***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.

[BWillie]

Whit isn't very valuable if he isn't in the 2B or SS.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

That sweet, sweet dream died a sad death the day they re-signed Michael A. Taylor.

My thoughts, though, are that Witt-Mondesi-Lopez would be an INCREDIBLY rangy IF and with the changes in shifts, would go back to giving the Royals a defensive advantage that shifting helped demolish.

Obviously having Pratto at 1B would help defensively too.


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[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Whit isn't very valuable if he isn't in the 2B or SS.

Merrifield at SS? You been drinking?


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[Wilson8]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

So stupid. Witt should never ever be moved off SS.

Mondesi is also far likely to get hurt playing SS anyway.

Welcome back!

[poolboy]

put mondo on third so he can stand there for 3/4 the game barring injury

[Wilson8]

Originally Posted by poolboy

put mondo on third so he can stand there for 3/4 the game barring injury

I do think it is important for the Royals to find a place for Mondesi where he can get the most playing time without being injured.

Also have a good backup for that position because it is just a matter of time.

[nychief]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Whit isn't very valuable if he isn't in the 2B or SS.

You could just stop with whit isn’t very valuable. We should have traded him a couple years ago like the reds did with Winker.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

Merrifield at SS? You been drinking?


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I realize he doesn't play SS very often, but the point remains. He does not generate near the amount of WAR as an outfielder, compared to at 2B - or even the small sample he has at SS.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by nychief

You could just stop with whit isn’t very valuable. We should have traded him a couple years ago like the reds did with Winker.

Yep - no argument here.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I realize he doesn't play SS very often, but the point remains. He does not generate near the amount of WAR as an outfielder, compared to at 2B - or even the small sample he has at SS.

Merrifield is like my 4th choice at SS…behind Witt, Lopez & Mondesi.


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[dallaschiefsfan]

Originally Posted by BWillie

I realize he doesn't play SS very often, but the point remains. He does not generate near the amount of WAR as an outfielder, compared to at 2B - or even the small sample he has at SS.

Very often? He literally NEVER plays SS.

[Wilson8]

Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan

Very often? He literally NEVER plays SS.

I agree except...
2014 Northwest Arkansas - 9 games at SS.
2014-2015 Mexican Winter League, 7 games at SS.
2015 Omaha 4 games at SS.

Royals will always have that in their back pocket. Let's hope they never need it.

[dallaschiefsfan]

Originally Posted by Wilson8

I agree except...
2014 Northwest Arkansas - 9 games at SS.
2014-2015 Mexican Winter League, 7 games at SS.
2015 Omaha 4 games at SS.

Royals will always have that in their back pocket. Let's hope they never need it.

I feel like I'm experiencing another dimension. He does not and will not be playing SS. A few random spot examples in the minors means zilch. There is nothing in the back pocket. We are flush with SS's in our system. Nobody in our front office thinks of Whit as a guy that can also play SS. Literally nobody. It's like saying Dozier is an option at SS because he played the position in college. I actually thought BWillie had confused Whit for Witt. His follow up seems to indicate he either did not confuse the two and therefore has no idea what he's talking about or...he was just playing off the fact that he misspelled BWJ's last name in his original comment.

[Ocotillo]

Shortstop is the premium position on the defensive spectrum. There's a reason why Andrelton Simmons and Isaiah Kiner-Falefa just got signed and traded in the last week even though they're bottom of the barrel shitty with the bat.

Screw player development history, only a select few can man that position in the majors.

Miguel Sano and Miguel Cabrera used to play SS in player development. The Twins and Tigers have that in their back pocket So what if Three-Hit Whit played there? That was seven years ago! It doesn't mean shit unless it's an emergency situation.

[Wilson8]

Originally Posted by dallaschiefsfan

I feel like I'm experiencing another dimension.

Sorry. I respect your baseball knowledge and was not trying to give you a hard time.

When someone says NEVER...I have to check if there are exceptions.

My earlier post was inappropriate and ill timed.