Another year with the Royals at the top of most rankings across the league. Starters’ ERA was a disappointing 5th, and the away record was poor as noted throughout the season, but the .802 home record is truly astounding.
Catcher
Kansas City's Nelson Saiz completed the season in style by winning the American League batting crown. He claimed the coveted title by hitting a solid .325 for the year. Saiz is the third rookie to win the batting title in recent times, and second Royal after Bobby Nickelberry. While the glove is not elite, he led the league in CERA, and put up 6.0 WAR. He also led the AL in OBP, and OPS. The Royals are very happy to have Saiz locked down for the long term.
Luis Montoya is a gold glove calibre glove but his bat has never been strong enough to earn more than relief time. With strong catchers in the Royals system, Montoya is certainly at risk of being squeezed off the 42-man roster.
Dave Forrester is a better version of Montoya, but didn’t show it in his few chances after an August call up. The Royals will likely entertain offers for the talented C during the offseason, although if the prospects can get a better return, then he might stick as the back up for next year.
Infield
1B Luis Aceves was the AL Home Run Champion, hitting 46 HRs for the season, good for 3rd best all-time on the Royals list. He is entering his final year of arbitration with an estimated $18.7m contract. The Royals don’t have a lot of plus-plus power bats though so are likely to run it back with Aceves with a likely QO offer and comp pick coming after next season.
2B Arturo Oramas struggled with injuries this year and only put up a 105 wRC+ when he was healthy. He is now fragile so will take a development lab spot to try to work on his S&C. The Royals have several 2B prospects in their system and, while unlikely, the Royals would have to listen to offers for Oramas.
3B Jadon Tezeno did not excel with the glove, although still put up a 121 wRC+, with 33 HRs. This is disappointing from a player who came up as a SS but 3.3 WAR at $14m is a good deal. Tezeno is another player the Royals are not looking to move on from but would have to listen to offers.
SS Tonguar Zimmerman had a 109 wRC+ with a .271 average. His glove has regressed unfortunately, which puts his place as a SS at risk for 2048. A strong candidate for trade over the off season, Zimmerman has been a solid contributor and is still on a league minimum salary so should have value.
2B Edgar Mir announced his retirement at the end of the season. His career numbers show Mir is currently carrying a .261 lifetime batting average with 281 home runs and 943 RBIs. A 9-time All-Star, 2-time MVP, former Rookie of the Year, with 4 rings, Mir will be an interesting Hall of Fame case in a few years.
SS Juan Montelongo had a very poor season, with a 52 wRC+. However, his contact did improve from a 45 to a 50, he is still seen as a 5* prospect by both Scout Witkowski and OSA. His elite glove means he is the prime contender to replace Zimmerman, especially if he can have a successful development lab session.
Estanislau Covete had a 140 wRC+ and made almost 400 PAs, predominantly as a DH. He has a TO for $13m and having put up almost 2.5 WAR last year that seems good value to the Royals, and a certainly tradeable contract should any of the prospects make big strides over the offseason.
Branson Huot and Steve Katzin both had small auditions and will be fighting with Chad Hart for a position on the 26-man roster next year following Mir’s retirement, with it likely that the losers from that battle will be traded while they still have value.
Outfield
Nine different players featured in the outfield for the Royals in 2048. There are three players who will certainly be back, although two of them are fragile and two of them missed significant time this year. A.J. Terry and Bobby Nickelberry combined to start 127 games, which is not even a half season each. Nickelberry is fragile and will take a development lab in S&C. Jorge Corujo is also fragile and had his time managed with a rest day every five days. This helped him stay fit, finish 2nd in SB in the AL, and put up 4.0 WAR. This is the future for Corujo.
Domingo Carrillo, Ken Crome, and Josh Mangan all had solid seasons, hitting 10+ HRs, with a wRC+ above league average. Mangan had the highest wRC+ but is eligible for a QO and is unlikely to sign as he is looking for a multi-year contract. Ken Crome has the power that the Royals might want to prioritise with prospect Mike Gronkiewicz not seizing his chance in September but likely to be in conversations for the 2049 season. It is highly unlikely all nine players will have a spot on the Royals roster come 2049.
