Royals Predicted To Keep 26-Year-Old Lefty Bat, Cut Ties With Nelson Velázquez
It's officially crunch time for the players on the fringes of the Kansas City Royals' roster.
With Opening Day only a week away, the Royals will play six more spring training games, including a split-squad doubleheader on Friday. Roster decisions could be mostly made by the end of the week, meaning there's precious little time left to impress.
It's been a battle this spring for the final few bench spots on the team. The Royals need defensive versatility, and they also need at least one high-upside hitter that can give them quality at-bats in pinch-hitting and spot start situations.
That final competition seems to be coming down to Nick Pratto, the first baseman and 2017 first-round pick, and Nelson Velázquez, who impressed in 2023 after arriving in Kansas City via trade, but took a big step back last season.
Neither player has had a good spring, and it's felt like a toss-up all along. But on Wednesday, MLB.com's Anne Rogers projected that Pratto would narrowly take the job from Velázquez, with the loser of the competition facing long odds to stay in the organization.
"Pratto, a Gold Glove-caliber first baseman, is working in the outfield this spring to increase his versatility. He would represent a lefty power threat off the bench, but he will need to bring his strikeout rate down," Rogers wrote.
"Nelson Velázquez would be the righty power option. Complicating matters is that both Pratto and Velázquez are out of options."
Pratto, 26, didn't appear in the majors last season, blocked at first base by Vinnie Pasquantino. He's 5-for-28 with 12 strikeouts so far this spring, but he does have a home run. Velázquez is 3-for-20 with five strikeouts and only one extra-base hit, a double.
To carve out a regular role for himself in Kansas City at long last, Pratto will have to tighten up his approach at the plate while proving he can be a viable defender in the outfield. The opportunity could be there, but his track record so far isn't all that encouraging.
However, being a former first-round pick will inherently grant you more opportunities than other struggling minor-leaguers. Pratto will have to make the most of his if it comes, because it will be the last one in Kansas City.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org