![]() ![]() The Royals have Whit Merrifield installed at second base this season, but Merrifield can certainly handle the outfield and, speculatively speaking, could be ticketed for more time there in 2022 as the infield picture begins to shift. If shortstop is his eventual home on the diamond, it stands to reason that one of Mondesi or Lopez (perhaps even both) would be pushed into a more fluid role, seeing time at multiple positions. 299/.364/.595 with 28 home runs, 28 doubles, four triples and 22 stolen bases. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, has split his 2021 season between Double-A and Triple-A, batting a combined. ![]() Looking further down the road, an eventual position change for Mondesi has never seemed far-fetched - not with top prospect Bobby Witt Jt. Dozier can see some time at first base, at designated hitter and in the outfield corners with Mondesi at third base, and he can of course continue taking reps at the hot corner on days when it’s Monedsi who is tabbed as the designated hitter. 203/.272/.351 on the whole as he plays out the first season of a four-year, $25M contract extension he inked with Kansas City following what looked to be a breakout 2019 showing (.279/.348/.522, 26 home runs, 123 wRC+). Dozier looked to perhaps be righting the ship with a strong July performance, but his bat wilted in the month since that hot streak. ![]() That plus-11 mark in OAA is the fourth-highest of any Major League player at any position in 2021.įor the time being, the move to third base likely displaces Hunter Dozier, who’s been struggling to find his form at the plate all season. He’s made just six errors in 979 innings at short and has plus rankings in Defensive Runs Saved (3), Ultimate Zone Rating (5.2) and Statcast’s Outs Above Average (11). Lopez has positive marks at shortstop across the board. 342 mark began to regress, his glovework at shortstop is enough to keep him in the lineup. The 26-year-old Lopez’s offense is heavily BABIP-dependent thanks to his lack of power, but even if his current. ![]()
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