For all things Royals in 2022. #3 minor league system according to Baseball America. The Bobby Witt era should begin this year. Will Salvy still be the homerun king? How does the glut of infield players work out? Will the young pitchers take the next step?
Free Agents/Trades Acquisitions
Zack Greinke, P
Amir Garrett, P
Taylor Clarke, P
Top 10 Prospects from Baseball America
1. Bobby Witt, SS
2. Asa Lacy, P
3. MJ Melendez, C
4. Nick Pratto, 1B
5. Jackson Kowar, P
6. Kyle Isabel, OF
7. Frank Mozzicato, P
8. Ben Kudrna, P
9. Jonathan Bowlan, P
10. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
Duncan's Top Royals Prospects
Spoiler!
1. Bobby Witt, Jr., SS. MLB.
This status lasts about another 4 weeks, but let’s take a moment to appreciate having the top guy in the minor league prospects lists for at least a little while longer. Witt has prodigious ability and the question is really just IF he can meet it. They have not had a prospect like this in my lifetime, and really probably ever. Combine insane raw physical skills (right there with Adalberto Mondesi and Willie Wilson in the ranks right behind Bo Jackson) with unbelievable work ethic, a humble-but-confident nature, and already having shown he can struggle and overcome to achieve big success, and you have the tools for a show-stopping centerpiece. Oh, and throw in the former-player’s kid aspect on it on top of things, and there is every reason to believe he’s going to succeed and succeed big.
2. M.J. Melendez, C, AAA Omaha.
I was early on putting him in this slot last year, and I don’t regret it. The power, the ability to be a good defender behind the dish as well as having the athletic ability to play 3B or LF, too, and you have a really valuable overall piece and FANTASTIC understudy for Salvador Perez.
3. Asa Lacy, LHP. AA Northwest Arkansas
Whoa, let’s get crazy again. Lacy has outstanding stuff. Top of the system. He got hurt and lost his command during COVID times, but appears to be back on track so far this spring. If his command sticks, this is a guy who can move quickly. And his ceiling is really second to nobody in the minor league pitching ranks.
4. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B. AA Northwest Arkansas
Vinnie starts the season back at AA due to the guy who follows him on the list here. He just hits, folks. I love his combination of contact, loud contact, plate discipline, and lack of strikeouts. The Billy Butler comparisons are annoying (in that I will NEVER refer to this man as Italian Breakfast except in the instance that just occurred), but the Billy Butler comparisons are also fairly apt… if you made Butler a lefthanded hitter, AND improved his body/athleticism from a 20 to a 40, AND if you added that little extra touch of power we all wished Butler could consistently find.
5. Nick Pratto, 1B, AAA Omaha.
Hey, let’s stay at 1B. Pratto has flashy power and I love his batting eye AND his hand-eye coordination. The hair he’s been rocking this spring is also pretty sweet. I slot him just behind Pasquantino simply because I think his bat profile is more volatile. The glove and arm are sweet/plus for 1B, though.
6. Jonathan Bowlan, RHP, AAA Omaha
Bowlan is coming back from Tommy John surgery, and this ranking is assuming that recovering is successful. If it his, you’re talking about a big, consistent SP who throws hard enough and has enough of a repertoire to really make things happen. If the recovery goes well, he may be shuttling to the majors in July to reinforce the rotation.
7. Nick Loftin, CF, AA Omaha.
Loftin is a guy who has really grown on me. I saw him as a quasi super-utility guy when the Royals drafted him, The full-time shift to CF (which means they think he has the speed and the overall defensive ability to handle CF in Kansas City) adds a lot of value here. The ultimate positive offensive upside is similar to peak Whit Merrifield, maybe with a touch more early power.
8. Michael Massey, 2B, AA Northwest Arkansas.
Massey was an absolute revelation last year, hitting for power and average and keeping his K rate down while playing a really strong 2B. He has a very sweet, short lefthanded stroke. This is another aggressive rating, but Massey has proven himself through a tough minor league assignment already, and the arrow is pointed up.
9. Ben Kudrna, RHP, Rookie Ball
Kudrna is a big, physical specimen with a lot of upside and potential. The fastball and slider are already nearly MLB-level in terms of velocity and movement (command needs work). Kudrna is a guy who, with luck, and health, and good development, could ascend to the top of a rotation.
