Kansas City Royals: What’s on their 2022 post-lockout to-do list

The Kansas City Royals have been stuck in between fully tearing it down and attempting to contend for what feels like forever. Since their two consecutive trips to the World Series in 2014 and ’15, the club has finished .500 or above just once.

With franchise icons Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, and Mike Moustakas now names of the past, Salvador Perez is the lone remaining member of the Royals’ good-ol’-days. Nowadays Nicky Lopez, Whit Merrifield, and Perez make up the heartbeat of this Royals team.

While it has surely been a rough five seasons or so for the Kansas City faithful, the Royals have one of the most exciting up-and-coming groups of prospects in the majors. While they wait for these big names to crack the big league squad, there is surely some work to do to improve this Royals roster.

Let’s take a look at a few moves that should be on the Kansas City Royals’ to-do list once the Major League Baseball lockout is lifted.

The Kansas City Royals should take a look at Bobby Witt Jr.

Ranked the #1 Royals prospect and #3 in all of baseball per MLB.com’s ranking, 21-year old Bobby Witt Jr. showed in 2021 that he is the real deal.

In Witt’s first full professional season, the young slugger hit 33 home runs, drove in 97, stole 29 bases while putting up a .361 on-base percentage and slugging .575, both well above average marks. On the defensive side, Witt also added third base to his repertoire.

Primarily a shortstop, Witt began getting reps at the hot corner to add to his positional versatility. With Adalberto Mondesi and Nicky Lopez both available on the major league roster at short, it makes sense that the Royals would want to give Bobby Witt a shot at another position. In just about 140 innings at third in 2021, Witt committed zero errors, certainly an encouraging sign albeit a small sample size.

As the Royals’ depth chart currently stands, Bobby Witt Jr. could be one of the first players Kansas City looks at to man third base. With the previously mentioned Mondesi and Lopez pairing with Whit Merrifield to play shortstop and second base respectively, third base appears to be wide open should a certain #1 prospect of theirs jump at the chance to earn the starting role.

The Kansas City Royals should sign free agent Eddie Rosario

Don’t get me wrong, the Royals already have plenty of thump in their starting lineup. Sal Perez, Hunter Dozier, and Carlos Santana are known power threats with Andrew Benintendi, Whit Merrifield, and Michael A. Taylor also being annual locks for double-digit home run totals.

The Royals should bring free agent outfielder Eddie Rosario aboard to fill the void that Jorge Soler left when KC traded him to Atlanta at the 2021 trade deadline. Soler played for the Royals from 2017 to 2021, best known for his light-tower-power and his 48-home run season in 2019 as the team’s primary designated hitter and occasional corner outfielder.

Eddie Rosario, the 2021 NLCS MVP and World Series champ with the Atlanta Braves, is better than Soler is defensively and can play a passable left field and right field. On the offensive side of the ball, Rosario had a bit of a down season this past year but he is only a few seasons removed from a 32 home run, 109 RBI showing in 2019.

In 2021, Rosario 111 games split between the Cleveland Guardians and Atlanta Braves. The sweet-swinging lefty hit 14 home runs in over 400 plate appearances and put up a total of 0.8 oWAR and -0.2 dWAR, primarily appearing as a left fielder for the two clubs. The postseason, however, was a completely different story for him. In the NLCS, Rosario went off; hitting three home runs in six games, driving in nine and hitting .560 with a slash-line of .607/1.040/1.647.

Rosario, 30, would be a nice fit on the Kansas City Royals roster thanks to his solid bat and knack for clutch hitting and big moments. With plenty of pop to go around on the team’s current roster, there is something of a hole left from Jorge Soler after his departure.

The Kansas City Royals should sign Carlos Martinez

Carlos Martinez, 30, is entering his first career trip to free agency. The longtime St. Louis Cardinal is a two-time All Star and is still a capable starting pitcher who would become one of the Royals’ top starters immediately.

“C-Mart” debuted with the Cardinals back in 2013 and has functioned in a multitude of roles over the years. Primarily a starting pitcher, various injuries in 2018 and 2019 forced Martinez to the bullpen to lighten the load on his arm. Earning a shot as the club’s closer, Martinez put up a total of 5 saves in ’18 and 24 in ’19 and a 1.47 ERA in 2018 and 3.17 ERA in the next season.

After struggling in the COVID-shortened 2020 and in the 2021 campaign, Carlos Martinez’s value is at an all time low and the Royals should pounce. In 2021, Martinez pitched in 80+ innings over 16 starts, putting up a 6.23 ERA while striking out 57 against 36 walks.

While the Royals’ current starting rotation is not terrible, the club got subpar performances from mainstays Mike Minor, Brad Keller, and Brady Singer while getting some encouraging results from newcomers Kris Bubic and Carlos Hernandez. Carlos Martinez has a lengthy track record and should be available for a relatively low cost, high reward type of contract.