4 key things to watch after KC Royals make 2 big roster cuts

Will the Royals carry three catchers on the roster?

In a certain sense, the immediate answer to this question could be "Yes" because MJ Melendez, the club's presumptive left fielder, was primarily a catcher until a couple of seasons ago. He hasn't caught a regular season game since last April, but could fill in behind the plate in an emergency.

The real question, of course, is whether Kansas City will decide to begin the season with Salvador Perez as its No. 1 catcher and Freddy Fermin as his only backup, an arrangement that seems the most logical and beneficial considering the plethora of players competing for the team's scarce bench spots.

But the Royals also have two big league veteran backstops in camp — Sandy León, who's playing on a minor league contract and a non-roster spring training invitation, and Austin Nola, who the club signed to a major league deal a few days after camp opened. León making the Opening Day roster has been a long shot from the beginning and, barring injuries to Perez and Fermin, isn't going to happen.

Nola has an outside chance, though. He's caught rotation newcomers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo before, and their mutual familiarity might help, at least in the early stages of the season. But because roster room is at such a premium, and Nola has a minor league option left, look for him at Triple-A Omaha to open the season, with Melendez staying ready to catch if necessary.

Next issue...

What's happening at second base?

Until quite recently, second base wasn't a huge issue for the Royals. Michael Massey, who's owned the position almost since the day he broke into the majors two seasons ago, was doing precisely what he needed to do to keep his job — despite continuing concerns about his bat, Massey's average was .300 after he went 1-for-3 against Oakland March 10. But his average has plunged 67 points to .233 since then, and his OBP unfortunately matches that troublesome average.

Add to that the health issue that made news Tuesday. What the team characterized as back tightness kept him out of that night's game against the Giants and Wednesday's with the Angels, and he's not engaged with actual baseball activity as of this writing.

So, where does Massey stand a week before the season starts? As far as positional decisions go, his back will probably force a change at the keystone before his hitting does. As we've previously projected, only an epic meltdown at the plate this spring would have moved the Royals to make a change at second, and Massey hasn't had that.

But if Massey's back doesn't improve, look for Adam Frazier to start Opening Day, unless his veteran status gives way to Nick Loftin's sizzling bat — after filling in for Massey at second base Tuesday night and going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and his second homer of the spring, and playing second again and getting another hit Wednesday, the versatile infielder who MLB Pipeline says is the club's second-best prospect is slashing .343/.452/543 in 14 games.

The next thing to watch?

Is there a reason not to put Nick Pratto on the Opening Day roster?

Pratto, who hasn't hit nearly as well in the majors as he did in the minors, presents the Royal brain trust with perhaps its most difficult decision of the spring. Simply put, he's forcing the club's hand, and its top decision-makers may have to work hard to justify sending him back to Triple-A.

If that's what they do.

Few, if any, players are making as solid a case to break camp with the big club as Pratto. He hit his third homer of the spring Tuesday night; that and the single he added boosted his Cactus League line to .412/.474/.765. He has more RBI (10) than any other Royal and is tied with Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez for the club home run lead. Spring training numbers, yes, but he's maintained that kind of excellent hitting all spring.

So it is that keeping him off the Opening Day roster won't be easy. His bat is too hot to ignore and suggests he can still be a force at the plate. He's a defensively-gifted first baseman, can hold his own if need be in the outfield corners and can, of course, take his turns at designated hitter.

Will Quatraro and Picollo find a place for him? That's what they have to figure out in the next few days.

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