The Royals announced Monday afternoon that they finalized a one-year contract to bring back free-agent shortstop Alcides Escobar.
Escobar figures to be the team’s starting shortstop, as he has been since 2011. That leaves prospect Raul Mondesi, who turns 23 years old in July, as the odd man out of a starting job at the position.
After a dreadful start to the 2017 season, Escobar ended up batting .250 with six home runs and 54 RBIs. From Sept. 1 to the end of the season, Escobar batted .330 with a .570 slugging percentage and had 33 hits in 30 games.