***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.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by myselff77

Mondesi is capable of getting injured anywhere. It doesn't matter if he's an infielder or outfielder. Just play him wherever for the 4 to 18 games he'll get in and call it good.

I don't care what position Mondesi plays as long as it's for another team. There has been enough time and speculation wasted on the guy.

[poolboy]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

If Olivaries and Mondi wouldn't be broke dicks that would be a nice offensive boost.

Maybe Mondi can finally go Buxton break out this year...its possible

[Mecca]

So today the Royals signed a pitcher at 2 for 17 that the nicest thing anyone can say is he eats innings...other than just throwing innings he's crap

While Brandon Drury also signed at 2 for 17...while the Royals have a black hole at 3rd..

Well played Royals, well played.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Vladimir_Kyrilytch

Another thing about BWJ's defense: the defensive shift is now banned. There will be a renewed emphasis on athletic ability, arm strength, range, and just raw defensive skill compared to the past decade or more. Bobby Witt Jr. is the type of player that checks those boxes (not many with a bat do), so therefore, his defensive potential value only increases with the new rules.

I've never seen it so much as suggested anywhere but this here thread that they won't give him every opportunity at shortstop. Moving him off short would be like taking the top starting pitching prospect in baseball and making him the set-up guy.

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savan...-r-hitting-mlb

If I am reading these stats right on baseball savant apparently Bobby has terrible range. We all know he's great at running in a straight line but perhaps it has to do with his reflexes, agility and well - concentration. He is the worst possible grade for an infielder on "Outs Above Average". 1 (poorest) to 99 (greatest), and he is a 1. Outs Above Avg which states:

Outs Above Average (OAA) is a range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a player has saved. Prior to 2020, OAA was an outfield-only metric. But it has been expanded to include infielders. OAA is calculated differently for outfielders and infielders (details below).

Outs Above Average for infielders takes the following factors into account.

• How far the fielder has to go to reach the ball ("the intercept point").
• How much time he has to get there.
• How far he then is from the base the runner is heading to.
• On force plays, how fast the batter is, on average. (A runner's average Sprint Speed is used in the calculation, rather than his Sprint Speed on that particular play. For new players with no data, a league-average -- 27 ft/sec -- score is used; once the player qualifies for the leaderboard, all of his previous plays are re-run.)

I am rooting for the kid but all the metrics seem to indicate he is completely out of his element at SS. Scouts think he COULD be good. I don't place alot of emphasis in scouts once a guy has shown some results at the major league level. I'm not saying he can't be a league avg or slightly above average SS - but it seems it is highly unlikely. Due to his straight line amazing speed and arm and the cavernous Kaufmann Stadium I'll admit I'm very intrigued on how he could perform as an outfielder.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Mecca

So today the Royals signed a pitcher at 2 for 17 that the nicest thing anyone can say is he eats innings...other than just throwing innings he's crap

While Brandon Drury also signed at 2 for 17...while the Royals have a black hole at 3rd..

Well played Royals, well played.

They have so little payroll committed that signing them both was easily do-able and Should have happened

[BWillie]

No need to worry. We have Vinny Pasquantino. He will lead us to the promise land. We should be working on resigning him right now as he should be relatively cheap - at least right now.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Mecca

So today the Royals signed a pitcher at 2 for 17 that the nicest thing anyone can say is he eats innings...other than just throwing innings he's crap

While Brandon Drury also signed at 2 for 17...while the Royals have a black hole at 3rd..

Well played Royals, well played.

