3 deserving KC Royals who need more All-Star votes

Phase 1 of voting for the 2024 MLB All-Star ballot wraps up this week, and thankfully there are multiple KC Royals players in their respective positions' races. Catcher Salvador Perez and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. are near locks to advance to Phase 2 voting, which begins on June 30.

Which KC Royals need more All-Star voting support?

Last year, Kansas City lacked inspiring All-Star choices, so it was encouraging to see seven different players appear in the voting standings. While third baseman Maikel Garcia and outfielder Nelson Velázquez are weak All-Star candidates, some players deserve more support from fans. Voting gives players some quantifiable support mid-season, even if it doesn't grant them a berth in the Midsummer Classic. As the voting draws to a close, spend some of your remaining votes on these players.

1. C Salvador Perez

Perez currently sits second in the latest voting standings, with 1,033,099 votes. However, the player in front of him blocks Perez from the top spot he deserves.

Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman is a talented catcher on one of baseball's most likable teams. The player selected before Witt in the 2019 MLB Draft needed to be good, and Rutschman has been for much of his MLB career. But he isn't even a top-five catcher in the American League this season.

Look at the two players side-by-side, and Perez is far and away the superior catcher through the season's opening half. MLB All-Star voting is partially a popularity contest, but there is no conceivable reason the voting gap should be so wide between Perez and Rutschman.

2. 1B Vinnie Pasquantino

Every fan aspires to see their favorite player in the All-Star Game. It's all part of the fandom. Most should recognize that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino isn't playing at an elite level this season, but he does have some redeeming factors that should garner a few more votes.

Pasquantino has the underdog backstory that everyone loves as a late-round pick turning himself into an everyday starter. The Royals fanbase rallied around him during his red-hot 2022 season, where Pasquantino deservedly made his MLB debut. Since returning from injury, he hasn't been as hot, but he has been solid.

Pasquatch's defensive improvements have been among the best in MLB, now ranking in the 84th percentile with 3 Outs Above Average, according to Baseball Savant. The 26-year-old slugger is an above-average batter and fielder by all accounts. Toss him a few more votes, huh?

3. C Freddy Fermin

Call me a homer. Call me delusional. Call me a madman. However, what should you be calling? Freddy Fermin is the best backup catcher in the American League, if not the entire MLB.

Fermin has carved out a beneficial role in Kansas City, making it easier to spell Perez without an offensive falloff. The Venezuelan has been slashing.315/.357/.478 since the start of May, while his 132 wRC+ only trails Witt and Massey. He isn't an everyday starter, but he gives Kansas City a stellar bat outside the top half of the lineup.

Royals fans are assuredly placing votes for the loveable Fermin, but he deserves even more. Between his 1.1 fWAR and 103 wRC+ as a catcher this season, Fermin is a borderline top-10 AL catcher. Fermin deserves more recognition when he is statistically superior to vote-getters such as Rutschman and Cal Raleigh.

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