Is Former Royals Top Prospect 'On The Chopping Block' Entering 2025 Season?

The Royals will have some roster decisions to make down the road

Oct 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) high-fives Kansas City Royals first base coach Damon Hollins (39) during the sixth inning following a bench clearing against the New York Yankees during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The standards have risen for the Kansas City Royals entering the 2025 season.

At this time last year, virtually no one outside the Royals clubhouse expected them to be a playoff team. Now, the entire baseball world knows them as one, and they'll have much more of a target on their backs as of Opening Day.

Some players are guaranteed to have their spots all season, because they produced for the Royals in 2024. But those who didn't could face the prospect of losing their playing time or even being traded if they can't pick up the slack.

Third baseman Maikel Garcia, once a top-three prospect in the Royals system, falls into that second category in 2025. Once thought of as the team's future leadoff hitter, Garcia seems to have narrowly kept his starting role through the offseason, but his struggles at the plate have him on thin ice.

On Friday, FanSided's Joe Summers wrote that Garcia is "on the chopping block" headed into the regular season, with third base being an obvious position the Royals will look to upgrade if the offense doesn't improve as a unit.

'It's increasingly obvious that Garcia won't reach the 157 games he played last year. For the betterment of the offense, it seems his time will be reduced to maximize his defensive impact," Summers wrote.

"That puts him on the chopping block and makes it clear that the franchise expects his bat to come around sooner rather than later."

Garcia, who turns 25 on Mar. 3, had a brutal .281 on-base percentage last season, heavily contributing to the Royals having the worst OBP from their leadoff hitters in the entire sport. His OPS+ of 72 dipped 14 points from his lackluster rookie season, so he's headed the wrong direction.

There are promising aspects of Garcia's game, namely his speed and defense, but it's clear that if he doesn't hit, he'll be out of a job at some point this season.

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