Out-of-options KC Royals slugger in roster limbo ahead of Opening Day

With Opening Day now less than two weeks away, the Kansas City Royals have already made multiple roster cuts as they narrow down the list of players who will break camp. While some names are obvious locks to be on the Opening Day roster, others are still fighting for spots, and for outfielder and designated hitter Nelson Velázquez, the stakes are particularly high.

Going into the 2025 season, Velázquez is out of minor league options. This means that if the 26-year-old doesn't break camp, the Royals will have to designate him for assignment before Opening Day, and any of the 29 other major league teams could claim him off outright waivers.

When the Royals acquired Velázquez in a trade with the Chicago Cubs in July 2023, they were excited about his power at the plate. While there were glimpses of that potential in his first few months in Kansas City, Velázquez struggled last season, and the fact that he's not able to be demoted to continue developing in 2025 puts the Royals in a difficult position.

So, should the Royals carry Velázquez on their active roster in the hope that he can meet his potential at the plate, or is it time to move on and give up his space to a more versatile player?

Is Nelson Velázquez's bat still worth keeping on the KC Royals' roster?

Velázquez made his major league debut with the Cubs on May 30, 2022, and was traded to the Royals on July 31, 2023, in exchange for pitcher José Cuas. After initially being assigned to the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, Velázquez was called up to the majors on August 10, 2023, and appeared in his first game as a Royal the next day.

It didn't take long for Velázquez to show off his power at the plate — across his first two games with the Royals, he was 3-8 with two home runs and 3 RBI. While he struggled to stay consistent as the season went on, Velázquez's power remained impressive, and he finished 2023 with 14 home runs across 40 games in Kansas City, despite an underwhelming .233 batting average.

After breaking camp with the Royals last season, Velázquez's first 230 plate appearances saw him struggle to a .200 batting average with just 8 home runs, and he was optioned to Triple-A in June. He didn't fare much better in the minors, either, and in 225 plate appearances in Omaha, he only managed 7 homers with a .239 batting average.

Now at spring training, Velázquez is fighting to break camp in a bench role — and so far, it's not going well. After his first 8 Cactus League games, the 26-year-old has posted a .125 batting average, having managed just 2 hits in 19 plate appearances.

Cavan Biggio, Nick Pratto, Harold Castro, Drew Waters, and Joey Wiemer also in contention for the final spots on the Royals' Opening Day roster, and since Velázquez is one of the least versatile on defense, he needs to prove that his bat is still powerful enough to justify keeping him for that alone. Hitting .125 with no homers certainly isn't going to do that.

Velázquez is still young, and he's proven in the past that when his bat is hot, he can be a difference-maker on the lineup. Unfortunately, the Royals aren't in a position to keep hoping he eventually meets his potential, especially when the only thing they're seeing is regression. As unfortunate as it is, the Royals can't afford to allow Velázquez to take up a spot on the active roster this season, and since he's out of minor league options, that means exposing him to waivers.