OMAHA STORM CHASERS

The Chasers had a down and up season, starting off 8-17 in April as the team’s offense struggled early in the season. From that point, the Chasers played one game above .500 the rest of the way. They did this despite an offense that finished second to last in OPS and a pitching staff that finished in the same spot with strikeouts. Why did the team succeed? Defense is likely the biggest reason. On any given night, the Chasers often fielded major league caliber shortstop defenders in at least three if not four spots around the infield and sometimes a spot in the outfield. All around, their defense was high quality and the pitching staff saw a benefit most nights, while the promotion of Nicky Lopez and the steady bat of Frank Schwindel carried the offense on most nights in the second half.

Position Player
Frank Schwindel – One year after being named the BPKC Minor League Player of the Year, Schwindel was nearly as good with a full season in Omaha. The 1B/DH led the Chasers in nearly every offensive statistic, setting a franchise record with 38 doubles while also leading the squad with 24 home runs and 93 RBI. All told, Schwindel led the team in hits, runs, home runs, doubles, and RBI while also leading in many advanced hitting categories among qualified hitters on the team. The average for Schwindel took a dip this year to no one’s surprise after an expected dip in BABIP, but he did a decent job countering with an increase in walk rate (2.9%-6.1%). Defensively, Schwindel remains somewhat rough at the position but he has shown improvement and completed the season without making an error in the field this year.

Pitcher of the Year
Richard Lovelady – For the second year in a row, a left-handed relief pitcher took the pitcher of the year award for the Chasers. This season it was reliever Richard Lovelady who, much like the team, got off to a slow start before hitting his stride and dominating much of the season. The reliever at the end of May had a 4.21 ERA with under a K per inning but from June 1st on, the lefty limited the PCL to a 0.82 WHIP, a 1.51 ERA and 9.5 K/9. The sidearmer dominated lefties as one would expect with a .157 average against, but more than held his own against right-handed hitters a .587 OPS against him for the season. These numbers helped Lovelady become the most consistent member of the bullpen for the Chasers, giving them 73 innings  while leading the team in saves.

NW ARKANSAS NATURALS

During both the first and second halves of the season, the Naturals put themselves in big holes with a bad month of baseball before turning it on only to fall just short of the postseason. The first half saw NW Arkansas tie Arkansas for first place only to lose in the difference-making game. To start the second half, the Naturals got off to a brutal 4-22 start which put them 15 games back of first place Tulsa. The pitching would get hot from that point leading the Naturals back to within three games before a few late season losses left them five games back and at .500 for the year.

Position Player
Jecksson Flores – This one was difficult as shortstop Nicky Lopez fit the criteria for playing with the Naturals for 73 games while leading the squad in OBP and dominating during May and June with a .363 average prior to his promotion to Triple-A. Even with those numbers, Flores is the player who stirred the drink more than any other on the Naturals roster. He became the first Naturals hitter to lead the Texas League in hitting since Clint Robinson in 2010. The most consistent member of the lineup, Flores led the team in hits, average and doubles while finishing second on the club in runs scored, stolen bases and OPS. In addition to offensive stats, Flores played all over the field defensively for the squad playing 44 at second base, 40 games at third, 22 at shortstop and 14 more in the outfield to prove the ultimate weapon all over the field.

Pitcher of the Year
Yunior Marte – The Naturals couldn’t find consistent starting pitching for much of the year and were led by relievers for much of the season. No reliever was put to use more often than Marte who finished second on the team in appearances while leading the bullpen with 80.1 innings thrown. Marte also led the bullpen in strikeouts (8.96 SO/9) and WHIP (1.22) while putting up a 2.91 ERA. The righty was able to do this by dominating opposite-side hitters, limiting lefties to a .186/.286/.291 slash line against him while holding his own against same-siders with a .241 BAA. The Dominican born Marte has proven to have a rubber arm in his career with the Royals and may get a look by another team in the Rule 5 draft this offseason.

WILMINGTON BLUE ROCKS

The Rocks season was a bit uneven with the team finishing eight under .500 during the first half of the season due to a poor May that saw them go 9-20. The second half saw the club jump out to a lead in the division the with the addition of Blake Perkins before the offense went missing during the middle of August, leading to a 12 game losing streak that cost the club the second half title, finishing five games behind Lynchburg.

Position Player of the Year
Khalil Lee – This one was a difficult call with the usual lack of offense in Wilmington. At different times it seemed like D.J. Burt might get the call, but a rough August drove his numbers down, while an injury may have prevented Emmanuel Rivera from taking the award despite a late charge (.913 OPS in August). Both of those players finished just short of Lee however, as the outfielder played 71 games and led Rocks in qualified OPS by that standard. In his games with the Rocks he did a number of impressive things, but reaching base was the tops as he carried a .402 OBP despite turning 20 just this past June. Lee did this with a .270 average while also earning 41 free passes in his 71 games played. The numbers were relatively balanced for Lee with his .811 OPS balancing with a .804 road OPS, something that can be difficult to do for hitters in the spacious home park. In addition to the OBP, Lee was efficient on the bases, stealing 14 bases in 17 tries while scoring 42 runs and driving in 41. All of this was done while playing primarily in centerfield for Wilmington before his promotion to Double-A.

Pitcher of the Year
Gerson Garabito – Wilmington’s pitcher of the year Garabito led the Carolina League in ERA among starting pitchers while finishing third in innings and fifth in total strikeouts. That 142.1 innings was significantly higher than his previous career high (80.2 in ’16). The right-hander struggled with his walk rate (4.6 BB/9) but he was able to mitigate the damage with just 117 hits given up and finishing well with a 7.3 K/9 rate. These numbers would lead the team’s starters in starts, strikeouts, WHIP, wins, and innings pitched. Most of these numbers were compiled on a strong finish for Garabito which saw him go 6-1 with a 2.24 ERA over his final 14 starts, setting him up for a promotion to Double-A next season.

LEXINGTON LEGENDS

Easily the best team in the Royals farm system this past season was the Low-A Lexington Legends, with the club finishing 16 games over .500. The Legends finished tied for second in the first half of the season before winning the second half, despite starting that half with a six-game losing streak. They did this on the back of the league’s second-best offense while the pitching staff finished in the middle as a whole but looked quite dominant at times with many members of a talented starting staff.

Position Player
Brewer Hicklen – Another difficult call on this one with Seuly Matias hitting 31 home runs in just 94 games alongside MJ Melendez and his 54 extra base hits. Despite those numbers, the most well-balanced player on the offense was outfielder Brewer Hicklen. The former UAB football recruit led the Legends in OPS with his .930 while also leading the team with his 29 stolen bases. He did this despite playing in just 82 games and not getting regular playing time with the team until the start of May. What Hicklen did best this past season was dominate southpaws, hitting .315/.389/.649 with 18 of his 43 extra base hits coming off of them. In all, it was an impressive season showcasing the power and speed tools that Hicklen possesses in his 6’2, 208 lbs frame.

Pitcher of the Year
Carlos Hernandez – The Legends had a number of pitchers who had quality seasons for the club whether it was Andres Sotillet, who earned a promotion to Wilmington, or Yefri Del Rosario and his strong finish to lead their qualified starters in ERA. Just missing the cut was Daniel Lynch who made nine starts while also being limited in innings after his college season. Even with those quality candidates, Hernandez was a step above the qualified group with his team-best WHIP and K/9 while his 3.29 ERA trailed only Del Rosario’s. The powerful right-hander finished with an outstanding flurry in his final six starts, tossing four starts of seven innings with an ERA of 1.41 against a WHIP below 1.00. A family issue slowed Hernandez out of the gate, not getting his first start until early May before an injury stopped his season short in August. In between though, he showed his powerful fastball, improving breaking ball and feel for a change can dominate hitters at times.

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Richard Lovelady photo by Minda Haas Kuhlmann.

