The Kansas City Royals were on top of the world just two seasons ago. Now, coming off of a .500 season, the Royals are desperately trying to piece together a contender.
The Kansas City Royals were America’s team just two seasons ago. After 30 years of being laughed at, after 30 years of mediocrity, the Kansas City Royals took home championship gold. That Royals team had a never-quit mentality, as it seemed like they pulled off the impossible every opportunity they could. Now, with a few pieces gone and an older team, the Royals are looking to bring in every tool they can. One of those tools must be the second base position. Whit Merrifield is the current listed starter, but the Royals have multiple options to choose from.
Raul Mondesi seems to be their second baseman of the future, but at just 21 years old he may need more time to develop into a great player. Christian Colon was the Royals’ first-round draft pick back in 2010, but saw his numbers shrink significantly last year. However, every man is in the running, so let’s take a look at the Royals’ options for second base next season.
Whit Merrifield
Whit Merrifield was selected in the same draft class as Christian Colon, going in the ninth round. Merrifield had a very up-and-down minor league career, and finally saw himself in the big leagues last season. Merrifield never seemed to be a household name, and likely surprised many with his performance for Kansas City. While he may not have had any spectacular numbers, he showed great potential to hold down the position and outlast Colon and Mondesi for the time being.
Merrifield played exactly half a season last year for the Royals, appearing in 81 games. In those 81 games Merrifield batted .283 with two home runs, 29 runs batted in, eight stolen bases and 88 hits. While there is not much power there, Merrifield has set the bar to be a .275 hitter with around 20 steals and 60 runs batted in. In a full season he may be able to surpass 175 hits, and has immense defensive flexibility. Merrifield played all three outfield positions along with appearances at the corner infield spots.
Merrifield could be extremely valuable to the Royals if his play keeps up. His .351 average against left-handed pitching is a huge plus for his case, as he could potentially platoon at second base and play elsewhere. Merrifield has shown the capability to produce at the big league level, and while his ceiling may not be as high as Colon’s or Mondesi’s, he might be the safest option for 2017.