Raul Mondesi: Much More Than That Young Guy Who Played In The World Series

Mondesi was put on the public grid by virtue of getting his first major-league AB in the World Series, and naturally there’s a reason for that. Mondesi will turn 21 in July, so he’s still quite the youngin’ out there, but his speed is very real. It makes for an asset that Kansas City values very much, and he also is a good defender who can play the middle infield spots. He needs to continue to grow with the bat, as he has never hit above .290 at any stage in his professional career (he started playing pro ball at 16!), but he is worth the investment. He should grow into some more power, his swing is better than the average indicates, and he could turn into a nice 10/30 guy out of the MI slot. That’s a ways off, but he could be ready by 2017 if the Royals don’t want to pick up the last option year for Alcides Escobar.