10. Frank Mozzicato, LHP, Rookie Ball.
Mozzicato has a curveball that suggests he has a feel for spin. If you want to dream, you hope that the next 2-3 years turn the 175 he weighed when drafted into a rock-solid 220/225 and carries with it an increase in fastball velocity from 90-91, sitting 87-88, to 96-97, sitting 93-94. You pair his ability to spin the ball (which also suggests he should be able to easily master a sweeper slider) with that type of fastball velo and a changeup he already has a feel for, and it’s an exciting profile.
He has a little more to go in terms of growing into that projectability than Kudrna, which is why he slots right behind him.
11. Alec Marsh, RHP, AA Northwest Arkansas
Marsh missed a lot of 2021 to injury, but the hard-throwing righthander is another guy who could move quickly once the minor league season starts. He’s undeniably got the stuff of a quality major-league pitcher. The question is if he can master enough command to cash it in. This guy is a great example of TINSTAAPP.
12. Angel Zerpa, LHP, AAA Omaha
Zerpa might quickly outperform this slot. His stuff ticked up in 21 and he ended the season making a start in the majors. He’s nice depth to have, and honestly, I’m a big fan of just throwing numbers at pitching. Zerpa definitely helps create the depth you need to generate a top-notch and reliable home-grown rotation.
13. Maikel Garcia, SS, AA Northwest Arkansas
Garcia is a really intriguing hitter, a righthanded hitter who has a nice combination of contact skills and control of the strike zone (this cousin of Alcides Escobar is less savvy with the glove and more savvy at the plate). The Royals protected him for a reason (he’s on the 40-man).
14. Carter Jensen, C, A ??
Jensen is a local product whose bat will probably push him off C (as well as the Royals depth at that spot throughout the organization). This is a future 1B profile, and a nice one. He makes a lot of loud contact and shows an ability to lift the ball. Should be fun to watch this year.
15. Ben Hernandez, RHP, A+ Quad Rivers
Hernandez missed a good part of 2021 but still has that butterfly changeup and a classic pitcher’s profile. He’ll need to find a reliable swing-and-miss secondary to make it in the bigs, but if not, the fastball velocity and changeup should make him a quality high-leverage reliver.
16. Dylan Coleman, RHP, AAA Omaha
Speaking of relievers, Coleman is a hard-throwing righthander who probably spends most of 22 in the Royals’ pen. ½ of the compensation for the Rosenthal trade a few years back, Coleman has a big fastball and nasty breaking ball.
17. Will Klein, RHP, AA Northwest Arkansas
Speaking of relivers, everything I just said about Coleman? Yeah, you can say it about Klein, too. Klein regularly toyed with hitters at high A last year, striking out 121 hitters in just 70 1/3 innings pitched. For those counting at home, that’s a 15.5 K/9 rate. Yep. That’ll play.
18. Anthony Veneziano, LHP, AA Northwest Arkansas
Here’s another big, power arm. Veneziano hasn’t been relegated to bullpen only yet, though. His fastball bumped into the high 90s last year on a starter’s workload. He’s still looking for a changeup, but if he doesn’t find it, you’re looking at a really promising future bullpen fireballer.
19. Erick Pena, OF, A ?
Pena did… not have a strong 2021 full season debut. His struggles look a lot like those of Pratto and Melendez in 2019. Pena has the same type of raw toolkit to work from as those two, with great hands and natural power. He needs to fix a hitch in his swing and calm it down, but so did Melendez. Of this second ten grouping, Pena has the highest upside and could jump right into the top 5 of the org ranks.
20. Darryl Collins, OF, A+
Collins is an international signing out of Europe. I like the hitting package here – good eye and contact skills. He needs to make more loud contact, but if he can, really a nice guy.
Overall takeaways:
This is a system with a lot of depth. We could go another 10-12 deep and still be talking about guys with a good shot to make the majors. The changes to the organization’s approach are bearing fruit, as even less-heralded draftees are stepping forward.
The combination of upside (Witt, Melendez, Lacy), depth, and guys you can dream on is fun. It may not produce quite as much as the 2011 group did, but it does offer a more sustainable system, less reliant on a few big-ticket guys.
Originally Posted by BWillie:
I just think if he and the org wanted him to be in the OF be would be there by now. I'd like to see him in CF myself. Bobby Witt at 3rd.
Anyone that wants to give up on Witt at SS is either ignorant, trolling, or just really fucking stupid. I'd guess youre probably all of the above. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
I am hearing more and more of an argument that we are embracing the tank.
