Royals Top 30 Prospects: The Infielders

Former Burlington Royals' Nicky Lopez, Sebastian Rivero and Jeison Guzman are prospect infielders in the Kansas City Royals farm system. Lopez who is currently ranked as the eighth best prospect in the Royals farm system spent the 2018 season with two different affiliates. He began 2018 in Northwest Arkansas, with the Naturals. The Naturals are the double-A affiliate for the Royals. Lopez spent 73 games there hitting .331 and had an on-base percentage of .397. Lopez only struck out 23 times in 281 at-bats with the Naturals. He was later promoted to Omaha, where the triple-A affiliate is located. In Omaha, he produced 62 hits in 57 games played. Lopez has a possibility of making the big leagues by the end of the 2019 season.
Sebastian Rivero spent the 2017 season in Burlington. During his time, Rivero threw out 16 base runners in 350 innings behind the dish. In 2018, he was in Lexington, Royals single-A affiliate, there he played in the SAL All-Star Game. During the season, he had 16 doubles and 7 home runs while at the plate. Defensively, he threw out 19 base runners in 77 games. Rivero comes into this season as the 28^th ranked prospect in the Royals farm system.
Jeison Guzman has spent two years in Burlington before being promoted to Lexington last season. In 2017 Guzman had a fielding percentage of .930 and made 213 plays including, 27 double plays in 53 games at shortstop. In 2018, Guzman hit .283 in 25 games with 14 stolen bases and lead Burlington in stolen bases through the season. Guzman was promoted to Lexington to finish the season. In Lexington he had 50 hits in 60 games.
We will continue to follow these young men on their path through the minors.