Give us your Royals Opening Day roster predictions!

Who do you have on the team by the March 27 opener?

Royals pitchers and catchers have begun workouts in Arizona, and hitters will report on Monday. The Royals will spend the next six weeks preparing for the season and shaping the roster that will take on the Guardians in the season opener on March 27.

That gives us some time to speculate on who might be on the Opening Day roster this year. Here are the 65 players in camp.

*-denotes non-roster invitee

Catchers: Freddy Fermin, Kyle Hayes*, Omar Hernandez*, Carter Jensen*, Blake Mitchell*, Brian O’Keefe*, Salvador Perez, Luca Tresh*

Infielders: Cavan Biggio*, Jac Caglianone*, Harold Castro*, Cam Devanney*, Maikel Garcia, Jonathan India, Nick Lofin, Michael Massey, Vinnie Pasquantino, Nick Pratto, Tyler Tolbert*, Javier Vaz*, Bobby Witt Jr.

Outfielders: Dairon Blanco, Gavin Cross*, Tyler Gentry, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, John Rave*, Hunter Renfroe, Nelson Velázquez, Drew Waters, Joey Wiemer

Pitchers: Luinder Avila, Jonathan Bowlan, Kris Bubic, Noah Cameron, Eric Cerantola, Chandler Champlain*, Taylor Clarke*, Austin Cox*, Steven Cruz, Lucas Erceg, Carlos Estévez, Junior Fernández*, Tyson Guerrero*, Thomas Hatch*, Hunter Harvey, Carlos Hernández, Andrew Hoffmann*, Ben Kudrna*, Sam Long, Michael Lorenzen, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV, Alec Marsh, James McArthur, Cole Ragans, John Schreiber, Anthony Simonelli*, Evan Sisk, Chris Stratton, Michael Wacha, Beck Way*, Angel Zerpa, Steven Zobac*

Unlike many of the rebuilding seasons when there were seemingly open tryouts, the Royals have a lot of the roster already figured out before the season. Injuries will play a role, but the Royals will return much of the team that made a surprise post-season run last year.

Here’s a framework for what the roster might look like:

Starting lineup

We have a good idea of what hitters might be in the lineup, the big question is where they will play on the field. Salvador Perez will get the bulk of the starts behind the plate with backup extraordinaire Freddy Fermin spelling him. Vinnie Pasquantino returns at first base with Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop. The Royals acquired second baseman Jonathan India, which raises question about where incumbent second baseman Michael Massey will play. The Royals have suggested both could learn to play outfield this spring, as well as third baseman Maikel Garcia.

The outfield will also feature incumbents Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, and Hunter Renfroe. Dairon Blanco is likely to be a backup outfielder and pinch-running option. The Royals acquired Joey Wiemer in the India trade, and he presents an intriguing power/speed blend if he can manage to make enough contact. Nelson Velázquez and Drew Waters have fallen off the radar and will have to impress to force their way back on the roster. Nick Loftin, and non-roster invitees Harold Castro, Cavan Biggio, and Cam Devanney could also compete for bench roles.

Pitching staff

The Royals have four spots set in their rotation barring injury, returning Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, and Michael Lorenzen. The final rotation spot will be decided among Alec Marsh, Kris Bubic, and Kyle Wright, with Daniel Lynch IV and Noah Cameron as dark horse candidates. Marsh is dealing with right shoulder tightness and will be a bit delayed in facing hitters. Wright is coming off missing the entire season after shoulder surgery, so the Royals could bring him along slowly. Bubic has only pitched 46 innings over the last two years, so the Royals will want to slowly ramp him up. In other words, the odds are good that all three will be needed at some point in the rotation.

In the bullpen, the Royals will have Lucas Erceg and newly acquired free agent Carlos Estévez in the late innings. Hunter Harvey will try to rebound from a disappointing performance after being acquired by the Royals, and John Schreiber and Angel Zerpa should pitch some middle innings. Chris Stratton also had a disappointing season, but his $4.5 million salary gives him a leg up to make the team, although the leash could be short. Sam Long was a terrific find last year and would have good odds to make the team as a second lefty.

The starters that fail to make the rotation could also end up in the bullpen. Daniel Lynch IV seemed to figure things out as a reliever last year, but the Royals are already lefty-heavy in the pen and he has an option year remaining. Carlos Hernández is out of options, and could be a trade option if the Royals don’t have room for him on their roster. James McArthur had right elbow surgery and seems unlikely to be ready for the start of the season. Jonathan Bowlan, Steven Cruz, Evan Sisk, and non-roster invitees Taylor Clarke, Junior Fernández, and Thomas Hatch are all dark horses to make the bullpen.

Here’s my pick for the Opening Day roster. Of course, injuries will play a role, and there could be a trade in the works before the season begins.

Catchers (2): Freddie Fermin, Salvador Perez

Infielders (6): Cavan Biggio, Maikel Garcia, Jonathan India, Michael Massey, Vinnie Pasquantino, Bobby Witt Jr.

Outfielders (5): Dairon Blanco, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Hunter Renfroe, Joey Wiemer

Starting rotation (5): Michael Lorenzen, Seth Lugo, Alec Marsh, Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha

Bullpen (8): Kris Bubic, Lucas Erceg, Carlos Estévez, Hunter Harvey, Sam Long, John Schreiber, Chris Stratton, Angel Zerpa

Injured List: James McArthur, Kyle Wright

I have Biggio making the team as a non-roster invitee. The 40-man roster is full, but there are a lot of candidates to be designated for assignment to make room for him (Jonathan Bowlan, Nick Pratto, Drew Waters). I actually think a spot is opened up by trading Carlos Hernández - he has been enigmatic in Kansas City and would make sense for a rebuilding team to try to harness his talent.

Bubic vs. Marsh will be an interesting battle in the rotation. I think they will slowly ramp Bubic up, giving him longer relief appearances and stashing him as a sixth rotation option ready to go if anyone gets hurt or if Marsh falters. Royals fans may not want to see Stratton back in the pen, but I suspect they’ll give him an early chance, and if he looks as bad as he did last year, they’ll cut bait early on.

Who do you have making the team?