***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.

[louie aguiar]

I’m hoping that the games will be televised outside of just cable this year. It sucked not being able to watch them on YouTube tv last year.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

I’m hoping that the games will be televised outside of just cable this year. It sucked not being able to watch them on YouTube tv last year.

DirectTV Stream is the only one. Its $24 more than YouTube TV but you get the Royals, which if you look at its about a $1 for every Royals game. That's worth it for me.

[Mizzou_8541]

Originally Posted by BWillie

That's good. Maybe he won't suck ass this year.

Did he suck ass? Honest question. I have no idea. I thought he was pretty highly regarded.

[dallaschiefsfan]

Keith Law's top 20 Royals prospects is at The Athletic. Most interesting ranking was who he put behind our top 4 (which all cracked his top 100 list). Nick Loftin. I really like his thinking that Loftin needs to be permanently shifted to CF to quicken his path to the big leagues. It's not like we have a ton of CF prospects in the pipeline.

[dallaschiefsfan]

Also two more notable items from Law's write up. Eric Pena is not in his top 20 - says that bat speed might be his undoing. Also...a name that I haven't heard much about from the DSL. Junion Marin. Said that if he keeps his current trajectory, he's a dark horse to crack his top 100 next year. Here's what he said about him:

"Venezuelan outfielder Junior Marin has ridiculous power and his hard-hit rates were very high in the DSL last year, with exceptional strength for a 17-year-old; he hit a hilarious .380/.469/.696 there, leading the league in slugging, and could end up sneaking into full-season ball by the end of 2022."

[TLO]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

I’m hoping that the games will be televised outside of just cable this year. It sucked not being able to watch them on YouTube tv last year.

Someone posted a site last year I watched all the games on. It was top notch. Can't remember the name of it right now

[PHOG]

Originally Posted by TLO

Someone posted a site last year I watched all the games on. It was top notch. Can't remember the name of it right now

I believe it was this, which worked flawlessly, but can't remember who shared it. Thanks again to whoever it was.

https://mlb66.ir/simulator

[TLO]

Originally Posted by PHOG

I believe it was this, which worked flawlessly, but can't remember who shared it. Thanks again to whoever it was.

https://mlb66.ir/simulator

That's the one! Best streaming site I've ever used.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

Did he suck ass? Honest question. I have no idea. I thought he was pretty highly regarded.

5.2 era in A ball. 22 years old. Nothing impressive except his arsenal and potential at this point. This year he needs to show he can actually PITCH.

[blake5676]

Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan

I really like his thinking that Loftin needs to be permanently shifted to CF to quicken his path to the big leagues. It's not like we have a ton of CF prospects in the pipeline.

This sounds like a plan to me. If they're not going to try Mondesi out in CF, which at this point I don't understand bc what really do we have to lose, let's start thinking about what follows after Michael Taylor.

[Bronco_buster2]

Originally Posted by BWillie

5.2 era in A ball. 22 years old. Nothing impressive except his arsenal and potential at this point. This year he needs to show he can actually PITCH.

Yeah, the control was the issue. He has a killer slider, curve, change combination and touches 100. Struck out over 13 batters per nine innings, BUT he walked a ton. He still gets ranked really high though based on the stuff he has. Several 'perts think control is something you can improve, but the stuff he has you can't teach.

"Like I said, despite all the command issues, there aren’t five pitchers in the minors with better stuff than he’s got. The control certainly needs improvement, but as soon as it does Lacy instantly becomes an option to get big league hitters out."

That's from Alex Duvall on royalsfarmreport.com. There's some video of him on the site (plus other Royal's prospects) if you care to watch some.

[duncan_idaho]

I like Law's idea of moving Nick Loftin to CF full-time. Might as well get on with it and carve out some space for him.

[KChiefs1]

#5: Nick Loftin, UTIL

Age: 23
B/T: R/R
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″ 180′
Rule 5 Eligible: 2023
Acquired: 2020 MLB Draft, Round 1
2021 Stats (A+): .289/.373/.463/.837, 10 HR, 37 XBH, 11 SB, 10.2% BB%, 14.6% K%, 130 wRC+
Here’s a bit of where Nick Loftin ranked in certain categories among all High-A hitters age 22 and younger last summer:
– SwStr%: 1st
– LD%: 16th
– 2B: 14th
– BA: 6th
– OBP: 5th
– OPS: 9th
– wRC+: 5th
– K%: 3rd
– BB/K: 4th
– wOBA: 6th

All of this after the dude started his professional career going 9-47 (.191) through the first couple of weeks of the season after missing most of 2020 during the shutdown. From May 23rd through the end of the season, Loftin hit .304 with a 140 wRC+ and was legitimately one of the better players in all of Minor League Baseball. He runs the bases well, steals his fair share of bags, plays phenomenal defense at several different positions, refuses to strike out, walks his fair share, hits a bunch of doubles, and is just an all-around solid player that every system needs.

During the 2020 draft cycle Loftin drew a bunch of comps to Whit Merrifield for his offensive profile and defensive versatility. At the time, I wasn’t entirely sure how much I liked the comps because I think Whit and Loftin do different things well, but I’m on board with the comp now in terms of overall value. Both guys profile similarly on offense. They’ll both hit a ton of doubles, double digit home runs, and for a high average. The biggest difference between the two in my opinion is that Loftin has a much higher potential to draw some walks and probably (definitely) won’t ever lead the league in stolen bases. Defensively, I actually think Loftin is capable of handling SS, 2B, and 3B in the big leagues, where Whit is more limited to 2B and the corner outfield spots. So, again, I may have gotten a little too caught up in the specifics during the draft process, but I don’t hate the comp anymore as it relates to overall prospect value.

Speaking of overall prospect value, there aren’t a ton of prospects in MiLB with a safer floor than Loftin. Alex Verdugo hit just 13 HR, had a 107 wRC+, and rated pretty bad defensively last year in the big leagues and was still worth 2.0 fWAR. If Loftin proves to have value as a swiss army knife on defense and can just hit .280 with a respectable BB/K, he’ll easily be a productive every day big leaguer. I’m not suggesting that he will make any All-Star Games, but I think the chances that he’s a valuable piece on a playoff team are really, really good. There’s nothing the kid is really bad at which is half the battle to becoming a big leaguer in the first place. I know Loftin doesn’t have the same kind of upside as a guy like Alec Marsh or even Erick Pena, but the high floor will keep him locked into our top 5 Royals prospects for the foreseeable future. Loftin figures to start the season with AA Northwest Arkansas, and while I’m not certain there will be a place for him in the big leagues in 2022, I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him really early on in 2023.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[WhawhaWhat]

Awful news to share: Jeremy Giambi, who played for six years in the major leagues, died today at 47, according to his agent, Joel Wolfe. Giambi played with his brother, Jason, in Oakland as well as in Kansas City, Philadelphia and Boston.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2022

[louie aguiar]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Awful news to share: Jeremy Giambi, who played for six years in the major leagues, died today at 47, according to his agent, Joel Wolfe. Giambi played with his brother, Jason, in Oakland as well as in Kansas City, Philadelphia and Boston.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 9, 2022

Wow, that really sucks