emotional moment.

The kid from nearby Gardner, KS, Bubba Starling, should be a walking billboard for overcoming adversity.  After a successful beginning in the minors, the outfielder dealt with disappointment that might have made others walk away.  It culminated with a 2016 season that saw a .183 batting average and 145 strikeouts in 431 plate appearances.

Of course, we know he battled back and despite being granted free agency in the 2018 offseason, Starling resigned with the KC Royals.  He then put on a great year in Omaha before getting the call to the big leagues in 2019.

As thrilling as it was to watch him come back, Starling did not put up the numbers that will keep him in a big-league lineup.  At 27 years old you cannot count him as a prospect anymore and 2020 could be his last chance to stick with the organization.

The outfield situation is already crowded heading into this season with Alex Gordon resigning, Whit Merrifield being anointed the center fielder and Hunter Dozier moving from third base to right field to make room for Maikel Franco.  Whomever the Royals decide to keep on the big league roster will have to fight for playing time and without consistent at-bats, it will be tough to get into a hitting groove.

More. 2020 make or break for KC Royals' Starling. light

Starling is making a strong case to make the big league club with his spring so far batting .391 with two home runs, two walks and a couple of stolen bases.  He will need to carry this over into the regular season to write the next chapter of this ultimate comeback story.

KC Royals,
KC Royals, /

With an ERA of 6.34 in one and a half seasons with the KC Royals, this right-handed pitcher will need a big turnaround to keep his spot on the team.

Acquired from Milwaukee when the Royals traded Mike Moustakas in the summer of 2018, Jorge Lopez had a nice ERA with the Brewers in ten appearances.  It was a bit skewed, though, as in 19 2/3 innings pitched he has given up 16 hits and 13 walks.

The rest of the year in Kansas City, where he was utilized solely as a starter, did not improve.  The WHIP stayed roughly the same but the ERA+ fell from 151 to 69, a major drop.  Last year only improved slightly with a mixture of starts and relief appearances.

What is frustrating about Lopez is that he has great stuff at times which was made clear in a game in 2018 where he came within three outs of a perfect game.  Putting it all together over an extended period has been a challenge.

This spring has seen Lopez get off to a hot start although he did get beat around by Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels in his last game.  He has struck out ten batters in just under nine frames and the best sign is only two walks issued.

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Lopez just turned 27 years old and with the young crop of big arms coming through the Royals organization, this may be the last chance he has to keep a role on the squad.  Whether it is as a starter or reliever, he will need to show vast improvement.

KC Royals,
KC Royals, /

His defense is amazing, but to stay away from the “4A” talent moniker, this outfielder will need to swing a serviceable bat in 2020.

With a well above average fielding percentage, nine outfield assists and terrific range factor, Brett Phillips has all the makings of an elite defender.  Outside of his first 37 games in the majors as a Brewer in 2017 though, he has failed to hit above .188.

If he could muster a .240 average for the KC Royals, which is what his batting stats have been exactly the last two Triple-A seasons, Phillips would probably be in the lineup most days albeit at the bottom of the order.  He has a great attitude about his hitting woes which is clear in this story that shows the long battle he has had with them.

Drafted out of high school in 2012, “Maverick” is still just 25 years old but with eight seasons of professional ball in his back pocket time is running out to stick with the Royals.  Like Starling, Phillips is battling for a backup spot in the outfield with the starting three set going into spring training.

He has managed to put up a .263 average with a couple of doubles and stolen bases this spring and he is seeing the ball well with five walks.  With the trouble he has had at the plate, starting the year with Kansas City but not receiving consistent at-bats would not be helpful as he works to find his swing.  How much longer the Royals are willing to keep him on the 40 man roster is a question that could be answered in 2020.

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It would terrific to see all three of these players perform well and make a case for their inclusion with the big league club this year.  It is also imperative they do so or their tenure with the Royals may come to end soon.

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