• As the Royals do embark on September callups, quite a few potential additions need to have 40-man roster spots before they can be called up. They did free one on Wednesday with the Duda deal, and it might go to someone like Frank Schwindel, but Jorge Soler coming off the 60-day DL mid-week will require another move, so let’s just say the Duda spot goes to Soler for the purposes of his discussion. Where are they going to find the spots for Schwindel, Josh Staumont (who has to be added anyway to avoid being exposed to the Rule 5), Nicky Lopez, Richard Lovely, Arnaldo Hernandez and anyone else who might be deserving? Well obviously some trades might happen, and maybe they’ve already happened between me writing this and you reading this. So that’ll help. One spot seems easy. According to his Instagram, Eric Stout is out for the season. Put him on the 60-day DL and there’s an easy spot for Schwindel. Bubba Starling is another guy who makes sense as either a DFA or a 60-day spot, but he did just come back for a rehab assignment in Idaho Falls, so maybe he won’t actually get transferred to the longer disabled list. Other than that, it comes down to letting a player go. I’d just cut bait on Jason Hammel, Alcides Escobar and Drew Butera, but I’m not sure the team would at this point. If they decide to add Jecksson Flores, maybe they’d cut bait on Ramon Torres? Andres Machado seems to have taken a step back this season, so he’s another possible guy. I think the real answer here is that there are players not on the 40-man roster who do not have to be added in the offseason to protect them from the Rule 5 who might not get a shot at the big league roster in September. But we’ll see what they decide.
• I think I went about two weeks without praising Adalberto Mondesi in this space, so I’m going to have to make up for some lost time now. I’m certainly not going to put him on the same level as Mike Trout or Robinson Cano as some member of the Kansas City media has done recently (do they drug test because they should), but I will say that he’s showing why everyone loved him before he struggled in the big leagues. For the season, he’s hitting .267/.289/.453. The OBP is very underwhelming, which is a problem to keep an eye out for, but the power is very real with 16 extra base hits and an ISO of .186. But I believe it’s better than that. I think something clicked with him early in his time up this year and since that trip to Milwaukee, he’s played 41 games and is hitting .286/.306/.493 with 15 extra base hits in 146 plate appearances. But it’s not just that. He’s 17 for 21 in steals this year. The metrics indicate he’s playing a fantastic shortstop as well. And something interesting is that he seems to be hunting more strikes and more fastballs. The walks aren’t there yet, but he’s doing damage to the ball a lot more this season. His average home run is traveling 412 feet. He’s going to need to walk more, but even if he doesn’t, if he continues to flash the power, the speed and the defense, he can certainly get by. He won’t be a tier one star or anything without walking more, but if you give me a shortstop who can play that kind of defense, steal 50 plus bases (which is certainly possible and plausible for him) and hit 20 homers with 30 doubles, I’m happy to work around the lack of walks. He needs to stay on the field, but the potential is really starting to shine.
• The Arizona Fall League rosters were announced yesterday, and it’s no surprise that Khalil Lee will be on it from the Royals. He’s definitely the headliner as the team’s best prospect (in my opinion) and because he hasn’t played in a few weeks. It’ll be an opportunity to see him in action and hope he can build on some solid things he had done in a short time at AA. I think he has a shot, if he’s truly healthy, to look really good and turn some heads down there. His power should play up in that atmosphere and maybe he can have an eye opening season like Nicky Lopez last year. Meibrys Viloria is another interesting name as he was added to the 40-man last year when they probably didn’t really need to, but has had a bit of an uneven season offensively this year. The OBP and contact skills are there, but if the power doesn’t develop, he’s likely nothing more than a backup. Lee is the only player on the Surprise Saguaros roster who is younger than Viloria, so it’ll be a nice test for him. And the third big-ish name is Scott Blewett who needs to be added to the 40-man this year to avoid being eligible for the Rule 5. It’s just never really come together for him, so this is his chance to prove his worth to an organization that just drafted a bunch of pitchers who will be competing with Blewett next season in the system. The rest of the roster includes a speedster in Nick Heath and a couple interesting enough relievers in Grant Gavin and Walker Sheller. And hey, with Bo Bichette and Vladito on the roster, I’m guessing they’ll be on MLB Network a fair amount to watch.
• Hunter Dozier has a funny way of seeming like he’s going better than he is. I legitimately thought he was hot the other day until I looked up his numbers over the last few games and saw that he’s hitting just .268/.316/.423 in August, which I guess is a big improvement over his season numbers, but it just seemed like better than that. And this was actually before he went four for seven with two doubles, so his numbers were even lower then. The thing is that his Statcast numbers do make it seem like he should be better. There are obvious perils with looking at average exit velocities, launch angles, etc., but I’m going to do it anyway. He, on average, hits the ball harder than the average big leaguer. He makes hard contact more often than the average big leaguer. He has a really good average launch angle of 13 degrees. And he barrels the ball 10 percent of the time, which is why above league average. He swings and misses at breaking balls way too often (46.4 percent) so that’s causing him issues, but I’m more than okay with him getting two or three months at least next year to hold down third base and let Kelvin Gutierrez continue his development in AAA. If he can figure out a way to be passable against breaking balls, his ability to hit fastballs and off speed stuff (and recognize them) gives me hope. It’s not hope I’d carry if the Royals were expected to be good, but they have time to see if he can figure it out and they absolutely should.

In no particular order, here are 10 good things that have happened to the Royals in 2018:

1. The one-year contracts worked just like they should (mostly). Jon Jay and Mike Moustakas were signed in the early spring for two reasons: provide some reasonably good baseball ability, then get traded for prospects. They held up their end of the bargain (Moose’s WARP as a Royal this year: 2.6, Jay’s: 1.0), and the Royals acquired Elvis Luciano and Gabe Speier for Jay and Jorge Lopez and Brett Phillips for Moustakas. The latter two are in the majors already (and Phillips, thanks to his defense, appears to be at least a useful piece—if he hits, he could be very good). The former two are lottery tickets, probably, but that’s OK since it was highly unlikely Kansas City would receive a top prospect for four months of Jon Jay. For purposes of this point, we’ll ignore that other one-year contracts for Alcides Escobar and Lucas Duda are still on the books. Hey, there’s still a few days to trade those guys!

2. Speaking of trades, the Royals seemed to deal Kelvin Herrera at just the right time. And they got Kelvin Gutierrez, Blake Perkins, and Yohanse Morel for him. Herrera went on the disabled list after posting a 4.50 ERA for the Nationals, just returned to the active roster, and got hurt again Sunday. Meanwhile, Gutierrez has hit .281/.338/.419 for Northwest Arkansas and could be manning third base in Kansas City in the near future. Perkins has a .243/.369/.311 line in Wilmington, but more exciting is that he is, by accounts I’ve seen, playing good defense in center field and is also walking a lot: 46 BBs in 250 plate appearances. And Morel? Well…he’s got an interesting name. He’s also pitched 11 games at the Rookie ball level, so who knows?

3. The Royals didn’t just make trades to supplement the future. They also traded with Cincinnati to get Rule 5 selection Brad Keller and went to the waiver wire to add Rosell Herrera. Keller is just 22 and has shown some promise as a starter (3.69 ERA in 15 starts, covering 83 innings). I don’t think he’s a future ace, but he seems to have a role somewhere on a big league staff. Herrera had a decent start to his Royals career but has slumped recently. Still, he has speed and could be a useful utility player/depth piece. That’s OK, because this year should be all about finding talent in unexpected places and then seeing if it can play in the majors.

