KC Royals: Adalberto Mondesi is right on track for return

The KC Royals got some terrific news over the weekend. Young stud shortstop Adalberto Mondesi appears to be right on track for Opening Day.

Adalberto Mondesi is an essential piece to the success of the KC Royals. As he unlocks the door to his potential, he could take the team with him.

Ever since he debuted in the 2015 World Series, Royals fans everywhere have been in awe of the tremendous speed and exciting defense Mondesi possesses. His raw power is impressive and when you put all of his tools together, it’s hard to not get excited for what the future brings. Now that he’s entering his fifth season in the majors, though, the future is starting to become the present.

With that said, he is still just 24 years old. Injuries have undoubtedly stunted his growth. There has yet to be a season in which Mondesi, the son of a former major leaguer, remains healthy and has a breakout campaign. Many are hoping 2020 is that year, and the latest medical reports add fuel to that everlasting fire:

This is great news for both Mondesi and the Royals. A shoulder injury bothered Mondesi down the stretch last season and forced him to miss significant time. He played a career-high 102 games on the year but still, 60 games were left hanging in the balance. The goal all along has been to keep Mondesi healthy enough to make it through an entire MLB season. To this point, that goal hasn’t been met.

That isn’t to say it’s impossible. The Royals have been working with Mondesi on preventative maintenance and strategies he can implement in-game to help decrease the chance of future injuries rearing their ugly heads. He’s been rehabbing for months and despite a ton of pressure from the outside, things seem to be going swimmingly.

Does it seem a bit rushed to have the Royals’ rising star jump into spring training games less than three weeks before a scheduled Opening Day return? Perhaps. But then again, that slate of games should tell us all we need to know about Mondesi’s health moving forward. Playing it safe is the best plan of action for all parties involved.

At the very least, though, it’s a good sign that one of the most promising pillars of the KC Royals franchise is progressing well in his rehab.