Examining the 3 best KC Royals leadoff options and why Dairon Blanco makes sense

KC Royals fans have to be excited for spring training, both for the present and the future. The Royals have flipped the 40-man roster over after the dreadful 106-loss season, taking their evaluation's findings to task. Opening Day not only brings a fresh MLB season for Royals fans, but it also brings plenty of hope after the roster's improvements and internal progression on the farm-fed batting order. But, where players slot in the batting order is yet to be determined.

There are some common sense generalities when it comes to how Kansas City's order should look. First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and catcher Salvador Perez seem like the ideal third and fourth hitters, while outfielder Kyle Isbel and second baseman Michael Massey should sit in the order's lower half. But the specifics are yet to be determined.

The KC Royals went through a ton of lineups in 2023.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro's lineup techniques were hardly orthodox or popular amongst fans. While injuries and underperformance really drove where batters slotted in, Quatraro's squad led the MLB with 129 different batting orders used in 2023. For reference, the World Series-winning Texas Rangers had 95 different batting orders. Some Royals pieces worked wonders, especially shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., but where they fit and when was always changing. That is what happens when a team fields one of the worst run-scoring lineups in the AL.

The first step to anything is always the biggest one, and a batting order is no different. Royals fans know how exciting an Alcides Escobar leadoff home run is, while how demoralizing a Nick Pratto strikeout is. The first batter may not be the most pivotal, but they do set the tone against the opponent. The 2024 Royals need to get off on the right foot and a quality leadoff hitter can do just that.

Kansas City has a handful of intriguing leadoff options ahead of Opening Day. Fans may see a litany of players at the top of spring training batting orders, but those should be taken with a grain of salt. Here are the Royals' real top options for a leadoff hitter, and what they bring to the spot.