4. Whit Merrifield has proven his 2017 season was no fluke, hitting .307/.374/.441 so far this season. That’s nice because it’s always good to have at least one player worth watching in the present, and because he could be a very nice trade chip this winter, should the Royals choose to go that direction. I would hate to see him go, but he turns 30 next January, meaning he is unlikely to be this good when the Royals are ready to contend (even the best-case scenario probably puts this in 2021). And he’s still not arbitration-eligible, meaning he is a good, cheap player. His age means he won’t fetch a top-notch prospect probably, but he could still bring back some valuable younger talent.

5. Adalberto Mondesi looks like a pretty good player. Yes, the four(!) walks in 160 plate appearances is a concern, but the four home runs and 17 stolen bases (with three caught stealing), along with the flashy defense, look promising. The Royals could and should be playing him more often, but the early returns are good.

6. The Royals had lots of draft picks this year: four in the first round, six in the top 100, nine in the top 200. That’s a good way to revitalize a farm system in a hurry. And they are almost certainly going to have the first or second overall pick next year. A couple of this year’s early picks, pitcher Daniel Lynch and center fielder Kyle Isbel, are off to good starts, too—Lynch is 5-0 with a 1.46 ERA at Class A Lexington, and Isbel has a 1.063 OPS for Idaho Falls at the Rookie level. The emphasis the Royals placed on college players in this draft means we should be seeing some of these guys in the majors in two or three years.

Um, let’s see…wow, I just had to decide to find 10 good things, not six, didn’t I? Hmm…ok, here’s one.

7. Players already in the system have had some breakout years. Seuly Matias belted 31 homers for Lexington before suffering a season-ending finger injury over the weekend; he’s still only 19 (he turns 20 on September 4). Khalil Lee got everyone’s attention with an .808 OPS at pitcher-friendly Wilmington in High-A ball. He struggled a bit after a promotion to Northwest Arkansas but had an .842 OPS in the last couple of weeks before he went on the disabled list on August 3. MJ Melendez (.807 OPS at Lexington, and he’s also 19) and Nicky Lopez (.819 OPS at Omaha) have also had nice years. One season after being demoted from Omaha to Northwest Arkansas, Ryan O’Hearn made it to the majors and has already launched six home runs in 69 plate appearances. And his co-first baseman at Omaha, Frank Schwndel, has hit .285/.337/.507 this year. He should be in the big leagues soon.

Uhhh…

8. No one died in the Great Kauffman Stadium Flood of 2018.

9. The Royals got one year closer to having massive contracts for Alex Gordon and Ian Kennedy off the books. Gordon only has one more year on his deal, which is worth $20 million annually (plus a mutual option, which at this point I would hope would not even be a consideration for the front office). Kennedy now has two years left at $16.5 million per year. And hey, Gordon has actually been not terrible this year. Not good, mind you (.239/.320/.349), but not as bad as he was in 2017.

And finally…

10. They probably won’t have a worse record than the 1962 Mets, the standard for futility in the modern era with a 40-120 record. Just three more wins to insure they don’t reach 120 losses. I feel fairly confident they can do it.

Phew! Made it!

Please understand, none of this excuses the results this season. I do believe this team has underachieved. Not that they should have been contenders, but they shouldn’t be losing 115 games, either. I think most people and projection systems had them between 90-100 losses, meaning this is on pace to be a 15-20 game underachievement. On the whole, this year is unacceptable. But just because it’s unacceptable doesn’t mean everything is awful.

CATCHERS

Salvador Perez ($13 million) – He’s still going to start, and maybe he won’t play every single day, but he’ll get the bulk of the playing time behind the plate.
Predicted Line: .231/.277/.382

Meibrys Viloria ($575,000) – He’s keeping this seat warm for M.J. Melendez in 2022, but he does a nice job as a backup catcher. He’s not much of a hitter, but he’s fantastic behind the plate and has a really good arm.
Predicted Line: .229/.286/.341

INFIELD

Kelvin Gutierrez ($575,000) – I’m not sure why, but I believe in Gutierrez and think he actually becomes a really solid third baseman for this club for a few years, a la Joe Randa. He’s sure-handed and has some quality bat control. The power seems to be coming a bit.
Predicted Line: .291/.343/.446

Nicky Lopez ($800,000) – Probably the best batsman in the organization, Lopez has a chance to be the team’s second baseman for a long time. He can handle shortstop, but a double play combo with Lopez’s steady hand at second is a nice thing to think about.
Predicted Line: .312/.366/.427

Adalberto Mondesi ($1,400,000) – I don’t think he’ll be a star, but he’ll be a step or two below. He makes all the spectacular plays, boots some of the easy ones and steals a ton of bases. The power potential is always intriguing. The low OBP is always infuriating.
Predicted Line: .277/.304/.465

Frank Schwindel ($575,000) – Frank the Tank has taken awhile to get his shot, but continuously hitting in Omaha will get him the opportunity to crush lefties at the big league level and platoon with a free agent bat for a bit. I think it’ll work out pretty well for him too.
Predicted Line: .273/.316/.497

Eric Thames ($7,000,000) – The Royals will believe Nick Pratto needs one more year before he’s ready to be a big-time contributor. Of course things can change, but in the interim, they need a bat to play first and Thames represents a bit of a shift in philosophy for the big club.
Predicted Line: .233/.321/.512

OUTFIELD

Aaron Hicks ($14,000,000) – Coming off some solid seasons in New York, the Royals want to find a veteran to patrol center field who won’t require a huge, long commitment, so prior to the 2020 season, they’re going out and picking up Hicks on a three-year deal. Yes, they probably overspent, but it gives them a switch hitter who can handle center or right quite well, depending on the needs of that night. It might seem odd now given all the outfielders in the big leagues or on the way, but on a deal that expires after 2022, it made some sense as a bridge.
Predicted Line: .256/.354/.439

Khalil Lee ($575,000) – Lee will get a shot at a September callup in 2019 and will spend about half the year in the big leagues in 2020. I’m looking toward a strong finish in 2020 to make him ready to play mostly left field in the outfield with the best throwing arms in baseball. As one of five center fielders on the roster, the outfield defense will be stacked and the potential for greatness is way up there.
Predicted Line: .267/.371/.442

Blake Perkins ($575,000) – Another switch hitter who can really go get it, Perkins will get to play sort of the role of Jarrod Dyson in that he’ll probably get into about 110-120 games with a lot as a pinch runner. There won’t be much need for a defensive replacement, but Hicks tends to need some time off here and there, so Perkins can slide in easily in center and can draw a ton of walks when he plays.
Predicted Line: .223/.314/.351

Brett Phillips ($1,300,000) – Still straddling between a piece of the future and a bridge to that future, Phillips will likely get most of 2021 to show that he’s an important cog in the Royals machine. He strikes out too much and the power just isn’t quite where you want it for a guy who is now spending most of his time in a corner, but he’s a solid player who provides a ton of value as a defender at the very least.
Predicted Line: .253/.321/.417

UTILITY

Kyle Isbel ($575,000) – A scorching hot start after he was drafted made it seem like Isbel was on the fast track to the big leagues, but he’s slowed down slightly in Lexington, though not that much. Isbel profiles right now as a fringe-ish starter, but given his ability to handle some infield work, he has a spot on teams with dwindling position player rosters. He can work a walk and has a little pop and good bat to ball skills. If someone goes down, you can do far worse than Isbel filling in.
Predicted Line: .271/.329/.417

STARTING PITCHERS

Danny Duffy ($15,500,000) – This is the last year of Duffy’s deal, and I believe he’ll play the whole thing out with the Royals before moving on. Still effective, but injuries don’t figure to get fewer and farther between as he gets older.
Predicted Line: 7-6, 4.12 ERA, 123.2 IP, 111 H, 102 K, 51 BB, 19 HR

Daniel Lynch ($575,000) – Lynch was not one of my favorite draft picks, but he hit the ground running and has no intentions of looking back. He’ll get a September callup in 2020, a bit like Yordano Ventura in 2013 and then basically force his way into the 2021 rotation with a strong spring. He’s young, so there’ll be hiccups along the way, but he’s a nice addition.
Predicted Line: 12-5, 3.69 ERA, 145.2 IP, 131 H, 139 K, 45 BB, 20 HR

