Is Kansas City Royals 2B Michael Massey a Prime Trade Candidate or Core Part of Future?
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There hasn't been much to cheer about for Royals fans this season, with the team now 21 games under .500, coming off getting swept and embarrassed by the Colorado Rockies. One of the few things to cheer for, however, is the year Michael Massey has had so far with the team, as he has put together a solid 2026 season. That story could conclude with the Royals if he gets traded at the deadline, though. Let's dive into his numbers for this season to determine if he is a prime trade piece or a core part of the future.
Starting with the basics, Massey is slashing .263/.298/.417 for an OPS of .715 with a wRC+ of 94. Those are solid numbers for Massey, and it is the second-best season in terms of wRC+ in Massey's career, but there are things in his profile that just aren't going to be there.
The Walks, Power, and Chase
It probably sticks out like a sore thumb in his slash line, but a .298 OBP with a .263 average is very low. Throughout the five years he has played with the Royals, Massey has never walked at a high rate, with a career walk rate of 4.5%. In 2026, his walk rate stands at 5.3% which is his career high, but it is still very low compared to the major league average.
The walks are probably never going to be a major part of his game, but his profile doesn't really require he do that. Massey is an interesting second baseman, as his game is getting the bat to the ball and hitting for some sneaky power. Of second basemen with at least 300 plate appearances, he is sixth in ISO (.155) and seventh in slugging (.417). That puts him in the same room as Ozzie Albies, Bryson Stott, and Cole Young for both numbers this season.
He isn't a world-beater of a power bat regarding the major leagues as a whole, but he is an above-average one for a second baseman. He has always had this profile, but in the 2026 season he has shown the power more often. The long ball might not be there, as he has eight on the year, but he already hit his career high in doubles with 19.
The walks are never going to be a major part of his game, and his power is above average for a second baseman, but there is one issue within his profile. He always chases pitches out of the zone. That is a little exaggerated, but it also isn't untrue. Massey has a career average chase rate of 36.0%, and this year he is chasing at a career-high 39.2%. Both numbers are well below the 25th-percentile, on Baseball Savant.
It is a key reason that the walks will never be a part of his game, but it isn't as negative as it sounds. That is due to his bat-to-ball skills, as he does not whiff a lot if he does chase. His whiff rate this season lies at 20.0%, which lands in the 76th percentile, and he doesn't strike out a lot with a K-rate of 16.9%. He is a doubles hitter with few home runs who doesn't walk or strike out; one might call him an anti-three true outcome hitter. He also has a big whole in his batting profile that stymies his potential.
The Major League Fastball
It is an age-old phrase in baseball that players have trouble with the curve; obviously, not everyone struggles with the curve, but enough players did to make it a phrase. Massey is not one of these players; he actually mashes anything that dips and dives. His best run values are at a value of three on the slider and curveball. On both pitches, he is hitting well over .300 (.333 on sliders, .444 on curves) and slugging over .700 on both pitches.
In complete contrast to the original phrase, he is a batter who has trouble with the fastball. As per his run value chart, he has one season with a positive run value on 4-seam fastballs, and that was in 2024 with a value of two. He has a season with a value of zero in 2022, but every other season he has values well into the negatives. This year is no different, as it lies at -4.
It gets a little weirder in his run value chart because while he can't hit 4-seam fastballs, he can hit sinkers and cutters historically. He has negative run values in most seasons off those offerings, but he tends to have a solid batting average throughout his career on those pitches. Now with the major negative out of the way, let's discuss the way he will make money going forward.
The Defense at the Keystone
Massey's calling card this season has been being one of the better defenders at second base. His DRS (defensive runs saved), FRV (Fielding Run Value), and OAA (Outs Above Average) values sit in the top six for defenders at the keystone, as he has five DRS, six FRV, and eight OAA. As per his Fangraphs page, he has a defense value of 5.8 which is above and beyond his career best.
That just about does it for the deep dive, but the question given in the headline wasn't answered yet.
Conclusion
Depending on what you personally value in a player, there is an argument for or against the question posed. The question is whether Massey is a prime trade candidate or a core part of the future. He doesn't hit free agency until 2029 and is 28 years old. He is a second baseman who has some pop, good bat-to-ball skills, and stellar defense.
Teams will value someone like that, and in a lost season for the Royals, Massey is probably better used to fuel a semi-depleted farm. It can be tough to replace his defense, and that could hamper them going forward, but the Royals need to maximize his value at this rate whether it is today or even in the offseason.
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Trey is no stranger to writing about the Royals as he has done it for 6 years now for various blogs (Kings of Kauffman, Inside The Royals, and Farm to Fountains). He is a graduate of Baker University with a degree in Mass Media with an emphasis in sports media. He enjoys watching and researching sports as well as gaming.
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