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 DJ's left nut:
Why do people think these athletes are under oath?
They don't.
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
If they don't want to answer a question, they're not going to answer it. And if you badger them, you're going to piss them off and they won't answer ANY questions you may have.
Reporters will ask the same question in different ways in hopes of bringing out a different response. You never know when someone may bite on a question and give a decent response. If they get pissed off and won't give anything but robotic answers then it really makes no difference in the long run if they just stop speaking. [Reply]
Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat: Reporters will ask the same question in different ways in hopes of bringing out a different response. You never know when someone may bite on a question and give a decent response. If they get pissed off and won't give anything but robotic answers then it really makes no difference in the long run if they just stop speaking.
Sure.
But "hey, it's a baseball question" ain't exactly asking the question in a different way. It's a cross examination at that point where you're trying to back the guy into a corner.
Maybe work around the edges and ask the question that might have elicited my answer such as "Have you talked you your representation about they may handle trade talks as the deadline approaches..."
Because you might be able to read between the lines there.
But a direct frontal assault on his answer isn't gonna get you anywhere. [Reply]
But "hey, it's a baseball question" ain't exactly asking the question in a different way. It's a cross examination at that point where you're trying to back the guy into a corner.
Maybe work around the edges and ask the question that might have elicited my answer such as "Have you talked you your representation about they may handle trade talks as the deadline approaches..."
Because you might be able to read between the lines there.
But a direct frontal assault on his answer isn't gonna get you anywhere.
That would be a good way to put the question, but he is dug in and won't answer any questions about it. You are correct that his representation knows if he will or will not get it to facilitate the trade. [Reply]
On 610 sports radio's Cody and Gold show, #Royals GM J.J. Picollo indicated veteran pitcher Zack Greinke not a likely trade candidate at this point though he didn't completely rule it out.
On 610 sports radio's Cody and Gold show, #Royals GM J.J. Picollo indicated veteran pitcher Zack Greinke not a likely trade candidate at this point though he didn't completely rule it out.
Wow. The #Royals take Oklahoma RHP David Sandlin. Many thought he was definitely going back to school. Starter profile. Fastball has good metrics. Needs to focus on commanding the pitch to the top of the zone. Will open up his slider effectiveness. I imagine he'll sign.
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
He gets to decide if he gets traded.
I assume you're talking about Greinke (the quote button comes in useful here).
Why does he get to decide? He doesn't have automatic no-trade rights.
It could be part of his 1-yr contract, but it seems pretty stupid to me to give that to a player on a 1-yr, especially if the team probably isn't going to be in contention. That's a big part of the reason to sign a guy like him to a 1-yr--having the possibility of trading him to a contender later. [Reply]
Originally Posted by cosmo20002:
I assume you're talking about Greinke (the quote button comes in useful here).
Why does he get to decide? He doesn't have automatic no-trade rights.
It could be part of his 1-yr contract, but it seems pretty stupid to me to give that to a player on a 1-yr, especially if the team probably isn't going to be in contention. That's a big part of the reason to sign a guy like him to a 1-yr--having the possibility of trading him to a contender later.
Who else would I be talking about?
When they signed him they didn't plan on being absolute dog shit and probably thought they'd have an outside shot of making the playoffs.
Royals Not Planning To Trade Zack Greinke
July 15th, 2022 at 8:37am CST • By Steve Adams
With the Royals already in sell mode, the majority of their impending free agents figure to eventually emerge as trade candidates. One exception appears to be right-hander Zack Greinke, whom the Royals aren’t planning to trade unless he specifically asks to be dealt, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The 38-year-old Greinke is back with his original organization after 11 years spent honing a potential Hall of Fame resume around the league, making stops with the Brewers, Angels, Dodgers, D-backs and Astros along the way. Greinke chose to sign a one-year, $13MM deal with the Royals despite a reportedly comparable offer from the now-division-leading Twins and interest at a similar price point from the Tigers. Detroit GM Al Avila said during Spring Training that money was not the deciding factor in Greinke’s decision. Rather, the righty preferred going “back to Kansas City and the place where he started,” which is wholly understandable at this juncture of his career. Heyman adds that Greinke recently purchased a home in Kansas City as well — all of which combines to make a trade appear fairly unlikely.
Greinke has been mostly solid for an unproven and at times shaky Royals staff this season, making 14 starts and logging 73 2/3 frames of 4.52 ERA ball. All of the damage against him has come in four road starts, as he’s been hit hard in Houston, Colorado, Minnesota and Arizona. Greinke has a 1.86 ERA while pitching at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium, and despite the pedestrian earned run average, he’s held his opponents to two or fewer runs in nine of his 14 starts. Righties Brad Keller (3.96 ERA, 97 2/3 innings) and Brady Singer (3.82 ERA, 66 innings) have also been good for Kansas City, but the rest of the pitchers who’ve started games for the Royals this year have ERAs either just under or well north of 5.00.
A former Cy Young winner, six-time All-Star, six-time Gold Glover and two-time ERA champion, Greinke’s dominance has faded late in his career as his fastball velocity and strikeout rates have dropped. He’s averaging just 89.2 mph with his “heater” in 2022 while striking out a career-low 12.5% of his opponents. His command of the strike zone remains masterful, however, evidenced by a 4.5% walk rate and a 67.9% first-pitch strike rate, which ranks tenth among big league pitchers (min. 70 innings).
