Projected lineup
1. 3B: Mike Aviles
2. CF: Melky Cabrera
3. DH: Billy Butler
4. 1B: Kila Ka’aihue
5. RF: Jeff Francoeur
6. LF: Alex Gordon
7. C: Brayan Pena
8. 2B: Chris Getz
9. SS: Alcides Escobar
Projected rotation
1. SP: Luke Hochevar
2. SP: Kyle Davies
3. SP: Bruce Chen
4. SP: Jeff Francis
5, SP: Sean O’Sullivan/Vin Mazzaro
CL: Joakim Soria
Five tips
• Gordon gets one more chance to prove he’s not just a Triple-A All-Star. He hit 22 homers between the minors and majors last season, and his strong walk rate suggests that there’s still hope. But at age 27, time is running out.
• Butler is terrific as a real player, but it’s hard to draft him as a starting fantasy first baseman because the big power just isn’t there yet. It might come, but don’t count on it this year.
• If you’re picking a middle infielder in the late rounds of a standard-league draft, Escobar can offer some serious stolen-base upside. He didn’t hit much last season. But his minor-league batting averages were always good, and he has 40-steal speed. Look for improvement.
• Jason Kendall underwent late-season rotator cuff surgery, and might not be ready when the season starts. That’s just one more reason not to draft him.
• If you ever consider one of those starting pitchers in a standard league, you’re dead to us. In AL-only leagues, Hochevar and Francis are OK to target. After that ... eh.
Plus:
• Odd man out: Speedy outfielder Lorenzo Cain had 33 stolen bases between the minors and majors last season, and appears to have decent leadoff skills. He’ll probably start the season in the minors. But since Melky Cabrera is basically a reserve masquerading as a starter on a bad team, Cain could push him over to a corner or out of the lineup pretty quickly. Speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson is a favorite of manager Ned Yost and could get playing time at some point.
• Top prospects: Loaded! Power-hitting third baseman Mike Moustakas will probably spend a couple of months at Triple-A, but he’s a top-10 prospect. So is first baseman Eric Hosmer, who only has perennial prospect Ka’aihue in his way.
Starting pitcher Mike Montgomery has only made 13 starts above A ball, but has rocketed through the Royals’ system. Montgomery is only 21, but is reportedly a "knows-how-to-pitch guy" with a lot of crummy options half-heartedly blocking him in Kansas City. He’s a highly-rated prospect who could be promoted quickly.
• Backup closer: Robinson Tejeda is the likely backup. The Royals probably haven’t even thought about Soria being unable to play, since it would be terrifying.
