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.

Catcher Freddy Fermin

Catcher Freddy Fermin has only four days of MLB service time, but he is one of the better players stuck in Triple-A Omaha. A logjam at catcher makes him expendable if the Royals want to improve in other areas.

The Venezuelan joined the Royals as an international free agent in 2015, and stayed in rookie ball until his Single-A debut in 2019. Since then, he has always been promoted to the next level in the same season and is an Omaha mainstay right now. His arm strength and receiving skills have been a gift to Triple-A pitchers, and he has plenty of experience with many young pitchers in Kansas City.

After making his MLB debut on July 15, 2022, Fermin had a very productive winter. He earned the 2022-2023 MVP honors in the Venezuelan Winter League, and was the league's unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year. His bat exploded down south, with his .404 batting average leading the league and his 1.048 OPS ranking second. The hitting prowess was not terribly surprising after Fermin posted career-highs in home runs, OPS, and hits in 87 Triple-A games.

So, why isn't he in Kansas City? Well, The Royals want to give MJ Melendez more opportunities behind the plate, and veteran Salvador Perez is still a Royals mainstay. That keeps Fermin's options pretty short for the foreseeable future. His ceiling in Kansas City is second-fiddle to at least Melendez if not Perez as well. He did everything he could to make the Opening Day roster in 2023, but the Royals still optioned him back to Omaha. The Royals simply do not have a need for him right now. If another team comes calling and wants Fermin on his own or as a trade sweetener, why say no? The 27-year-old Fermin can likely be a starting option for another desperate team today.