Free Agent Signings:
Carlos Santana
Mike Minor
Michael Taylor
Ervin Santana
Top 10 Prospects:
1 Bobby Witt Jr., SS
2 Asa Lacy, LHP
3 Daniel Lynch, LHP
4 Jackson Kowar, RHP
5 Erick Pena, OF
6 Nick Loftin, SS
7 Kyle Isbel, OF
8 Khali Lee, OF
9 Jonathan Bowlan, RHP
10 Carlos Hernedez, RHP [Reply]
To continue to the good minor league news from 2021…
Asa Lacy has been healthy and dominant in the fall league. Hard to find stats but he’s had two outings and has something like 9 Ks in 4 IP, with like 1 BB and no runs allowed.
Reports have been glowing. He was hurt and a little off during the regular season. Nice to see him closing “on track.” [Reply]
In case you missed it, Bubba Starling announced his retirement from ⚾️ in a FB post Monday night. 5th overall pick in the 2011 draft by @Royals & one of the greatest high school athletes I’ve ever seen. Played 2 seasons in KC & won silver medal at Tokyo Olympics. 💙 @GEHSBlazerspic.twitter.com/8XJC8IkE36
In case you missed it, Bubba Starling announced his retirement from ⚾️ in a FB post Monday night. 5th overall pick in the 2011 draft by @Royals & one of the greatest high school athletes I’ve ever seen. Played 2 seasons in KC & won silver medal at Tokyo Olympics. 💙 @GEHSBlazerspic.twitter.com/8XJC8IkE36
The Royals were not expected to have the opportunity to draft Starling leading up to that draft. The Mariners were, and they blew up the first round by taking Hultzen.
Likely would have gone: Cole, Starling, Hultzen, Bundy, (Royals - Springer or Rendon) if that had played out that way.
George Springer was the name that was most connected to KC, that I remember. He fit the Royals' toolsy, athletic, high-upside profile. Baez was also lightly mentioned.
Archie Bradley was also connected to KC quite a bit, as well as Sonny Gray.
Obviously, all of those would have been much more valuable selections.
But hey... every time you marvel at Bobby Witt, Jr., keep in mind that he was, at the time of the draft, a VERY similar prospect to Starling (5-tools, upside, old for his HS class, great off-field intangibles).
So you can kind of consider that the scales evening out, I guess.
Or you can dream about adding George Springer to the mid-teens Royals squad and placing him in RF instead of Aoki and Rios.
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
The Royals were not expected to have the opportunity to draft Starling leading up to that draft. The Mariners were, and they blew up the first round by taking Hultzen.
Likely would have gone: Cole, Starling, Hultzen, Bundy, (Royals - Springer or Rendon) if that had played out that way.
George Springer was the name that was most connected to KC, that I remember. He fit the Royals' toolsy, athletic, high-upside profile. Baez was also lightly mentioned.
Archie Bradley was also connected to KC quite a bit, as well as Sonny Gray.
Obviously, all of those would have been much more valuable selections.
But hey... every time you marvel at Bobby Witt, Jr., keep in mind that he was, at the time of the draft, a VERY similar prospect to Starling (5-tools, upside, old for his HS class, great off-field intangibles).
So you can kind of consider that the scales evening out, I guess.
Or you can dream about adding George Springer to the mid-teens Royals squad and placing him in RF instead of Aoki and Rios.
They're probably still a WS squad in 2015, and even better offensively. Astros probably miss the WC without him.
Springer might have been good enough to push those 2016 and 2017 teams into the playoffs again (he was a 5-win player both seasons).
I want to pretend that Springer being on the team in 2015 gives it enough of a butterfly effect that perhaps the Royals decide that Manaea is too high of a price to pay for Zobrist and that ends with us losing the ALCS against the Jays.
Because wow, Springer on those teams adds a whole other dimension. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
I want to pretend that Springer being on the team in 2015 gives it enough of a butterfly effect that perhaps the Royals decide that Manaea is too high of a price to pay for Zobrist and that ends with us losing the ALCS against the Jays.
Because wow, Springer on those teams adds a whole other dimension.
He was up-and-down as a rookie in 14 but would have added some punch to a pretty weak lineup. 15-17 would have been a major bonus and likely hitting 2 or 3.
I think they still make the deal for Zobrist in 2015 but get where you're coming from.
Originally Posted by Mecca:
The difference though in Witt and Starling is Witt having a 20 year major league dad which I do put weight in.
Yeah, the professional athlete parent is a big/helpful factor. Witt's competition level in baseball was much higher, being from Texas. Think that matters, too.
Starling was dripping with intangibles, though. His leadership was spoken highly of, multi-sport athlete, star of the junior Olympic baseball team (he started in CF, hit at the top of the lineup, and also served as the closer IIRC).
Their HS profiles were pretty similar, though. Big tools. Questions about their hit tool, both "old" for their HS classes.
The disparity in outcomes is a great example why I think baseball scouting departments and front offices have the toughest jobs in pro sports. [Reply]
Gold Glove finalists are being announced today, but until then the Royals had two guys win Fielding Bible awards.... Whit and Michael Taylor.
Congratulations to the 2021 Fielding Bible Awards Winners!
C- Jacob Stallings 1B- Paul Goldschmidt 2B- Whit Merrifield SS- Carlos Correa 3B- Ke'Bryan Hayes LF- Tyler O'Neill CF- Michael A. Taylor RF- Aaron Judge P- Dallas Keuchel Multi-Pos - Kiké Hernández pic.twitter.com/FncGwh1kWF