The Royals are in a tight spot this offseason. Stuck between a losing major league roster and a floundering farm system can be difficult to navigate. There’s been ample talk about free-agent targets and trade targets, but what does Kansas City have to offer opposing teams? There’s plenty of value on the 40-man roster, but it’s difficult to improve your team’s winning percentage if you trade away the value you already have.
To grade each player, I’ve used a formula that considers each tool (hit/power/glove/speed) for players. In addition, it factors in positional value, years of team control, injury risk, and age. This formula doesn’t factor in any intangible value, meaning a player like Salvador Perez who offers substantial clubhouse presence and leadership, isn’t fully represented here. Nonetheless, here are the rankings.
1. SS Bobby Witt Jr. — Value Score: 49.0
If you’re surprised by Bobby Witt Jr. being at the top here then I’m not really sure what else to say. A perfect position player score here would’ve been 55.0. Witt just barely misses that 50.0 mark. He’s an elite blend of defense, power, and speed. The hit tool is starting to come along as well. Witt is a true franchise cornerstone and the ceiling is sky-high.
2. 3B/SS Maikel Garcia — Value Score: 41.0
Garcia offers a nice blend of defense, team control, and hit tool. He’s a nice leadoff man but is certainly lacking in the power department. For that reason, he profiles much more as a shortstop at the Major League level. That spot is clearly taken by Bobby Witt Jr. for the foreseeable future, leading many to see Garcia as the best trade chip the Royals have to offer. Based on these values, I tend to agree.
3. 1B Vinnie Pasquantino — Value Score: 35.0
If not for the injury risk, Pasquantino would have scored higher. Injury concerns caused him to drop in the MLB Draft. A shoulder injury also made him miss most of the 2023 campaign. He has one of the best hit tools in the entire organization and pairs that with good power as well. There’s not a ton of defensive value, as first base isn’t really a position that carries much defensive importance. Pasquantino struggled at the plate in the limited sample we saw last season, but much of that was anchored by a very low BABIP.
4. 2B Michael Massey — Value Score: 35.0
Michael Massey was a great hitter throughout his time in the minor leagues. That success hasn’t quite come through in the Major Leagues thus far. Somewhere, I still believe it exists. Massey’s value here is carried by great defense, team control, and his relative youth. If the hit tool can start to show up the way some believe it can, then Massey could be the Royals’ second baseman for many years to come.
5. RHP Brady Singer — Value Score: 33.0
Brady Singer has been a polarizing pitcher ever since making his Major League debut back in 2020. Kansas City rushed him to the Major Leagues at a time when they probably should’ve had more restraint. He’s yet to develop a true starter’s pitch mix, relying instead on two pitches for the most part. Those pitches can be extremely effective when Singer commands them well, but inconsistency has led to very up-and-down results in his career thus far.
6. LHP Cole Ragans — Value Score: 32.75
Ragans was one of the largest surprises in the entire league last season. He quickly went from a disappointing former top prospect to one of the best young left-handed starters in Major League Baseball. His fastball is downright dominant and his changeup is honestly probably his best pitch, even considering how good the fastball can be. There’s still a rather small track record of success for Ragans and ample injury risk. Each of those things dampens his value slightly.
7. OF Tyler Gentry — Value Score: 32.0
The most valuable outfielder in the organization is…a minor leaguer yet to make his MLB debut. Does that make sense? Considering how bad the Royals were last season — putting forth some of the worst outfielder production in the entire league — that shouldn’t be too hard to believe. Gentry has maximum team control remaining and is right up there with Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. in terms of hit tool. His eye at the plate and plate discipline are both great, even if his power potential is right around average. He’s a well-rounded player with a solid upside.
8. OF Kyle Isbel — Value Score: 31.0
Kyle Isbel is a former third-round pick who started to blossom last season in center field. His defense was severely underrated and carried much of his total fWAR value. The problem lies in his offensive production. It’s rather lacking. Isbel doesn’t walk at any notable rate and has been unable to create any sort of steady improvement in his Major League career thus far. He’s still relatively young (26) which leads to some hope that he can still connect the dots and improve at the plate.
9. INF Nick Loftin — Value Score: 31.0
Nick Loftin can play all over the diamond, but profiles best as a third baseman. The improvement in power output last season shouldn’t be ignored. He’s always had a good hit tool throughout his minor league career, even if the walk rate has been rather inconsistent. He limits strikeouts and plays fine defensively. If the Royals could somehow put Nick Loftin and Maikel Garcia together, you probably end up with an All-Star caliber third-baseman.