We dont need to be signing any bats this off-season. We have a **** ton of young guys that can play 3rd base and need to see who we got. Why the **** do you want to sign some 30 yr old journeyman that at best will help us win another game or 2. Your stupidity defies logic and common sense and it's clear you just want to find a reason to piss and moan.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by BWillie

https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savan...-r-hitting-mlb

If I am reading these stats right on baseball savant apparently Bobby has terrible range. We all know he's great at running in a straight line but perhaps it has to do with his reflexes, agility and well - concentration. He is the worst possible grade for an infielder on "Outs Above Average". 1 (poorest) to 99 (greatest), and he is a 1. Outs Above Avg which states:

Outs Above Average (OAA) is a range-based metric of skill that shows how many outs a player has saved. Prior to 2020, OAA was an outfield-only metric. But it has been expanded to include infielders. OAA is calculated differently for outfielders and infielders (details below).

Outs Above Average for infielders takes the following factors into account.

• How far the fielder has to go to reach the ball ("the intercept point").
• How much time he has to get there.
• How far he then is from the base the runner is heading to.
• On force plays, how fast the batter is, on average. (A runner's average Sprint Speed is used in the calculation, rather than his Sprint Speed on that particular play. For new players with no data, a league-average -- 27 ft/sec -- score is used; once the player qualifies for the leaderboard, all of his previous plays are re-run.)

I am rooting for the kid but all the metrics seem to indicate he is completely out of his element at SS. Scouts think he COULD be good. I don't place alot of emphasis in scouts once a guy has shown some results at the major league level. I'm not saying he can't be a league avg or slightly above average SS - but it seems it is highly unlikely. Due to his straight line amazing speed and arm and the cavernous Kaufmann Stadium I'll admit I'm very intrigued on how he could perform as an outfielder.

Positioning absolutely can and does influence OAA. Or cement-shoed Jonathan Schoop wouldn’t be at the top of that leaderboard.

I appreciate you diving in on the defensive stats. It’s definitely possible Witt’s IF defense doesn’t translate the way the raw tools and observations suggested it would.

We should have a full understanding by the end of this season.

KC also rushed him back after he hurt his hamstring. It affected his bat. I wonder if it impacted his defensive range as well.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

We dont need to be signing any bats this off-season. We have a **** ton of young guys that can play 3rd base and need to see who we got. Why the **** do you want to sign some 30 yr old journeyman that at best will help us win another game or 2. Your stupidity defies logic and common sense and it's clear you just want to find a reason to piss and moan.

You do know all of those guys are not planning out right...this team has no 3rd baseman and if your idea is to play Lopez there, that's a joke..


Meanwhile the Mets just stole Correa.

[myselff77]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Positioning absolutely can and does influence OAA. Or cement-shoed Jonathan Schoop wouldn’t be at the top of that leaderboard.

I appreciate you diving in on the defensive stats. It’s definitely possible Witt’s IF defense doesn’t translate the way the raw tools and observations suggested it would.

We should have a full understanding by the end of this season.

KC also rushed him back after he hurt his hamstring. It affected his bat. I wonder if it impacted his defensive range as well.

You've already stated several times that the Royals will not compete this year. So based on that, I understand your opinion on Witt needs to be the SS so we see what he is. If we aren't going to win then fine. Let it play out for a year and see what we have.

That being said, my frustration with the Royals is they fall into your way of thinking, only infinitely multiplied. The Royals have valued projections more than performance to the detriment of the team. This leads to things like the belief Mondesi has MVP talent despite 7 years on (and off) the field that says otherwise, and Ryan O'Hearn still taking up a roster spot, and worse yet playing out of position to get more at bats to show that potential.

Then guys that do perform, like Merrifield for several years, they screw around with, not letting him just settle in at a position and be comfortable. It has to be frustrating for a player who is outperforming others to get constantly moved because others players project to be more valuable yet never delivering on those projections.

I hope the new GM changes that attitude, but as of now O'Hearn is still taking up a roster spot so only time will tell.

