***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.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

I guess I don't get all the shitting on Hosmer in this thread. He was great for us, even if he didn't live up to his draft status (offensively). He was a big part of bringing us two pennants and a Trophy.

Now, I am glad we didn't pay the ridiculous contract that SD gave him. That would have been a HUGE mistake and would have tarnished his legacy here. That said, San Diego signed him to the contract they did, agreed to a no trade clause for 10 teams, did a deal with him in it without telling him ahead of time and then sending him to a team that was on his no trade list.

If I was Hosmer I would tell them to get bent too. They tried to do him dirty and he told them to '**** off'. Good for him. He'll end up getting sent somewhere else, somewhere better than ****ing DC.

Really only one hot-headed spazz but he that way on everything. Must live a miserable existance.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Geezus. That's a little harsh, dontcha think?

Told ya he is a worthless hotheaded spazz. Spews the same shit day after day all over the board.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by tk13

Not to mention game 6 against the Blue Jays, the sac fly in game 1 against the Mets, the extra innings homer against the Angels in the ALDS and the triple in the 12th inning of the Wild Card game against the A's that kicked off the rally that started the whole thing in the first place.

You could make the case behind Brett and Mahomes that Hosmer is the 3rd most clutch postseason athlete in Kansas City sports history. In terms of number of clutch playoff moments, there aren't many guys ahead of him. I didn't even mention his homer against the Astros in the big comeback, among other games. The dash home in game 5 is one of the wildest plays ever. He definitely got a contract that was beyond his stats but the guy just delivered over and over again in big moments.

Absolutely! And he didn't even get that contract from KC. No idea why anybody here would have anything but positive feelings towards Hosmer.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by tk13

Salvy's definitely on the Mount Rushmore of KC stars way before Hosmer for sure, but I was talking about clutch playoff moments. Salvy has the wild card game which was an all-time moment and he was WS MVP but that was more for consistent performance.

Hosmer had several massive clutch plays to start rallies or win games through those two years. Pretty much every big game we remember Hosmer was in the middle of it somewhere.

Triple in the 12th in the Wild Card
Angels game 1 homer
Monster homer to seal the Astros Game 4 Comeback win
Cain from first - Hosmer hit
Sac Fly in 12th to win Game 1
The Dash home in Game 5

[tk13]

MLB Network guys were just bashing Cleveland and the White Sox because they've both been super quiet today too. Meanwhile the Twins are trying to get arms. Tigers just gave them Michael Fulmer for a AA pitcher who isn't ranked and has a 7 ERA.

Confirmed: Tigers are getting RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long in return https://t.co/K3hCoT4KyW

— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) August 2, 2022

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Absolutely! And he didn't even get that contract from KC. No idea why anybody here would have anything but positive feelings towards Hosmer.

Well he did get the same dollar number contract from the Royals, it was just the opposite with the lower pay days first and got higher at the end.

[Sassy Squatch]

So why the hell did Benintendi get dealt for a bag of smashed assholes and some used chewing gum if our asking price is so high for everyone else?

[tk13]

The Royals have traded Whit Merrifield, per source.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 2, 2022

[tk13]

Wow. You can't write this stuff.

Whit Merrifield has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN.

One has to believe he'll be getting vaccinated.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2022

[Sassy Squatch]

Good. Worthless bitch.

[penguinz]

KC had to do that on purpose.

[ChiefsCountry]

Irony

Whit Merrifield has been traded to the Toronto Blue Jays, sources tell ESPN.

One has to believe he'll be getting vaccinated.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 2, 2022

[Sassy Squatch]

Hahahahaha it's to the ****ing Blue Jays?

[BWillie]

Yes whit traded!

[BWillie]

I don't know who we got back, it could be a bag of balls and a broken bat. The Royals won the trade.