Kansas City Royals: Top Ten Players To Watch In 2017

Kansas City Royals. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Kansas City Royals. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 11
Next
Kansas City Royals closing pitcher Kelvin Herrera
Kansas City Royals closing pitcher Kelvin Herrera. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

Kansas City Royals Top Players To Watch: #9

Kelvin Herrera – CP

One thing the Kansas City Royals have been known for the past few years is their closing pitching. Joakim Soria, Greg Holland, and Wade Davis were the tops in the league for their respective stints as the KC shutdown man. Now it will be Kelvin Herrera taking over that spot for the Royals. There is a lot to live up to, but Herrera has been excellent so far in his career.

The added pressure shouldn’t be too much for Kelvin Herrera. At this point in his career, he is now a veteran when it comes to pitching in clutch situations. That includes stints where he filled in for Wade Davis as the team’s closer. However, he is still in a crucial situation and it bears watching for the 2016 season.

My expectations for Herrera are that he will continue to be one of the top bullpen men in baseball. The only thing that is changing here is his specific role in the Royals closing group. He has moved forward each year though, so this is just a natural progression for him.