***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.

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Lol both of these draft picks are Bible thumpers. What a surprise.

A whole lot of MLB players come from Central America. Those places are highly Catholic. Cuba, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, all highly Catholic.

So are you overreacting to the Royals drafting domestic bible thumpers or is Dayton Moore going out of his way to get them from all sources?

I dont know.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch

A whole lot of MLB players come from Central America. Those places are highly Catholic. Cuba, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, all highly Catholic.

So are you overreacting to the Royals drafting domestic bible thumpers or is Dayton Moore going out of his way to get them from all sources?

I dont know.

Doesn't make them Bible thumpers.

[Mecca]

The Brewers drafted Dayton Moore's son at 72...

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The Brewers drafted Dayton Moore's son at 72...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

9. Royals
Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech

The Hokies had not had a player selected in the first round since Joe Saunders in 2002. Cross, who is projected to become an above-average hitter and a fine right fielder, ended the decades-long drought. He trended in the right direction this season in all the pertinent areas. At the plate, he improved upon his strikeout and walk rates while increasing his power output; in the field, he slid to center and fared better than expected for someone who is slated to play right field as a professional. There's not much chrome to his game, but his offensive skill set should make him a welcomed addition



49. Royals
Cayden Wallace, 3B, Arkansas

Wallace is a draft-eligible sophomore who has underperformed expectations this spring, cutting his strikeout rate from last year but also hitting for less power. His swing is sound with good rotation and what looks like the right angle for line-drive power, so it might be a matter of building strength, although he’s also had huge trouble on changeups.

Thoughts on the Royals first two picks of the 2022 MLB Draft

Alex Duvall

Danny Ontiveros, take a bow.

We have been begging the Royals to #DraftMoreHitters on Twitter this spring, specifically of the college variety, and the Royals went out and took two of the best college hitters available at the time of their respective selection. Gavin Cross, an athletic outfielder from Virginia Tech, was the Royals first selection at #9. You can read about him here. Then, with their second pick at #49 overall, the Royals took Arkansas’ sophomore third baseman Cayden Wallace, a power-hitting righty with a chance to be a good third baseman long-term. You can read about that pick here.

I am so happy that the Royals took two college hitters with legitimate power potential with their picks last night. It would be hypocritical of me to now act like I didn’t love this draft after begging them to do exactly this all spring. Drew Saylor and company have done wonderfully when it comes to developing hitters and the Royals just took a couple of thoroughbreds for the development team to play with. There were rumors all day about the Royals shopping around an under-slot deal for their 9th overall pick, including several arms that were supposedly in play, and Kansas City came out with two college bats we know they loved during this process.

We did draft grades on the podcast last night, and I gave both picks an A- individually and I’m giving the Royals an A for the night. Like I said, it would be hypocritical of me to beg them to draft college hitters all spring and then not give them a good grade when they draft two college hitters with their first two picks of the draft. I love the process. Cross wouldn’t have been my first choice at #9. Wallace is a great pick at #49. Even if you don’t love the players, I LOVE the process (and love the Wallace pick as well). This was a great night for the Kansas City Royals and might be a preview into a fundamental shift in how the organization drafts moving forward under new scouting director Danny Ontiveros.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

9. Kansas City Royals: Gavin Cross, RF, Virginia Tech

Who is Cross?

Unheralded out of high school and as a freshman at Virginia Tech, Cross developed into an All-American over his final two seasons in Blacksburg. A left-handed hitter, Cross played center field in college but is likely to end up in right as a pro with an above-average combination of hit and power that figures to hold up in an outfield corner.

Why the Royals took him here:

Drafting in the top 10 for the fourth straight season, the Royals had gone high school position player (Bobby Witt Jr.), college pitcher (Asa Lacy), high school pitcher (Frank Mozzicato) and now go with a college position player. At least GM Dayton Moore is flexible in his thinking. Cross could be another fast-moving college bat -- and the Royals need outfield help. -- Schoenfield


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[KChiefs1]

Here are the 10 best players remaining from Keith Law’s top 100 prospects.

Spoiler!

1. Brock Porter, RHP, St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)

Porter has emerged as one of the top high school right-handers in this class, and right now is the best bet to be the first arm taken from anywhere in the class. He’s been up to 97 this spring with good arm-side run on the pitch, while both his curveball and changeup project as at least above-average offerings when he starts using them more. He offers a ton of projection on his 6-4 frame, with a long stride toward the plate and good extension over his front side. He’s also committed to Clemson, but he’s pitched well enough this spring that he should go high enough to sign.

2. Jake Madden, RHP, Northwest Florida State

Madden is a super projectable 6-6 right-hander who was originally headed to South Carolina out of high school in 2020, but decommitted to attend Northwest Florida State, where he redshirted for a year and made his debut this past spring. Now committed to Alabama, Madden has been 92-97, working mostly off the fastball but with potential with both his changeup and slider, the former more so than the latter. His arm swing is long but he gets there on time and with a consistent slot just below 3/4. He battled blisters this past spring which probably impacted his command, and he walked 11 percent of batters he faced this spring. It’s No. 2 starter upside with a fair amount of risk, with pure stuff and projection in his favor but the lack of track record and his high walk rates against.

