The Top Three Trade Candidates from the Kansas City Royals

3. Nicky Lopez

This might be an interesting scenario for the KC Royals to take as Nicky Lopez is coming off a breakout year that saw him hit .300 on the year. Nicky’s breakout year also saw him become one of the best defenders in baseball as he led the league in OAA, outs above average, with 25. Nicky has always been a stud defensively, but no one expected such a breakout with his bat as he struggled early in his career at the plate.

The interesting part about trading Lopez would be that some teams need a Nicky Lopez on their team, they need a player who can get professional at-bats, stellar fielding, and even great baserunning. Teams could be lining up to get Lopez if they wanted and if they do the KC Royals should entertain the thought of trading Lopez, if the price is right.

Nicky Lopez can be the future at 2nd or shortstop for the KC Royals, but with how the farm system is developing players like Nick Loftin and Michael Massey the Royals may not need Lopez. For now though, the KC Royals should entertain the idea of trading Nicky Lopez, but not go for it unless it is a deal they can’t refuse.

All three of these players could be on different teams starting in the 2022 season, but with how the Royals operate expect at least one of these names to be on their way out or even signed to an extension. These three are all similar in the fact that they are all in the final year of their deals or arbitration, and they have good trade value.