Offseason / Early 2049 Overview
C Nelson Saiz
1B Luis Aceves
2B Arturo Oramas
3B Jadon Tezeno
SS Juan Montelongo
LF A.J. Terry
CF Jorge Corujo
RF Bobby Nickelberry
DH Estanislau Covete
C Dave Forester / Arturo Ruano
IF TBC
IF TBC
OF Ken Crome
OF TBC
Starters
The Royals suffered in their starting rotation with their midseason acquisitions proving critical to survive injuries and performance issues.
Ben Lane and Benton Geldart both played a full season and as a 2 and 4/5 starter they were great, putting up 4.2 and 2.9 WAR respectively, with FIP- under 100. Ben Lane remains under contract for several years and, while fragile, will be back next year. Benton Geldart is durable and that is enough for the Royals to welcome him back, even as he enters his arbitration years.
T.J. Nooks had an impressive 76 FIP- and despite missing some time to injury is under contract for another two years with the White Sox picking up 45% of that salary.
Cason Willard came back from his injury to impress in the postseason and he has one more year under contract, with the Angels picking up 35% of that contract.
The two trade acquisitions had contrasting times following their arrival; Rob Cope had an ERA+ below 100, although a FIP- of 89 but Dusty Glick had a 66 FIP- and had a 5.9 WAR season. Glick has two years of arbitration left while Cope will enter the first year of his 5 year extension. However, Glick is fragile to add a wrinkle to the decision.
Ethan Chafin is a free agent but is QO eligible. Sadly, he is out for another 7 months and there is too much quality to see a route back for Chafin. He has been counted out before but this is the end of the road for the Royal legend.
Chad Johnston has been a stalwart for the Royals but it might not be viable to keep him on the 42-man rosters as younger arms come through the system.
Bullpen
Eleven players spent significant time in the Royals bullpen with several decisions needed on TO and arbitration eligible players.
Firstly, the league minimum players who will be back after solid seasons: LHP Mike Krebs, RHP Chris Morrow, LHP Chris Curry. Krebs took on a stopper role, and had a 67 FIP- with 1.7 WAR although did have a propensity for a meltdown with a 17:11 SD:MD ratio; Morrow was the Royals’ one-inning closer, with an 80% success rate from 15 chances and Chris Curry was a lock down, high leverage middle reliever.
Next up are the two predominantly AAA relievers that came up in September: Pete Acors and Chase Paggett. Paggett is in his last option year and having never grasped his opportunity is unlikely to make the roster in 2049. Acors, the 2045 11th round pick, started in AA but a 0.88 ERA there in 30.2 IP, followed by a 2.45 ERA in 11.0 IP at AAA necessitated a September call up. He had 1 IP with 1 K and 1 HP but shows enough stuff to have a spot mapped out for him to start 2049.
Joe Mays and Bob Capozziello have similar arbitration figures although Mays’ his first year while it’s Capozziello’s second. Capozziello had a solid year with a 15:6 SD:MD ratio but saw his HR/9 tick over 9 for the second year in three. Mays, meanwhile, took on a long relief role, pitched almost 100 innings, put up 1.9 WAR with a 66 FIP-.
C.J. Binkle and Alberto Regalado have similar arbitration numbers and both are first year arbitration eligible. Binkle was a solid middle reliever who wasn’t given particularly high leverage situations, but finished with 49.1 IP, 79 FIP-, 0.7 WAR. Regalado wasn’t so successful, an 8:7 SD:MD ratio giving trust issues while his FIP- was, at 92, close to league average.
The final two relievers are the money men and both come with issues. Juan Anaya has a $12m contract for next year and another year at $10m after that before a TO. He missed 7 weeks with injury but is still considered normal injury proneness, and in his action did have a 12:4 SD:MD ratio in 33.2 IP, giving up only 1 HR on the season. Luis Danys Rhodes has a TO for $10.5m and has seen his stuff decrease to only plus with one plus pitch amongst his three. However, he had 100+ IP, a 68 FIP-, 2.8 WAR, and 22 SV. The Royals are likely to follow their tradition of loyalty and executing the TO for Rhodes for one more season.
Offseason / Early 2049 Overview
SP LHP Dusty Glick
SP RHP Ben Lane
SP LHP Cason Willard
SP RHP T.J. Nooks
SP LHP Benton Geldart / RHP Rob Cope
RP RHP Chris Morrow
RP LHP Mike Krebs
RP LHP Chris Curry
RP LHP Pete Acors
RP RHP Joe Mays
RP RHP Bob Capozziello
RP RHP C.J. Binkle
RP RHP Juan Anaya
RP RHP Luis Danys Rhodes