You do need a guy or two in the rotation who will give you innings. Ideally you'd hope Keller could be that guy but if he pitches like he did at the end of last year that isn't going to work. They definitely need a veteran arm. The worry is we expected Greinke to be that guy and I'm afraid this means we're giving up on him.
The weird thing about Lyles is he's had some rough patches but he had two different stints with Milwaukee and both times he was really good. Far better than he was anywhere else. That Milwaukee pitching program is really good. Maybe that's just a fluke though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tk13:
The weird thing about Lyles is he's had some rough patches but he had two different stints with Milwaukee and both times he was really good. Far better than he was anywhere else. That Milwaukee pitching program is really good. Maybe that's just a fluke though.
Milwaukee had Lyles go heavy slider in those stints, which helped his whiff rate. It looked like he was turning the corner in 2019 but he never took that leap forward in the ensuing years.
He was a highly-regarded Astros prospect in the pre-Luhnow days. That's how long he's been around. It's amazing he's only 32 though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
I am hearing more and more of an argument that we are embracing the tank.
Not really. The key to this season has always rested on the guys already in house. If the young hitters take a leap forward and singer pitches like he did at the middle-end of the year then we will be in position to probably make a move or two at the deadline to go for it. If none of them take a step forward and singer slides back to more of a 3/4 starter then it doesn't matter if we signed Judge in the off season, we won't be very good. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
Anyone that wants to give up on Witt at SS is either ignorant, trolling, or just really ****ing stupid. I'd guess youre probably all of the above.
I don't think anybody is saying to give up on Witt! The reason for playing him at SS is sound, if he is ready to be a good defensive SS in the majors! From what I saw last year, he wasn't when we had a better defensive SS in Lopez.
IMHO, for us to see if we are going to compete for a WC this year, we need to start off solid defense up the middle plus solid hitters in the lineup. With that said, it's tough to get 9 solid hitters and top notch defense on the field. usually you have a weaker hitter or 2 in your lineup.
Until we see that this team will / will not compete for a playoff position, IMHO, we start Lopez at SS, Witt on 3B and Mondi at 2B. I'm not sold yet on Massey, but what we saw last year is promising, but so was Lopez in 2021. I feel we need to use these players up the middle with Tucker in CF, yet still being able to produce enough offense to be competitive.
Now with all of that said, we have to wait to see how they produce on the field first to start the season. I'm not ever inclined to just play guys for the sake of playing them because they are great guys or we need to develop them. Developing players is for the Minor Leagues, yes I understand they to play in the Majors too, but not to start the season when their is a better option on the team. It's not like we we are demoting him to AAA or taking his bat out of the lineup!
This year with the players returning to old style baseball, playing on the ( so called ) dirt, we need defense, speedy defenders to enhance to team play, Not sentimental picks [Reply]
Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ:
Not really. The key to this season has always rested on the guys already in house. If the young hitters take a leap forward and singer pitches like he did at the middle-end of the year then we will be in position to probably make a move or two at the deadline to go for it. If none of them take a step forward and singer slides back to more of a 3/4 starter then it doesn't matter if we signed Judge in the off season, we won't be very good.
Yeah, tank is the wrong word, but it's more of a "let's see what we have before we spend anything."
Agreed with those above, I really wanted Greinke to get 3,000 with KC. But sentimental moments like that were a GMDM special and likely the cost of parting ways with him.
I'll be a bit annoyed if we brought back RYAN O HEARN instead of Greinke, though. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ROYC75:
I don't think anybody is saying to give up on Witt! The reason for playing him at SS is sound, if he is ready to be a good defensive SS in the majors! From what I saw last year, he wasn't when we had a better defensive SS in Lopez.
IMHO, to see if we are going to compete for a WC this year, we need to start off solid defense up the middle plus solid hitters in the lineup. With that said, it's tough to get 9 solid hitters and top notch defense on the field. usually you have a weaker hitter or 2 in your lineup.
Until we see that this team will not compete for a playoff position, IMHO, we start Lopez at SS, Witt on 3B and Mondi at 2B. I'm not sold yet on Massey, what we saw last year is promising, but so was Lopez in 2021. I feel we can use these players up the middle with Tucker in CF, still being able to produce enough offense to be competitive.
