Kansas City Royals team outlook

Even after two straight World Series appearances and a title, the Royals aren't getting their due. Al Melchior also sees that the squad has plenty to offer Fantasy owners.

Few saw the Royals making it to the 2014 World Series, but there they were. Dismissed by many as a fluke, the Indians were the trendier pick to win the American League Central in 2015, but there the Royals were again. And then they went back to the Fall Classic and won it in commanding fashion.

So they can't do it again, right?

On the one hand, the Royals won the title even though Alex Gordon battled a wrist injury early on and missed nearly two months with a strained groin. Also, Salvador Perez did not turn in his best work at the plate, and Alex Rios was a bust after signing a one-year deal. Then again, Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas had their best seasons to date, and they got surprisingly strong performances from designated hitter Kendrys Morales and swingman Chris Young.

If you're a pessimistic sort, not only can you doubt the sustainability of the stats put up by Cain and company, but you can wring your hands over the losses of late-season rentals Johnny Cueto and Ben Zobrist. With Omar Infante or Christian Colon taking over for Zobrist, there will be a downgrade at second base, but free agent acquisition Ian Kennedy should actually be better than Cueto (4.76 ERA) was during his Royals tenure.

The rotation lacks a proven ace, but Yordano Ventura is a 24-year-old with considerable upside, and Edinson Volquez, Danny Duffy and Young should all be solid. Former stud closer Greg Holland was lost, first to Tommy John surgery and then to free agency. Wade Davis showed late last season that he can fill in more than ably, not only as the Royals' closer, but in Holland's slot as one of the top four relievers in Fantasy.

The Royals should somehow be an under-the-radar contender again in 2016, and Fantasy owners shouldn't sleep on formerly underappreciated talents like Cain, Hosmer and Ventura.

2015 projected lineup

1. Alcides Escobar, SS
2. Mike Moustakas, 3B
3. Lorenzo Cain, CF
4. Eric Hosmer, 1B
5. Kendrys Morales, DH
6. Alex Gordon, LF
7. Salvador Perez, C
8. Omar Infante, 2B
9. Jarrod Dyson, RF
BENCH: Christian Colon, 2B
BENCH: Paulo Orlando, OF

2015 projected rotation

1. Yordano Ventura, RHP
2. Edinson Volquez, RHP
3. Ian Kennedy, RHP
4. Danny Duffy, LHP
5. Chris Young, RHP
ALT: Dillon Gee, RHP

2015 projected bullpen

1. Wade Davis, RHP
2. Kelvin Herrera, RHP
3. Joakim Soria, RHP
4. Luke Hochevar, RHP
5. Kris Medlen, RHP

His triple-digit heat notwithstanding, Yordano Ventura has been more of a frustration than a joy to own in Fantasy because his velocity didn't translate into strikeouts. That changed in the second half of last season, and not coincidentally, he started getting more swings-and-misses on his sinker. It turns out that Ventura needed more than just gas to succeed; he also need to locate his pitches. As soon as he started to place his sinker lower in the zone, his strikeout rate soared. Ventura still walks too many batters, but it appears that his late-season improvement could be the start of something exciting for Fantasy owners.

The Mike Moustakas hitting-to-all-fields experiment was fun, and it was also short-lived. Moustakas was once notorious for his extreme pull and flyball tendencies, and he returned to them after the All-Star break. The net effect seemed to be positive, as Moustakas hit 15 home runs and drove in 51 runs in the second half, after finishing the first half with seven home runs and 31 RBI. As one would expect, he paid a price in terms of batting average, hitting a modest .269 in the second half. If he posts a similarly mediocre average in 2016, it may not come with the same power numbers. Moustakas' late surge was concentrated in the final six-and-a-half weeks, during which he smacked 11 homers. He feasted on an assortment of marginal pitchers, many of whom have their own strong flyball leanings. We can't count on the schedule being as kind to Moustakas for all of 2016, so Fantasy owners could see him take a step backwards.

Barring a late move, Jarrod Dyson will be a regular in the Royals' lineup for the first time. He will take over right field from Alex Rios, and though this is not enormous praise, Dyson should be far more productive for Fantasy owners than his predecessor. As a part-timer who typically got between 200 and 300 plate appearances per season, Dyson could be counted on for roughly 30 stolen bases. In the past, he hasn't delivered much besides steals and runs, and in a full-time role, he could get exposed at the plate. That might make it look as if Dyson could struggle to match last season's .250 batting average, but he should be able to improve his infield hit rate. Assuming a similar batting average and 40 steals (which may be a conservative estimate), he could be a top 40 outfielder in Rotisserie leagues.

Prospects report

Raul Mondesi hasn't been able to hit for average or get on base, but Fantasy owners should cut him some slack for being young for the levels at which he has played. Last season, Mondesi held his own as a 19-year-old in Double-A. He stole 19 bases in 81 games and continued to show decent doubles and triples power, particularly for a shortstop. And let's not forget he became the first player to make his major league debut in the World Series last fall. Mondesi still has a ways to go to reach the majors, but he's an attractive target in dynasty leagues.

Four years after the Royals made him their first-round pick, outfielder Bubba Starling reached Double-A. Though he didn't run as much as he had earlier in his minor league career, Starling had something of a minor breakout. He batted just .254 but registered the lowest strikeout rate of any stop during his rise through the Royals' system. Starling also hit for more power than he had in his previous full-season league stints. Maybe he will be ready to make a Fantasy impact by 2017.

Kyle Zimmer is not only the Royals' best pitching prospect but the one who is most poised to be Fantasy-relevant in 2016. He's been exceedingly injury-prone but stayed healthy after returning from shoulder surgery last May, and by August, he was back in a starting role. If the Royals use him in their rotation this season, he could have some mixed league value.