The gritty Lopez has flat out performed since coming to the Royals in 2016’s fifth round, forcing his way to Triple-A by year’s end and now knocking on the door of the big leagues. Always known for his above-average glovework at SS, Lopez found a new level at the plate last year and now looks like he might hit enough to be a regular. He won’t ever produce much power, but good bat-to-ball skills and a propensity for putting the ball in play could make Lopez a future 50-grade hitter. He’s a safe bet to profile as a solid role player given the defense and speed, but we see the upside for a bit more than that given the offensive developments he showed last season. Kansas City has yet to add Lopez to their 40-Man Roster, though he will go to Major League Spring Training as a non-roster invitee and could surface in the big leagues at some point next season.
