***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]

Everybody's favorite slugger, Vincent Joseph Pasquantino, is now on the IL with a shoulder injury he sustained just by swinging at a pitch.

On an 0-2 count against White Sox reliever Vince Velasquez, Pasquantino swung at a slider on the inside part of the plate and grimaced right away while hunched over in pain as the ball traveled to center field.

The Royals announced that Pasquantino left the game with right shoulder discomfort, and he landed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with the same diagnosis.

VP himself doesn't seem too concerned:

“Just a little bit of pain in the shoulder,” Pasquantino said after Monday's game. “That’s really it. I’ve felt similar things before in the past, which makes me not worried about it. We’re just going to make sure it’s right and get back in there as soon as possible.”

https://www.mlb.com/news/vinnie-pasq...houlder-injury

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by BWillie

So, not even accounting for who the players even are. Why would a team who is selling acquire an MLB reliever for a starting 3B? To do what? You arent going to the playoffs. We arent talking about selling a 3B and getting a AA reliever prospect. Its almost like they were confused they were supposed to be buyers.

Because they didn't consider Rivera a starting 3B. And frankly, I agreed -- I suspect he'll be Cheslor Cuthbert II. So far, that makes me and the Royals look bad. But we'll see. It's early.

I didn't have a problem trading Rivera. I thought Weaver was an odd return, though -- a 29-year-old with one more season of control left. And he's definitely not holding up his end of the deal.

It absolutely could go down as a one-sided trade. But I seriously doubt it will be one of the all-time worst in MLB history. That's a pretty high standard.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Because they didn't consider Rivera a starting 3B. And frankly, I agreed -- I suspect he'll be Cheslor Cuthbert II. So far, that makes me and the Royals look bad. But we'll see. It's early.

I didn't have a problem trading Rivera. I thought Weaver was an odd return, though -- a 29-year-old with one more season of control left. And he's definitely not holding up his end of the deal.

It absolutely could go down as a one-sided trade. But I seriously doubt it will be one of the all-time worst in MLB history. That's a pretty high standard.

We traded a turd for a turd.

[SithCeNtZ]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Because they didn't consider Rivera a starting 3B. And frankly, I agreed -- I suspect he'll be Cheslor Cuthbert II. So far, that makes me and the Royals look bad. But we'll see. It's early.

I didn't have a problem trading Rivera. I thought Weaver was an odd return, though -- a 29-year-old with one more season of control left. And he's definitely not holding up his end of the deal.

It absolutely could go down as a one-sided trade. But I seriously doubt it will be one of the all-time worst in MLB history. That's a pretty high standard.

And taking this one step farther, it's about what you can maximize on return. Yes Rivera could have brought on some really low end lottery ticket. But the Royals were likely thinking that if Weaver can find a home in the bullpen and play to what his Xfip was, then we can flip him at next year's deadline for far more than what a guy with a negative UZR and wRC would fetch.

[dlphg9]

BWillie is just an absolute dumb shit.

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

The first place team in my cash NL only fantasy baseball league acquired Emmanuel Rivera. BWillie might have a real grievance.

2. Claim Group
Longoria, Evan (3B) Already acquired by Border Collies
Rivera, Emmanuel (3B) Player awarded. Released: Luis Urias
Finnegan, Kyle (P) Already acquired by ABeeZees BL 1 NL
Madrigal, Nick (2B) Contingent claim cancelled.

That first place team is me

[myselff77]

Originally Posted by BWillie

So, not even accounting for who the players even are. Why would a team who is selling acquire an MLB reliever for a starting 3B? To do what? You arent going to the playoffs. We arent talking about selling a 3B and getting a AA reliever prospect. Its almost like they were confused they were supposed to be buyers.

It's almost as if they see a log jam at 3rd base. Could be an indicator they see BWJ at third next year. Monndesi likely slated as the opening day starter at SS then Lopez taking over after game 2 when Mondesi is placed on IL for the rest of the year. Dozier's contract puts him as the backup 3B when Witt sits a night. So, at that point, you take what you can for a player who is not part of your immediate future.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by myselff77

It's almost as if they see a log jam at 3rd base. Could be an indicator they see BWJ at third next year. Monndesi likely slated as the opening day starter at SS then Lopez taking over after game 2 when Mondesi is placed on IL for the rest of the year. Dozier's contract puts him as the backup 3B when Witt sits a night. So, at that point, you take what you can for a player who is not part of your immediate future.

