***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.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Made it very difficult to go to school that next day. Thought for SURE, after that 3 run HR by Brett (320 feet maybe) in the top of the 8th, the Royals were going to the WS.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Complications of open heart surgery. That’s just a shame. I really hate seeing my boyhood/young man heroes moving to the next realm.

If that game had used replay, the Royals would still be batting in the top of the 9th. Because AC was a safe AF @ 2nd base on a force play.

Like Wilson was safe at 3B on a steal attempt in Game 4 of the 1978 ALCS. Would've scored on McRae's flyball. Royals lost 2-1.

Not that I'm bitter or anything.

[DeepSouth]

Has anyone heard any rumors about MJ Melendez being in Matheny's doghouse? Read a couple things where people were wondering why he wasn't in the line up for a couple of games. No one said it was because he was in the doghouse but no one knew why?

[cabletech94]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

Has anyone heard any rumors about MJ Melendez being in Matheny's doghouse? Read a couple things where people were wondering why he wasn't in the line up for a couple of games. No one said it was because he was in the doghouse but no one knew why?

I think it’s caused Matheny is a butt-****ing moran. But I’m just a frustrated fan.

#Matheny’d.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Complications of open heart surgery. That’s just a shame. I really hate seeing my boyhood/young man heroes moving to the next realm.

If that game had used replay, the Royals would still be batting in the top of the 9th. Because AC was a safe AF @ 2nd base on a force play.

Always fun to think about applying replay to past games.

Cardinals fans like to do it with Game 6 in 1985 (but don't want to talk about a certain Royals baserunner being called out at second earlier in the game, when replay showed him clearly safe, and the next batter hit a single to RF that surely would have scored him).

[DJJasonp]

Originally Posted by myselff77

Best athlete to wear the uniform since Carlos Beltran.

wait? are you implying that Beltran was a better athlete than Bo???

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Always fun to think about applying replay to past games.

Cardinals fans like to do it with Game 6 in 1985 (but don't want to talk about a certain Royals baserunner being called out at second earlier in the game, when replay showed him clearly safe, and the next batter hit a single to RF that surely would have scored him).

BFIBs don’t even know Orta was thrown out at 3rd on Sundberg’s bad sac bunt. They have this idea Orta ended up scoring but he was erased and so the call didn’t even factor into the outcome.

Looking at the WPAs for that game. Orta being safe increases our odds from 20% to 33%. His force out dropped them 18%. So mathematically, it was more devastating. The thing that did them in was the Passed ball by Porter that moved Balboni and Sundberg into scoring pos.

Most BFIBs are dumb people tho so they always stare blankly when you inform them of the Orta outcome

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

BFIBs don’t even know Orta was thrown out at 3rd on Sundberg’s bad sac bunt. They have this idea Orta ended up scoring but he was erased and so the call didn’t even factor into the outcome.

Looking at the WPAs for that game. Orta being safe increases our odds from 20% to 33%. His force out dropped them 18%. So mathematically, it was more devastating. The thing that did them in was the Passed ball by Porter that moved Balboni and Sundberg into scoring pos.

Most BFIBs are dumb people tho so they always stare blankly when you inform them of the Orta outcome

The Cards never got the second out in the inning.

Plus, if a blown call at first to lead off an inning results in your stud closer giving up a hit to the worst 0-2 hitter in baseball, or dropping a pop foul, or having a passed ball, then you ain't a champion anyway.

EDIT: I should've said ''AND," not "or."

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

wait? are you implying that Beltran was a better athlete than Bo???

I think he's saying he's on par with Beltran, seeing as Beltran was more recent. He's not saying anything about Bo.

[DanT]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I missed yesterday that Mark Littell died. RIP.

I missed that, too. He was a very memorable player and personality. I somehow became a Facebook friend of his and there one can see that he touched a lot of lives for the better.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

The Cards never got the second out in the inning.

Plus, if a blown call at first to lead off an inning results in your stud closer giving up a hit to the worst 0-2 hitter in baseball, or dropping a pop foul, or having a passed ball, then you ain't a champion anyway.

They also had runners at 2&3 with two outs in the 9th after they scored to make it 1-0. Quiz came jn for Leibrandt and got a ground ball to end it. If it is hit up the middle or either hole it’s 3-0 and it’s all over. They had many chances to close the game out and failed

TLDR: if the BFIBs ever want to see what the 85 WS trophy looks like they can drive out to the K and see it in person

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

The Cards never got the second out in the inning.

Plus, if a blown call at first to lead off an inning results in your stud closer giving up a hit to the worst 0-2 hitter in baseball, or dropping a pop foul, or having a passed ball, then you ain't a champion anyway.

EDIT: I should've said ''AND," not "or."

I still have a Polaroid of me, in February of 1986, while moving through the clubhouse to see my 1st WS trophy, and then out through the dugout, standing in the exact spot where Jack Clark stood that moment, and looked up into the beautiful October night sky and saw a baseball and his own fallen star.

He didn’t catch that one either.

[myselff77]

Originally Posted by DJJasonp

wait? are you implying that Beltran was a better athlete than Bo???

Definitely no comparison to Bo. However, Beltran was a very good athlete (especially in the first half of his career) and I would include in any discussion on best athletes to play for the Royals.

So my post was only in reference to there has been another very good athlete since Bo. I’d say BWJ is more similar in athletic nature to Beltran than the once in my lifetime Uber athlete that is Bo Jackson.

On a side note, Bo would spend a significant amount of time signing autographs by the players parking lot after games back in the day at the peak of his stardom. I still have an autographed ball and card. He would hang around, tugging his son around with, signing while many other players wouldn’t sign at all or quickly sign for one or two people and be on their way. Now as an adult, I appreciate that even more about Bo. Great athlete and person.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

I missed yesterday that Mark Littell died. RIP.

Missed that too.

RIP Thank God I’m a Country Boy.


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[poolboy]

Almost Bobby time