Brady Singer ($575,000) – Singer will get his first shot in 2020 and will show inconsistent results but flashes of potential during his debut and will earn a spot in the big league rotation out of spring training. It’s not all daisies and rainbows though as he will struggle through a bit of an uneven year with way too many home runs allowed.
Predicted Line: 8-13, 5.11 ERA, 171.1 IP, 168 H, 153 K, 49 BB, 30 HR

Jameson Taillon ($7,300,000) – The Royals will see Taillon as their James Shields for the next wave and will do what they can to go get him, giving up quite a few prospects in a trade a lot of people who are a bit more analytically inclined hate because the Royals aren’t ready to win yet, but that a lot of people who are less analytically inclined love because they love getting a top notch big league pitcher.
Predicted Line: 16-6, 2.93 ERA, 212 IP, 181 H, 209 K, 43 BB, 17 HR

Julio Teheran ($17,000,000) – The Royals will count on a bigger park doing wonders for Teheran when he becomes a free agent after the 2019 season as a pitcher who can help headline a rotation with the young guns. For five years and $70 million, the contract will give some memories of the Ian Kennedy deal, but at least Teheran has better stuff.
Predicted Line: 12-12, 4.04 ERA, 201.1 IP, 199 H, 186 K, 63 BB, 28 HR

BULLPEN

Jason Adam ($1,200,000) – Things haven’t gone well for Adam in his big league debut. The home run ball has not been his friend, but it’s not all bad. He’s gotten a lot of strikeouts and done well enough in limiting hits. It’ll take some time, but he’s going to be a solid middle relief type and will be a key part of a very good bullpen in 2021.
Predicted Line: 66 G, 3.78 ERA, 73.1 IP, 58 H, 89 K, 31 BB, 11 HR

Cody Allen ($11,000,000) – The Royals will look to improve their bullpen immediately and they’ll likely be making a similar mistake to the Soria deal in giving Allen three years and $24 million with the 2021 season being the crescendo at $11 million. Still, he’s a Proven Closer™ and the Royals really want that to help fix this bullpen disaster even though he won’t be closing at the end of the deal.
Predicted Line: 53 G, 4.24 ERA, 53 IP, 45 IP, 57 K, 29 BB, 6 HR

Sean Doolittle ($15,500,000) – The Royals have liked Doolittle for awhile, so I imagine they’ll overlook his injuries this year and some in previous years to give him a big time overpay on a four-year deal worth $49 million. Great control, swings and misses and nearly unhittable relievers aren’t out there all that often, so they had to make a push for him, but knowing the payroll would be manageable at the end, they can backload it.
Predicted Line: 41 G, 3.19 ERA, 43.2 IP, 35 H, 49 K, 9 BB, 5 HR

Carlos Hernandez ($575,000) – Hernandez will get the opportunity in 2021 to make some spot starts and work as a long man out of the bullpen to get his feet wet. He’ll also spend some time in Omaha, but that’s okay.
Predicted Line: 39 G (12 GS), 4.53 ERA, 96.1 IP, 94 H, 87 K, 39 BB, 12 HR

Brad Keller ($1,900,000) – I know people will wonder why Keller is in the bullpen when he’s been so good as a rookie in the rotation, and that’s fair. I just think some of his issues as a starter will make it tough for him to stay there when there are better options, and he can be a really valuable member of a staff who can go multiple innings and can coax a double play grounder when needed. It’s not that he necessarily couldn’t fit as a starter, but on this team, the bullpen is his spot.
Predicted Line: 47 G, 3.11 ERA, 83.1 IP, 77 H, 58 K, 29 BB, 2 HR

Jackson Kowar ($575,000) – There’s a potential future in the rotation for Kowar, but I think the 2021 Royals will really enjoy his stuff coming out of the bullpen to get his feet wet and ending up pitching late in games quite a bit in 2021.
Predicted Line: 51 G, 2.37 ERA, 64 IP, 39 H, 78 K, 22 BB, 4 HR

Richard Lovelady ($750,000) – A duo of Doolittle and Lovelady from the left side is going to be pretty tough to beat in 2021. Lovelady will be in his third year and will be at his very best, taking the majority of save opportunities for this particular Royals club.
Predicted Line: 65 G, 1.29 ERA, 71.1 IP, 33 H, 91 K, 15 BB, 1 HR

Glenn Sparkman ($600,000) – I will always like Sparkman as a bullpen option and I think he and Adam can be a really solid middle relief duo. Plus, he can give you two or three innings when needed, so he’ll be a big part of a modern bullpen.
Predicted Line: 43 G, 3.21 ERA, 68.2 IP, 71 H, 65 K, 28 BB, 5 HR

The total payroll for this squad that looks much improved from what we’ve been watching this year checks in at $114 million, which isn’t all that bloated at all. They’ll be worth 34.8 WARP in general, which puts them as an 83 win team or so. If the bullpen overperforms, they might get an extra three or four wins out of it. All in all, not too shabby I guess. If this is the first step, it’s a good one. If this is a peak, it’s a problem.

In fact, if you take look at the Royals from 1969 to now their franchise is the only one in the league walking below an 8% rate, ranking last in that category. At one point there was some value to being a heavy contact-oriented club; after all the AstroTurf field allowed for hard-hit groundballs to get through more often and balls would bounce their way deeper in the outfield off the ground, allowing for speedsters to take extra bases with more frequency.

Those days have long past though with the change to a beautifully maintained grass field at Kauffman Stadium in 1995. Despite the changes to the game, no Royals front office has been able to change the philosophy, never ranking in the top half of the league in walk percentage through the Baird or Moore regimes. This year’s current squad ranks in a tie for last and things on the surface don’t appear to be changing in the minor league ranks as a whole if you look at this chart.

There is, however, some bright side if one looks closely at the Royals chart they can see a small anomaly in that A+ number. Currently, the Wilmington Blue Rocks have drawn the fifth-most walks as a team of any minor league team. Behind those numbers are some real prospects with a patient approach.

Blake Perkins 19.4% Walk Rate
Khalil Lee 15.9% *Now in NW Arkansas
Rudy Martin 14.7%
Nick Heath 14.9%
D.J. Burt 12.6%
Travis Jones 12.3%
Meibrys Viloria 10.8%

In addition to those players, a couple of others are showing good walk rates at other levels.
Nicky Lopez 10.6%
Ryan O’Hearn 11.1%

Even an increased walk rate for Nick Pratto appears to be in the works as the Royals 2017 1st round pick has seen his walk rate climb to 11% in the second half of the season after posting a first-half rate of just 6.5%.

Besides these numbers, we have seen a quote from the Royals asking a player to adjust his game to look to be more patient at the plate.

Juan Carlos Negret – “As important, he also drew a walk for the fifth time in six games after Royals coaches specifically addressed his lack of walks with him.” Via Baseball America

As a whole, the organization still isn’t walking at a great rate in the minor leagues as the graph above shows and there are still some well-known prospects that could see a tick up (Seuly Matias 6.9%) but there appears to be some progress being made as well as a change in the what the team is looking for in position players in the draft.
2016
Khalil Lee 13.3%
Nicky Lopez 10.1%
Cal Jones 6.2%
2017
Nick Pratto 8.7%
MJ Melendez 9.9%
Michael Gigliotti 14.6%
Brewer Hicklen 7.9%
2018
Kyle Isbel 11.5%
Eric Cole 12.5%

Most of the hitters listed above are top of the order type table setters or bottom of the order types with the athleticism to play good defense up the middle. This is slightly different from what the Royals saw up the middle during their winning season in’13 and two World Series teams.
2013-2015
Lorenzo Cain 6.4% – Minor League Walk Rate 8.6%
Jarrod Dyson 7.6% – Minors 8.6%
Salvador Perez 3.3% – Minors 5.1%
Omar Infante 3% – Minors 3.5%
Alcides Escobar 3.5% – Minors 5%

That group did two things extremely well, play defense at the best rate in the league while making contact at an extreme rate. The second came with a lack of walks and fewer times on base as a whole which likely sacrificed their run production despite frenzied hitting at times. The jury is still out whether this new group of players will become major league players, how well they play defense but one thing is for sure already, they take a different plate approach that is both more conducive to getting on base as individuals and scoring runs for the team.

