Last time we focused on the keystone within the Royals organization and how they pan out heading into the 2024 season and beyond. This time we focus on shortstop. 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 other infield spots, the shortstop position already has a budding superstar at the top of the room. The backup room has some options, but they won’t see short a ton. Similarly to second base, there is future talent in the minors but to a lesser extent comparatively. With that let’s start with the Major League shortstops.
The Major League Options
Starter: Bobby Witt Jr.
This is the most obvious starter on the Royals as Bobby broke out last season. He put up a 5.7 fWAR season to go with an almost 30-50 season. On top of that, he showcased impressive Gold Glove-caliber defense. Witt will be the future at shortstop and projects to keep developing this season. Fangraphs has Bobby slashing .278/.329/.501 with an OPS of .830.
Bobby is the new face of the franchise for the foreseeable future. He is a true “5-tool” player who has improved from his rookie season and is projected to continue to improve. The Royals should look to lock him into a deal sooner rather than later.
Backups: Garrett Hampson, Maikel Garcia
The backup room for shortstop is relatively weak since Witt Jr. is projected to play in 156 games. The main backup will be Hampson as Garcia will be manning third base. Hampson is coming off of his best full season with the Miami Marlins before signing with the Royals this offseason. He had a wRC+ of 101 with a 9.1% walk rate while hitting for a .276 average.
Hampson might not show much offensively, but if he hits for contact and gets on base at that rate, that is good enough. Since Hampson is the super-utility man heading into the season, expect to see him a ton in the lineup and as a pinch-runner option. Also of note, Garcia won’t see Shortstop a ton this season, more on him next time.
The Royals potentially could not see any changes at shortstop for many years with Bobby there. The minor leaguers have a difficult path to getting called up to play shortstop however, let’s take a look.
Potential Call-ups for 2024
Tyler Tolbert
Tolbert would be an intriguing call-up as he is an older prospect who steals a ton of bases. In the past two seasons, Tolbert has 110 stolen bases and last year put together a solid season. Tolbert slashed .276/.336/.419 for an OPS of .755. To make a comparison, Tolbert is like Garrett Hampson as he can play the outfield spots as well as short. Tolbert also has maintained a walk rate of around 10% in his career. The main concern is the bat as it has been inconsistent throughout his minor league career. If Hampson gets traded or hurt, Tolbert could slot in perfectly.
Angelo Castellano
This might surprise a ton of people. Who is Angelo Castellano? Castellano is an infielder who has been in the Royals system since 2012. He is 28 years old, coming off a career season in Omaha. He slashed .281/.384/.489 for an OPS of .874 with a wRC+ of 120. Castellano had a power surge (.208 ISO), got on-base more (13.7 BB%), and struck out a lot less (15.5 K%) than we’ve seen before. He might be an older minor league player, but if he starts the season hot at the plate he has a good chance to reach the Majors.
The options for potential call-ups have a lot of intrigue, but there aren’t any guarantees for this group reaching the Majors. Now, what does the future outlook look like for the position?
A Look into the Future
Daniel Vazquez
Vazquez is an intriguing shortstop with Low-A Columbia. He plays great defense, steals bases, and walks a good amount. The issue lies with the bat as he hovers above the Mendoza line in his minor league career (.208 overall). He is 20 years old, however, and has a ton of time to develop. His defense is already good and if he can fix his contact rates he can be something special. Our own Preston Farr has Vazquez as the number 44 prospect in the system and the second shortstop prospect behind Tyler Tolbert.
Derlin Figueroa
A part of the Ryan Yarbrough trade, Figueroa is a lottery ticket who could cash in later down the road. In his three seasons, he has shown he can hit for contact and power while getting on base at elite rates. This culminated last season as he slashed .404/.516/.703 for an OPS of 1.219 between the Dodgers and Royals’ farm system. Figueroa is only 20 and if he continues hitting like this he has the potential to be a quick riser in the Royals system.
That wraps up shortstop in the Royals organization. Overall, there is a lot of talent at every level and there is depth everywhere in the system. The main concern is the backup room as Hampson will be playing everywhere and Garcia will be manning third. The minor league guys have a ton of tools, but might not get their chance in the Majors. The future is also bright with potential, although Bobby is here for the foreseeable future. (Royals please extend him soon).
Position grade: A-