we still need an impact 3rd baseman
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He's not asking if Witt has been the best offensive player, but if he is the best prospect we've ever had due to his age, his plus D at SS, and his bat. I think he is for sure. He's put it all together in the higher classes in only his first full season of pro ball. He's a fucking stud.
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Starting 2022, I would stick Witt at 3B for now. He has the corner power ability and the ability to be a plus 3B with his strong arm. Mondesi at SS (when he's healthy), Lopez at 2B and move Whit back to RF. When Mondi inevitably goes down, you can slide Lopez back over to SS and still have a GG caliber SS and Whit can move back to 2B. Santana will start at 1B next year (2 year deal and all), but if Pratto continues progressing next year like he has this year, he will force the issue at some point and they will have to make a decision on Santana (trade or release). I'd be very surprised if Witt doesn't make the team out of Spring training next year and start from Day 1 (likely at 3B). Unless they decide to try and do something like move Mondi to CF (which they should at least consider, IMO). Especially since they don't really have an answer for CF next year and who's gonna play it.

MJ doesn't likely arrive till 2023, when they start splitting time between him and Salvy in a regular rotation and Salvy doing more DH duty. I suppose they could consider using him in a trade if they could get a haul for him, but a lot of that depends on Salvy's health going forward and his ability to catch and do it at a high level. Biggest problem with MJ for next year is not enough spots for everyone to play regularly when you consider they're gonna try to give Hunter Dozier an opportunity to play as much as possible (partly due to believing in him, but moreso due to the contract they handed out to him). Not sure how Dozier fits in the long term plans and how it's possible, though unlikely, he temporarily blocks Witt at 3B for a while, if they're not willing to open up SS for him due to Mondi.

Lot of dominos to fall this off-season and in spring training. Will be interesting to see what happens.
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I would:
play Mondesi in CF. We know he won't last at SS.
Witt at SS
Dozier at 3B, play him every day and leave him there. Last chance. Sink or swim.
Lopez at 2B.
Santana at 1B to start the year until he fails or Pratto forces the issue.
Whit in RF.
I would rotate Salvy and MJ at C and DH. Save their legs, extend Salvy's career.
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and a CF
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Gordon is our best prospect ever #2 in BB America. You could argue Bo Jackson might have been had he been a trad prospect and not some curiosity who blew up and was in the Majors so rapidly.


Wil Myers was #3 and won player of the year, so he’s a contender.


***Witt isn’t moving off SS so why people continue to put out other possibilities is silly
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My plan for 2022 would be as follows:

RF | Merrifield
2B | Lopez
SS | Bobby Witt
C/DH | Perez
1B | Santana
CF | Mondesi
LF | Benintendi
3B/DH | Dozier (I guess? He's pretty bad at 3B defensively but they have to find a spot for him).
DH/RF | Edward Olivares

The best defensive lineup would probably involve playing Witt at 3B instead of shortstop, sliding Lopez over to short, and playing Merrifield at 2B. Then you put Olivares in RF full time and just DH Dozier.
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Temporarily, he could.

If Mondi stays healthy (yes, I know, big IF) next year and Witt tears it up in Spring training or starts roasting AAA at beg. of next year, they're not gonna leave him to rot in the minors if SS isn't open. They'll find a spot for him (likely 3B) in the bigs.

Again, assuming they're not willing to move Mondi off SS into CF or something.
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As far as Witt, his upside as an offensive player is similar to Alex Gordon's after his first pro season, but he adds a lot more defensive value as someone who can play a plus SS and he brings more value as a base runner, too.

You can make a case for him as the top prospect in baseball, and I'm sure some publications will.
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Just giving examples. The best prospect results wise is Gordon BUT he was a college player and older. He was supposed to be good. Witt is all of that, younger, higher ceiling and just scratching the surface. I mean, neither are Vinnie Pasquantino who is the best offensive prospect in beisbol :-) ---- or should be god damn it.
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There is NO stinking way you can count on Mondesi to be your daily SS…..heck, you can barely count on him to be the daily ANYTHING. Surely DM understands that? Especially when the SS/2nd combo requires an additional degree of teamwork. In my mind, Mondesi plays the OF….or nothing.

And, Lopez has EARNED the SS position for next year, so that should be set. Merrifield is handling 2nd nicely, so that too should be set. Witt is your third baseman, and either Santana or Pratto is at first (pending Pratto’s development). I really like the idea of platooning Salvy and Melendez, so that solves the C/DH spots.

That leaves the OF. Ok, Mondesi is probably your best bet in CF (and yes, it hurts to say that), and Benintendi is decent in LF. That leaves RF. It DEFINITELY isn’t Hunter Dozier; I’ve yet to see the position he can play at an acceptable level. I’ve heard that Pratto is a very good athlete, so I’m good with him manning RF (if he’s ready); if not, I need DM to go out and find a true Major League RFer….not some wanna be or washed up vet.

I have no room on the team for guys who cannot hit, cannot field, cannot run. That leaves Hunter Dozier totally and completely out of the equation. Why amplify an already bad contract by playing the guy every stinking day? Cut ties. Immediately.

As per the back-up guys, I believe that would include: Taylor, O’Hearn, Gallagher, Dyson, Alberto, and Dozier. Frankly, none of those guys are essential. O’Hearn is a AAAA guy, Dyson is done, Gallagher is decent (maybe trade bait), Alberto is….ummmm….. well, frankly, I’m not sure what Alberto is. I’m not a Michael A fan; just do not like his game, so he’s nothing special to me. And that leaves Mr Dozier (would someone please tell him to MOVE UP ON THE STINKING PLATE..…he simply cannot reach the the outside half of the plate, and everyone is baseball is aware of this except, of course, Hunter Dozier).

I’ve probably left a guy or two out of the conversation, but no doubt you get my drift.

I will address the pitching staff at a later date. Until then, GO CHIEFS!!!!
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Olivares should be starting in RF. If he's not, then he should kill DM and Matheny.
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While I seriously doubt the Royals would do this, my plan is based on how much you value Mondi's bat being in the lineup on a regular basis. If you value it, you DH him and don't look back. If you're trying to compete next year, you bring Pratto up when Mondi goes to the IL with an awkward slide into 2nd.

Whitt - 2B
Lopez - SS
Benintendi - LF
Perez - C
Santana - 1B (would prefer to move on and get Pratto acclimated to the bigs, personally)
Witt Jr - 3B
Mondesi - DH
Dozier - RF
Olivares - CF (not ideal at the K, but he's plenty familiar with the position)

I don't like the OF defense in that scenario, but if you play Pratto instead of Santana, I love the infield defense.
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heh, Mondesi in center field.....I give him 4-5 games :-)
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Lorenzo Cain did not get much time in the majors right after the Zach Greinke trade because of muscle injuries. He seemed to address that by working with track coach and improving his stride and stretching and maybe his nutrition and suffered much fewer muscle injuries until this year.

Based on Confederacy of Chiefs Planet Dunces theory. Mondesi will play more games at SS than any other Royal next year. The Royals best team has Mondesi in the lineup.
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