KC Royals: Who are the club’s top Gold Glove candidates?

Nicky Lopez’s glove stands out atop his amazing year for the KC Royals.

Nicky Lopez has been quite a Kansas City surprise this season. A poor spring training at the plate followed a bad 2020, but Lopez has since come into his own. His .292 average ranks first for the KC Royals and he’s hit .397 over his last 15 games. But for all of his offensive progress, Lopez’s defense has remained superb.

Not that there was ever a question about Lopez’s defense. He was a fantastic second baseman who had a .991 fielding percentage in 2020 and was even nominated for a Gold Glove. This season, Lopez looks to seal up that Gold Glove not as a second baseman, but as a shortstop.

Ever since Adalberto Mondesi’s oblique injuries sidelined him over the course of the season, Lopez has stepped up to the plate and made a name for himself. And being good on defense is one thing, but fielding as well as he has at a position he wasn’t thinking of playing in 2021 is something else.

Lopez leads American League shortstops with a .985 fielding percentage. He’s had 116 putouts and his 285 assists rank fourth in the AL. He has a range factor of 3.76, a DWAR of 1.2, and has helped turn 62 double plays on the year.

BaseballSavant gives him a 15 OAA at the shortstop position and ranks him in the 99th percentile. Though the American League is stacked at shortstop with names like Carlos Correa and Tim Anderson, Lopez just might be able to earn the first Gold Glove of his major league career.

Michael A. Taylor has put on a defensive show in his first KC Royals season.

When center fielder Michael A. Taylor signed as a free agent in the offseason, his defensive prowess was well-known. There was no question, in fact, that his glove was definitely better than his bat—his career average coming into this season was .237, but his career fielding percentage was .990.

Taylor, however, has amped up his defensive play for his new club.

Taylor has a career-best-matching .990 fielding percentage, which ranks fourth in the majors among qualified center fielders, and he’s committed only three errors in 298 chances. He’s third with 285 total putouts and he leads the majors with 10 assists on the year. He also has the best center field DWAR (2.1), which isn’t surprising considering plays like these:

BaseballSavant grades his 11 OAA in the 98th percentile and his outfield jump in the 80th percentile; his defensive success rate is 89%.

Although Taylor has more than proven his defense prowess, it’s somewhat surprising that he hasn’t ever won a Gold Glove since entering the majors. That, however, could change this year.

Whether Taylor re-signs with Kansas City for 2022 (or perhaps beyond) remains to be seen, but his defense won’t hurt the club if he does return.

Whit Merrifield has been on a run playing second base for the KC Royals.

Although Whit Merrifield is able to bounce around the outfield, his primary position has been at second base this season, a consequence of Nicky Lopez making the switch to shortstop in the face of Adalberto Mondesi’s injuries.

Kansas City fans already know what Merrifield brings to table. He’s an all-around utility player. He has the second-best average on the team at .280 and leads the majors with 38 stolen bases. And he’s also ranked high in top defensive categories.

In 117 games at second base, Merrifield’s .988 fielding percentage ranks first in the American League. He leads the AL with 213 putouts, 299 assists, and double plays turned at 82. Merrifield also has a range factor of 4.69 per nine innings, which is second in the majors, and he has a DWAR of 1.6 which is tied for second in the majors with the Angels’ David Fletcher.

BaseballSavant gives Merrifield an OAA of 7, as he’s had a 77% success rate at second base. This places him in the 92nd percentile.

Merrifield is another KC Royal who hasn’t yet won a Gold Glove. But considering his outstanding range and by leading the American League in a few major defensive categories, he might just be able to do it this season.

Four KC Royals have displayed outstanding defensive prowess this season. Salvador Perez, Michael A. Taylor, Nicky Lopez and Whit Merrifield all deserve Gold Gloves.