KCKingdom
Fansided

Kansas City Royals: Jorge Bonifacio Showing Promise Early On

By Leigh Oleszczak

May 1, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jorge Bonifacio (38) is doused with Gatorade by catcher Salvador Perez (13) after the win over the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jorge Bonifacio (38) is doused with Gatorade by catcher Salvador Perez (13) after the win over the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

While it hasn’t been a fun season for Kansas City Royals fans so far, there has been at least one glaring positive for the organization and for the fans. That positive is the production of Jorge Bonifacio early into his MLB career.

The KC Royals decided to spark some interest in the fan base after a rough start to the year by calling up outfielder Jorge Bonifacio from Triple-A. Bonifacio joined the Royals on their road trip in Texas and had his first big league hit and first big league home run in only his second game.

From there, Bonifacio has continued to impress for the Kansas City Royals.

Sure, it’s only been eight games (as of May 2nd), but the 23 year old has become a staple in the lineup. He’s currently slashing .333/.400/.556 with nine hits, four RBI, and two home runs in 27 at bats and 30 plate appearances. That’s not bad for a kid who was called up not even two weeks ago.

The big question out there now will be what happens to Bonifacio when Jorge Soler is finished up with his rehab stint in Omaha? Max Rieper of Royals Review discussed that very topic,

"Many times, these things have a way of working themselves out. Soler could re-injure himself. Alex Gordon or Brandon Moss could get hurt, opening up a lineup spot. Bonifacio could come back to earth, the way Whit Merrifield did after the league figured him out, rendering a decision moot.More from Kansas City RoyalsThis Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. ImmediatelyDraftKings + FanDuel Kansas Promos: INSTANT $150 Bonus Plus Two Chances to Win!3 Royals Players Who Won’t Be on the Roster Next YearLAST CHANCE to Claim $250 GUARANTEED Bonus With FanDuel and DraftKings Kansas Promos!"

Rieper’s point about Whit Merrifield is pretty much what my argument was for removing Bonifacio from the lineup in the future. We were all hot for Merrifield and his ability to hit everything at the dish when he was first called up last year, but that quickly evaporated. Merrifield was even sent back down to the minors near the end of the summer and then brought back once September call-ups occurred.

While Bonifacio is hitting well now, he’s still new to the league. Teams haven’t had as much time to figure him out and once they do, his batting average will drop.

Still though… Two home runs in eight games is impressive for young Bonifacio and there’s no doubt that the Kansas City Royals have needed his bat in the lineup. He’s been one of the few reliable hitters in KC’s lineup and I hope that he continues to shine for the organization.

If he starts to drop off, however, he’s only 23 years old and could easily be sent back to the minors to continue working at getting better. At some point Soler will join the Royals and Paulo Orlando won’t stay in Omaha forever. Jorge Bonifacio is making the decision to possibly demote him down the road a much tougher one though, and that’s what you want from your players.

What thoughts do you have on Jorge Bonifacio so far?

Home/Kansas City Royals