Kansas City Royals: Reasons for fans to be thankful in 2017

REASONS FOR ROYALS FANS TO BE THANKFUL – DEVELOPMENT OF WHIT

For Royals fans, one of the most exciting players to watch this year was Whit Merrifield. Merrifield got his major league call-up in 2016 and took the league by storm. He soon fizzled out though and was eventually on his way back to the minor leagues.

Whit led the American League in stolen bases with 34 and was the perfect leadoff man for the Kansas City Royals.

In 2017, Merrifield began the year in the minors and that was all the motivation the South Carolina native needed. Two weeks into the season, Merrifield was called up to help the Royals out of a slump, and he never went back to Omaha again.

Merrifield ended the 2017 season with a slash line of .288/.324/.460, 19 home runs, and 78 RBI in 587 at bats. Whit led the American League in stolen bases with 34 and was the perfect leadoff man for the Kansas City Royals.

What Merrifield also provided Kansas City with was a legitimate second baseman. This is something the franchise has struggled to find for quite some time now and Merrifield has solidified that position.

While it’ll be tough for Merrifield to build on his impressive 2017 campaign, fans have a new guy to cheer for. Kansas City loves Whit Merrifield!