KC Royals players (and prospects) who should already be on the trade block 3 weeks into the 2023 season

The KC Royals are still in the infancy of what could be a very long 2023 season. Sure, 162 games from March to September is already a lot, but this team could cause a whole host of headaches. An embarrassing April 10 loss to the Texas Rangers has removed any previous goodwill the Royals accrued. It is a frustrating time to be a fan of the Royals.

The common theme over the past few Royals seasons has been fans clamoring for trading away veteran players. The team has done that successfully in the past calendar year, getting prospects in return for players like Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor. Those two, and other miscellaneous players, are hardly MLB superstars but the Royals jettisoned them in return for players that could contribute in their next competitive window. It is hardly glamorous and remains an annual part of Royals' mediocrity.

The KC Royals may not be splashy this trade deadline, but they have plenty of options that could interest contending teams.

The 2023 Royals could once again be sellers at the trade deadline, or in the coming months. The team does feature some low-level trade targets and ones that could help contenders bolster their supporting staff. Royals fans are all over trading away infielder Hunter Dozier, ending a player-team marriage that has not worked for years. But, that unlikely move would be once in a million and do little to move the Royals roster needle. The Royals actually finding a trade partner for Dozier is a flitting fantasy that needs to be forgotten.

Well, that was happy.

Outside of Dozier, there are some Royals players fans could see rumored to be on the move. While one is an expendable veteran, the other two options would be signs of bigger moves from the Kansas City Royals. Who are they, and why would another team trade for them?

Infielder Matt Duffy

An eight-year veteran, infielder Matt Duffy has had a surprisingly hot start to the 2023 season. His defense and a contact-first bat will interest some utilityman-needy contender.

Duffy signed with the Royals as a minor-league free agent on January 2023 and was a non-roster invitee to spring training. The California State alum was coming off a down 2022 season with the Los Angeles Angels. His .619 OPS and 77 games were well below his career norms. After appearing with his third team is as many years, not many teams were likely clamoring for his services. But, Duffy forced his way into Kansas City with a strong spring training performance.

Duffy posted a .293 batting average and six walks to only eight strikeouts in 15 games for the Royals. Whether it was a single plate appearance or he started the game, Duffy was ready to go for the Royals. That is what the team needed. The Royals lacked an option that could play all over the infield, and Duffy was just that. Even though he only appeared in 77 games last season, he logged at least 15 games at first, second, and third base. Duffy has been an above-average defender over the course of his career, and that glove has translated all over the infield.

Duffy has appeared in multiple defensive positions for the Royals in six games, but that is not the best part. Duffy has been red-hot at the plate, with a .412 batting average, 1.00 OPS, and 182 wRC+. It has been a small sample size for sure, but the Royals have been abysmal at the plate so far in 2023. Duffy's performance has been the outlier, unfortunately. His stats will likely regress to more normal numbers, but he has shown what he can do with the opportunities he is given. For teams that need a reliable bat in spot starts or as a pinch option, Duffy will certainly have value down the stretch.

First baseman Nick Pratto

Yah, Royals fans are not going to like this one. But, if the Royals want to make a James Shields-level move, first baseman Nick Pratto is a sensible trade option.

The 24-year-old Pratto lost his prospect status after playing 49 games in Kansas City during the 2022 season. He made his debut during the infamous Toronto series and returned to the major-league club five days later. HE stayed in Kansas City until Sept. 17, when he was optioned back down. Pratto made some Royals history in his debut season, including becoming one of three Royals ever to hit a walk-off home run in their first MLB season. There was a lot of good in his debut season, but awful stretches at the plate called Pratto's progression into question.

The Gold Glove-caliber defense has always been there, and the sensical approach was having Pratto be the first baseman of the future and Vinnie Pasquantino would be the designated hitter. But, Pratto has not adjusted to MLB pitching and didn't give Royals leadership much to be optimistic about. He easily overpowers Triple-A pitchers but struggles in the majors. His latest stint, two games in 2023, saw him strike out four times with only one hit and no walks.

Pratto has the first-round pedigree, power, and defense that many teams could covet. If the Royals do not believe in his long-term future with the team, there is no reason stringing him and fans along. Kansas City has enough needs to address that packaging Pratto and other pieces together could net them a solid veteran return. It is not the ideal end result, but certainly one fans should consider.