The Farm to Fountains Daily Digest is your one-stop shop for all of the day’s action in the minor leagues. The coverage of highlights and notable prospects for the entire Royals farm system will keep you up-to-date and in the know.
March 29, 2024:
The only minor league team in action thus far is the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. Friday marked Opening Day in Papillion. Omaha faced off against the Iowa Cubs at Werner Park. The game was in the I-Cubs’ favor early, as they led 4-0 heading into the home half of the sixth inning. Then, the Storm Chasers offense started to come alive. They scored three in the sixth, followed by another in the eighth to tie it up. The Storm Chasers’ bullpen was fantastic on the night, pitching six scoreless innings in relief of starter Daniel Lynch IV.
Final Score: Omaha 5, Iowa 4 (11)
Daniel Lynch IV
Daniel Lynch IV got the Opening Day start for Omaha. He was in the mix for a roster spot for much of the spring but would eventually find his way optioned to Triple-A. His final line on the night wasn’t impressive in the least. He finished his night with 5.0 innings pitched, allowing nine hits and four earned runs in the process. He did strike out three and only walked one Iowa hitter on the night. Despite the poor results in the box score, Lynch did have his changeup working nicely all night. Across his entire arsenal, he garnered 14 swinging strikes, good for a 29% whiff rate. His fastball velocity has yet to return, as he sat 90-92 all night long with his four-seamer. There was some promise, alongside some struggle. This is the story of Daniel Lynch’s entire career thus far.
Nick Pratto
Nick Pratto brought his spring training hot streak with him to Omaha. He finished 2/4 with a walk and two doubles on Friday. Pratto’s entire approach has been revamped this offseason and that’s been clear all spring. It was the case as well on Friday. Through his first two plate appearances, Pratto saw seven pitches and swung at five of them. The passive approach of the past continues to be just that — in the past. Pratto has the physical skills to succeed in the major leagues and swinging more will allow him to put those to use. It’s unclear how long he may spend in Triple-A to open the 2024 season, but if his latest results on the field are any indication he’s more than ready for the major leagues.
The Bullpen
The Omaha bullpen was the true player of the game in the team’s Opening Day victory. Dan Altavilla, Walter Pennington, Will Klein, Sam Long, and Steven Cruz combined to go six scoreless, allowing just two hits and striking out eight. Each of the names mentioned has a chance to pitch meaningful big-league innings this season. Klein was perhaps the most impressive of the bunch. He threw 16 pitches in his full inning of work. He finished the night with a 50% Whiff% and a 38% CSW%.
CJ Alexander and Cam Devanney
CJ Alexander got the offense started in the sixth inning with a massive three-run shot that cleared the berm in right field. The blast went 109 mph off the bat, but the distance wasn’t reported (it’s Opening Day for Statcast too). Alexander would add a fourth RBI later in the night with a single to score Nick Pratto in the bottom of the eighth inning. Newcomer Cam Devanney — who joined the organization in the Taylor Clarke trade — looked solid in his Storm Chasers debut. He was the starting shortstop on Friday, pushing Tyler Tolbert to second base. He finished his night 0/4 with a walk, but had an impressive throw home to save a run late in the game and also scored the walk-off run after a passed ball in the home half of the 11th inning.