I think it's more of a logjam at SS. Witt's defense at SS has been poor, they can move him to 3B to plug that hole and still have Lopez, Garcia and (gulp) Mondesi in the mix at SS.

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

Emmanuel Rivera is a 40FV prospect according to fangraphs. He is rated the 25th best player in the DBacks system, and that excludes the vast majority of their major leaguers.

They have his hit tool at 50 (out of 80, although 70 is the highest you'll probably ever see) and they say it is maxed out at 50/50. Game power maxed out at 45/45. Raw power maxed out at 50/50. Speed maxed out at 30/30. Fielding maxed out at 50/50. Overall FV (future value) is 40, which is a replacement level player.

https://www.fangraphs.com/players/em...ts?position=3B

It wasn't the worst trade of all time, BWillie. It was closer to the most inconsequential trade of all time, Rivera's hot streak notwithstanding. That said, I hope I am dead wrong and he is the next George Brett, because I'm trying to hang onto 1st in that league bro.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by BWillie

So, not even accounting for who the players even are. Why would a team who is selling acquire an MLB reliever for a starting 3B? To do what? You arent going to the playoffs. We arent talking about selling a 3B and getting a AA reliever prospect. Its almost like they were confused they were supposed to be buyers.

It's a move that doesn't make any sense, really.

At the time of the trade, Weaver (who was once rated as a 55 FV prospect as a starting pitcher despite being a small RHP with a great changeup and no breaking ball) had completely burned any value he had.

If they had traded Rivera for a MEH prospect who didn't need to be on the 40-man roster, I would have gotten it.

I know Weaver had recently been transitioned to the pen, so maybe the thought was he has 2 more years of control and has been really good in the pen, and that's more value than 4 years of a replacement level (AAAA) guy.

It was a trade that didn't really make sense. I think the Royals have long liked/coveted Weaver, saw an opportunity to get him cheap, and believed he would either be a great bullpen piece or that they could fix him.

But at the end of the day, Emmanuel Rivera is not close to good enough for this to be a "worst trade ever" discussion. It's just not a good one.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I think it's more of a logjam at SS. Witt's defense at SS has been poor, they can move him to 3B to plug that hole and still have Lopez, Garcia and (gulp) Mondesi in the mix at SS.

With his arm and range, I'm not done with Witt Jr. at SS. His greatest potential impact/upside are definitely there. I'd like to see what he could do with a better emphasis on fundamentals and consistency.

Which is what even big league players need at a position. It's muscle memory and instinct and habit you need to be your best at a position.

I'd like to see them just tell Witt he's their SS in 2023 and roll with it and see if it helps with those things. It generally does, especially if reinforced by training and practice and coaching.

[Vladimir_Kyrilytch]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

With his arm and range, I'm not done with Witt Jr. at SS. His greatest potential impact/upside are definitely there. I'd like to see what he could do with a better emphasis on fundamentals and consistency.

Which is what even big league players need at a position. It's muscle memory and instinct and habit you need to be your best at a position.

I'd like to see them just tell Witt he's their SS in 2023 and roll with it and see if it helps with those things. It generally does, especially if reinforced by training and practice and coaching.

They arent moving BWJ off shortstop. That will not happen.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch

They arent moving BWJ off shortstop. That will not happen.

They shouldn't until it proves necessary. I'm by no means ready to give up on it. Especially when his defense has been universally viewed as plus until he started playing for a manager whose teams consistently have had issues with fundamental defensive items...

[kstater]

Grienke and Staumant to the DL. Not a surprise. Sucks cause I was hoping to see him Saturday

Sent from my SM-S906U1 using Tapatalk

[ChiefsCountry]

Royals Place Zack Greinke, Josh Staumont On Injured List https://t.co/wYqlD8qnVD pic.twitter.com/66s2zEh9dg

— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) August 24, 2022