Kansas City Royals: Offseason trade targets from AL East

Baltimore Orioles

Tyler Erwin, LHP Relief Pitcher

Tyler Erwin, the 25-year-old left-handed relief pitcher, has steadily climbed the Orioles farm system consistently putting up excellent numbers in 2017 (A league), 2018 (A+ league), and 2019 (AA league).

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For his minor league career, Erwin has put up a 2.49 ERA, 1.207 WHIP, and 180 Ks in 180.2 innings of relief work in various roles. Erwin has shown the ability to adapt and succeed in various roles out of the bullpen being used in long relief, against lefties and righties, and in late game save opportunities.

Erwin features a pitching arsenal of a sinker (86-90 mph), slider (like a cutter with sharp late break vs RH batters), and a changeup. He uses good command of his pitches out of a funky three-quarters arm slot which makes him a tough match-up against left handed hitters.

The way he manipulates his pitching against right-handed hitters makes him effective in those encounters. Erwin has continued to show the ability to get hitters out by generating weak contact and may be a solid LHP addition to the Royals bullpen.

Erwin will be Rule 5 draft eligible this offseason and the Orioles may not have room on their 40-man roster to retain him.

Possible trade offer: Cash Considerations

CONCLUSION

The Kansas City Royals could use each one of these players to improve their roster for 2020 and beyond. These players exhibit the qualities and potential to be market inefficiencies an organization like the Royals need to take advantage of being a small market team with limited resources to add roster help via free agency.