10. OF MJ Melendez — Value Score: 30.0
It’s been a long road (in a short time) for MJ Melendez. He quickly went from a top-catching prospect, leading the minor leagues in home runs, to a struggling Major League outfielder. Defensively, it’s still a work in progress. Offensively, it looked as if Melendez was turning a corner over the second half of last season. His offensive profile will likely always be power over contact, but an improving walk rate last season shows the potential for more offensive value to come.
11. C Salvador Perez — Value Score: 29.0
Salvador Perez is a 33-year-old catcher with miles and miles of wear and tear on his body. The days of elite power production are behind us and they aren’t coming back. Perez swings at just about everything. That combination of decline and poor hit tool means that a net negative offensive value is probably on the horizon. If the intangible value could be reflected here, Perez would certainly rank way higher on this list. Unfortunately, his on-field value is down and only dropping.
12. INF/OF Samad Taylor — Value Score: 28.0
Taylor looked poor in a limited Major League sample last season. In the minors, he was the best hitter in the entire organization. I’d wager that his MLB showing could’ve been much better if he were given consistent playing time. It’s difficult to ride the bench consistently and still develop into an everyday player. Taylor can play second base and all three outfield spots. He has excellent speed and a good (not great) hit tool as well. Much of his value is defense and speed, but he’s still rather young with a lot of upside to like.
13. OF Nelson Velazquez — Value Score: 28.0
Velazquez was on the list of 2023 surprises. After being acquired from the Cubs for Jose Cuas, he flourished at the plate. His power output was extreme but shouldn’t be expected. There will be regression next season for Velazquez in that regard and the hit tool won’t carry him. He doesn’t walk much and struck out nearly 30% of the time last season. Defensively, he’s maybe a touch better than MJ Melendez. I like the upside and he’s a good player to have, but I’m not so sure he should be viewed as an everyday player.
14. OF Drew Waters — Value Score: 27.0
The 2023 season for Drew Waters should be taken with a grain of salt. He suffered an oblique injury in Spring Training. That injury likely hampered him some even after his return from the IL. We saw for years the impact of oblique injuries on Adalberto Mondesi. Waters doesn’t offer the great defensive value that Isbel provides, but he does offer more power potential. He’s probably more of a corner outfielder than a true center fielder, and there’s hopefully more upside that he can reach.
15. RHP Carlos Hernandez — Value Score: 26.6
Who is the real Carlos Hernandez? He was extremely valuable up until the trade deadline last season. There was talk just about everywhere that the Royals could receive a solid return for his services if they were willing to trade him. Instead, they held on and his season quickly unraveled. He has one of the best fastballs in the organization but struggles to locate his pitches effectively at times. He’s still somewhat young with a good amount of team control. It would just be nice if the team had better options to rely on ahead of him.
16. RHP James McArthur — Value Score: 26.5
McArthur is a nice story but it’s going to take more time to be confident that he’s truly an effective Major League reliever. He was excellent for the Royals last season after being acquired but didn’t show that same ability for most of his professional career prior. Still, if he comes out of the gate next season as the same pitcher we saw in 2023, he could quickly become the best pitcher in the Royals bullpen.
17. LHP Kris Bubic — Value Score: 26.0
Kris Bubic was a nice success story last season until Tommy John surgery took him from us. Adding a slider (and actually throwing it) was a great development for his overall future but who knows how he will return from surgery. Some pitchers never return the same and his fastball already wasn’t too great to begin with. There’s still team control remaining and the potential he can become a rotation mainstay, but there are as many questions for the Royals to answer as there is upside.
18. RHP Kyle Wright — Value Score: 26.0
Wright won’t pitch in 2024 and could never pitch in the big leagues again. He was among the best pitchers in baseball back in 2022. The track record before that, however, wasn’t very good. He’s now 28 years old but still has team control remaining. The Royals took a chance on him, exchanging him for Jackson Kowar. They hope they’ll be getting the 2022 version of Wright when he returns in 2025. That’s not something you can truly count on, however.
19. C Freddy Fermin — Value Score: 26.0
Fermin was a nice story in 2023, but the rails really started to fall off as the season went on. He truly is best as a backup catcher. In that role, he can likely provide average offensive upside. He suffered a fractured finger late in the season that ended his campaign early.
20. RHP Alec Marsh — Value Score: 25.6
Alec Marsh gave up a lot of home runs last season. His pitch mix is full of good stuff, but poor command and inconsistency have plagued him for much of his professional career. He will always rack up the punchouts, but unfortunately also racks up the walks and home runs. In more of a relief role last season, he looked a bit better and the path forward was a little more clear.
