Bobby Witt Jr. practices his swing during a Spring Training game. Credit: royalsreview.com
After appearing in the World Series and eventually winning the grand prize in 2015, the Royals have slipped out of playoff contention in the last few years. As sports fans tend to be rather fickle with their dedication, the team has largely exited the public eye in Kansas City. KC citizens should try their hardest to not waiver in their support and not disregard the team, especially in this upcoming season.
KC fans have something to be excited about. The Royals farm system has generally been one of the better ones in recent years. The Royals have the number five ranked prospect pool (out of 30) going into the 2022 season, including superstar shortstop phenom Bobby Witt Jr.
While he is a shortstop by nature, Witt will likely replace Hunter Dozier at third base come opening day this spring. This is not set in stone since the Royals have been oddly reluctant to call him up to the MLB, fearing a premature call-up would damage his confidence if not everything went well for him. With the Royals’s plentiful infield talent, the best move would be to move Bobby Witt to a third base position in his rookie season.
Witt has consistently been ranked anywhere between one to five in overall prospect rankings over the last three years. Witt has been one of the most hyped-up prospects in recent memory, with him fast-tracking his way through the minor league system and winning many awards in the process. Most prospects take anywhere from five to seven years to make it to the big leagues after being drafted. For Witt, it presumably has taken only 3; however, it is really less than that given his minor league stint has been plagued with cancellations and seasons being altered.
While the Royals do have a better-than-average pool of young prospects, their current roster talent is not to be ignored. The Royals don’t have a big-name superstar like Fernando Tatis Jr. or Mike Trout, but they do have a collection of solid veteran players combined with the experience and elite play of KC favorite, catcher Salvador Perez.
Perez and Whit Merrifield occupy the mind when thinking of Royals players who are ready to take the team to the next level. This combination paired with the aforementioned Bobby Witt should make for an electric offense. The Royals will likely lose at least one of their current starters,most likely being first baseman Ryan O’Hearn. They will also likely lose pitcher Kyle Zimmer (as his contract expired) and will look to hold on tight to their younger side of the pitching staff. Greg Holland, Ervin Santana, and Wade Davis are all candidates for retirement as well.
As the season approaches, keep your eye out for more articles from B-Line on the KC Royals. Assuming the MLB lockout comes to an end and everything moves forward as usual, the Royals are set for their season debut against the newly named Cleveland Guardians on March 31 and their home debut shortly after on April 4.
