Welcome to Opening Day of the 2021 MLB season! I apologize for the delay in articles but, big things are coming to CloudZeroSports! So stay tuned for our big announcements!
For my power rankings series, this series was supposed to be completed before the start of the season. Clearly, that is not going to happen. I still have a rough idea of what I want my rankings to look like so I do not expect much change. However, there will be additions to this series. In addition to my X-Factors and Upcoming Prospects, I will be adding a Sleepers section, a grading section, and a GM for a day section. With this being said, I am ecstatic to continue this series!
Coming in at number 21 are the Kansas City Royals. The upcoming Royals made some pretty convincing moves this offseason, let’s see what they look like this year.
Notable Additions: Andrew Benintendi, Carlos Santana, Mike Minor
Notable Losses: Maikel Franco, Alex Gordon, Ian Kennedy
Current Top 5 Prospects: Bobby Witt Jr, Daniel Lynch, Asa Lacy, Jackson Kowar, Kyle Isbel
The Royals’ last playoff appearance was 2015 when they won it all. Besides 2015, the Royals have only made the playoffs once since 1985. The Royals have one of the smallest markets in the league so it makes it tough for them to contend year in and year out. However, the better days may be around the corner.
The Royals hitting was average at best. They had only one hitter hit above .300 and have an .OPS above .800 and that was Salvador Perez. They were 16th in batting average, 20th in OPS, and 20th in home runs in the MLB last season. Even with an average hitting display in the shortened season, it is important to note that the Royals still have capable hitters that can lead this team. Whit Merrifield is the perfect example of someone who can easily improve off of his performance last year. He had a .282 with 9 home runs and a .764 OPS which is not bad at all. Merrifield is nothing short of consistent and reliable for the Royals. Other reliable hitters include Jorge Soler, the newly acquired free agent Carlos Santana, and former Red Sox Andrew Benintendi. Given that it will be a full season and the Royals made some good moves for their offense, I would give their hitting a solid 7/10.
Starting pitching is not the Royals’ strongest suit. There are bright spots and prospects to look forward to. Starting with Brad Keller. He showed flashes last season putting up a 2.47ERA and a K/9 of 5.8 in 9 starts. He will definitely be a solid rotation for the Royals for the next 3 years if he plays at the same level he did in 2020. Bubic is another piece the Royals can build around in their rotation. While he didn’t have a good season last year, he was productive in the minors with a 2.59 ERA and an impressive 11.4 K/9. Brady Singer is another young piece I am excited to see on the Royals as well. Singer wasn’t fantastic in the majors last season but his one season in the minors with a 2.85ERA and a 8.4 K/9 helps his case moving forward. For now, I give the Royals pitching a 5/10 but with a lot of room for improvement.
Their bullpen is the strength of their team. Greg Holland is a good bargain at 2.75 million dollars this year. He’ll have Josh Staumont to back him up as the setup guy. A 2.45ERA and 13.0 K/9, wow. He also shares the same birthday as me so I’m inclined to buy his jersey. Another setup man is Kyle Zimmer. A solid 1.57ERA and a 10.2K/9. I like this bullpen going into the 2021 season. I give it a 7/10.
Sock’s 2 X-Factors
Salvador Perez
Salvador Perez has been the man for this Royals team since he came up and became a full-time starter in 2013. Not to mention he’ll be there until 2025 after signing a 4 year 82 million dollar deal. Perez is a career .269 with a career .749 OPS. Those a very solid numbers for a catcher. How about adding 5 gold gloves, 6 all-star game appearances, and 3 silver sluggers? Now we are talking. Perez provides veteran leadership to a young and upcoming team and I expect him to prove why he is a top 5 catcher this year. Projected 2021 Stats. .278 26HR 85RBIs.
Whit Merrifield
Merrifield was a late bloomer to the MLB but has been nothing but impactful since his arrival in 2016. Merrifield has a .295 career batting average with .787 OPS. His defense isn’t speculator but it is serviceable. He can play second base and outfield as well which makes him very versatile. While he only has one all-star appearance, Royals fans will tell you that he is a huge impact on his team. He is on a very friendly club deal with a team option for 2023, so I don’t expect him to go anywhere soon. Projected 2021 Stats. .303 15HR 73RBIs.
Sleeper: Carlos Santana
I am a big fan of this signing. Santana has always been sneaky good in his career. He didn’t have a good season in 2020 but in 2019 he was an all-star who hit .281 with 34 home runs. He’ll slide in nicely at first base for the Royals and I expect him to do well. Projected 2021 Stats. .267 30HR 89RBIs
Prospects to look forward to
1. Bobby Witt Jr
Bobby Witt Jr is one of the most exciting prospects to look forward to in the entire MLB. Drafted out of high school in 2019, Witt Jr brings a fantastic young bat and fantastic defense at only 20 years old. After a good spring training performance, he was sent down to minors leaving a lot of question marks. No need to worry, he only has one season in the minors. They only sent him down for some more experience. I would expect him to debut at shortstop next season.
2. Asa Lacy
Taken in the first round of the 2020 MLB draft, the southpaw had a career 2.07ERA and 13.3 K/9 at Texas A&M. Lacy brings an electric fastball that can already reach 97mph. He has two solid off-speed pitches to go along with his heater. The concern for him is his command but he’ll have plenty of time to work on it in the minors. I would expect to see him debut in 2023.
GM for a Day
If I were the GM for the day, I would look to move Adalberto Mondesi. I’m not moving him because I don’t think he is good, I think he is a great player, but with Bobby Witt Jr coming up in the next year or two, I would see if I could find some value for Mondesi and add more prospects in weaker areas for the Royals. Let me be clear that I wouldn’t trade him for no reason, I would need at least 1 top 100 prospect to consider the deal.
My prediction for the Royals this upcoming season is that they will finish fourth in the division with a 70-92 record. I am a huge fan of this team’s future. They have good pitching prospects on the way and one of the best prospects in baseball coming up soon. I can see the Royals making a playoff push in 2024.
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