Now with all of that said, we have to wait to see how they produce on the field to start the season. I'm not ever inclined to just play guys for the sake of playing them because they are great guys or we need to develop them. Developing players is for the Minor Leagues, yes I understand they to play in the Majors too, but not to start the season when their is a better option on the team. It's not like we we are demoting him to AAA or taking his bat out of the lineup!
This year with the players returning to old style baseball, playing on the ( so called ) dirt, we need defense, speedy defenders to enhance to team play, Not sentimental picks
Michael Massey was recognized as the best defensive 2B in the minor leagues (not the Royals' system, all of them) in 2021. He's plenty good in the new defensive landscape.
Lopez has given the Royals more than 1500 PAs, and the numbers say he is a .630 OPS guy. He's a nice utility player to have, but not someone to run out as an everyday player at this point.
Mondesi at 3B, Witt at SS, Massey at 2B is a good alignment to start the year with. At least until Mondesi gets hurt.
Give Witt a full year at SS and do a true evaluation of his glove there. If he struggles again, move him to 3B and move on.
Michael A. Taylor also needs to go. Like, immediately. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
Anyone that wants to give up on Witt at SS is either ignorant, trolling, or just really ****ing stupid. I'd guess youre probably all of the above.
I don't really understand why. Do you expect a guy like Witt to get better when he has to be on the dirt vs sometimes on the grass (new rules). Playing him at 3B takes the pressure off of him and that is where we need to find out if he can play or if he needs to be in the OF. We already know he can't play SS. Click the link and to the bottom. Dead last in SS defense...by alot.
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Michael Massey was recognized as the best defensive 2B in the minor leagues (not the Royals' system, all of them) in 2021. He's plenty good in the new defensive landscape.
Lopez has given the Royals more than 1500 PAs, and the numbers say he is a .630 OPS guy. He's a nice utility player to have, but not someone to run out as an everyday player at this point.
Mondesi at 3B, Witt at SS, Massey at 2B is a good alignment to start the year with. At least until Mondesi gets hurt.
Give Witt a full year at SS and do a true evaluation of his glove there. If he struggles again, move him to 3B and move on.
Michael A. Taylor also needs to go. Like, immediately.
I can relate to a lot of this. The real kicker here is Mondi! We just don't know, the kid has MVP potential and just can not stay healthy. We seen some GREAT defensive plays at SS when he was healthy.
Say we start this ( your view ) way, Mondi goes down and we are off to a GREAT start? Now what? Lopez at 3B? Dozier at 3B, for the remainder of the season. We do not have a solid pipeline of 3B's men in the minors or on the major roster for long term. In a perfect world
I got nothing against Massey. I just want to see more of him to say, he is a MLB starter. As for Lopez, I understand your concerns, but I also say this, what's to keep him from becoming a better hitter with hard work and coaching. The same with any player at the Major level, hard work, dedication and coaching. The kids have talent or they would not be at the major level to start with. I know this for a fact, Nicky Lopez was arguably robbed of a GG in 21! The kid can play defense!
As for Taylor? He is a solid defensive player that at times comes through with some clutch hits. Sure we would love to have them on a more consistent level and FTR, as long as MT has been in MLB, he should be. But I just don't see him being more than a back up, at best now. I'm not opposed to moving away from him as long as his replacement is very good at defense. [Reply]
I think Lyles is a fine signing for the Royals. You need innings eaters like him. Furthermore, he had a bit of a resurgence last year in Baltimore. So much so that he got scooped up pretty heavily in AL-Only fantasy leagues.
At one time he was my favorite underdog to bet on. 2014, when he went from the Astros to the Rockies. I'd bet unders and on Colorado when he pitched. The payouts were always very juicy, you see, cause it's a struggling pitcher that sucked in Houston now going to the launching pad of Coors Field. But I'd seen him pitch plenty in Houston and I thought he looked pretty good then, better than his inflated numbers would have you believe, and at that time he was still quite young with plenty of upside. That year he finished with a ERA+ of 98, so very profitable indeed, cause he was always priced like he was a gas can. In the three preceding seasons with the Astros, his ERA+ was 71,79 and 72. Not many pitchers get better when they go to the Rockies, but Lyles sure did, and he made my bankroll better in the process. CANUDIGIT?
Now that Mr. Lyles gets to enjoy the pitching friendly confines of the K, I could see him eclipsing that 100 ERA+ mark for the second time in his career. He last did that in 2019 (106) and put up a 91 last year, pitching in another bandbox (Baltimore). [Reply]