Royals Rumors: How much money could Royals free agents get

The Kansas City Royals have several players in free agency this offseason. While the Royals rumors are only just beginning, it’s never too early to wonder how much these players will get on the open market.

It’s going to be an offseason filled with Royals rumors. Obviously we know the big names like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, and Jason Vargas, but there are other Royals players hitting free agency as well.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports recently wrote a piece on how much money he thinks the top 80 free agents this winter will get. On his list, Eric Hosmer sits at number one, and Heyman predicts Hosmer will wind up with a seven-year deal worth $160 million.

"There are a lot of things that go into playing first beyond range, and Hosmer is excellent in all of those areas – from pickoff plays to throws to third or home to the 3-6-3 double play, which resulted in a Gold Glove this year. The numbers should get better away from Kauffman Stadium. But he’s the guy the Royals most want to keep."

This wouldn’t be a crazy deal for Hosmer. He’s only 28 years old and is entering the prime of his career. A team will gladly shell out this kind of contract for a four-time Gold Glove recipient and a recent Silver Slugger winner.

Unfortunately for Royals fans, this deal is probably too steep for the team to keep Hosmer. He’s a great player and has done a lot for this organization, but that kind of contract would handicap the organization for a long time.