[Prison Bitch]

The Royals may have gotten a steal when they acquired Jacob Wallace from the Red Sox last week in exchange for Wyatt Mills. The “may have” comes with a sizable caveat, as the 24-year-old right-hander has big-time stuff, but also command issues. Pitching for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs this year, he walked 49 batters in 56.2 innings.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/jacob-wa...o-kansas-city/

[blake5676]

Does Greinke command more or less on a 1 year deal than he did last year? Obviously not likely to get 30 starts out of him but I think he's about the only "big" signing that we would possibly still make. Drury would've filled a nice spot and that number should've been easy to swallow. He's not a long term solution but as was said above....we're a black hole at 3rd base now and in the upper minors.

[Jerm]

The Mets making a mockery of the sport…hilarious.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Jerm

The Mets making a mockery of the sport…hilarious.

Really, they're making a mockey of teams like the Red Sox and Nationals, which are owned by ridiculously wealthy people and like to pretend that they don't make money hand over fist from baseball.

Cohen also has the deepest pockets in the game. I believe he's worth what the top 3-4 other owners in the game are worth, combined.

Originally Posted by myselff77

You've already stated several times that the Royals will not compete this year. So based on that, I understand your opinion on Witt needs to be the SS so we see what he is. If we aren't going to win then fine. Let it play out for a year and see what we have.

That being said, my frustration with the Royals is they fall into your way of thinking, only infinitely multiplied. The Royals have valued projections more than performance to the detriment of the team. This leads to things like the belief Mondesi has MVP talent despite 7 years on (and off) the field that says otherwise, and Ryan O'Hearn still taking up a roster spot, and worse yet playing out of position to get more at bats to show that potential.

Then guys that do perform, like Merrifield for several years, they screw around with, not letting him just settle in at a position and be comfortable. It has to be frustrating for a player who is outperforming others to get constantly moved because others players project to be more valuable yet never delivering on those projections.

I hope the new GM changes that attitude, but as of now O'Hearn is still taking up a roster spot so only time will tell.

I have a little different perspective on it. I don't think the Royals under Dayton Moore were accepting enough (during the second cycle) of when they should acquire vets to try to improve the major league product and when they should play the young guys and focus on develop.

Particularly with Matheny and his crew at the helm. That was the absolute wrong person and group of people to bring in for a team that needed to rebuild and see what the young guys had, and focus on development over grinding out 3-5 more wins (by burning bullpen guys' arms, or by signing marginal shitbags like Michael A. Taylor, etc.).

I'm applying some hindsight/prospectus on that era.

But Moore and Mamoron clearly thought the team was close/closer than it really was following 2020.

I don't understand what the org sees/believes in with O'Hearn. I can kind of buy the idea that MAYBE he'll be better with the shift banned. But the guy just hasn't been good. If it's the same old, same old a month into the season, they should eject him ASAP (should already have done that, IMO).

I disagree with the idea they are benching productive guys for projections or prospects. The only real mistreatment of Merrifield that I would agree with is not having him be the call-up in 2015 for the playoff roster. They were very loyal to his PT once he "spent the offseason getting stronger by eating lots of eggs."

[Meatloaf]

Love to see knowledgeable guys debate sports stuff. Well done, gentlemen!

Not to screw up the knowledge level in this group, but as per Bobby W playing SS or not, from what I've seen at the Major League level, the kid just doesn't consistently show me SS attributes. First of all, it seems as if he does not have those "soft" hands, he consistently crosses 2nd base (on DP efforts) with the wrong foot, and to me at least, he doesn't seem to position himself well prior to the pitch (though this no doubt will improve with experience). He's nowhere near as good at SS as Lopez (fielding only, though Lopez did bat near .300 when they gave him that position a couple of years ago).

All that being said, Matheny did Witt no favors by moving him all over the place.

I can certainly understand Duncan's view about once putting him at SS for a full year to see if he improves. Seems reasonable. However, the sooner he can find his spot, the better he's gonna get at it. Personally, it bothers me that I simply don't see those soft hands, good transitions at 2nd, etc. Seems to me that his best attributes are better suited for the OF (or even 3B). So, why not get started with it?

Anyway, I do thoroughly enjoy hearing all of your thoughts on these issues. Thanks so much for sharing!!!