Kansas City Royals: Time to give Hunter Dozier a chance

The Kansas City Royals are bad, so why not give the older minor league players an opportunity in the big leagues? That’s been the burning question, especially when it comes to Hunter Dozier.

Before spring training began, the Kansas City Royals were supposedly planning to give Hunter Dozier a chance at first base. Not long into spring training, however, the team signed Lucas Duda, meaning Dozier didn’t really have a place on the Royals major league team anymore.

With the Royals struggling and Duda not playing much at first base anyway, why can’t Hunter Dozier get an opportunity to play in Kansas City? He’s performing well in the minor leagues, slashing .320/.414/.520 with the Stormchasers before April 15th’s double header in Omaha.

Dozier has four runs, three RBI, two doubles, and one home run in 25 at bats. He’s walked four times and struck out seven times.

Royals fans have seemingly given up on Dozier after he couldn’t make the team out of spring training, but it’s time to give the guy a chance in the major leagues. Duda is only here for a year anyway and he’s been spending just as much time as the designated hitter as he has at first base, so why not bring up Dozier?

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The former first round pick also has experience at third base and in the outfield. Third base isn’t really a need since the Royals have Mike Moustakas playing there every day (I feel bad for Cheslor Cuthbert), but the outfield certainly could use some help.

Alex Gordon is on the disabled list and Jorge Bonifacio is suspended for another 67 games. That’s left the outfield to consist of Jon Jay, Paulo Orlando, Jorge Soler, and freaking Abraham Almonte. Almonte has no business seeing the plate for the Royals yet Ned Yost continues to roll him out in the lineup.

Instead of giving Almonte at bats, why not call up Dozier and have him play in the outfield? He’s spent three games in right field for the Stormchasers, so the Royals could easily have him play right field and swap Soler into a DH role every few days.

The Royals are supposed to be rebuilding and that’s fine, only they’re not really rebuilding. It’s true that the next wave of guys are probably going to be at the Double-A level and below, but the team being thrown out there every day isn’t filled with young guys and that’s the confusing part.

Let’s give Hunter Dozier and his over .300 batting average a chance to prove that he can do it at the big league level. He’s 26 years old and is showing that he can do well in the minors, so what else are the Royals waiting to see? Bring the guy up! It’s not like the team can look any worse right now.