MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 moves the Royals need to make

1. Give Raul Mondesi Jr. another shot

Raul Mondesi Jr. is stuck in that strange place between prospect-hood and regular MLB playing time. He was a top-25 prospect across all of baseball entering the 2016 season and still has tremendous upside as he turns 22. The Royals gave him a chance to stick in the big leagues as a full-time starter when they broke camp, and he fell flat on his face. Mondesi batted .095/.156/.167 in 15 games before being sent down to Triple-A.

At Triple-A Omaha, Mondesi was making good progress before a back injury forced him to the DL in early July. In 62 games in the minor leagues, the shortstop/second baseman has hit .316/.346/.544 with 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 18 stolen bases. He is still not a finished product — as evidenced by his 13 walks in over 250 plate appearances — but is posting the best minor-league numbers of his career.

This trip down to the minor leagues may have been exactly what Mondesi needed to mature into a more MLB-ready hitter. Remember, he had played only 14 career games at Triple-A before being rushed onto the Opening Day 25-man. Mondesi’s power stroke has taken a giant leap forward since his demotion, and there is not much more he needs to show at that level.

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It’s understandable that the Royals would allow Alcides Escobar a chance to try and find something at the plate this year. He was an integral part of their World Series teams, but there is no justification for starting an average defender with a .227/.251/.311 line in a pennant race. If the Royals are serious about going for it this year, they need to recall Mondesi to the big leagues after a few games in the minor leagues regaining his swing and timing.