***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.

[blake5676]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Dayton would never trade him, but the Shermdog will allow it.

Dayton reworking his first deal to give him more $$ was supposed to buy some goodwill with other players and show we reward those that buy into the family. Horseshit in reality but I understand it and liked Salvy enough that it didn't really bother me. I'll never understand the most recent contract.

[Prison Bitch]

You won’t get anything trading him. He has negative trade value. What’s the point?

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I love Salvy, but it's time. And IMO, it's been time for a while

After his 48 HR season would have been perfect.

[Oxford]

Originally Posted by Ocotillo

Great memory. Perry was also ejected for doing that LOL

He was also ejected in a Spring training game for loading up a baseball with rosin and throwing a "puff" ball. Gotta love it

[Oxford]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

After his 48 HR season would have been perfect.

At this point, given his service to the organization and the potential blowback it should be his call, not ownership. There is a PR factor to everything and single-organization players are rare. I'm sure that Salvy, his agent and the Royals are well aware of the situation.

The Royals are being run with a different point of view than the Glass/Dayton Moore years, so I'd say it could happen but it would be managed delicately to say the least

[ChiefsFan63]

Trading Salvy would need to be handled much like Peyton to the Broncos. Outside of that the fallout could be huge.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by ChiefsFan63

Trading Salvy would need to be handled much like Peyton to the Broncos. Outside of that the fallout could be huge.

Why? Getting good value from Salvy (an aging player who is likely going to decline drastically sooner than later) and out from his contract would be a dream come true.

[ChiefsFan63]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Why? Getting good value from Salvy (an aging player who is likely going to decline drastically sooner than later) and out from his contract would be a dream come true.

Sure it would be from a strictly baseball standpoint, but from a PR standpoint it needs to be handled carefully. I am not saying dont trade him if they can get any reasonable value, just handle it right. Salvy is the face of the franchise for now. Within the next few years it needs to be Witt’s team.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by BWillie

What could Witt Jr net in a trade?

A clear signal to the fanbase and players that you’re not interested in fielding a winning team.

[RockChalk]

Salvy isn’t getting traded. We would be lucky to get more than a lottery ticket prospect for him. Teams don’t value him like we do, nor would he provide any leadership factor to a new team.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Salvy isn’t getting traded. We would be lucky to get more than a lottery ticket prospect for him. Teams don’t value him like we do, nor would he provide any leadership factor to a new team.

This.

There’s way more value to him with the Royals than trading him away for peanuts (not that anyone would take on his contract anyway). Also, he still provides you some power in the middle of the lineup (something the Royals lack) when healthy and above average defense behind the plate. MJ was terrible last year behind the plate, and while I want to see him continue to get regular opportunities, I certainly wouldn’t advocate for him to have a 130+ appearances back there at this point. He’s not ready for a full time catching load yet.

[Ocotillo]

Seeing San Diego operate like a New York-Los Angeles market and Texas sign a 34-year-old deGrom for $185 million, makes me wonder if Sherman would ever push the accelerator when the time is right. I hope the new proposed downtown ballpark is a path to get there.

[Ocotillo]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Why is Cleveland not higher?

As much as I like Cleveland's contact hitting style for aesthetics, it's not really a winning strategy. The Indians need more ISO and another slugger to complement Jose Ramirez. That style doesn't win in the postseason, see the home run-bashing Phillies.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Ocotillo

As much as I like Cleveland's contact hitting style for aesthetics, it's not really a winning strategy. The Indians need more ISO and another slugger to complement Jose Ramirez. That style doesn't win in the postseason, see the home run-bashing Phillies.

Seemed to work for us in 2014 and 2015...alas pre juiced ball era.

[Ocotillo]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Seemed to work for us in 2014 and 2015...alas pre juiced ball era.

Baseball has changed so much since then though. The pitchers are so filthy. It's so hard to hit these days. 1968 is the year that is known for swaying heavily to the pitching side. I would say 2022 was on the short list of extreme pitching seasons.