Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Kansas City Royals infielder Bobby Witt Jr. (hand) will undergo x-rays. Witt was hit by a pitch during Wednesday's spring training contest. Manager Matt Quatraro noted that the superstar infielder initially "lost feeling in his fingers" but eventually came back. Fantasy managers should continue closely monitoring his status as the team should provide an update after the testing. The 24-year-old is viewed as a top pick in all formats. Last season, the former second overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft posted a career-high .332/.389/.588 slash line with 32 home runs and 31 stolen bases. He generated an elite .407 xwOBA, .315 xBA, and a .577 xSLG. He also placed in the 100th percentile in sprint speed. If Witt were to miss time, Maikel Garcia would likely be deployed as the starting shortstop, which opens up the hot corner for Cavan Biggio or Nick Loftin.

Kansas City Royals outfielder Nelson Velazquez (undisclosed) was removed early during Wednesday's spring training contest. The outfielder was removed from the contest after going to a ball near the right field wall. Fantasy managers should monitor his status as the team may opt to keep him sidelined for a few days regardless of the extent of the injury. The 26-year-old is currently competing for a depth spot on the major league roster. Last season, Velazquez appeared in 64 games for the Royals. Across this stint, he went deep eight times and held a .200/.274/.366 slash line. He generated a modest 8.8 percent barrel rate and a 38.1 percent hard-hit rate. However, he held a hefty 26.5 percent strikeout rate. If he were to miss time, this could open the door for Joey Wiemer to have a spot on the Opening Day roster as a depth outfielder.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (hand, wrist) was forced from Wednesday's Cactus League outing against the Seattle Mariners after being hit by a pitch in his hand/wrist area. Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported the news. The severity of the injury is currently unknown, but the former first-round pick is set to undergo further evaluation. This isn't ideal, as the 24-year-old superstar is a consensus top-three pick in fantasy drafts and a candidate to go first overall in some formats. It's possible that the Royals pulled him out of precaution, but any injury to the hand/wrist area is unfavorable. Any missed time by Witt Jr. would be a blow to the team and, depending on the duration could drop him down in fantasy drafts. We'll likely learn more over the next 24 hours. Sit tight.

Athletics third baseman CJ Alexander (undisclosed) is back at third base and is batting eighth in the Cactus League game on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Alexander is back in action after he was removed from Monday's spring game against the Chicago White Sox due to an undisclosed injury. Obviously, it wasn't a very serious one for the 28-year-old infielder. He will now resume his competition for one of the final position-player spots on the team's Opening Day roster. The left-handed hitter hasn't made a very good case for himself in 13 spring training games this year, as he's gone just 3-for-18 (.167) with two RBI, four walks and four strikeouts in 22 plate appearances. Alexander made his big-league debut in 2024 with the Kansas City Royals but went 1-for-8 with three K's in only four games.

Athletics third baseman CJ Alexander (undisclosed) exited Monday's contest early with an injury. Alexander was able to walk off the field but needed assistance. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team should provide an update on his injury. The 28-year-old made his MLB debut last summer with the Kansas City Royals. Across four contests, Alexander tallied just one hit and struck out three times. He spent most of his season at the Triple-A level where he held a strong .302/.361/.559 slash line with the Omaha Storm Chasers and the Las Vegas Aviators. He tallied 27 doubles and added 19 long balls. When he returns to action, he could compete to earn a depth role in the majors given his success at the Triple-A level.