Reason for the Change

The Royals organization and all teams have more data available to players than ever before with scouting reports of pitchers, player hot zones, video, and Trackman data available to all the players. In particular, J.J. Picollo states that the type of player they have selected in the draft has played a part in the increase. “I don’t think we’re consciously trying to walk but we’re trying to be better with our pitch selection. The result of better pitch selection and better patience at the plate is going to lead to more walks.” “It’s still not where we want to be but it has seen improvement and that Wilmington club has led the way.” “I think what you see with that team is it tends to become a team’s identity and rolls over to each player on the team.” It has worked for Wilmington thus far as they currently stand in first place while leading the league in walks.

The tools are there for the players to review. The hitting coaches and organization encourage it and review it with them; when I asked two of the more patient hitters in the organization, Khalil Lee and Nicky Lopez, about their current approach they both said it was just something they have always done. Lopez said he will review the data but tends to look at the video if he is struggling rather than examine it day-to-day. He knows that analytics is a big factor in today’s game but without digging into it he thinks his game is something already that will fit well with a major league club.

Overall there needs to be an improvement with the Royals ranking very low as an organization but one can see that the steps to make that change have already been put in place to make those changes in the organization.

Featured Photo Credit: © Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Follow me on Twitter @ClintScoles

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Frank Schwindel 2-4, HR, 2b, 2 RBI, BB

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Jake Kalish 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 4-1 GO/FO, 95p/65k

Omaha Storm Chasers 6, Sacramento River Cats 2

Omaha’s Jake Kalish continued his impressive string of starts by setting a new career high with 10 strikeouts, beating the nine-strikeout mark he set his last time out. The left-hander amazingly has been far more consistent as a starter the last two seasons than he has from the pen, putting up a sub-3 ERA when he starts compared to an over 5 run ERA from the pen. On this night he pounded the zone with 65 strikes on 96 pitches, allowing a run in the first before finishing the final three innings perfect with four strikeouts. The offense staked him to a 3-1 lead with three singles around a Sacramento error. Infielder Nicky Lopez provided an RBI single in that frame while collecting four hits and scoring on Frank Schwindel’s 17th home run of the season. Reliever Richard Lovelady finished the final two innings perfect to earn his fifth save of the season.

Richard Lovelady: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1-3 GO-FO, 23p/15k
Nicky Lopez: 4-5, R, RBI
Donnie Dewees: 2-3, R, 2b, BB

Game 1 – NW Arkansas Naturals 4, Tulsa Drillers 0
Game 2 – Tulsa Drillers 8, NW Arkansas Naturals 1

The Naturals added three pitchers on rehab assignments in the last two days with Eric Skoglund making the start on Monday, while Blaine Boyer and Jesse Hahn pitched in Tuesday’s doubleheader. Starting the game, Boyer tossed just 13 pitches, walking the leadoff hitter before earning a pair of outs and handing the ball to Foster Griffin. The lefty left his struggling season behind him on this day, earning the win with an efficient 6.1 innings that saw him yield just two hits and a walk. The offense backed him up with a pair of home runs from Khalil Lee and Nick Dini while Kelvin Gutierrez added an RBI single. For Lee, it was the outfielder’s second Double-A home run, coming on the first pitch he saw, traveling 393 feet with an exit velocity of 103 mph. In game two, Jesse Hahn worked a quick inning giving up a bloop single before earning a double play and a 3-1 groundout. With just 10 pitches tossed, Hahn completed the rest of his work in the Naturals pen. In relief, new Naturals lefty Luis Lugo struggled, giving up a two-run home run and two other hits while walking two in just two-thirds of an inning. Things didn’t get better for Naturals pitching as the next three pitchers gave up at least one run while the offense couldn’t counter with a 0-6 effort with runners in scoring position.

Khalil Lee: 1-5, HR, HBP, 2 E
Foster Griffin: 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 5-5 GO-FO, 74p/45k
Nick Heath: 2-4, 2R, BB

Wilmington Blue Rocks 8, Salem Red Sox 6

The Rocks kept their winning ways going Tuesday night with a come from behind win in the first game of their series with Salem. Trailing 4-3 in the seventh inning, hot-hitting Meibrys Viloria tied the game up with an RBI single before a wild pitch allowed Emmanuel Rivera to score to give Wilmington a lead. An inning later, the Rocks put a firm grasp on the game with the Puerto Rican connection of Gabriel Cancel and Rivera doubling in runs following a D.J. Burt RBI single to give the Rocks an 8-4 lead. That was enough for the Rocks to hang onto and extend their winning streak to five games.

Gabriel Cancel: 1-2, 2R, 2b, RBI, 3 BB
Emmanuel Rivera: 3-5, R, 2b, 2 RBI
Meibrys Viloria: 2-4, R, 2 RBI

Elizabethton Twins 10, Burlington Royals 3

A pair of college bats in the Twins farm did in the Royals on this night as Trevor Larnach and Chris Williams combined for seven hits and seven RBI. Most of the damage came off 2017 draftee Bryar Johnson, with the right-hander giving up nine hits and seven runs in just 3.1 innings to take the defeat.

Juan Carlos Negret: 1-3, R, RBI, BB
Jose Marquez: 2-5, R, 2b, RBI
Jackson Lueck: 1-4, K

Missoula Osprey 6, Idaho Falls Chukars 5

The Chukars defense gave them trouble in their finale in Missoula. Defensive errors in the third inning keyed a three-run inning that gave the Diamondbacks rookie squad a 4-2 lead. The league’s second best offense countered to tie the game at 5-5 but a missed catch error by first baseman Nick Hutchins with two outs in the ninth allowed Missoula to walk things off for a win.

Nathan Eaton: 1-5, HR
Angel Medina: 2-4, 2R, 2b, HR, 2 RBI
Andres Martin: 2-3, 2 RBI

Tuesday Boxscores

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Meibrys Viloria 4-5, 2R, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Nolan Watson 7 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K, 3-7 GO-FO, 77p/48k

Lexington Legends 7, Asheville Tourists 5

The Legends put six runs up in the first frame and then held on for the win. The first four hitters all reached with Kyle Isbel’s leadoff double starting the game off, scoring on a Nick Pratto single before an Asheville error scored a pair and helped the Legends toward the big inning. A pair of errors dented Charlie Neuweiler’s line, with the right-hander yielding two unearned runs on his four-run line after giving up three hits and three walks while striking out four. With a 7-4 lead, Asheville loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, but Danny Hrbek finagled a way out of the jam with a pop out and a double play. Again in the eighth, the Tourists put a couple in scoring position with no outs before reliever Tad Ratliff struck out two before ending the inning by inducing a groundout before giving up a run in the ninth and securing the win.

