KC Royals Trades: Tuesday deal changes club yet again

The KC Royals are losing an exciting player who left a lasting impression on their fans last season. In a move necessitated by the club's acquisition of veteran Adam Frazier, another in the long line of club-improvement deals engineered this winter by general manager J.J. Picollo, the team announced Tuesday that it's traded Samad Taylor to Seattle.

Formally announcing Frazier's signing at almost the same time meant Picollo needed to immediately make room on his 40-man roster for KC's new infielder-outfielder, and Taylor was the player to go.

The Royals return for Taylor? Good question — it will be either the ever-intriguing "player to be named later" or cash considerations. If it's the former. it will be some undetermined length of time before fans know just what Mariner — big leaguer or prospect — Seattle will send to Kansas City. A team obligated to complete a transaction with a PTBNL can provide the other club a small list of players from which to choose; occasionally, behind-the-scenes circumstances preclude immediate revelation of the PTBNL's identity.

Samad Taylor takes speed and versatility to Seattle

Kansas City's decision to trade Taylor deprives the club of a multi-dimensional prospect. A member of the organization for less than two years after he came to the franchise via the 2022 trade deadline deal that sent Whit Merrifield to Toronto, Taylor is known for his speed on the basepaths — he's stolen 179 bases in the minors, including 43 at Triple-A Omaha last year and 44 for Low-A Lansing in 2018. His versatility also stands out — although he's spent more time in the infield as a professional, he also boasts outfield experience.

Samad Taylor leaves KC Royals fans with a great memory

What Taylor did in his first major league game is what Kansas City fans will remember most from his brief time with the big club.

The Royals called Taylor up in mid-June last year when he'd already swiped 34 bases and was hitting .304 for Omaha. He had to wait a day to see his first big league pitch, and was 0-for-3 with a pair of walks against the Angels at Kauffman Stadium when, with one out and the game tied in the bottom of the ninth, he rapped a single to drive in the winning run, making his first major league hit a walk-off.

The rest of his first big league campaign was, to say the least, disappointing. Up and down from Omaha three separate times, he finished the season with a .200 average in 69 plate appearances. But much to his credit, and despite a distressing .279 OBP, he was a perfect 8-for-8 in stolen bases.

Now Taylor, still just 25, will see if he can make it back to The Show with Seattle.

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