The off-season is upon us, and already some are predicting another slow winter around baseball. Regardless of how the rest of the market plays out, it will almost certainly be a slow off-season in Kansas City as the team looks to continue to build the team up with young players coming up through the system.
But would it be a slow off-season if you ran the Royals? Would you continue the slow and steady build with the young players they already have, aggressively shop more veterans to add young talent, or look to start building the Major League roster back up? Would you trade Whit Merrifield? Sign Adalberto Mondesi or Jorge Soler to long-term deals? Welcome Alex Gordon back if he decides to return? Bring Jarrod Dyson and Mike Moustakas back to Kansas City?
Here are the free agents available this off-season. Here is the list of minor league free agents if you really want to go bargain basemen shopping. Here is the Baseball Trade Value machine to let you know if your proposed deal is sorta fairish.
The Royals have three arbitration-eligible players that will require decisions on whether to tender contracts or not. You can see the payroll situation here. You may also want to decide on who you want to protect from the Rule 5 draft. Outfielders Blake Perkins, Nick Heath and Seuly Matias, and pitchers Foster Griffin, Grant Gavin, Carlos Hernandez, Gerson Garabito, and Yunior Marte are all eligible this year. Players that could potentially be taken off the 40-man roster include catcher Nick Dini, infielder Cheslor Cuthbert, outfielder Jorge Bonifacio, and pitchers Scott Blewett, Conner Greene, Randy Rosario, and Jesse Hahn.
Let us know your off-season plan is as much or little detail as you would like to provide. What should the Royals be trying to accomplish this winter?