4 KC Royals hitters who are not helping themselves during spring training

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Any seasoned baseball fan should know spring training stats are to be taken lightly. Whether it be winter rust or the Arizona air, several variables make team and individual results untrustworthy. Every team will have a spring training standout that has little or no negative impact come Opening Day, and the Royals are not an exception. But some expected impact players are faltering in Arizona.

Not everything is sunshine and rainbows for the KC Royals this spring.

These four players all entered 2024 with something to prove, albeit with differing expectations. Their spring training troubles may not extend past Opening Day, but something needs to change between now and then.

C Logan Porter

After some offseason additions and 40-man roster moves, catcher Logan Porter's path back to the majors was anything but easy. But the former clubhouse attendant serves as valuable organizational depth and a Hollywood-esque career story. But his spring training performance at the plate is not anything from a movie script.

Let's start back on Sept. 12, 2023. Porter's MLB debut in Kansas City's doubleheader saw the rookie have two hits against the Chicago White Sox. It was a strong debut, a trend among Royals rookies in 2023. He was just the second catcher in Royals history to reach base safely three times in his debut, with Jorge Pedre doing it first in 1991.

Porter reached base in eight of the ten games he played, avoiding being a black hole in the lineup. However, he has been to some extent this spring. Porter has only two hits and one walk this spring, good for a .188 OBP and .321 OPS. He has 16 plate appearances, so he has a relatively normal number of opportunities. However, the 28-year-old catcher is not making a strong case for the Royals' third catcher this spring.

OF Hunter Renfroe

Signing with the Royals back on Dec. 19, Christmas came early for outfielder Hunter Renfroe. His first post-arbitration deal came from Kansas City, a two-year deal worth $13 million with a player option for 2025. The Mississippi native's 2023 season was not a great one, split between the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds. He needed a strong spring to dispel Royals fans' concerns, but that is not the case in Surprise.

First of all, Renfroe was late to the Arizona party. He did not play his first spring game until March 1, suffering from back tightness. Renfroe downplayed the injury to Kansas City Star reporter Jaylon Thompson ($) following his spring training debut.

“It was like a little spasm or something probably from dehydration a little bit from out here in this dry weather,” Renfroe said. “But nothing too serious, just a little maintenance issues. I’m trying to stay hydrated. Doing better now and feel great.”

He looked great in that first game, drawing a walk on his first plate appearance and hitting "two well-hit balls to left," according to Royals manager Matt Quatraro. But little has gone right for Renfroe since then. He only has two hits in 20 plate appearances, posting a .368 OPS and no extra-base hits. The 32-year-old righty has had an above-average bat across his career, so seeing such a cold start in the desert is not a great sign.

The extra-base hits are Renfroe's calling card since he made his MLB debut back in 2016. He has six consecutive seasons with at least 50 extra-base hits, tied for the most in MLB. He squeaked over that mark with 51 in 2023 during a relatively down season. But, now a seasoned veteran, Renfroe has a clear role in Kansas City's right field. His contract and experience nearly guarantee his Opening Day spot. The question is if he will be 100% ready and healthy for his regular-season Royals debut.

OF Nelson Velázquez

There were few Royals batters with more hype heading into the 2024 season than outfielder Nelson Velázquez. The Puerto Rico native was Kansas City's Player of the Month in September/October while being red-hot at the plate. However, Kansas City's return for reliever Jose Cuas has been lukewarm at best so far this spring.

Velázquez divided his 2023 season with the Chicago Cubs and their Triple-A affiliate before making his Royals debut on Aug. 10, 2023. In 40 games between his debut and the season's end, Velázquez slammed 14 home runs, tied for the second most among all MLB players last season. The power enraptured Kansas City fans' attention, drawing comparisons to Salvador Perez and current elite AL batters.

While Velázquez is facing above-average competition this spring, his results are less than stellar. He only has one extra-base hit in 30 plate appearances while striking out seven times. His .489 OPS places him in the lower half for the Royals this spring, trailing many Opening Day players by a wide margin.

Velázquez's status as the primary designated hitter has to be in question right now. The outfielder's spring performance doesn't exhibit a player needing major-league playing time, plus he has multiple option years remaining. Looking at the stats and approach, the Royals need to evaluate other options and have Velázquez begin 2024 down in Triple-A Omaha.

UTL Garrett Hampson

Utilityman Garret Hampson was Kansas City's first major-league free agent signee following the 2023 season, setting a low bar ahead of an eventually exciting offseason. He was the team's only free agent addition in November 2023, proceeding a very busy December. The six-year MLB veteran was hardly an exciting acquisition but had versatile value for the Royals. But, his slow spring has to cause concern for Royals fans.

Hampson began his MLB career with the Colorado Rockies, but his one-year tenure with the Miami Marlins served as his breakout season. His .276/.349/.380 line was all above his career average, buoyed by strong production following the All-Star break. The 29-year-old parlayed his strong season into a one-year contract in Kansas City.

The Royals didn't sign Hampson for his bat, but rather for his speed and defensive fluidity. He logged at least 30 innings at six different defensive positions last season. He primarily played shortstop (217 innings) and center field (137 1/3 innings), two premium defensive positions. Despite what Hampson could do in 2024, his spring performance so far is concerning.

His .638 OPS is an acceptable mark for the spring, but his 32.3% strikeout rate is an issue that cannot carry over into the regular season. Hampson may be tweaking his swing, resulting in a more aggressive plate approach. But Hampson's power isn't great enough to offset such a high strikeout rate. If Hampson sticks with the MLB roster, hopefully he retains his 2023 form rather than his previous one.

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