A year ago, the Quad Cities River Bandits opened the season with a handful of key Royals prospects. Frank Mozzicato, Ben Kudrna, Steven Zobac, and Ryan Ramsey headlined the key pitchers. The outfield was a fun group that included Jared Dickey, Carson Roccaforte, and Spencer Nivens. By midseason, many of those top prospects moved up to Northwest Arkansas (or in Dickey’s case, were traded away).
In 2024, there should again be some top prospect capital in the Quad Cities. The Midwest League is notoriously rough for hitters to open the season.
Predicting the Quad Cities River Bandits Opening Day roster for 2025
Catchers: Blake Mitchell (IL), Dionmy Salon, Omar Hernandez, Kyle Hayes
Infielders: Austin Charles, Callan Moss, Lizandro Rodriguez, Daniel Vazquez, Dustin Dickerson, Aldrin Lucas
Outfielders: Carson Roccaforte, Deivis Nadal, Erick Torres, Erick Peña, Carter Frederick, River Town
Starting Rotation: Drew Beam, Emmanuel Reyes, Logan Martin, Felix Arronde, A.J. Causey
Bullpen / Depth Arms: Coleman Picard, Hunter Patteson, L.P. Langevin, Jacob Widener, Nate Ackenhausen, Ben Hernandez, Josh Hansell
The River Bandits offense figures to boast a handful of top prospects. Blake Mitchell will be the headliner but will start the season on the injured list. Mitchell suffered a fractured hamate bone early on in Spring Training and could miss as much as the first two weeks of the regular season. Alongside Mitchell, Austin Charles and Daniel Vazquez make up a strong left side of the infield. The duo headlined the Columbia infield a year ago and should make the trip north to start 2025.
In the outfield, Erick Torres could move up a level after a solid showing for the Fireflies a year ago. He started the year much stronger than he finished, compiling a meager .237/.336/.298 slash line. Still, Torres struck out just 14.0% and made consistent contact. With much of the Kansas City outfield depth clustered either in Omaha or the low minors, there should be a spot open for Torres.
Peña is another outfielder who didn’t quite earn a promotion, but he’s spent three full seasons in Columbia to this point. He improved some a year ago, posting a career-high 82 wRC+ despite a 40.0% strikeout rate. Roccaforte finished the season strongly a year ago and could quickly make his way to Northwest Arkansas if he can repeat with a strong showing early on. With center field depth ahead of him in the minors (Wiemer and Waters likely in Omaha, Diego Hernandez and Spencer Nivens likely at Double-A) the Royals can allow Roccaforte to settle in some before the challenge of Double-A.
The pitching staff is perhaps the real strength for Quad Cities. Starters Emmanuel Reyes, Logan Martin, and Felix Arronde should make their High-A debuts. Reyes put together a strong 107.0 IP in 2024 with just a 7.3% walk rate and an ERA under four. Arronde was the best arm for Columbia a year ago in what was a meager breakout for the once-bullpen arm, while Martin pitched to a steady 3.57 FIP across 102.0 IP. Joining them should be newcomers Drew Beam, L.P. Langevin, and A.J. Causey. Causey started in college for Tennessee but could find his way to the bullpen. Look for Causey, Patteson, and Picard to split work at the back of the River Bandits’ rotation.
In the pen, Langevin could make quick work of High-A hitters. His fastball is already electric with a case to be named the best in the farm system. The rest of the pen offers varying levels of intrigue with Josh Hansell and Nate Ackenhausen as potential surprise names to watch in 2025. The Royals announced official minor league rosters on April 3, 2024. Look for the official Quad Cities roster to drop at a similar date this year.
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