Kyle Isbel: 1-5, R, 2b
Seuly Matias: 0-3, R, HBP
Charlie Neuweiler: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 5-6 GO-FO, 94p/55k

Gm 1 – Wilmington Blue Rocks 8, Frederick Keys 0 – F/7
Gm 2 – Wilmington Blue Rocks 7, Frederick Keys 6 – F/7

Wilmington finished off a 6-1 roadtrip with a doubleheader sweep of the Orioles High-A squad Monday afternoon. The first game featured big days at the plate by Gabriel Cancel and catcher Meibrys Viloria with the duo each hitting a home run and driving in three runs apiece. That was more than enough for Nolan Watson who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before finishing off the shortened game with his third consecutive seven-inning start. In game two, Dan Tillo lost his way in the third inning, giving up four runs on four singles and three walks, forcing the bullpen to take over. The four runs allowed evened the game after Wilmington had built a 4-0 lead after four singles scored runs in the second. Three more singles in the sixth inning scored a pair before D.J. Burt scored on an errant throw after he stole second base. Reliever Julio Pinto gave up a run in the final inning before securing the win.

Gabriel Cancel: 2-7, HR, 3 RBI, 2K
Brewer Hicklen: 3-8, 3R, K
Emmanuel Rivera: 1-3, 2R, RBI, BB

NW Arkansas Naturals 4, Arkansas Travelers 2

Royals lefty Eric Skoglund made his Double-A rehab appearance with NW Arkansas, going four innings with just an unearned run allowed. Working on a limited pitch count, Skoglund tossed 29 strikes on 42 pitches while giving up three hits and striking out two. The offense got on the board in the third inning with a Jecksson Flores RBI double and an RBI groundout by Erick Mejia that scored Khalil Lee. In relief, Scott Blewett gave up a run over three innings to even the game up at 2-2. In the late innings, a pair of doubles helped towards two more runs for NW Arkansas,: Nick Dini’s leadoff double put him in position to score on a Lee single in the seventh, and Kelvin Gutierrez’s double in the eighth brought home Samir Duenez to push the advantage to two runs. Reliever Franco Terrero earned his fourth save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning.

Khalil Lee: 3-4, R, RBI
Kelvin Gutierrez: 2-4, 2-2b, RBI
Eric Skoglund: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 4-6 GO-FO, 42p/29k

Greeneville Reds 5, Burlington Royals 3

The Royals right-hander Elvis Luciano yielded two runs in five innings during the team’s loss. The young starter acquired in the Jon Jay trade gave up five hits including three for extra bases while striking out six against one walk. Strikes weren’t a problem on this night as Luciano tossed 51 strikes on 73 pitches. With the game tied 2-2 after five, the Royals scored just one run in the seventh while the Reds squad scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth off relievers Ismael Maldonado and Kyle Hinton.

Jackson Lueck: 2-4, 2b
Eric Cole: 1-4, RBI
Elvis Luciano: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 5-1 GO-FO, 73p/51k

Idaho Falls Chukars 8, Missoula Osprey 3

Another quality start for J.C. Cloney as the lefty worked 6.2 frames with three runs allowed. In typical fashion for the Chukars top starter, he pounded the zone with 67 strikes on 96 pitches while allowing three runs on nine hits. The offense scored eight runs on 14 hits and five walks, with Jose Caraballo hitting a two-run home run and driving in a third run to lead the way for the Idaho Falls offense. Reliever Robert Garcia tossed the final 2.1 innings scoreless to secure the save.

J.C. Cloney: 6.2 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 4-3 GO-FO, 96p/67k
Jose Caraballo: 3-4, HR, 3 RBI
Nate Eaton: 2-4, R, 2b, BB

Monday Boxscores

Tuesday Probables

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Khalil Lee 3-4, R, 2b, 2 RBI

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Gerson Garabito 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 9-3 GO-FO, 99p/65k

Round Rock Express 5, Omaha Storm Chasers 2

The four-run sixth frame against starter Zach Lovvorn pushed the Chasers deficit to 5-1, which proved too much to overcome on Sunday. It was Lovvorn’s third consecutive loss and his third outing in a row of five runs or more allowed as the righty gave up five hits, four for doubles, and two walks in his six innings. The Chasers went 0-4 with runners in scoring position, scoring their only runs with solo home runs by Frank Schwindel and Donnie Dewees.

Josh Staumont: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 22p/14k
Frank Schwindel: 1-4, HR
Donnie Dewees: 1-3, HR, BB, 2K

NW Arkansas Naturals 5, Tulsa Drillers 2

The Naturals received a second consecutive quality start from Emilio Ogando while the Naturals bats did enough against Mitchell White, the Dodgers #9 prospect (Baseball America), to earn the win. A four-run third inning that featured four Naturals hits and a leadoff error by the Drillers was the key. Samir Duenez drove in a pair with a single and scored on Alex Liddi’s double to put the Naturals up 4-0. A Khalil Lee RBI double countered the Drillers run in the fifth. From there, Ogando and the bullpen did the rest with three relievers tossing the final three innings to earn the win.

Erick Mejia: 1-4, R, SB (26)
Samir Duenez: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB
Anderson Miller: 1-3, 2b, BB, SB

Wilmington Blue Rocks 8, Frederick Keys 1 – F/7

The Rocks used some erratic Frederick pitching in the first inning to build a lead and starter Gerson Garabito made it stand up in a complete game effort. A leadoff walk to Blake Perkins was the first of four walks in an inning that also featured a pair of hit by pitches and two singles during the six-run first inning. A leadoff walk to Emmanuel Rivera in the second led to another run and Gabe Cancel’s double in the third pushed the advantage to 8-0. The only blemish on Garabito’s line was a third-inning solo home run as the Dominican right-hander completed the seven inning game with just one run allowed on five hits. It was Garabito’s third start of seven innings in his last four.

Gabe Cancel: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B
Blake Perkins: 1-3, R, RBI, 2BB
D.J. Burt: 2-3, R, RBI, BB

Gm1 – Burlington Royals 9, Greeneville Reds 2
Gm2 – Greeneville Reds 6, Burlington Royals 1

Eight runs in the first three innings keyed the Royals victory in the first game with leadoff hitter Jeison Guzman scoring a pair of runs and Eric Cole driving in three while scoring two of his own. Starter Austin Cox earned the win while pitching five innings with two runs (1 ER) allowed during that time. The second game went the other route with starter Marlin Willis giving up five runs (4 ER) on four hits and five walks in just 3.1 innings. The offense was unable to counter, connecting on just three hits in the seven inning shortened game.

Eric Cole 2-7, 2R, 2b, 3 RBI, BB
Jose Marquez 2-6, 3R, 2-2b, 2BB, 2 SB
Jeison Guzman 3-4, 2R, BB, SB

Idaho Falls Chukars 12, Missoula Osprey 8

The Chukars offense built a big lead early and hung on for a win late. The lineup put up 14 hits, walked eight times and scored 12 runs with an 11-4 lead through five innings. Outfielder Jose Caraballo keyed the way with two runs scored and four runs driven in with his 3-5 day at the plate. Starter Jon Heasley struggled in the first inning surrendering four runs (3 ER), with three of those runs coming on a home run. The right-hander finished off his four innings before giving way to Domingo Pena who tossed the final five innings around four runs given up.

Offerman Collado: 3-6, R, 2b, RBI
Jose Caraballo: 3-5, 2R, 2b, 4 RBI, BB
Angel Medina: 2-5, R, 2-2b, 2 RBI

Sunday Boxscores

Monday Probables

BPKC Hitter of the Day: Blake Perkins 4-5 2R, 2b, SB (19)

BPKC Pitcher of the Day: Jake Kalish 7 IP 2 H 0 R 0 ER 2 BB 9 K 3-4 GO-FO 101p/64k

Wilmington Blue Rocks 5 Lynchburg Hillcats 4

Reliever Corey Ray gave up a slim lead but the Wilmington offense countered to take a one-run victory over the Indians High-A squad. The top of the order led to an early lead with leadoff hitter Blake Perkins and D.J. Burt scoring the clubs first four runs. It was Burt’s second home run of the season in the first frame that quickly put Wilmington up 2-0. Two innings later, Perkins and Burt started the inning with a single before both scoring late on a Gabe Cancel groundout and an Emmanuel Rivera sac fly. Starting pitcher Dan Tillo gave the Rocks a quality start, working six innings with just two runs allowed when he walked in a run with the bases loaded before tossing a wild pitch to score another. The lefty struckout seven hitters on the evening while earning eight groundouts. Reliever Corey Ray gave up a pair of runs in the seventh inning that took the decision from Tillo but an Emmanuel Rivera leadoff triple in the eighth and a wild pitch by the Hillcats reliever allowed the Rocks to retake the lead and later the win.

