***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.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

His bat is just shit. If BWJ played D like he could have, then he would have been a 5+ WAR player. Lopez had that one great year, but everything outside of that one year he's been shit at the plate. He's a 1 WAR player because of how bad he is offensively.

You can maximize Witt's potential at SS and there is no way we should give up on him at SS after 1 season.

Can BWJ actually play SS at an average level though?

[ROYC75]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

Why would you stop with the hype? Also we're not winning shit this year, so you play Witt at SS to see if he can actually handle it. If they play Lopez there and he has another atrocious season at the plate, then they really need to move on from him being a starter. You don't want Witt Jr then having to go over there the next year and if he struggles, then your stuck with bad D at SS when they should hope to be competing.

With a guy with Witt's potential at age 22 you don't just give up on that potential.

I never said give up on Whit! Just based on defense, Lopez is a better fielder that Whit. Based on potential. Whit has more overall ability based on his bat. But Whit at SS this past year was subpar.

The question now is, can Massy continue to progress, if not you have Modi or Lopez at 2B.
To me, I think Whit can settle in just fine @ 3B,Lopez @ SS and use a platoon of Massy & Mondi @ 2B.


But thas just me, I'm not about sentimental, only looking for results. Some guys can play great at several positions and some can only play great in their comfort zone positions. I for one want my best defensive SS playing 6 days a week. With Modi getting hurt all the time, he is not a steady viable option at 3B.

Not hear to argue, just stating facts.

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Can BWJ actually play SS at an average level though?

He has at every level of baseball he’s played at on his way to the Bigs.

No reason to think he can’t.

The Royals have a history with several guys having ‘rough’ starts defensively and then end up being GG caliber defenders.

Let’s give the kid a chance before we give up on him after only one full MLB season.

[ROYC75]

Besides can somebody tell me when the last time was hype won ball games and facts did not?

[duncan_idaho]

Who the **** is Whit?

You mean Bobby WITT?

Hard to take your views seriously when you are making that kind of fundamental **** up.

Lopez is a UTIL guy. They should tell Witt to prep for and play SS all year. If his defense doesn’t progress to the levels his raw tools and minor league performance suggested it would, sure move him off Ss.

But his absolute highest value upside is if he plays a good SS on top of the offensive tools. In a year they’re clearly not trying to compete, let’s take the time to figure out if he can stick there or not.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Besides can somebody tell me when the last time was hype won ball games and facts did not?

I don't think the plan is to win a lot of games this year.

[Ocotillo]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I don't think the plan is to win a lot of games this year.

The odds are overwhelmingly against it.

The good news is that nobody in the AL Central has a high floor.

If the 2023 young Royals take a big step forward like the 2022 Orioles did, they won't be finishing in fourth like the O's did in a brutally tough AL East.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Here is what I would roll with on the lineup as of December 17
1. Melendez LF
2. Waters CF
3. Witt, Jr SS
4. Vinny DH
5. Perez C
6. Pratto 1B
7. Olivares RF
8. Mondesi 3B
9. Massey 2B

Mondesi is 3x superior defensively than Witt Jr. There is absolutely no reason to play him at SS if you don't have to. Especially now that players have to always play on the dirt.

I mean if you arent trying to win sure give it a whirl but it will not be pretty.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Mondesi is 3x superior defensively than Witt Jr. There is absolutely no reason to play him at SS if you don't have to. Especially now that players have to always play on the dirt.

I mean if you arent trying to win sure give it a whirl but it will not be pretty.

Mondesi is not 3x superior when he can not show he can last more than 60 games at the position.

[Mecca]

Mondesi should get an OFer glove if you'd like him to make it through a season.

[Ocotillo]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Mondesi is 3x superior defensively than Witt Jr. There is absolutely no reason to play him at SS if you don't have to. Especially now that players have to always play on the dirt.

I mean if you arent trying to win sure give it a whirl but it will not be pretty.

The Bill James Handbook has Witt at -18 defensive runs saved, Mondesi at +1 DRS in abbreviated action.

Still, I agree with Duncan Idaho, Witt is their most valuable commodity. You keep him at the top of the defensive spectrum for now.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Mondesi should get an OFer glove if you'd like him to make it through a season.

And he still might not. He tore an ACL trying to step back onto a base during a pickoff play last year.

His body just might not be durable enough for 162 games of major league ball. It sucks.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Ocotillo

The Bill James Handbook has Witt at -18 defensive runs saved, Mondesi at +1 DRS in abbreviated action.

Still, I agree with Duncan Idaho, Witt is their most valuable commodity. You keep him at the top of the defensive spectrum for now.

If he’s that bad defensively again, OK. Move him off SS.

It’s possible he just doesn’t consistently translate at SS in the majors. In which case you’d hope he can be a plus guy at 3B with the glove.

I just need to see him given another shot without a moron running the show.

[Archie Bunker]

A lot of young SS have the same problem, so I don’t see the issue since the ability and talent have been shown along the way. Worst case he’ll be an elite level 3B, which the Royals desperately need.

Least of our worries.

[lewdog]

I think you have to consider 2 days off a week for Mondesi.

Then again, I am not sure why we resigned him anyway although a one year deal is low risk I suppose.