3 KC Royals who shouldn't be on the roster after Winter Meetings

Edward Olivares

Wow, what a roller coaster 2023 was for Edward Olivares. His defensive struggles were known, but fans may forget he was one of Kansas City's hottest bats in the season's second half. But after ruining his prime developmental years, there is no better time for the Royals to trade Olivares.

Olivares played in a career-high 107 games last season, including 54 appearances in left field. He improved in several areas, with career-bests with a .769 OPS, .34 BB/K, 12 home runs, and 47 RBI. The first and second halves were very different for Olivares. Most of his plate appearances came in the first half, but he was a below-average batter with an 86 wRC+. Then he turned a corner in the season's second half. His workload was smaller, with a small stay on the IL. He served primarily as DH after the All-Star break, with great results. Across 44 games, he had a stellar .883 OPS and 138 wRC+.

Olivares' power in a platoon position is hard to dislike. However, retaining Olivares sends some distasteful messages. First, Olivares is as streaky of a batter as you will see. That, coupled with his atrocious ability in the outfield, does not inspire confidence. Secondly, it tells fans that the team is not trying to improve in a position of weakness. His bat is not much better than the league average, looking at his 105 wRC+ last season.

Olivares has had his time in Kansas City. The power at the plate was great to watch, but the majority of his moments induced headaches. If the Royals want to prioritize younger and more controllable players, they need to trade Olivares before the Winter Meetings end.

Nick Pratto

Fellow Kings of Kauffman contributor Jake Eubanks may classify trading Nick Pratto as a selling-low move. But there are no signs in clear sight of Pratto turning things around at the MLB level. He had a chance to make a case for the Royals' young core. That window is now closed, and Pratto could use a change of scenery to continue his MLB career.

Pratto, along with other young Royals players, had an extended look with the big league club. He played in 95 games last season, with 78 games at his natural position of first base. Vinnie Pasquantino missed much of 2023 due to injury, giving Pratto a chance to prove himself at first base.

Back up for a moment and think back to 2021. Before that season, Pratto was widely seen as a bust, a first-round pick out of high school that the Royals failed to develop. Yet, some hot-hitting and lower-talent bar in Kansas City saw Pratto make it to The Show. He only has 144 MLB games so far, but a -1 fWAR in that span.

The bat is not consistent and Pratto never realized his Gold Glove potential. Several other Royals can do what Pratto brings to the table, only better. Whether it be a low-level trade of Pratto as a package sweetener, he should not be in Kansas City much longer.

Max Castillo

The largest immediate improvement needed is in the pitching staff, so omitting any pitcher would be gross negligence. There are several pitchers the Royals should move on from. Frankly, most feel unrealistic. Reasons range from financial to the ability to notably improve, or a combination of the two. But the one player Kansas City could designate for assignment and retain feels like Max Castillo.

Castillo, along with Samad Taylor, came to Kansas City in the Whit Merrifield trade. Castillo made his Royals debut first between the two, pitching in five games in 2022. His appearances resulted in a 9.16 ERA and 1.768 WHIP, but the poor performance was forgivable as Castillo was green. How a year changes things.

Castillo appeared in seven MLB games, sprinkled across May, July, and August. He served only as a multi-inning reliever, averaging nearly three innings per appearance. His performance was all over the place, but he allowed at least one run in five of his seven starts. Whether serving as the bulk man or relieving a starter exiting early, Castillo was far from dominant. He ended the season with a 4.43 ERA and 5.32 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP). A lack of strikeouts and a normal walk rate ballooned his FIP as he relied on pitching to contact.

I understand that Castillo is still young and controllable. The fact is, he does nothing remarkable at the MLB level, and his extended results at Triple-A Omaha offer little hope. Castillo ended this season with a -.1 fWAR, appropriate for what he brought to the MLB staff. The changeup and slider have some promise, but he has not done anything special so far. Trading Castillo is not the ultimate goal. Replacing him with a free-agent signing is.

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