D.J. Burt: 2-4 2R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
Emmanuel Rivera: 2-3 R, 2b, 3b, RBI
Dan Tillo: 6 IP 6 H 2 R 2 ER 2 BB 7 K 8-1 GO-FO 104p/65k

Springfield Cardinals 10 NW Arkansas Naturals 6

Starting pitcher Scott Blewett gave up more home runs than hitters he struck out on the night with the struggling right-hander giving up six runs a five-inning outing. Things started almost immediately when Blewett walked the leadoff hitter and gave up back to back extra base hits to fall behind 2-0. An RBI single to the fourth batter he faced pushed the deficit to 3-0 before he wiggled his way out of the inning. After a scoreless second inning, a pair of singles started the third frame and led to a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0. A pair of solo home runs in the fourth and fifth ended Blewett’s night with six runs attached to his line. Things didn’t get better with reliever Dallas Beeder on the hill after he gave up four runs in the seventh. The Naturals tried to counter in the final two innings with a solo home run by Khalil Lee and a three-run home run by Kort Peterson but fell four runs short.

Khalil Lee: 2-4 HR, 2 RBI, SB, BB
Anderson Miller: 2-4 R
Kort Peterson: 2-2 HR, 3 RBI

Omaha Storm Chasers 2 Nashville Sounds 0

Lefty Jake Kalish put up possibly the best start of his career on Wednesday, setting a new career high with nine strikeouts while tossing seven scoreless innings. The former 32nd round pick allowed just two singles while walking two over the seven frames never allowing a baserunner to reach second while he was on the mound. The Chasers offense also struggled on this night but did manage to piece together a pair of singles and an error by Nashville’s third baseman to plate a pair of runs in the fifth inning to take a 2-0 lead. Following Kalish relievers, Michael Mariot and Jake Newberry tossed a pair of scoreless innings to secure the win for Kalish.

Cam Gallagher: 2-4
Billy Burns: 1-4 R, RBI
Jack Lopez: 1-4 R, SB (10)

Burlington Royals 11 Bristol Pirates 0

Three pitchers combined for a shutout while the offense had a big day at the plate. Left-hander Josh Dye tossed four shutout innings while working around four hits before giving way to Bryar Johnson who repeated the effort with another four scoreless. The offense backed the pitchers quite capably with all nine hitters collecting at least one hit and three connecting on home runs. The squad put 11 runs on the board with runs in seven of the nine innings while walking 10 times and piling up 15 hits in the blowout win.

Eric Cole: 1-4 HR, 2BB
Juan Carlos Negret: 2-6 2b, HR, 3 RBI
Josh Dye: 4 IP 4 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 3K 5-0 GO-FO 60p/39k

Helena Brewers 9 Idaho Falls Chukars 2

Starter C.J. Eldred tossed three scoreless innings to start the game for Idaho Falls before running into problems during the next two innings. The former Iowa Hawkeye pitcher gave up nine runs in the next two innings, giving up nine hits including four doubles and a home run. With a 9-2 deficit, the Chukars offense couldn’t counter, going scoreless the rest of the way.

Nathan Eaton: 2-4 R, 2b, 3b, RBI
Chase Vallot: 2-4 2b, K
Reed Rohlman: 1-2 RBI, BB

Wednesday Boxscores

Thursday Probables
Omaha – Trevor Oaks 6-3 1.84 ERA 1.13 WHIP
NW Arkansas – Foster Griffin 3-12 6.16 ERA 1.60 WHIP
Wilmington Gm 1 – Andres Sotillet 6-6 4.01 ERA 1.34 WHIP
Wilmington Gm 2 – Carter Hope 8-2 3.05 ERA 1.16 WHIP
Lexington – Daniel Lynch 1-0 2.20 ERA 1.10 WHIP
Burlington – Marcelo Martinez 0-3 2.25 ERA 0.96 WHIP
Idaho Falls – Kris Bubic 0-1 4.05 ERA 1.20 WHIP

This year’s draft is a departure over what they have done in the past, but maybe that’s not the worst thing in the world considering some of their past results. As it stands currently I see the Top 30 Royals prospects in the following way:

#1 Khalil Lee – A rather easy call here considering Lee’s plate approach, multiple tools and the current belief from multiple members in the organization that he can stick in center field. Should Lee show off the power at the upper levels that he did at Low-A last year, then he’s not just the Royals top prospect then he should be a Top 50 prospect in all of the game.

#2 Jackson Kowar – For the third draft in a row after examining the draft closer I like the second selection the Royals made more than the first. In Kowar, the Royals are getting a tall starter with “stuff” in his low to upper 90s pair of fastballs, a plus changeup that has the making to become a 70 pitch in the future and a breaking ball that has started to flash to average if not above. Should the Royals get him to drive off the back half more then the Royals have the making of a #2 starter who could move through the system fairly fast.

#3 MJ Melendez – The numbers may not jump off the board for some at the end of the season considering the strikeout numbers are high, but the athleticism behind the dish and the arm stand out. Coming into the ’17 draft Melendez showed elite exit velocity and that has remained a constant into this season with 36 extra base hits and 12 home runs. An ability to dominate on the defensive side as well as hit the long ball makes him one of the best backstops in the minors.

#4 Seuly Matias – Despite his current drought Matias still leads the minor leagues in home runs with 26 through Thursday’s games. It’s that power that is the calling card for the 19-year-old who is also ranked 2nd in the South Atlantic League in strikeouts with 103 in just 68 games. The arm is an asset in the field for Matias as it is likely a 70 scouting grade with upper-90s velo. When healthy, the movement in the field is good enough to play right field at an average future level. The power is real and is right there for the most they have ever had in the organization, but the plate discipline needs to improve as pitchers are going to work on the edges at all times with him.

#5 Brady Singer – How far can competitiveness and mentality take you? For some like Max Scherzer (#11 overall) it can turn them into one of the best pitchers in the major leagues. That is the type of competitive fire that Singer pitches with and much like Scherzer, the Florida right-hander fell in the draft further than some anticipated prior to the season. The fastball works 93-96 mph with angle and sink, creating groundball contact and some swing and miss. The changeup has come forward and was looking like his best secondary pitch late in the season with downward movement. His breaking ball is a slurvy option that was his put away pitch last year but transformed more into the curvy offering this season, lacking the swing and miss. Transforming it back into a slider offering could be the difference between Singer being a bullpen option and a future starting pitcher.

Minda Haas Kuhlmann Photo

#6 Nicky Lopez – In Adalberto Mondesi and Lopez the Royals have two players who are near polar opposites. For everything that Mondesi represents in ceiling and risk, Lopez counters in floor and consistency. While Mondesi can make the spectacular on the defensive side Lopez has the steady hand that coaches prefer. At the dish, Mondesi’s power and speed combination is intriguing but the lack of plate discipline is directly opposite to Lopez’s steady, disciplined approach at the plate.

#7 Daniel Lynch – The lefty was a latecomer in the draft pushing his stock significantly late in the season to get to where the Royals selected him in the 1st round. With four different pitches Lynch should be able to move through the low minors fairly quickly. Lots of hard contact off a pitcher with multiple weapons is a bit of concern as I would expect a pitcher with that stuff to give up far less than 11 home runs in 88 college innings this season. A quick mover with a backend profile is nice to have in a system that has longed for pitching talent.

