Here are the latest happenings in Royals news from last week!
ICYMI: The Royals Reporter is coming to Farm to Fountains! That’s right, THE Kevin O’Brien has joined the Farm to Fountains team as Lead MLB Writer.
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ROYALS NEWS
Farm to Fountains interview with Daniel Lynch IV: “Enter Spring Training 2024, and Lynch IV is picking up right where he left off in the Dominican Winter League. He’s only thrown three innings so far this spring, but the stuff has looked good, and you can see the confidence he is starting to regain on the mound. This week, Preston Farr caught up with Daniel Lynch IV to discuss his injury recovery process, success in 2023, building back up for 2024, and the confidence the team has going into this season.”
Royals reassign four players to minor league camp: “The Royals on Sunday reassigned right-handers Mason Barnett and Chandler Champlain and catchers Carter Jensen and Luca Tresh to Minor League camp, leaving 62 players in big league camp.”
Christian Chamberlain will have Tommy John surgery: “After discussing the next steps with the Royals and his family, Chamberlain has opted for Tommy John surgery. That is scheduled for next week, and the recovery is typically one year. That puts Chamberlain on track to return by Spring Training 2025.”
ROYALS ANALYSIS
Anne Rogers goes in-depth on NRI Tyler Duffey’s journey back from a melanoma diagnosis: “The freckle on Tyler Duffey‘s left shoulder changed only slightly, but it was enough for him to take notice and have the thought in the back of his head — and voiced by his wife — about getting a doctor to take a look.”
Kevin O’Brien takes a look at Nick Pratto’s chances of bumping Nelson Velazquez from the roster: “The Royals have a long-term power bat in Velazquez, who could be another Jorge Soler but with fewer injury issues and more long-term control. That shouldn’t be taken lightly by a Royals organization looking to build around superstar Bobby Witt, Jr., not just in 2024 but beyond. Royals fans should still root for Pratto to show positive growth in 2024. If he can turn it around this season, he could be a nice piece to flip at some point this year, or he could be a nice contingency plan if injuries continue to plague Pasquantino.”
Trey Donovan looks at which Royals players have been the hottest this spring: “A player who has polarized many in the Royals fanbase due to his bat. Isbel has dispelled those beliefs early on in Spring. He is slashing .308/.357/.615 for an OPS of .972. While Isbel isn’t known for hitting for power he has a homerun and a double early on.”
Kevin O’Brien covers four Royals who are off to a slow start this spring: “The concerning part about Lugo’s start was that his breaking stuff wasn’t clicking as normal against the Guardians. On the game’s radio broadcast, Royals commentators Steve Stewart and Jake Eisenberg mentioned that Lugo wasn’t getting the break on the curve he normally wants. Thus, it could’ve been Lugo testing out something new with a grip, and Cleveland hitters were taking advantage.”
Jacob Milham expresses his love (rightfully so) for Dairon Blanco: “While I could not disagree with the limited games and opportunities Fangraphs predicts for Blanco, the work’s quality is promising. That many stolen bases in only 15 games, plus a projected 93 wRC+, are great for a fourth or fifth outfielder. But Blanco needs more opportunities because, when given a chance, he produces more often than not. Simple as that.”
FARM SYSTEM
Jackson Wilks takes a dive into the development of Mason Barnett: “‘Reign the Zone’ began appearing on shirts as pitchers reported to the Royals 2024 Spring Camp. As reported by Anne Rogers, this signaled an evolution in philosophy from last year’s slogan “Raid the Zone” which emphasized first pitch strikes. Mason Barnett lived and breathed this mentality in 2023 amidst concerns about control in his first full season. Drafted by the old front office, there wasn’t a consensus on his ability to be a starter. He did just that in 2023 and managed to rack up the most strikeouts in the organization in the process.”
Zac Miller predicts which Royals prospect he thinks will crack the top 100 next: “The Royals’ top ten draft picks in the past five seasons include Bobby Witt Jr., Asa Lacy, Frank Mozzicato, Gavin Cross, and Blake Mitchell. Only one of those players has currently lived up to their draft status. However, I still believe there is hope for some current Royals’ minor league players. Which ones might take steps this season to catapult them into the top 100 prospects at the end of the 2024 season?”
Anne Rogers discusses how Blake Wolters is turning heads this spring: “He’s very impressive,” senior director of pitching performance Paul Gibson said. “He’s very focused on his work. Very convicted when he’s on the mound, whether it’s a bullpen or live [batting practice]. We’re really excited to get him into games. I hate to jump out there and make all kinds of statements about a 19-year-old, but he’s got the right tools, he’s got the right makeup, he’s got the right work ethic. It’s exciting.”
Zac Miller looks at the Royals “Spring Breakout” roster more in-depth: “Some other players of intrigue include pitcher Steven Zobac, Ramon Ramirez, and Gavis Cross. Zobac turned a lot of heads last season in his first minor league campaign between Columbia and Quad Cities. Roman Ramirez has been a hot name recently after a very strong showing in the DSL last year and will get his first crack against some more advanced competition. It will also be interesting to see how Gavin Cross is looking after a disappointing 2023 season in which he was battling injury and illness.”
FORMER ROYALS IN THE NEWS
Jackson Kowar will undergo Tommy John surgery next Friday
MLB NEWS
Zach Wheeler and the Phillies agree to a three-years, $126 million extension
Red Sox pitcher Bryan Bello signs a six-year, $55 million extension
Joey Votto signs a minor-league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays
Reds top prospect Noelvi Marte is suspended for 80 games for PED use