KC Royals Roster: Who'll make the cut for Opening Day?

INFIELD: It's an inexperienced infield for the KC Royals ... almost

It might not prove to be the best arrangement, but the Royals will open with three second-year infielders, two of whom, Michael Massey and Vinnie Pasqantino, haven't played a full major league season, and a veteran who isn't the best available at his position.

Such is life, though, when infield decisions depend on where Bobby Witt Jr. and Hunter Dozier play, which will be shortstop and third base to begin the campaign. Witt wasn't as good at shortstop as he was at third base last year, while Dozier's never been a particularly good defender of the hot corner and hasn't hit well since 2019.

The Royals would be better off with Witt at third and Maikel Garcia at short; Garcia, KC's third-best prospect per MLB Pipeline, is slashing .355/.375/.516 this spring with a homer and six RBIs in 13 games, and hit .318 in nine games for the Royals and .285 with 11 home runs in the minors last year, and Witt is simply better than Dozier. But Garcia's option to the minors Wednesday (he needs to play every day), means Dozier will play third because that's where the Royals, perhaps giving him one more chance to live up to his overpriced $25 million contract, want him to play.

As we've said before in this space, Massey earned the second base job last season and will start there next week. Ditto Vinnie Pasquantino, but at first base, where he'll play until Nick Pratto proves he's ready to improve his distressing .184/.271/.386 2022 Kansas City line. (Dozier can fill in at first base if necessary).

Matt Beaty and Matt Duffy have excelled on minor league contracts this spring (more on both in a moment), but four-season Royal Nicky Lopez's better defense and greater versatility make him the better choice for utility infielder.

OUTFIELD: Two of the three KC Royals outfield spots are spoken for

When he isn't catching, which barring serious injury to Salvador Perez will be most of the time, MJ Melendez appears to be KC's choice for left field, a decision that first became apparent last season when former manager Mike Matheny started playing him there. He could end up in right, but left is more likely.

Like Maikel Garcia, Melendez won't realize his offensive potential without playing every day. He homered 18 times and drove in 62 runs after the Royals called him up last May and, despite his unsightly .217 average, still had an OPS+ (99) just a click below league average.

The offseason trade of Gold Glover Michael A. Taylor, an oblique injury that will sideline Drew Waters until at least late April, and Kyle Isbel's own play make center field Isbel's position to lose. Striving to prove he can adequately handle big league pitching after struggling to hit .211 in 106 games last year, Isbel boasts an impressive .471/.526/.647 14-game line this spring. And his defense is certainly good enough.

Who'll play right field isn't as clear. But because Kansas City just can't seem to get entirely comfortable with Edward Olivares no matter how well he hits, Nate Eaton may well be the choice. He performed serviceably at the plate (.264/.331/.387) last year and is 10-for-28 (.357) with a .400 OBP in 12 Cactus League games. His versatility is a plus—he played all three outfield positions and third base in 2022.

And Olivares? The Royals need a backup outfielder who can play the corners; that's Olivares. (For good measure, don't be surprised to see veteran center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr., another non-roster invitee playing on a minor league deal, make the club, at least until Waters returns, but he isn't a lock).

A DESIGNATED HITTER and a BENCH PLAYER for the 2023 KC Royals

Before spring training began, it seemed the Royals might be content to permit first baseman Nick Pratto work on his hitting woes in the big leagues, a move that would have required Vinnie Pasquantino to assume full-time designated hitter duties.

But then the club pulled a minor league contract and non-roster spring training invitation out of the blue and gave them to Franmil Reyes, who'd long punished Royal pitching (.275, seven homers and 25 RBIs in 38 career games) but whose .221/.273/.365 line last year suggested he might be in decline.

If his spring is any indication, however, Reyes' budding resurgence at the plate in Cactus League play—he's hitting .424 and is tied for the club lead in hits (14) and RBIs (12)—enables the Royals to do what they need to do for now, and that's send Pratto back to Omaha for more regular work and leave Pasquantino at first. With his numbers and power potential, expect Reyes to be the DH.

That leaves one more player to complete Kansas City's allotment of 13 non-pitchers. NRIs Matt Beaty and Matt Duffy are the leading candidates, and both are hitting well (Duffy .379, Beaty .367), but Beaty gives the Royals the luxury of a lefthanded bench bat.

STARTERS AND RELIEVERS: Five in the KC Royals rotation, eight in the bullpen

Their pitching staff poses the most difficult roster decisions for the Royals, but that's what happens when a club's hurlers were, with few notable exceptions. among the majors' worst last season.

The rotation locks belong to Brady Singer, Zack Greinke, and Jordan Lyles. Never were there questions about Singer and Greinke (except, of course, which of the two will start Opening Day), and Lyles' decent spring (13 strikeouts and a 3.52 ERA in five games and 15.1 innings), solidified the claim to a spot in the rota his two-year contract rendered all but certain.

Rounding out the club's starting five will be Brad Keller and Daniel Lynch; the former is a bit of a surprise, the latter a bit of a risk.

The Royals banished Keller to the bullpen late last season and there wasn't much reason to believe he'd pitch his way back to the rotation when spring camp opened last month. But a brand new curveball, something missing from Keller's big league arsenal until now, some encouraging Cactus League outings, and the lack of other viable alternatives have bolstered his rotation credentials.

Lynch hasn't overwhelmed many hitters this spring; in fact, he's surrendered seven earned runs in 13.1 innings. Take away the three earned runs he gave Colorado Saturday, though, and his 4.73 ERA suddenly becomes a more palatable 3.60. And the club's belief in him, together with a dearth of ready starters, mean he'll take up the tail end of the rotation.

The bullpen also has its share of locks. Scott Barlow, set up by Aroldis Chapman and Josh Staumont, will close. Notwithstanding the control issues he'll probably always have (5.02 career BB/9), Amir Garrett's slider, his fierce competitiveness and popularity with teammates, and his 0.00 ERA this spring give Matt Quatraro reason to give him plenty of middle-to-late inning work. Although he's walked eight in six innings this spring, Dylan Coleman's 5-2, 2.78 performance in his first full year with the Royals last season secures his Opening Day seat in The K's bullpen.

That leaves three spots for Quatraro to fill. Because they can start or relieve, count on Carlos Hernández landing one and Kris Bubic the other. And the final relief spot? They may be tempted to let lefty Richard Lovelady continue his work back from last year's Tommy John Surgery at Omaha, but the club's medical staff is in Kansas City; more importantly, he's proving this spring that he's probably ready to return to the majors—in seven innings, he's struck out seven, walked no one, and given up not a single run.

(Expect Taylor Clarke and Ryan Yarbrough to join the roster at the first significant sign of pitching trouble).