Kansas City Royals: Bobby Witt Jr. Isn’t The Only Position Concern

The baseball landscape will be defined by an influx of new and exciting players making their way onto rosters in the coming years.  The new blood will bring casual viewers to the TV screens and stadiums. Wander Franco is a player that has it factor. He might be baseball’s next big star. Franco was baseball’s top prospect last season. Now there’s a new top prospect primed to have the same breakthrough on his team that Franco has had thus far.

Depending on who you ask, Bobby Witt Jr. is the best prospect in baseball. There is a lot of debate as to whether Adley Rutschman or Julio Rodriguez take that crown from him. Witt was a 30-30 guy this year through AA and AAA. You can’t argue that productivity. He (along with Rutschman and Rodriguez) will be integral to growing baseball amongst the younger audience.

Due to his appeal and on-field abilities, the Kansas City Royals should waste little time and call Witt up at the start of the 2022 season (or soon after due to service time manipulation). He profiles as an everyday player. That’s a given. Will he be an everyday player at SS? That’s what I don’t know right now.

More MLB: Biggest Steals of MLB Draft

It seems absurd to not have Witt as the Royals every day SS. He has the appropriate size (6’1) and frame (200 lbs), and is athletic enough to man the middle infield. Witt has been stellar there through his minor league career. My concern is the abundance of options Kansas City has currently. To have Witt maintain his everyday role at SS, you’re going to have to move some players around.

With the hitting production of Nicky Lopez and Whit Merrifield, moving them out of the lineup (more in the case of Lopez) to accommodate Witt, might be an unwise situation. Add in Alberto Mondesi, a very capable hitter in his own right, at 3B. The situation on paper isn’t all too clear. Luckily, the versatility of the roster can help in many ways.

Lopez and Merrifield can play OF. Both are candidates to move out of the middle infield. The real question that comes up is that of Mondesi, who might have some issue playing 3B once M.J. Melendez (another highly touted Royals prospect) gets to KC. However, in the case of Witt, the main concerns are Lopez and Merrifield. Again, one of the two will move to an OF spot, clearing the way for Witt to take over at SS.  Both Merrifield and Lopez can play 2B. It wouldn’t be an issue for either to maintain an everyday spot there as well.

More Sports: Cavaliers Did the Right Thing Not Extending Sexton

With Witt cemented as the SS of the future, what else do the Royals have to do in order to get all their ducks in a row on offense? We’ve mentioned Mondesi and Melendez, a situation that will be hard to resolve given Melendez’s natural position as catcher. You can’t take Mondesi out of the lineup. You also need to give Melendez time on the field. Seeing that Salvador Perez blocks the catcher spot, the team has played M.J.  at 3rd on numerous occasions in Omaha. I suppose the easy answer is to split DH/3B duties with the two. The DH brings us to the next position battle, Carlos Santana and Nick Pratto.

Pratto is the third of the Royals’ three-headed monster prospects. He’s a natural 1B that is blocked by Santana at the position. Pratto has taken reps in the OF in Omaha and it seems like the Royals intend on having him there for the future. Santana is also a bit older and can use some days off as the DH or a day off in general. That would allow Pratto the chance to play 1B. I do think Mondesi could eventually take some reps at 1B and OF as well. Due to the influx of talent, I’d reckon KC wants to try maintian a very versatile lineup.

In the end, too much talent isn’t a bad thing to have. Not sure how the  Royals will make it all work. Regardless, Witt Jr, the best prospect in baseball, will be at the head of the Kansas City movement. Above all else, he’s going to be the face of the franchise and will be that as a SS. A lot of possibilities for Kansas City will open up with the prospects coming in.

Image Source: Ralph Freso/Getty Images

Daniel Gentile

Daniel is a guru of baseball and basketball prospects. He’s a very experienced Amusement Park traveler as well. Follow him and his hot takes on Insta @dgentleman9288