It’s uncommon for the Kansas City Royals to be buyers at the MLB Trade Deadline, but that’s the direction they’re heading this season.
ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan analyzed the status of all 30 teams two months before the deadline, identifying the Royals as ‘likely adders.’
“The Royals are already exploring the league for relief pitching, indicating their intent to strengthen one of the most surprising rosters in baseball,” Passan writes. “Despite recent struggles, Kansas City holds the fourth-best record in the AL. They urgently need bullpen support and could also use a hitting outfielder. Their outfielders have a .204/.271/.324 slash line this season, with a wOBA of .267—the worst among all major league outfields.”
Let’s examine who they might trade to acquire quality MLB talent and enhance their postseason prospects.
Kansas City Likely Trading Prospects Ahead of Deadline
The primary way to enhance an MLB roster without weakening it is by trading minor-league players.
While the Royals don’t have a top-tier farm system, they have several promising players who could be traded for offensive help or bullpen arms this summer.
Ideally, any traded prospects won’t be close to their major-league debut, as trading someone who could soon succeed in the majors would be counterproductive.
1. Blake Mitchell, Catcher
Mitchell could be a future replacement for the Royals’ current catchers, Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin, but he is still several years away from the MLB.
The 19-year-old Mitchell was drafted out of high school last year with the No. 8 overall pick. A two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas, he has shown promise this season with an .862 OPS, eight home runs, and 10 stolen bases through 43 games at Single-A Columbia.
If the Royals aim to acquire a major offensive talent such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Pete Alonso, or Randy Arozarena, they will need to include a high-caliber prospect like Mitchell in the trade.
