The one prospect the KC Royals must call up from the minors by May 1

Smarting after losing eight of 10 games on their recent road trip, the Kansas City Royals returned home earlier this week and made quick work of Colorado by sweeping the teams' three-game series at Kauffman Stadium. But beating the worst team in baseball — the Rockies left town late Thursday with a sorry 4-20 record — doesn't mean the Royals are suddenly set to wrest the American League Central lead away from Detroit. Manager Matt Quatraro's club still has too many blemishes.

Those problems include a shaky, frustratingly inconsistent offense that, despite scoring 17 runs against lowly Colorado, is still averaging only a shade over three runs per game. The need for more spark at the plate is painfully obvious. And with big trades unlikely so early in the season, the club's minor league system is the most likely source of help. But which promising bat to call up is the question.

Jac Caglianone? His time to help will come soon enough, but it isn't now. The club's No. 1 prospect and big league superstar-to-be ventured into the outfield for the first time at Double-A Northwest Arkansas Thursday night, suggesting the Royals are trying to determine whether he'll soon be ready to help jumpstart their offensively-challenged outfield. But he requires more seasoning.

Cam Devanney? His eye-popping .370/.426/.739 line, 1.165 OPS and team-leading four homers and 12 RBI at Triple-A Omaha (through Saturday) put him high on the list, but he's primarily a shortstop, a position not crying out for help in Kansas City, and just came off the Injured List.

But Omaha is where the Royals can find some help. And it's a familiar player who could very well provide it.

The KC Royals should bring Nick Loftin back to the majors

Sentiment might split when it comes to Loftin. An accomplished minor league hitter who through Saturday boasts a five-season .369 OBP. .278 average and .810 OPS, and is hitting .307 with a .485 OBP and 164 wRC+ this season, he's managed only a .229 average in 76 games against major league pitchers.

Whether Loftin's majors vs. minors statistical disparity derives from talent or playing time — he's been an everyday minor league player but a big league part-timer — remains to be seen, a question probably best resolved if the Royals give him a shot at more regular reps with the big club.

Now would be a good time to give Loftin that opportunity. Testing Devanney's bat in Kansas City might be interesting, but he's not as versatile as Loftin, who's played almost everywhere on the field at one time or another. And his "natural" position seems to be third base, where the Royals remain unsettled as they switch back and forth between Maikel Garcia and Jonathan India. And Loftin is worth trying in right field, where Hunter Renfroe's homerless .167/.250/.200 season compounds the disappointment he's been since the club signed him two winters ago.

Some might suggest that newcomers Mark Canha and Cavan Biggio give Kansas City all the versatility it needs. Canha has certainly proven worthy (so far) of the offseason trade they made with Milwaukee to get him (and recently completed by sending Cesar Espinal to the Brewers), but Biggio is hitting only .200 with no extra-base hits in 18 games. That, and the facts his 2019 rookie season with Toronto remains the best of his seven-year major league career, and he hit only .214 over the three seasons before he came to the Royals, make Biggio dispensable.

Some might also argue Kansas City should bring up Omaha starter Noah Cameron, who went 7-6 with a 3.08 ERA for the Storm Chasers last season and is 2-0 with a 3.22 ERA, and 1.03 WHIP through Saturday. But at this point, the Royals' need for an offensive spark outweighs any pitching needs they may have, especially considering Cameron is a starter and KC had the third-best rotation ERA in the American League after Saturday's 2-0 victory over Houston.

So, Loftin seems a good choice for the Royals to call up before they turn the page on April.