3. Jonathan Cannon, RHP, Georgia

Cannon added a cutter this year and has been throwing harder, both from regaining arm strength he lost after a bout with mono in 2021 and from shifting from throwing more two-seamers to throwing more four-seamers, and through late April it looked like he might get into the first round. He stumbled down the stretch, giving up four or more runs in each of his last five outings, 26 earned runs in 26 innings in that span, including a brutal outing against VCU in the regionals, so scouts’ final looks at him were nowhere near as good. Cannon is up to 97-98 and sits 93-95, but hitters have never missed his fastball like you’d expect, and his slider is fringy, leaving him with just the cutter as a potential out pitch. It’s more a 55 now than a 60 or better, short and hard but, again, not missing as many bats as it should. He’s 6-6 but his slot is a bit below 3/4, and hitters see the ball for almost his entire delivery, so he’s not getting any deception to help his stuff play up. He does throw a ton of strikes and has the size and frame teams like in future starters, but for him to get to be even a No. 4 he’ll need to miss more bats, and getting there probably means altering his delivery to get him more deception or more life on the fastball.

4. Sonny DiChiara, 1B, Auburn

Sonny D is a large senior slugger for Auburn, a transfer from Samford who has hit 20 homers with more walks than strikeouts for the Tigers, even hitting well in-conference. He clobbers fastballs, can tell a ball from a strike, and doesn’t chase out of the zone very often. He’s also a DH in waiting, given his girth, and hasn’t shown that he can hit decent breaking stuff. He demolished left-handed pitching this year, but if a right-hander can land a breaking ball in or near the zone, DiChiara has trouble with it. He’s going to turn 23 in August, which will kill him in many teams’ draft models, but a team willing to take a chance on the power/OBP skills will get a great senior sign here.

5. Trey Dombroski, LHP, Monmouth

In a year without premium college arms – at least, not healthy ones – the guys who lack huge stuff but can really pitch are getting a boost. Dombroski has elite control, with 70 percent of his pitches going for strikes, and he does it with all four pitches. He’ll touch 93 mph but works more at 88-91, leaning heavily on his slider to keep hitters from squaring up the fastball, with both the slider and curveball missing enough bats to grade out as 55s. He has a changeup that he barely uses, with a lot of action that probably would make it less effective if he threw it too much. There isn’t a ton of deception in his delivery, which is low-effort and has him very online toward the plate, with everything coming from a consistent 3/4-low slot. Dombroski walked 14 batters in 15 starts this year, and his career walk rate for Monmouth is just 3.7 percent, after he walked 2 batters in 31 innings on the Cape last year (1.6 percent). He did give up 10 homers this past season in 95 innings, after allowing none in his first two seasons for the Hawks, which is always a concern for a pitcher whose fastball is light. If he doesn’t lose any further stuff moving to five-day rotations in pro ball, or even gains a little with pro coaching, he has third/fourth-starter potential, but the downside is he becomes so homer-prone he doesn’t have a role in the majors.

6. Bradley Loftin, LHP, DeSoto Central High (Miss.)

Loftin is expected to be a tough sign due to his commitment to Mississippi State, but some team with extra money might try to coax him into pro ball instead. He’s an excellent athlete with a loose arm, up to 94 mph already with a plus changeup, and he just started throwing a breaking ball this year, showing enough feel to spin the ball to give him a three-pitch starter projection. The changeup has great arm speed and some tailing fade to it, giving him a solid base while he works to add velocity and develop the curveball. He’s a projection guy and not likely to move fast in pro ball, but worth an overpay with someone’s second or third pick.

7. Jared Jones, C, Walton High (Marietta, Ga.)

Jones has a great right-handed swing with plus power, and if someone believes he can stay behind the plate, he could go in the top 40 picks. He’s very big for the position, though, at 6-5, 235 pounds – very few big league catchers that tall have been able to stay healthy and productive – and he’ll turn 19 on Aug. 1, which hurts him with teams that weigh age in their models. The LSU commit has a good swing with strong hands and great hip rotation, but his recognition of offspeed stuff lags behind, so there’s a fair question of whether he’ll get to the power right away. The power/position combination gives him huge upside for a team that’s very patient.

8. Ike Irish, C, St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)

Irish takes the Juan Soto two-strike approach to ridiculous lengths, with a stance so wide it puts his pant seams at risk, but his main selling point is his defense, as he has a plus arm and shows both agility and feel behind the plate. He’s a left-handed hitter, a novelty among catchers, and has plus bat speed, while his hands work well. He’s not consistent when he loads, and between that and the restriction from his wide stance, he’s had some trouble with velocity that just doesn’t line up with the bat speed. He doesn’t have to hit a ton to be a regular given his glovework, but more consistent mechanics, and perhaps a more reasonable stance, might give the Auburn commit more upside.