It’s certainly possible that as the deadline draws nearer, Greinke will feel the urge to again join a postseason push and approach the front office about engineering a trade. Even then, he’d likely be selective about his preferred destination, so a trade wouldn’t necessarily be a given. At least for now, it seems much likelier that he stays put. [Reply]
Looking at what KC has done with the draft today, pretty "BLAH" results.
Not bad. But fairly boring.
Cross is not a bad pick, though he is a boring one. Same with the Arkansas kid, really.
They took one "tough sign" kid today but the rest are not tough signs from what I can find so far (and no other guys drafted above their ranks).
Regarding all the college kids, that does make me wonder if perhaps the returns they're targeting via trade are younger prospects, and they're leaning college heavy as a result to balance out the system a bit.
Also: Quick midseason update on prospects.
Carter Jensen and Tyler Gentry have been awesome. Erick Pena has been flaming poo. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
Who else would I be talking about?
When they signed him they didn't plan on being absolute dog shit and probably thought they'd have an outside shot of making the playoffs.
Royals Not Planning To Trade Zack Greinke
July 15th, 2022 at 8:37am CST • By Steve Adams
With the Royals already in sell mode, the majority of their impending free agents figure to eventually emerge as trade candidates. One exception appears to be right-hander Zack Greinke, whom the Royals aren’t planning to trade unless he specifically asks to be dealt, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The 38-year-old Greinke is back with his original organization after 11 years spent honing a potential Hall of Fame resume around the league, making stops with the Brewers, Angels, Dodgers, D-backs and Astros along the way. Greinke chose to sign a one-year, $13MM deal with the Royals despite a reportedly comparable offer from the now-division-leading Twins and interest at a similar price point from the Tigers. Detroit GM Al Avila said during Spring Training that money was not the deciding factor in Greinke’s decision. Rather, the righty preferred going “back to Kansas City and the place where he started,” which is wholly understandable at this juncture of his career. Heyman adds that Greinke recently purchased a home in Kansas City as well — all of which combines to make a trade appear fairly unlikely.
Greinke has been mostly solid for an unproven and at times shaky Royals staff this season, making 14 starts and logging 73 2/3 frames of 4.52 ERA ball. All of the damage against him has come in four road starts, as he’s been hit hard in Houston, Colorado, Minnesota and Arizona. Greinke has a 1.86 ERA while pitching at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium, and despite the pedestrian earned run average, he’s held his opponents to two or fewer runs in nine of his 14 starts. Righties Brad Keller (3.96 ERA, 97 2/3 innings) and Brady Singer (3.82 ERA, 66 innings) have also been good for Kansas City, but the rest of the pitchers who’ve started games for the Royals this year have ERAs either just under or well north of 5.00.
A former Cy Young winner, six-time All-Star, six-time Gold Glover and two-time ERA champion, Greinke’s dominance has faded late in his career as his fastball velocity and strikeout rates have dropped. He’s averaging just 89.2 mph with his “heater” in 2022 while striking out a career-low 12.5% of his opponents. His command of the strike zone remains masterful, however, evidenced by a 4.5% walk rate and a 67.9% first-pitch strike rate, which ranks tenth among big league pitchers (min. 70 innings).
It’s certainly possible that as the deadline draws nearer, Greinke will feel the urge to again join a postseason push and approach the front office about engineering a trade. Even then, he’d likely be selective about his preferred destination, so a trade wouldn’t necessarily be a given. At least for now, it seems much likelier that he stays put.
Well, nothing in that article says there's a no-trade clause. Other than that, I don't know why the decision to be traded would be up to him.
Not that he'd be in great demand with his inconsistent season, but it seems monumentally stupid for the Royals to give him $13M for one year and not retain the ability to trade him. [Reply]
Grienke isn't gonna be traded because he's worth more putting some butts in seats every 5 days than any marginal lottery ticket he'd get in a trade. This isn't 5 years ago. A Grienke rental isn't worth that much.
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Looking at what KC has done with the draft today, pretty "BLAH" results.
Not bad. But fairly boring.
Cross is not a bad pick, though he is a boring one. Same with the Arkansas kid, really.
They took one "tough sign" kid today but the rest are not tough signs from what I can find so far (and no other guys drafted above their ranks).
Regarding all the college kids, that does make me wonder if perhaps the returns they're targeting via trade are younger prospects, and they're leaning college heavy as a result to balance out the system a bit.
Also: Quick midseason update on prospects.
Carter Jensen and Tyler Gentry have been awesome. Erick Pena has been flaming poo.
KC hasn’t found shit on the international market in over a decade, not sure why that would change now with Pena. Same old same old. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
Looking at what KC has done with the draft today, pretty "BLAH" results.
Not bad. But fairly boring.
Cross is not a bad pick, though he is a boring one. Same with the Arkansas kid, really.
They took one "tough sign" kid today but the rest are not tough signs from what I can find so far (and no other guys drafted above their ranks).
Regarding all the college kids, that does make me wonder if perhaps the returns they're targeting via trade are younger prospects, and they're leaning college heavy as a result to balance out the system a bit.
Also: Quick midseason update on prospects.
Carter Jensen and Tyler Gentry have been awesome. Erick Pena has been flaming poo.