The Royals have selected the contract of young infielder Nicky Lopez, per a club announcement. Righty Jake Newberry will be optioned to open an active roster spot; the 40-man move will be announced tomorrow.
Lopez’s ascent comes as a bit of a surprise. It was just two days ago, after all, that the club indicated it’d be utilizing Whit Merrifield primarily at second base. Instead, the veteran will be bumped into right field while Lopez will take the reins at the keystone. GM Dayton Moore explained that he and skipper Ned Yost changed course after discussing the matter over the weekend. (Via Rustin Dodd of The Athletic, on Twitter.)
The 24-year-old Lopez was taken out of Creighton in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. He is known more for his sturdiness than the types of loud tools that would suggest a lofty ceiling in the majors.
Lopez’s contact ability and keen approach were on display last year, when he logged a .382 on-base percentage and walked more than he struck out in a season split between the two highest levels of the minors. Entering the current campaign, he was billed as one of the organization’s ten best prospects.
While Lopez was already very much on the radar, it’s fair to say he has raised his stock quite a bit already in 2019. He hasn’t yet added significant power — and may never do so, unless he can follow the paths of a select few others that have turned contact ability into dingers in the majors — but Lopez has taken his skillset to new heights in the early going.
Over 138 plate appearances this year for Omaha, Lopez carries a .353/.457/.500 slash line with an outlandish combination of twenty walks against just five strikeouts. (That sort of BB/K ratio is associated with the original Billy Hamilton and his contemporaries, not the active Billy Hamilton who’ll soon be Lopez’s teammate.) He has also successfully swiped nine bags in a dozen attempts, which suggests an avenue for expanding his offensive value with a club that is more willing than most to tempt fate on the base paths.
Whit is fine in the OF and it only makes sense for rebuilding teams to bring up the young guys and see what they can do.
Anyone going by Nicky as an adult isn’t a serious person, let alone prospect.
Okay internet commenter lol
U r sick ! Stupid comment
Well gosh, that makes sense!
Ever think that might be his actual name?
If you believe Wikipedia it’s not…
His full name is Nicholas. I have his first bowman card. It says Nicholas Lopez. At least there won’t be confusion with NICK Pratto, lol.
Next you’re going to tell us to take away one of baseballs all time best names; Scooter Gennett?
Lol this guy
You know movies aren’t real life? Little Nicky was a story, not a way to think.
I’d throw some shade at you, but Canada is so far behind, you wouldn’t see it until next year. When the Jays still won’t be contenders.
Lopez at 2nd, Whit in CF/RF. Best option for the Royals long term to see what they have in Lopez. Kid definitely earned the call up.
JaysForDays is an IDIOT!!
About time! Now please DFA Chris Owings
My sentiments exactly
We can only hope.
Sadly, Moore says “owings is still an integral part of this team & Yost will manage his playing time”
♀️ My guess the 40 man move will involve moving Duda to the 60 day IL. The 25 man move has already been made with newberry being optioned
I saw Nicky play in a game in Omaha last year. he’s not as fast as mondesi, but he’s fun to watch.
You misspelled, “The Royals granted infielder Chris Owings his unconditional release to open an active roster spot.”
Sadly this won’t happen, at least not right now. He’s wearing #2 & #2 to ned “blind as a bat” yost is Alcides Escobar & that’s my theory for why he was playing every day.
That’s an ignorant comment. He happens to be a very good prospect for the Royals and has a good chance to be a very good major league player.
His AFL (Arizona fall league) stats were good. He even hit a grand Slam iirc
Just days after “No more Whit in the OF”, my lord this team is a mess.
It was always such a twilight zone when Moore and Sabean were the darlings of the baseball world, because both of them have pretty much been wildly incompetent their entire careers, they only had luck go their way a few times that came out with titles for them. However, non-title years are always filled with terrible front officing like this.
The Pride of Naperville, Illinois! Naperville Central Redhawks! He outworked his way to the show, very proud of you! Royals fans better get ready for a new everyday player! Legit.
Nicky Lopez is already being compared with Sliding Billy Hamilton. The Royals rebuild is coming along quietly and efficiently.
Does anyone know anything about LH Jake Kalish?
Jake Kalish is 27 (will be 28 in July) has 2-2 record with a 4.24 ERA in 5 games.
Stats are from my first pitch MiLB app.