#8 Carlos Hernandez – Prototypical size for the pitcher at 6’5 and 200+ lbs (not buying 175 milb.com) with a fastball that holds 94-95 mph regularly while jumping up to 98 mph. The right-hander shows off good plane as evidenced in his 45% groundball rate while also exhibiting body control to repeat his mechanics and attack the strikezone (7.4% BB-rate). During the season Hernandez has started to show better feel for this curveball while also exhibiting good feel for the changeup. Both of the secondary pitches need improvement still but his feel, body and dynamic fastball are great building pieces for a possible #3 or solid late inning reliever.

#9 Michael Gigliotti – A lost season for Gigs with a knee operation after running into the center field wall. Should he not miss out on a step when he’s back the Royals center fielder can easily handle the position defensively while bringing an advanced approach at the plate. This was another version of Nicky Lopez but in center field prior to the injury.

#10 Dan Tillo – This lefty pairs a 90-95 mph fastball with a plus low 80s slider. At times the walks have been higher than one expects from a pitcher that repeats his mechanics fairly easy from a low 3/4 arm angle. The changeup is coming from Dan and should be used fairly regularly as he gets to the Double-A ranks and higher up. At worst Tillo projects as a lefty reliever who can get out right-handed hitters while the combination of his slider, fastball, and low angle creates enough groundball contact that if the changeup continues to come he will turn into a solid backend starter in the future.

#11 Richard Lovelady – The lefty has looked like the pitcher we saw last season the past month or so, more aggressive in his attack against hitters while using his slider effectively in and out of the zone. The fastball control is good while the command of the low to mid 90s fastball is adequate and should continue to improve. The arm angle gives him at least a LOOGY floor.

#12 Emmanuel Rivera – The Royals have a pair of Puerto Rican infielders who are stronger than the third baseman they traded for in the Herrera deal. At third, Rivera features good defensive skills, profiling at least to be average there with a chance to be a plus defender. At the plate, Rivera has an all field approach and the usual Royals ability for a high contact rate (14.7% K-rate). What he hasn’t shown enough of yet is the raw power that is in his swing but there is plenty available that he needs to access at a much greater rate.

#13 Nick Pratto – It’s been a difficult season at times for Pratto as his higher strikeout percentage has surprisingly carried over from the Arizona League last season. Billed as a hitter with a great feel for hitting, Pratto for much of this season has looked like a hitter without a plan, striking out at a near 30 percent clip against a sub-7% walk rate and hitting groundballs at a near 50% clip. Early in the season, he was showing off power but since June he has slugged just .276. The first baseman studies his craft plenty and I wouldn’t be shocked if he finds some tweaks in the offseason to help him find success in Wilmington as he backs away from the go for broke power and converts into concentrating on using the whole field.

#14 Gabe Cancel – The Royals made a trade for a third baseman but considering what they have in River and Cancel on the list it may not have been needed. It took some time but Cancel started to turn around his season in Wilmington with a strong July. While Rivera doesn’t get to his power enough Cancel has shown an ability to get there regularly. Currently playing second base, long term I wouldn’t doubt that he needs to make the switch to third where he has enough of an arm for the position but the glove may limit his ability to get to no better than average. It will be the bat that carries Cancel.

#15 Kris Bubic – Lefty with a low 90s fastball, a plus changeup, and usable curveball. The fastball is 88-91 mph but with a good-sized body one hopes he could add some velocity still, but even if he doesn’t the changeup is a 60 pitch and should allow him to move quickly through the minors. The curveball is another average pitch that he needs to tick up to become a mid-rotation starter but if it stays where it’s at then he’s likely a 4-A starter.

#16 Josh Staumont – A power reliever with backend stuff but the control that likely leaves him as a 6th inning type.

#17 Brewer Hicklen – A little old for the level but with multiple tools in plus speed and plus raw power there is a ton to like here. His football game didn’t allow for as many reps during early development which may mean for a late-blooming prospect.

#18 Sebastian Rivero – A very advanced receiver with a strong arm and quick release. The swing is simple and has some pull-side power while allowing him to hit for a decent average up the chain.

#19 Arnaldo Hernandez – The 6’0 175-200 lbs right-hander has improved his stuff tremendously this season seeing his fastball bump from the high 80s, low 90s to a 93-95 mph heater that touches 97 mph. With the feel for his low to mid 80s changeup that is his best secondary offering alongside his curve that he can manipulate shape with Hernandez has three average offerings. Given the lack of height and the way his fastball fades, it’s likely he’s a bullpen option but the feel for the stuff and control will give him an opportunity to start.

#20 Scott Blewett – Still just a couple months older than the draftees, Blewett flashes stuff in a mid-90s fastball, hard biting downer curve and a changeup with fade. A lack of deception and movement in the fastball leaves him too hittable at times but considering age and level, there is still some time for him to develop into a backend starter option or a bullpen piece.

#21 Frank Schwindel and #22 Ryan O’Hearn – At this point, Frank has outhit his fellow 1b partner for going on two seasons. Not as good defensively as O’Hearn but the power is equal if not better while also making contact at a higher rate which should help him at the next level. I’ve long thought that O’Hearn’s hitting style (LCF) would be detrimental to him in Kauffman Stadium when you consider that his power is more 55-60 than larger.

#23 Blake Perkins – A plus center fielder with a good hitting approach and excellent speed. Still just 21 years old gives him some time to hopefully develop enough pop off the bat to keep upper-level pitchers honest. The speed and defensive profile give the appearance of a player that fits in the K but ultimately becomes no better than a 4th outfielder.

#24 Donnie Dewees – Plus speed and an improved arm leave him as a good defensive option. The contact ability is good but the lack of pop in the bat and struggles versus lefties likely leave him as a 4th OF or 4-A guy.

#25 Meibrys Viloria – Good catch and throw guy with a good looking swing that should develop some more pop later in his career. His 12.5% walk rate this season shows his improved feel for the zone and I wouldn’t be shocked if he broke out next season in NW Arkansas at 22 years old in a better hitting environment.

#26 Kyle Isbel – If he can hit for some pop, then the Royals may have drafted their Whit Merrifield replacement in Isbel who can play multiple infield and outfield spots. Grinder mentality with a smooth swing from the left side.

#27 Yunior Marte – A four-seam fastball that the loose armed reliever can run into the mid to upper 90s next to a hard breaking ball. In addition, his two-seam action is a hard diving pitch that can create ground balls and at times looks like his best pitch in the lower levels. In a one inning run, I don’t doubt he can work 96-98 mph with a breaking ball that can generate swing and miss, his best days could come in the majors. Given the arm speed and improved control, this could be the 2nd best reliever in the system though the Royals internally may like others better.

#28 Rudy Martin – The Royals nearest version of Jarrod Dyson that they have in the organization as Martin is fast and knows it with the thief’s mentality. Unfortunately, the injury bug continues to bite Martin the past two seasons. Despite that, he flashes more pop than one might consider from someone standing 5’7 and a good plate approach. Should he figure out a way to stay healthy, then passing Perkins and Dewees into that 4th outfield spot doesn’t seem all that unlikely.

#29 Charlie Neuweiler – While Yefri Del Rosario may light up the gun, Neuweiler shows pitchability, control, and some stuff also. A hard biting curveball next to a low 90s fastball with movement and a feel for the changeup with some control and command. The hopes are that more fastball comes alongside the change here and the Royals end up with a mid-rotation starter. Not yet 20 years old the results look promising in a small sample to start his career.

#30 Kelvin Gutierrez – A good glove can take one decently far in this organization and that is what Gutierrez brings to the table along with a decent feel to hit at the lower levels. The swing approach appears to be more contact oriented than explosive and will need an adjustment to become a player worthy of a major league gig. Considering he’s nearly 24 and has a pair of infielders on his heels that change needs to come quickly.

Featured Photo Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports