Kansas City Royals: What does future look like at third base?
For the last seven years or so, the Kansas City Royals have had third base filled out with Mike Moustakas. With Moose in Milwaukee now, third base is a big question mark moving forward.
After the 2017 season, third base was one of those open positions for the Kansas City Royals. After re-signing Mike Moustakas, however, it wasn’t nearly as open as fans had initially thought.
This season was essentially an audition for Cheslor Cuthbert to prove he could be an every day third baseman and he’s failed to do so. Cuthbert has been injured for a large portion of this season and even when he has played, he’s shown very little to show that he could be an every day starter.
Cuthbert has appeared in just 30 games this season and has a slash line of .194/.282/.301 with three home runs and seven RBI in 103 at bats. Those are not the numbers you want to see from a guy who could be the future at any position.
Kansas City Royals
The other option at third base was Hunter Dozier, but he’s shown little this season as well. The Royals have mostly used Dozier at first base this season, but he’s played third base in eight games so far. With Ryan O’Hearn now in the big leagues, Dozier could get more opportunities to play at his preferred position.
Dozier’s bat isn’t good, as he’s slashing just .209/.267/.338 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 201 at bats. Dozier is a former first round pick and is finally getting a chance to prove himself this year, but he hasn’t looked good at all.
There are other options to plug in at third base aside from the injured Cuthbert and struggling Dozier. Rosell Herrera is one of them and he’s actually listed as the backup third baseman on the Royals’ official depth chart.
Herrera was acquired a few months ago and has been okay. He’s batting .278 with one home run and 15 RBI and also has the ability to play different positions.
Most of Herrera’s time has been spent in right field, but he’s started games in center and also at third base. He’s only 25 years old and it’s hard not to think the Royals wouldn’t give him a chance to prove he could start at third every day.
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Kelvin Gutierrez, one of the three prospects acquired in the Kelvin Herrera trade, has mainly been playing at third base since he’s been with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He’s currently slashing .270/.299/.404 with three home runs and 28 RBI in 141 at bats. Gutierrez could be a legitimate option to take over at third base in the coming years, as he’s just 23 years old.
Something I read on Royals Review, however, was that perhaps the Kansas City Royals would consider turning to Whit Merrifield in a few years to play third base. Nicky Lopez, one of the top young prospects, could be slotted in at second base or at shortstop in the future, making Merrifield either a trade candidate or an option to move to a new position.
Merrifield has only spent six games manning third base, so it’s obviously not one of his stronger positions, but the guy can really play anywhere on the diamond. With him not being traded this year, the Royals might have shown they plan on keeping him around and that could mean using him in a spot of need down the road.
The last option would be to sign someone and have him take over third base duties. Mike Moustakas will be on the free agent market this winter, but it’s unlikely the Royals re-sign him. Then again, we all said the same thing this time last year, so anything is possible I guess.
What about you, Royals fans? What do you think the future will look like at third base?