Nick

Pratto

Pratto has been shipped back to the minors following Thursday’s game against the Yankees with Adam Frazier likely back for Friday’s series opener against the Dodgers out in Los Angeles.

Pratto is up with Adam Frazier on the bereavement list. The 25-year-old is a former first-round pick, but he’s likely only up as a bench option while Frazier is away for the next three days.

Even though this won’t count toward his Spring Training stats, Velázquez has to feel good to see one go over the fence. It’s been a rough spring for Velázquez who has gone 6-for-27 (.222 AVG) with nine strikeouts. Velázquez appears to have eked out a roster spot for Opening Day as Nick Pratto was optioned to Triple-A after he slashed .421/.476/.816 with four homers and just eight strikeouts in 38 Cactus League at-bats.

There simply isn’t a spot for Waters with Kyle Isbel, Nelson Velázquez and MJ Melendez occupying Kansas City’s outfield spots in addition to Adam Frazier, Garrett Hampson and Dairon Blanco on the bench as reserves. Nola will open the season back in the minors as emergency catching depth.

Pratto got the scoring started in the second inning, blasting a three-run homer off Paul Blackburn to put the Royals on top. He later added a base hit to lead off the fourth. The 25-year-old first baseman is battling for a roster spot this spring. He’s making his case so far, going 9-for-22 at the plate.

Pratto gave the Royals an early lead by taking Hayden Wesneski deep in the bottom of the first inning. The 25-year-old has struck out in a whopping 38.7 percent of his plate appearances in the majors while posting an underwhelming .659 OPS. With Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) back in action, Pratto appears ticketed to begin the 2024 season in Triple-A.

That’s 134 strikeouts in 337 plate appearances for Pratto, even though the Royals aren’t using him against lefties any longer. At this pace, he’d have 239 strikeouts with 600 plate appearances. He hasn’t had multiple hits in any of his last 25 games. It’s simply been a disaster of a season for the 24-year-old, who was also abysmal in Triple-A (.180/.290/.342 in 131 PA). He shouldn’t be in the Royals’ plans for the beginning of 2024.

How to make room for both Vinnie Pasquantino and Pratto next year is looking like less of an issue for the Royals, as Pratto just doesn’t seem like a major leaguer at this point. He’s hit .231/.317/.366 with a whopping 118 strikeouts in 306 plate appearances this season. Dating back to last year, he’s struck 184 times in 129 games as a major leaguer.

Pratto played Saturday afternoon, but it appears the Royals are taking it easy on the 24-year-old first baseman. Pratto missed more than a month with a left groin strain. He should return to the lineup prior to Kansas City’s three-game series against the White Sox that begins on Monday. Nick Loftin is batting seventh and playing first base in his absence.

Pratto is finally ready to return after going down in late July with a left groin strain and left hip impingement. The 24-year-old should see plenty of chances at first base down the stretch.