3 Royals Players Who Won’t Be on the Roster Next Year

Royals’ general manager J.J. Picollo has been frank in describing this disappointing season as an evaluation year. The organization is looking to the future to determine which young players are part of the team’s core and which ones will be leveraged and potentially traded to other clubs.

Some players, like Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia, have proven they belong on the roster long-term. Others have either fallen short in the evaluation process or don’t fit the team’s timeline.

With that in mind, here are the players I don’t expect to be Royals next season.

3 Royals Players Who Won’t Be on the Roster in 2024

Salvador Perez, C

The Royals’ longest-tenured player certainly has the ability to be on the roster. His numbers are in line with his career averages with an OPS of .722 alongside 18 home runs and 49 RBIs, but Kansas City reportedly came close to dealing Perez at the trade deadline and it’s overwhelmingly likely the organization trades him this offseason.

It would obviously be painful for the Royals to move on from Salvy, but he’s the franchise’s best trade chip and Picollo needs to look to the future.

Perez’s stellar bat, strong defense and effusive leadership make him a natural fit for contending teams. The Marlins and White Sox were interested at the trade deadline and he’ll likely have several suitors this offseason as well.

Royals fans want Salvy to retire as a Royal, but it’s in the best interest of the team to utilize his value and restock a weak farm system. He’s toiled on miserable teams long enough – it’s time to trade Salvy before his body and skills start to deteriorate.

Brad Keller, SP

Whew, it’s been an unfortunate year for Keller. Expected to be a pivotal part of the rotation this season, Keller has completely fallen apart.

Limited to just 43.1 innings in the majors after injuries and a stint in the minors, Keller has a 4.36 ERA with a baffling 40 walks to just 31 strikeouts. Unlike Salvy, Keller won’t have many suitors.

He’s shown bright flashes during his time in Kansas City but command and consistency have been issues. Keller hasn’t pitched in the majors since early May and is currently completing rehab starts, but it’s become obvious he shouldn’t be part of the organization’s plans moving forward.

In nine starts this season, Keller walked at least three batters a whopping eight times with at least four walks in six straight outings before going to the minors.

Keller lost his way despite all of his promise. I’m hopeful he’ll get a couple of late-season starts to recoup some value, but it’s time for the Royals to move on.

Nick Pratto, 1B

A former first-round draft pick from 2017, Pratto was expected to be a franchise cornerstone for the Royals’ new competitive core. He was drafted for his strong bat and power, but the offense just hasn’t been there.

In just 299 at-bats, Pratto has 112 strikeouts to just 29 walks. He’s hit only seven home runs while hitting just .238, so he’s been a sort of black hole in the lineup when he’s played.

Pratto still has a great deal of potential, but it’s best for all parties if he gets the opportunity to reach it elsewhere. Given his pedigree, Kansas City could still theoretically fetch a decent haul for the first baseman, helping jumpstart the rebuild while giving Pratto a change of scenery.

Hitting sub-.200 with a nearly 41% strikeout rate won’t cut it. More time in the minors may behoove Pratto to help him work on his plate discipline, and Kansas City has a number of infielders they could shift around to help cover first.

In any case, Pratto should not be on the major league team next year. Either the Royals should send him back to the minors to improve his offense or they should see what teams may be interested in helping Pratto finally break through.