Royals add Raul Mondesi Jr. to roster, could be first player to debut in World Series
Never in more than 100 years of World Series history has a player made his major-league debut on the game’s grandest stage. That could change this year if Kansas City Royals phenom Raul Mondesi Jr. gets into a game.
Kansas City added Mondesi to its World Series roster on Tuesday, creating the possibility that the 20-year-old son of former Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Raul Mondesi could be the first to debut in the series. The Royals play host to the Mets in Game 1 on Tuesday (8:07 p.m., FOX).
[Related: World Series Game 1: Five things you need to know before first pitch]
Mondesi has never played a game above the Double-A level. He hit .243 with six home runs in 81 games for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals this season. He also played for the World team at the Futures Game during the All-Star break in July. He can play either shortstop or second base.
The Royals made room for him on the 40-man roster by designating Joba Chamberlain for assignment. Mondesi takes the spot on the roster that was filled in the previous playoff series by outfielder Terrance Gore, who did not bat in series wins over Houston and Toronto.
[Look: World Series preview: Can the Mets put a stop to the Royals’ redemption?]
Baseball America named Mondesi the Royals’ top prospect and the No. 25 prospect in the game this summer in its midseason review. He gives the Royals a late-inning defensive replacement and also could be a threat to steal a base as a pinch runner late in a close game. He was successful stealing in 19 of 25 attempts in Double-A this season.
Raul’s dad was the Rookie of the Year in the National League in 1994 and became an All-Star in 1995, the year Mondesi Jr. was born. The Kansas City Star profiled the younger Mondesi in July, learning, among other things, that he used to sleep with his glove underneath his pillow as a child.
Mondesi Jr. no doubt spent plenty of nights dreaming of using his glove in the World Series and now he just might get that chance sooner than anyone expected.
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Kyle Ringo is a contributing writer to Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
