4 free agents the KC Royals should sign for spring training competition

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KC Royals fans, the wait is nearly over. Pitchers report on Feb. 14, and the full squad's first workout is five days later. Opening Day remains two months away, but spring training brings baseball fans back into the drumbeat of baseball while seeing the fledging stages of their favorite team. The non-roster invite list features some of Kansas City's top prospects too, giving fans a look at the team's possible future.

The KC Royals need to add more non-roster invitees ahead of spring training.

There will be several positional battles on the roster's fringes ahead of the 2024 season. But there cannot be quality competition without several options. Those non-roster invites help provide that, but Kansas City needs more before they head down to Arizona. Jackie Bradley Jr.'s 2023 role in Kansas City comes to mind regarding this. In no way was his season the picture of excellence, but he showed the value of joining a team before or during spring training.

He was okay in Arizona, but he was the best option available due to injuries in center field. Bradley extended his MLB career by 43 games, simply by being in camp. If the Royals want to add more bodies to MLB camp, here are six options they can add on minor league deals with invites.

Dominic Smith

The Royals are set at first base, with Vinnie Pasquantino looking ready to return. Add on players like Nick Pratto, Nick Loftin, Devin Mann, and CJ Alexander, there are plenty of competition options at first base. But, Kansas City could add former first round pick Dominic Smith to the mix.

The Washington Nationals designated him for assignment following the 2023 season, opting not to give him a raise via arbitration. He had an alright debut season in Washington, with a 90 wRC+, a career-high 12 home runs, and only striking out 15.5% of the time. Smith is nowhere near the player the Mets thought he was when they drafted him 11th overall in 2013. B

ut, at 28 years old, Smith likely has more to offer an MLB team. Smith is not a stellar option, but if injuries hit first base again, Smith could provide some MLB experience to the mix.

Codi Heuer

Local kid? Yes. Righty reliever with a plus-fastball? Yes. Available for cheap with minor league options? Also yes. Codi Heuer checks several boxes that should intrigue the Royals ahead of spring training. But, no player available at this time willing to take a small salary is perfect.

The Chicago Cubs non-tendered Heuer after two injury-hampered seasons in the organization. He missed all of 2022 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 8. Then, he made 15 rehab appearances with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. Then, he went under the knife again after suffering an elbow fracture. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Maddie Lee said the fracture did not harm Heuer's UCL, but the fracture recovery " requires immobilization, which adds a wrinkle in the rehab process.”

I am told that Heuer will be available to pitch in spring training. Keeping that in mind, he should be an enticing addition to any team. He will still need time to build up strength in his arm, something he was trying to do in his rehab starts. Kansas City could not need Heuer immediately, but he should be back in form by this summer to contribute.

Heuer will be 27 on Opening Day, hopefully with several pitching years ahead of him. He was selected by the White Sox in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. At the 2021 trade deadline, the Sox traded Craig Kimbrel to the Cubs for Heuer and Nick Madrigal, sending both to the other side of Chicago. Heuer pitched 62 1/3 innings for the White Sox, with solid results. He had a 9.2 K/9 and 1.219 WHIP, accumulating a 3.34 FIP. He struggled with the Cubs with his walks rising and strikeouts dropping, but his 3.14 ERA was more than acceptable out of the bullpen.

In 2021, Heuer leaned heavily on his fastball, while mixing in his slider and changeup. Both of those offspeed pitches had positive run values according to Baseball Savant, while his fastball had regressed from his 2020 debut. Still, he missed barrels and limited hard contact on his offspeed offerings. Heuer had a tantalizing arsenal, it is now time to see where it stands after two seasons lost to injury.

Shintaro Fujinami

The Oakland Athletics signed Shintaro Fujinami before the 2023 season. By the middle of the 2023 season, it was safe to say that signing was terrible. Fujinami was not ready to start in the major leagues. After seven starts, Oakland started to use him out of the bullpen. The Baltimore Orioles traded for Fujinami at the trade deadline and continued to give him chances to pitch out of the bullpen. His performance was marginally better for the Orioles, but he still left much to be desired.

So, why should the Royals be interested in the righty? The same reason any MLB team should: the potential. He flashed an elite fastball as a starter, reaching 102.6 MPH in 2023. His pairing that offering with his split finger and cutter buoyed his career in Asia, but control issues negated much of his fastball's effectiveness. He posted a much improved ERA as a reliever, but he still has much room for improvement.

While Fujinami's control issues have been a concern, it is important to note that many successful relievers have overcome similar challenges. With the right coaching and support, Fujinami has the potential to improve his control and become an effective reliever. Additionally, his ability to consistently hit high velocities with his fastball suggests that his control issues may be more related to fine-tuning than a fundamental flaw in his mechanics.

Fujinami's MLB future is as a reliever, not as a starter. He has the stuff to succeed as a set-up man, possibly a future closer. But his floor is very low as well. Bringing Fujinami to spring training is a low-risk, high-reward move that another team will make if Kansas City does not.

Jarlín García

Much like Heuer, Jarlín García is available simply because of injury concerns. The Pittsburgh Pirates did not pick up García's 2024 option worth $3.25 million, but that is not a shock. The Pirates shut down García in spring training last season due to a nerve issue in his bicep. The issue was severe enough that García was "unable to grip a ball" according to reports.

García is looking for a new home, but that is nothing new for the lefty. He started his career with the Miami Marlins on 217, pitching 170 innings across 150 games for the team. He had a stellar 2019 season, but the Marlins inexplicably placed him on waivers. Then, the San Francisco Giants picked him up and García improved further. HE pitched in 135 games across three seasons, posting a 1.066 WHIP and 2.84 ERA across 152 innings.

He parlayed four solid relief seasons into a one-year, $2.5 million deal with a club option for 2024 with the Pirates. So, now that García is a free agent once again, what will the 31-year-old do? There hasn't been an update about his playing availability or if the nerve issue will linger. If he is back and healthy, García's game would play well in Kauffman Stadium. He has a low 2.5 BB/9 since 2020 while inducing groundballs at a 39.9% rate.

Kansas City added Wil Smith this offseason, but the bullpen currently lacks a standout lefty option. Josh Tyalor's health is a concern, Jake Brentz hasn't pitched in years, and Angel Zerpa hasn't lived up to his 2021 debut. What do the Royals have to lose by bringing in García to see what he has to offer?

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