***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.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Mecca

East Village or 18th and Vine seem to be the top spots...but without a doubt it'll be land ownedd by Dunn and they'll di construction they're part of the ownership of the team so..

Their plan is more ambitious than just a ballpark, though. You're looking at a parking structure + business park + ballpark + community center. Pretty large footprint.

[ChiefsCountry]

Here is the situation in East Village. JE Dunn isn't the big landowner, its Van Tuyl's. Their developmental arm will be in on the new ballpark district though. That's the private backing on that Sherman has. JE Dunn is who they use to build their projects. Van Tuyl's used to own the largest marina at the Lake of the Ozarks. So I know the family. They sold their car dealerships to Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. Van Tuyl's are billionaires. That is the where the development backing is coming from. Sherman's main partner in the Royals is Paul Edgerley. Edgerley was one of the main people in Bain Capital. Bain Capital is Mitt Romney's company.

Sherman might be only worth a billion himself, but he has some big money hitters beside him on this project with Edgerley and Van Tuyl. Throw in JE Dunn, Kempers and some other KC business people as goodwil and can use their clout to get things done.

Now the city wants the 18th and Paeso site. Why? Well the school district and city transportation board owns 95% of that site. Plus they think it would stir up the Jazz District. City owns a nice section of the East Village as well.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by Mecca

The Royals are literally sitting there with their thumbs in their asses doing nothing at all...other than apparently leaking stuff that isn't great..

Like saying they want to sign a veteran catcher because they don't like MJ Melendez as a catcher which then fuels speculation he's going to be traded...

Man that'd be awesome if they don't want him to catch you know what this team needs? More 1B/OF guys, yea that's the ticket.

Originally Posted by Mecca

Someone needs to explain to me how San Diego, the 27th market, can afford to sign players while other teams cry poor and do nothing...

Sounds like bullshit to me.

Originally Posted by Mecca

Apparently San Diego is interested in trying to win something while we are not...

I mean shit if Sherman can get the stadium built downtown he could probably turn whatever seasonal profits and then sell the team for twice what he paid overall giving his personal wealth a nice gain.

Originally Posted by Mecca

If that's a big splash I'd hate to see a small one.

Originally Posted by Mecca

More and more teams spend money while the Royals just sit there.

Originally Posted by Mecca

The Twins apparently offered 285 million to Correa...

If this is where we are the Royals are toast.

Originally Posted by Mecca

They're not gonna go add 60 million dollars of payroll in 1 year, that's where I see the issue being. I feel they're taking this a bit far in the sense that guys like Ryan O'Hearn are back, we really need to see him with a new staff?

Originally Posted by Mecca

Moore did idiotic stuff, there's a middle ground here.

There's no reason this team wasn't in on Sean Manea for what he got...or that they aren't looking for kind of corner value like Conforto.

Holy shit dude, just bitch and bitch and bitch. Sherman literally came out and said they weren't going to be spenders and how do you know they weren't in on Manaea? Maybe he wanted to stay in CA because that's where he's spent his entire career. He more than likely was never going to come to KC without a massive overpay.

This team should not be signing any bats, because I'd rather see what our young guys can develop into instead of signing some mediocre vet, be suse you hope they can help you get an extra win or 2.

I love this approach for this year, but if next year we don't show any improvement on the field and we are looking at basically the same roster going into 2024, then I'll be pissed.

[dlphg9]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Their plan is more ambitious than just a ballpark, though. You're looking at a parking structure + business park + ballpark + community center. Pretty large footprint.

The whole thing is pretty ****ing great for KC. Downtown is thriving and this whole district will make it even better.

This combined with the World Cup coming to town and the new airport are making for some pretty exciting times in KCs future. If we do this right, then it could really put KC on the map.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Here is the situation in East Village. JE Dunn isn't the big landowner, its Van Tuyl's. Their developmental arm will be in on the new ballpark district though. That's the private backing on that Sherman has. JE Dunn is who they use to build their projects. Van Tuyl's used to own the largest marina at the Lake of the Ozarks. So I know the family. They sold their car dealerships to Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway. Van Tuyl's are billionaires. That is the where the development backing is coming from. Sherman's main partner in the Royals is Paul Edgerley. Edgerley was one of the main people in Bain Capital. Bain Capital is Mitt Romney's company.

Sherman might be only worth a billion himself, but he has some big money hitters beside him on this project with Edgerley and Van Tuyl. Throw in JE Dunn, Kempers and some other KC business people as goodwil and can use their clout to get things done.


Now the city wants the 18th and Paeso site. Why? Well the school district and city transportation board owns 95% of that site. Plus they think it would stir up the Jazz District. City owns a nice section of the East Village as well.

First off, Dunn owns several e Village plots. I can confirm this

Second, it’ll be built there. Bank on it. I am wrong about 17.1% of the time so cast your lot with me

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

First off, Dunn owns several e Village plots. I can confirm this

Second, it’ll be built there. Bank on it. I am wrong about 17.1% of the time so cast your lot with me

Its what I think also. If it is to be opened by the World cup land acquisition has to be available without litigation that can last years.

If it's Van Tuyl I am thinking they are nothing but slum lords who bought a lot of the Eisenberg properties in the area and turned them into flop houses.

Nothing works in the jazz district the only way its built there is if Mayor Q and the powers that be in KC hold back support if it's not in their preferred location. Q is going to hold Sherman hostage anyway no way around that.

[BWillie]

Lets just play Banana Ball next season. I'd rather watch that than continue to watch Mondesi play 9 games, Witt Jr mess up tons of routine plays and Nick Pratto strikeout 175 times.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

First off, Dunn owns several e Village plots. I can confirm this

Second, it’ll be built there. Bank on it. I am wrong about 17.1% of the time so cast your lot with me

Dunn owns on the outside of where the ballpark district would be. They would butt up to it. And of course they will get the bid on it as well. The actual 8 blocks or so is owned by Van Tuyl, City and one other developer.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by srvy

Its what I think also. If it is to be opened by the World cup land acquisition has to be available without litigation that can last years.

If it's Van Tuyl I am thinking they are nothing but slum lords who bought a lot of the Eisenberg properties in the area and turned them into flop houses.

Nothing works in the jazz district the only way its built there is if Mayor Q and the powers that be in KC hold back support if it's not in their preferred location. Q is going to hold Sherman hostage anyway no way around that.

Van Tuyl isn't a slumlord at all. They are a major real estate developer.
https://vantrustrealestate.com/

[WhawhaWhat]

To make room for Mills on the 40-man roster, Boston designated 1B Eric Hosmer for assignment.

— Red Sox (@RedSox) December 16, 2022

[louie aguiar]

Hosmer DFAed. I wonder if he ends up with the rangers. If DM was still here, he’d be all over that.

[kstater]

5 year $75m for Benintendi...

Sent from my SM-S906U1 using Tapatalk

[Prison Bitch]

You know Dayton was all in on that one

15 per for a slap hitter

[poolboy]

I still like Vinnie at first, Massey at 2nd and Bobby at Short
Third base is a black hole where we need production
dont think that guy is on the roster

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by poolboy

I still like Vinnie at first, Massey at 2nd and Bobby at Short
Third base is a black hole where we need production
dont think that guy is on the roster

Pratto at 1st and Big Vin at DH.