The Royals have officially declared the signing.
The Royals have signed infielder Hanser Alberto to a minor league deal, as per reporter Junior Matrille (Twitter link). Alberto will acquire $1.65MM in ensured compensation on the off chance that he makes Kansas City’s major class program, with another $350K accessible in potential rewards.
Alberto has spent the last two seasons as a standard in the Orioles’ arrangement, parting time at a respectable halfway point and third in 2019 and afterward getting comfortable as the regular second baseman in 2020. More than 781 plate appearance since the beginning of the 2019 mission, Alberto has hit .299/.322/.413 with 15 grand slams, with that good slice line subverted by an absence of strolls and the absolute least hard-hit ball quantities of any hitter in the alliance.
The Orioles decided to non-delicate Alberto as opposed to pay him a projected discretion pay in the scope of $2.3MM to $4.1MM, and since he has one more year of arb qualification past 2021, the Royals possibly have two years of power over his administrations.
Given the absence of experienced infield profundity on the K.C. list, there absolutely is by all accounts a decent possibility for Alberto to win himself in any event a seat work, and maybe even a detachment job at a respectable halfway point if Nicky Lopez is secured against left-gave starters. The right-gave hitting Alberto has some generally excellent numbers (.350/.367/.464) in 350 vocation PA against southpaws over his profession.
Alberto has additionally considered activity to be a shortstop at the MLB level and even played a small bunch of games as a first baseman and corner outfielder, adding to his offer for utilityman work. Kelvin Gutierrez, Erick Mejia, and freshman Lucius Fox are a portion of different competitors for a reinforcement infielder job, however the Royals’ infield picture could be stirred up extensively during the season if star prospect Bobby Witt Jr. is given a forceful promotion to the Show.