***Official 2022 Royals Season Repository Thread***

[ChiefsCountry]

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.

[gblowfish]

BTW: I saw my pal Mr. Doggity a couple days ago. He bought two of these coffee mugs at a garage sale for a dollar. It's the fan appreciation gift for the Royals in September 1977. Sponsored by A&P Eight OClock Coffee -which is still very tasty coffee. It has all the team members pictures on the mug design. Cool! I put my pens and pencils in it on my home office desk!

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Because Mike Matheny is the manager.

When duncan has gone all doom and gloom on you: You suck.

[cabletech94]

Originally Posted by Fansy the Famous Bard

When duncan has gone all doom and gloom on you: You suck.

When blowfish gets down voted for a vintage mug you know things are bad.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by cabletech94

When blowfish gets down voted for a vintage mug you know things are bad.

Tough Crowd.
Probably a Yankees Fan.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Fansy the Famous Bard

When duncan has gone all doom and gloom on you: You suck.

I’ve been doom and gloom on Mike Matheny for a long time. Same with Cal Eldred.

I was hoping the talent level was good enough for the P staff to overcome Eldred’s idiocy and lack of qualification to work with, well, anything more than a Little League pitching staff.

[cmh6476]

Looks like it is Jonathan Heasley's turn tonight

[gblowfish]

O'Hearn is hitting .087 and stranded multiple runners on base in his 0 for 4 ABs. Rivera pinch hit for him in the 9th and tripled with the bases loaded to blow the game open. Even with scoring 8 runs, the Royals were 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position. Only other guy to drive in a run as RISC besides Rivera was Witt Jr. Lopez had two awful ABs where he could not move runners. Merrifield had a 3 hit night and scored 3 times. Royals scoring 8 was their most in a single game so far this year. They lead MLB in scoring unearned runs off opponents.

[PHOG]

We should be able to score some runs tonight, Taylor Hearn has over a 6 ERA, with 15 runs allowed in 20+ IP.

But you know, Royals.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

Looks like it is Jonathan Heasley's turn tonight

Who?

[TLO]

And when I say "who?", that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'd rather see this guy as opposed to Boobitch

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by TLO

Who?

What? Hello?!?! Does Big John Heasley not ring a bell? I mean, come on!

[cmh6476]

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Heasley fell to the 13th round in the 2018 Draft after posting a 6.98 ERA in 15 starts at Oklahoma State, but the Royals saw something in the right-hander and went above slot to sign him. He’s steadily improved in stuff, pitchability and presence since he became a Royal. His 3.33 ERA across 105 1/3 innings in Double-A last year earned him a jump to the Majors, where he impressed in three starts.

Heasley’s velocity keeps ticking up since he became a pro; he can dial his fastball to 97-99 in short bursts and was averaging 94 mph in the Majors as a starter. He has four pitches, and his best secondary pitch is his above-average, 12-6 curveball. He didn’t throw his slider as much in the Majors, but it should be a solid offering for him moving forward. And he rounds out his arsenal with an effective changeup that he can use on both sides of the plate. Heasley has a repeatable delivery and walked just 34 batters in Double-A with 120 strikeouts, although he faced tougher hitters in the bigs and lost a feel for fastball command at times.

Heasley gets high marks for his ability to field his position and control the running game, boasting one of the best pick-off moves in the organization. He received praise for how he handled the jump from Double-A to the Majors last year, and his competitiveness and talent will see him help the starting group this year and even compete for a spot in the Opening Day rotation.

.

[louie aguiar]

In former Royals prospect news... In 2017 the Royals acquired Trevor Cahill, Brandon Maurer, and Ryan Buchter for Matt Strahm and an 18-year-old prospect named Esteury Ruiz. This was a disaster of a trade as the Padres sent us three crappy pitchers for Matt Strahm who turned into a pretty good reliever for the Padres. Ruiz was essentially a throw-in lottery ticket in the deal. He's now in double-A and is looking like a pretty nice center field prospect. He's hitting .314/.489/.562 and has stolen 19 bases for the Padres AA team.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

In former Royals prospect news... In 2017 the Royals acquired Trevor Cahill, Brandon Maurer, and Ryan Buchter for Matt Strahm and an 18-year-old prospect named Esteury Ruiz. This was a disaster of a trade as the Padres sent us three crappy pitchers for Matt Strahm who turned into a pretty good reliever for the Padres. Ruiz was essentially a throw-in lottery ticket in the deal. He's now in double-A and is looking like a pretty nice center field prospect. He's hitting .314/.489/.562 and has stolen 19 bases for the Padres AA team.

If Cahill would have put up his numbers he was in San Diego or what the next season in Oakland and it would have been fine deadline trade. That was another move chasing after Ventura's death.

[gblowfish]

Was listening to 610 this afternoon. They put out a stat about Merrifield over the last three or four years. When he scores one run in a game, the Royals win like 66% of the time. When he does not score in a game, they lose like 70% of the time. So how it goes depends on how Merrifield goes.

Tonight Merrifield moved from 8th to lead off. O'Hearn moved to the bench. BooBitch put on a bus to Omaha. Baby steps...