Royals Predicted To Move Ex-Rookie Of The Year To New Position For 2025 Season
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The Kansas City Royals needed a new leadoff hitter, and they got one in Jonathan India.
Now, they just have to decide what position India will play.
For most of India's major league career with the Cincinnati Reds, he has been a second baseman. Unfortunately, he hasn't been very good there on defense, and the Royals also have a more-than-capable second baseman on the roster already in Michael Massey.
India has a lot of designated hitter experience under his belt as well, and played mainly third base in college. Meanwhile, he has been working out in left field this spring, as has Massey. So where will the former National League Rookie of the Year land?
On Monday, Jeremy Greco of SB Nation projected the Royals' Opening Day roster, and named India as the starting left fielder, with MJ Melendez moving from left to right field and Hunter Renfroe serving as the designated hitter.
"It still seems possible for the Royals to trade for outfield help, but it no longer seems probable," Greco wrote, in reference to India taking over left field duties.
In his four-year career, India is slashing .253/.352/.412. The Royals had the worst on-base percentage from their leadoff hitters of any team last year, so getting India on base ahead of superstar Bobby Witt Jr. is the primary objective of bringing him into the fold.
Melendez played left field and Renfroe played right for most of last season, so it would theoretically be easy to slot India in as the everyday DH. The counterargument to that is it's never ideal to make a player a full-time DH this early in his career, as India is 28 and still two years away from free agency.
Massey also grades out as a much better defensive second baseman than India, which explains why most projections, including Greco's, have the former keeping his position.
Ultimately, the Royals have to do what's best for the team. And if India does play left field, it will have to be because he proved in camp that he was capable of handling that role.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
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