Last time we rounded out the infield within the Royals organization and how they pan out heading into the 2024 season. Now, we switch gears and focus on the outfield, starting in left. What does the position look like in the Majors? Does the team have any depth on the way in the minor leagues?
The outfield is where things get interesting within the Royals organization as there are a ton of options. There is depth everywhere in the organization with some interesting future depth. Let’s start with the Major league guys.
The Major League Options
Starter: MJ Melendez
Melendez gets the nod in left to start the year, mainly because right field will be dense with depth (Hunter Renfore, Nelson Velazquez, etc.). Similarly to second base, this starter is polarizing as Melendez ended last season hot at the plate but is less than ideal in the outfield. Melendez slashed .273/.352/.485 with an OPS of .837 with a wRC+ of 124 in the second half of the season.
Melendez showed he can be a solid bat in this lineup, but can the defense take a leap? Honestly, it can. Melendez switched to the outfield early last year, so he was learning on the fly. Plus, according to Baseball Savant, he has a cannon. With an offseason learning each corner spot he should at least be alright. If he is still bad, that is why you hide your worst outfielder in left.
Backups: Dairon Blanco, Garrett Hampson
He may be 30, but Dairon Blanco has a chance to be the next Royals late-bloomer. In his first major playing time last season, he put up 1.1 fWAR while slashing .257/.324/.452. He plays solid defense at the corner outfield spots with a DRS (defensive runs saved) of 2 in left and 4 in right. Take into account his blazing 30.3 Ft/s speed and we have a more well-rounded Terrance Gore.
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. Blanco will be the main backup, however.
That does it for the Major league guys, but there are a couple of minor league guys who get their shot this season.
Potential Call-ups for 2024
Tyler Gentry
This is the year for Gentry to get his first cup of coffee, or extended look in the Majors. All Gentry has done in the minors is hit as he has never had a wRC+ under 100 in his career. Last season, he slashed .253/.370/.421 with an OPS of .791. Gentry is a “5-tool” player as well, being able to do everything asked of him. He hits for contact, has line-drive power, great discipline, and is similar to a former Royals legend. Our own Preston Farr compares Gentry to Alex Gordon, if everything pans out for him. If Gentry starts off hot, he will be up ASAP.
John Rave
Rave is an interesting outfielder in the system as he has hit in every league except AAA. He gets on-base at a healthy 10-14% and can hit for contact, but not to the extent Gentry can. Rave is more of a good defender with solid speed who can get on-base. He won’t wow you with power, but the ability to put bat to ball and have discipline will get him to the bigs at some point. He needs to conquer AAA pitching however, for that chance to happen. Keep an eye on him as a potential outfielder later in the season.
Tucker Bradley
Bradley is very similar to Gentry with the bat. He has never had a wRC+ lower than 100 in his minor league career and has healthy walk rates throughout. The big difference in both of their games is Bradley doesn’t have as much power as Gentry, but he can slug a bit. Bradley is 25 currently and could see his Major league debut this season, but Gentry probably gets the edge over him.
There is a lot of intriguing depth in the Minors as there is a blend of good defense with good bats, but what does the future outlook look like for the position?
A Look Into the Future
Jared Dickey
Drafted in the 11th round of the 2023 draft, Dickey has the potential to be a middle of the order bat. Dickey has a good feel of the zone to go with 30+ home run power. In his first professional ball in Low-A, Dickey slashed .347/.434/.463 for an OPS of .897. That is a small sample size and you expect a prep bat to be good in the lower leagues. With a plus bat and good discipline, Dickey could be locked into the 3-4-5 slots in the lineup in the future.
Spencer Nivens
Another 2023 draftee, Nivens has the potential to be the best on-base guy in the system. He struggled in his time with Low-A Columbia, slashing .184/.336/.276 for an OPS of .612. That isn’t ideal, but he had an absurd 18.9% BB-rate. While he struggled in his first pro ball time, he has the potential to be an elite on-base guy who can slug 15-20 home runs a season. He needs a little more time in Low-A, but he could be a candidate for quick riser next season.
Milo Rushford
The youngest of this bunch at 19, Rushford is a sneaky player to keep an eye on. He has good discipline with a 14.7% BB-rate and showed some pop (ISO of .207) in his second season in the Complex league. Add in that Rushford has good speed, base stealing ability, and a solid glove and he could be a quick riser. Given that he has only played in the Complex league he has time to develop, but he could start the season in Low-A.
That wraps up the left fielders in the Royals organization. Overall, there is a ton of talent in the system, but some inconsistency in the majors. The main concern with the group is MJ Melendez building off of the second half of last season and his defense. The depth behind him is strong and the future is something to keep a close eye on.
Position Grade: B+ to A (Melendez’s bat and defense are key for this season.)