9. Henry Williams, RHP, Duke

Williams was 88-93 mph as a starter last year with two above-average secondaries in the slider and changeup. And at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, he offers some physical projection as well, but his elbow went and he had Tommy John surgery in the offseason. He only threw 37 innings in 2021 due to elbow and forearm issues, so scouts have limited looks at him, and if someone wants to buy him out of his last two years of eligibility, they’ll do so with no scouting reports sine last spring. Prior to the surgery, he was 89-92 mph with a nasty low-80s, downward-breaking slider, and a changeup that’s a strong 55 when he doesn’t overthrow it. His feel for the secondary stuff wasn’t great, though, and he had problems with the consistency of both pitches (in command, shape, even keeping his changeup velocity down), the sort of thing that might get better with experience that Williams doesn’t have. He’s still projectable and there’s the hope that his elbow and forearm injuries will all be behind him now that he’s got a fresh UCL, which would give him mid-rotation potential. He’s not as polished as some of the other Tommy John pitchers in the class, however.

10. Brandon Sproat, RHP, Florida

Sproat was a top 100 prospect in 2019, but slipped to the Rangers in the seventh round that year, turning down their over-slot offers to go to the University of Florida, where he’s bounced in and out of the rotation and posted a 6.65 ERA as a sophomore last year. He made 16 starts for the Gators this year, finishing very strong, including two excellent starts in the tournament where he punched out 13 batters with just three walks and two runs allowed in 15.1 innings. He’s 94-98 mph as a starter, touching 100 mph, working with four pitches, led by an upper-80s changeup with some late tailing action that is effective against left- and right-handed batters. He takes a huge step toward the plate that generates great arm speed, and his release point is consistent enough, so whatever is keeping him from average command, it’s not something obvious in the delivery. It’s never been a question of stuff with Sproat, however, but of command and control; he has the arsenal of a top-20 pick, but his track record and history of throwing strikes don’t support that.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Al Bundy]

The Rangers and Brock Porter would be a good match but I bet he will end up at Clemson.

[ChiefsCountry]

Couple local ties to look at today - Karson Milbrandt a pitcher from Liberty and Sam Horn the MU QB recruit.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Couple local ties to look at today - Karson Milbrandt a pitcher from Liberty and Sam Horn the MU QB recruit.

Really hoping Horn falls lol. I want him playing QB and don't want any chance of him leaving.

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

The Angels drafted a slick fielding shortstop that projects at best to become a late inning defensive replacement at the MLB level. They had that exact player (Tyler Wade) and released him last week. Its not a valuable player type. Gotta be able to hit, and for power, to be legit. He cant do either.

Super pissed they drafted that guy. The Angels are far more inept than the Royals. The Royals are geniuses compared to that Angel situation. We got bad lawsuits (a team employee provided the drugs to Skaggs that killed him, so the Skaggs family will be winning a large sum in their lawsuit against the Angels) going on, so they are far more of a trainwreck than KC. Cross seems decent.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch

The Angels drafted a slick fielding shortstop that projects at best to become a late inning defensive replacement at the MLB level. They had that exact player (Tyler Wade) and released him last week. Its not a valuable player type. Gotta be able to hit, and for power, to be legit. He cant do either.

Super pissed they drafted that guy. The Angels are far more inept than the Royals. The Royals are geniuses compared to that Angel situation. We got bad lawsuits (a team employee provided the drugs to Skaggs that killed him, so the Skaggs family will be winning a large sum in their lawsuit against the Angels) going on, so they are far more of a trainwreck than KC. Cross seems decent.

The Angels have 2 of the top 5 players in the game and can't win...

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch

The Angels drafted a slick fielding shortstop that projects at best to become a late inning defensive replacement at the MLB level. They had that exact player (Tyler Wade) and released him last week. Its not a valuable player type. Gotta be able to hit, and for power, to be legit. He cant do either.

Super pissed they drafted that guy. The Angels are far more inept than the Royals. The Royals are geniuses compared to that Angel situation. We got bad lawsuits (a team employee provided the drugs to Skaggs that killed him, so the Skaggs family will be winning a large sum in their lawsuit against the Angels) going on, so they are far more of a trainwreck than KC. Cross seems decent.

Are you talking about Neto? Because that's not at all what I'm seeing in his prospect write up.

[DJ's left nut]

Phillies did a similar thing but with a higher pedigreed kid.

I REALLY struggle with the idea of taking a hitter in the first round who doesn't have projectable power. It just doesn't make any sense to me, especially if you're dealing with a prep prospect who has potholes along the way anyway.

If you're gonna take a big swing on a prep prospect, that swing needs to at least be a HR swing. If it connects with guys like Justin Crawford and the Angels kid, you're still just looking at a solid double.

The Cubs made one of the more bizarre picks I can recall a few years back with Nico Hoerner. And Hoerner developed exactly as they would've expected; a true best case scenario development arc.

And he's maybe gonna be a slightly slower, less versatile version of Tommy Edman. Who cares? That's a fine complementary player but it doesn't change the trajectory of your team in the slightest. Why are you using 1st round capital on that? Those kind of guys are 3rd-5th round players, IMO (Edman was a 6th, for example).

That's just not a guy you use a 1st rounder on.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Also I'm so God damn tired of people having positions in this organization or getting drafted because they thump the Bible.

It's a God damn joke. Just change the team name to the KC Jesus, or the Christian brigade or something cause this shit is beyond laughable now.

Bigot