Last time we started to cover the corner outfield depth in the Royals organization. This time we cover who will be patrolling center field in Kauffman and in the minors. What does the position look like in the Majors? Does the team have any depth on the way in the minor leagues?
Contrary to the corner outfield spots, center field doesn’t have a ton of depth at the Major League level. What it does have is a bright future, however. So, who are the Major leaguers in center field going into 2024?
The Major League Options
Starter: Kyle Isbel
Isbel may be one of the more polarizing players in the organization, which is somewhat unwarranted (in this writer’s opinion). He won’t be a great bat, but what he lacks in offense he makes up for in defense. That matters when playing at Kauffman Stadium. Even with the lackluster bat, there is still some hope with his offense.
Last season he slashed .240/.282/.380 for an OPS of .662, which isn’t inherently great. However, two things stand out, his whiff% and K%. According to Baseball Savant, Isbel whiffed only 20.5% of the time and he only strikes out 18.8% of the time, both are in the 65-75 percentiles in the league.
Isbel probably won’t be a great bat, but in today’s game, there isn’t a ton of offensive center fielders. He tops out as a league-average bat, and that is fine. If Isbel gets around the 90 wRC+ area on offense to go along with his defense, he probably ends up being a 2-3 WAR player.
Backups: Drew Waters, Garrett Hampson
Drew Waters is in a weird spot right now as he projects more as a corner outfielder. He can play center to a decent level, but his defensive metrics are worse than when he is in right. The other issue with Waters is with the bat.
Last season he slashed .240/.300/.377 for an OPS of .677. For a guy who was projected to have a well-rounded bat that isn’t great, but he still does some things well. His barrel rate is around 10% and his sweet spot% is around 38%, both of which are great. The other underlying numbers are where the concerns lie. All the expected stats are well below league average, and he strikes out a ton (31.8% K-rate).
He is still only 25 and could fix it, but he will start the year on the bench as the main backup to Isbel and the right fielder by committee. There are glimpses of a complete player in Waters, he just needs to fix a couple of things.
Once again, as with all the outfield spots, Hampson will be one of the backups. He plays most spots well and will be a solid contributor if he walks and makes contact at decent rates.
Those are the Major league guys, but the minor leagues have a couple of interesting options for potential call-ups.
Potential Call-ups for 2024
Tyler Tolbert
Tolbert is an interesting prospect. He has blazing speed, solid defense, and a solid bat with his speed being his best skill. Outside of Dairon Blanco, Tolbert is probably the best base stealer in the organization with 110 stolen bases in the last two seasons. There is one caveat with his game and that is last season he started playing center field a ton more. He is still learning center, but it also gives him more ways to reach the majors as he can play shortstop as well. He probably starts in AA, but he could be in the Majors as early as June.
John Rave
Another recurring face, Rave plays all the outfield spots very well. His defense gives him a good floor, but the bat has some concerns. Rave has hit in every level except AAA. He always maintains a healthy walk rate of around 11% with average power (.150 ISO) and has good speed. Right now, he is just a faster Isbel with better walk rates and lesser defense. If he starts hitting AAA pitching then he has a chance to take an outfield spot from anyone.
As it stands right now, there isn’t a ton of depth in the call-up section. Rave and Tolbert are intriguing prospects who can potentially bring a spark to the Royals. The meat of the organizational depth lies in what the future holds.
A Look into the Future
Carson Roccaforte
A second-round pick from the 2023 draft, Roccaforte didn’t skip a beat from his time at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. In Low-A, he slashed .257/.377/.356 for an OPS of .733 OPS and a wRC+ of 116. He has “5-tool” potential and our own Preston Farr compares him to Cody Bellinger. He is still only 21 and has a good approach, but the power isn’t there quite yet. If he develops that quickly, he is a candidate to be in the Majors as early as 2025.
Gavin Cross
This may be a surprise given his early pro ball career has been anything but good. Last season wasn’t great for Cross as he struggled in High-A and he ended up on the IL with an illness bringing his season to a close. Where it stands right now, Cross is on a similar path to Nick Pratto in terms of development. Pratto started good then fell off the map as a prospect before finding himself again. Ironically, Cross has similar issues to Pratto in his approach. Cross takes too many pitches and strikes out too much. Cross still has the potential to be a good power-driven center fielder, but he needs to refine his approach and get back on track in High-A or AA.
Asbel Gonzalez
An International free agent signing in 2023, Gonzalez has a bright future ahead of him. He has an advanced approach which is uncommon for a 17-year-old with good contact rates. In his time with DSL Blue and DSL Gold, he showed some inconsistencies but still had healthy walk rates and good defense. It is hard to project a player this young, but his ceiling could be a Manuel Margot type with good defense and a slightly below-average bat. It may take him a bit before reaching the Majors, but keep an eye on him as he continues up the leagues.
That wraps up the center fielders in the Royals organization. Overall, the group has potential, but at the Majors, it is a group filled with deficiencies on offense. The main concern with the group is the offense at the Majors. The crown jewel prospect will bring the grade up in the future for this group.
Position Grade: C+ to B- (heavily relies on the future).