It’s Time to End Hunter Dozier’s Tenure With the Royals
When an MLB team drafts prospects among the top-10 selections, those players have high expectations. All-Star seasons, division championships and the like — all of it seems possible with highly-drafted prospects. Hunter Dozier, a Kansas City Royals veteran, never realized the potential that typically comes with being the No. 8 overall pick. He probably never will.
Talking about Dozier after another disappointing season seems like an annual event. Since a standout 2019 campaign, the former Stephen F. Austin product has been average at best. He's also currently in one of the worst stretches of his career, and many fans have had enough.
Dozier is amid another season of below-average production at the plate, in the field and on the basepaths. It's hard to believe that he started out the 2022 season pretty solidly. His .265/.327/.445 slash was palatable in the season's first half. It was surprising and gave fans some hope for more production from the 30-year-old veteran. Now, he's nearly unplayable. Dozier's .159/.222/.232 line in 2022's second half is atrocious and would be the worst season-half split in his career. Yes, worse than his start to 2021.
Dozier's saving grace for the Royals used to be his defensive versatility. No other player on the team has played more different defensive spots than Dozier in 2022. His ability to line up at first base, third base, and both corner outfield spots has enabled him to crack more lineups in Kansas City. With that said, he has never been a stellar defender overall and has never posted a positive defensive WAR total in his career.
With the Royals' new prospect influx here to stay, fans are very ready to move on from Dozier. Players like Vinnie Pasquantino, Nick Pratto and Nate Eaton are able to fill the defensive holes that Dozier once did. Most of those youngsters also have a higher ceiling than Dozier ever had, making him even more expendable.
The last reason why Dozier needs to be gone is ironically the one that may keep him around past 2022. He still has two years left on his four-year, $25 million contract and his annual salary is increasing.
The Royals have historically been fiscally conservative and may not want to eat Dozier's contract. However, the Carlos Santana trade demonstrated some front-office willingness to prioritize competition over money. The Royals sent cash equalling most of Santana's remaining 2021 salary just to clear a roster spot and acquire some players. It's possible that this pattern will extend to Kansas City moving on from Dozier.
Expecting Dozier to be gone before the 2022 season is over is unrealistic. At best, he's a bench bat with that same defensive versatility. But, that doesn't mean that he necessarily deserves a spot on the 40-man roster, though. The Royals will have some tough decisions regarding that 40-man group come spring of 2023. Dozier may, rightfully, be one of the first players let go in order to make room for a promising prospect or free agent acquisition.
2019 was great for Dozier, but everything else has been tough to watch. Given the state of the team, the Royals would be wise to give his opportunities to another player — one who will be in Kansas City for the team's next full competitive window.
