Kansas City Royals: Two Key Changes Could Solve Many Problems
Kansas City Royals shortstop Christian Colon (72) Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
The best option, barring a trade, would be to bring up Christian Colon. Colon is a former #1 pick from perennial college baseball power Cal-State Fullerton. He was a shortstop in college and was converted to second base while in Omaha last season.
Colon posted outstanding numbers in AAA last year while leading the Storm Chasers to a PCL title and being named the Royals minor league player of the year. He posted career-highs in hits (140), games played (131), at bats (512), runs scored (72) home runs (12) and total bases (194).
Scouts have been fairly consistent in their assessments of Colon and generally agree, he’s a fundamentally sound, if unspectacular, future big-leaguer with good hands, an average arm, and average speed with a little pop in his bat. Most project him to be a second baseman.
In a 2012 assessment of Colon, Baseball America reported,
"He’s a skilled hitter who hits behind runners, bunts and executes the hit-and-runs effectively. Defensively, Colon’s range is limited, and his speed and arm are below-average for a shortstop. He does exhibit fluid and quick fielding actions and his playmaking ability is outstanding…his tremendous hands and footwork, as well as his bat control, make him a future big league regular, best suited as an offensive second baseman."
ScoutingBook.com reported of Colon,
"A plus contact hitter with good speed, excellent baseball instincts and soft hands, Colon, won’t hit 40 home runs in any league any time soon, but he should be a good enough contributor at all other aspects of the game to bless the Royals roster before the end of 2013, if only as a benchy utility type."
It would seem patently obvious that Colon is the right guy. He’s a solid, dependable middle-infielder who can play both short and second and who can be an effective situational hitter and can even give you some offensive pop if he’s needed over the long haul.
The Royals used the #4 overall pick on this kid back in the 2010 draft and it’s time to see if they got something useful for their efforts. There’s a need right now at the major league level and he’s coming off a career best year in AAA.
Where else should he be but Kansas City? This move needs to happen as soon as possible.
With these two moves, the Royals will be simultaneously addressing current, near-term limitations with the existing roster while also investing in their future. Both Duffy and Colon have been earmarked for some time now to play prominent roles with the Royals.
The time is now to make that happen and to see just how far these youngsters can take the team this year and in the years to come.
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