Farm to Fountains: Weekly Royals News Roundup

Here are the latest happenings in Royals news from last week!

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ROYALS NEWS

The Royals traded Samad Taylor to the Seattle Mariners, making the Adam Frazier signing official: “The trade details have been released. The deal will send Samad Taylor to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. Taylor, who was originally acquired in the Whit Merrifield trade from the Blue Jays, had a standout showing in 2023 for the Omaha Storm Chasers.”

Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star reports that stadium news could come soon: “On Saturday, Royals owner John Sherman addressed the proposed stadium plans. Sherman said the Royals will look to announce further details regarding the stadium’s location by the end of February. And he took it a step further. Sherman remained hopeful that a stadium decision could come in the upcoming days.”

ROYALS ANALYSIS

Jared Perkins dives into the Spring Training position battles you should be watching in 2024: “Most of the rotation is locked, with newcomers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha joining Cole Ragans and Brady Singer. You can of course pencil in Bobby Witt, Jr. at shortstop and Salvador Perez at catcher. Maikel Garcia seems guaranteed to start at third base unless he goes into a crazy slump this spring after his incredible offseason in the Dominican Winter League. A healthy Vinnie Pasquantino should be manning first base unless Nick Pratto comes out of nowhere with the bat, but he’s yet to show much at the big-league level.”

Alvin Garcia looks at what Nelson Velazquez’s strong winter league performance means for the Royals: “Velazquez’s impressive performance in the winter league and his impactful contributions in the MLB throughout the 2023 season indicate his promising trajectory. It seems the Royals have made a well-thought-out maneuver. If Velazquez can maintain his current level of performance in the upcoming season, he could play a crucial role in propelling the Kansas City ball club toward a new era of success.”

Trey Donovan dives into the Royals’ starting pitching depth: ”Another free agent acquisition for the Royals who looks to solidify the rotation. He signed a two-year deal after two good seasons in San Diego. Wacha is similar to Lugo where you know what you’re gonna get from him. The Royals will pencil him in as the number three guy in the rotation and expect an ERA around 3.50, 140 innings pitched, and 120 K’s — all of which are within his career averages.”

Jacob Milham covers how the Royals can tap into the next level of Brady Singer: “The MLB season is a long and arduous one for baseball players. But, hopefully, Singer and the coaching staff can tweak his routine and workload to prevent this severe arm fatigue again.”

Patrick Glancy looks at the three worst scenarios for the Royals in 2024: “No. 2: Pitcher Cole Ragans turns into a pumpkin: Ragans’s situation is similar to Witt’s. The Royals received Ragans in last June’s Aroldis Chapman trade with Texas, and he became the breakout star of their pitching staff with a 5-2 record in 12 starts, a 2.64 ERA, 1.074 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. He was named AL Pitcher of the Month for August.”

Mike Gillespie discusses whether a better season is on the horizon for MJ Melendez: “Although he’s been the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, Melendez probably isn’t going anywhere — the Royals’ commitment to him is obvious, and they clearly intend to continue developing him as an outfielder.”

Greg Walker looks at the performance of Royals players abroad in the Winter Leagues: “Had he played the full season, García would have been in the running for MVP honors. Alas, he played just 28 games in which he hit .424/.543/.576, finishing behind only Puig and Acuña in OPS among players with at least 100 plate appearances. He led that group in BB-K ratio, with a staggering 28 walks to just nine punchouts. Tiburones finished 30-26, earning a spot in the semifinals.”

Anne Rogers takes a closer look at the team’s starting rotation for 2024: “Lugo and Wacha headlined the Royals’ offseason additions and will spearhead the rotation this season. Both bring unique skill sets to Kansas City, but fit the profile that the Royals looked for this winter: Experienced, proven starters who throw strikes and minimize walks.”

FARM SYSTEM

Sean Hackett sits down with Royals minor-league catcher Kale Emshoff: “Take things lightly and just enjoy the process as much as you can no matter the place. [For new players], stay positive when things go sideways. You are there for a reason and hard work will always be the answer to your problems.”

Zac Miller takes a look at 2024 debuts Royals fans can get excited for: “Players like Tyler Gentry, Devin Mann, John Rave, Will Klein, Christian Chamberlain, and Andrew Hoffman are all hoping for that opportunity. Gentry and Klein were placed onto the 40-man roster this winter and could get a chance out of Spring Training. Of course, there is always the possibility of watching a player take after John McMillon and sprint through every minor league level in one season to make their debut.”

Jacob Milham discusses how Ben Kudrna is still an underrated prospect: “At 6 feet and 3 inches tall, he fits the mold of a pitcher in the current Royals team, whether as a starter or reliever. His potential for a lengthy MLB career is high in both positions, but the Royals seem to be more interested in his progress as a starter so far. He will turn 21 on Opening Day, and Kudrna is expected to remain one of the top five prospects in the Royals’ system”

Darnel Collins was arrested in Utah after being detained on a flight: “Kansas City Royals minor leaguer, Darnel Collins, was arrested following repeated instances of unruly behavior on a nine-hour flight from the Netherlands to Salt Lake City on January 21st. The outfield prospect reportedly travels between the Netherlands and the United States during the off-season, as he holds residency in Surprise, Arizona. He was detained immediately upon the landing of his flight in Utah.”

Preston Farr looks at the state of the farm system and how we got here: “This report from an unnamed scout matters because it matches what some of us have said all along. It brings some form of obscure confirmation that the farm system is rather deep, despite lacking any true superstar ceiling. Assuming that’s true, how exactly did we get here? What led the Royals to this point as an organization? Finding out what led us here can only help to avoid the same mistakes in the future.”