The Storm Chasers have not reached 1st place in the International League West and an 11-5 record by sheer luck. There have been some promising starts and major contributions from a number of players that have Omaha on a roll right now. It is exciting to see a team that finished at the back of the pack last season have noticeable improvements at the plate and on the mound. A major factor has been the depth of experience this Storm Chasers team has, with eight position players having played at least ten games at the major league level, and nine pitchers having major league experience. A handful of these players would most likely be on the Royals’ roster right now if it were the 2023 season. However, the Royals acquired more talent in the offseason, leading to a deeper and more competitive roster at the Triple-A level. This balance of talent across the board in Omaha has led to an exciting start to the season.
Who has gotten off to a hot start and what does it mean?
Jonathan Bowlan
2024 season stats: 16.0 IP, 2.25 ERA, 16 K, 3 BB, 1.06 WHIP
The 2018 2nd-round pick is starting to gain momentum again after having Tommy John surgery back in 2021. Before the injury, he had an incredible season in 2019 that helped catapult him to a No. 8 prospect ranking in the Royals’ farm system. Over the past few seasons, he has not been able to regain form and get back to the version of himself that we saw in 2019, where he held an 11-5 record and 3.14 ERA over 146.0 IP.
A healthy Bowlan is dangerous and provides great depth for the Royals should a starting pitcher go down for them this season. His fastball-slider combo is his calling card, and the fact that he has shown an ability to avoid walks is encouraging. As the best-performing starting pitcher in Omaha to begin the season, he may be the first to get the call-up to Kansas City should the need arise.
Nate Eaton
2024 season stats: 12 G, .378 Avg, .425 OBP, .966 OPS, 13.5 K%, 8.1 BB%
It is hard to pin down what to do with Nate Eaton. He has generally performed well in Omaha, being one of the more consistent hitters over the past two seasons, but had a terrible time in Kansas City last year. He went 4 for 53 at the plate during his limited time in the majors last season but showed value for the Royals in 2022. His ability to play multiple positions between the infield and outfield is a valuable asset for the organization that may allow him to find a spot on the major league team at some point. However, I really have to squint to see a path to Kansas City with guys like Drew Waters and Tyler Gentry waiting in the wings.
Sam Long
2024 season stats: 7.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, 10 K, 2 BB, 0.91 WHIP
The former San Fransisco Giant and Oakland A signed a minor league deal with the Royals this past offseason to compete for a spot in the bullpen. Though he did everything in his power during spring training to earn an opportunity in Kansas City, he has yet to get his chance. I truly believe it will not be long (no pun intended) until he gets his opportunity. Left-handed bullpen arms are typically valued highly, and the Royals only have two on the roster currently (Will Smith and Angel Zerpa).
Long has not seen his minor-league success translate to the majors just yet, though he did hold a 3.61 ERA in 42.1 IP in 2022. He currently holds a 50% whiff rate on his slider and a 66.7% whiff rate on his curveball, which is encouraging to start the season. I hope to see him get another opportunity in the majors where Brian Sweeney and company can work with him further.
CJ Alexander
2024 season stats: 15 G, .310 Avg, .355 OBP, .976 OPS, 31.0 K%, 6.9 BB%
It is no surprise that Alexander continues to show his impressive power, notching four home runs in his first 58 at-bats this season. He now has 60 career home runs in the minor leagues. The Storm Chasers have deployed him mostly at third base but have also given him a few games at first base. It makes sense why they are choosing to get him opportunities at third, with Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Pérez, and Nick Pratto (most likely) being ahead of him in the pecking order at first base.
Third base is a little more interesting since the Royals have less depth at the position. Maikel Garcia’s natural position is shortstop, but the Royals have him playing third base to keep Bobby Witt Jr. playing where he plays best. Besides Garcia, the Royals have used Nick Loftin to fill in for the position thus far. It would take a Garcia injury or extremely long slump to give Alexander an opportunity in Kansas City. Alexander needs to clean up the strikeouts, but there is no denying that the man can hit.
Drew Waters
2024 season stats: 13 G, .327 Avg, .386 OBP, .905 OPS, 30.8 K%, 7.7 BB%
Waters has not been able to solidify a spot on the Royals’ roster despite plenty of opportunities over the past two seasons. He has been serviceable, especially with the glove, but has not been able to get the bat going consistently. He seems to be the no-brainer pick as the next man up in Kansas City should the need arise, given his major league experience and strong track record in Omaha. For the time being, he will continue to be a huge piece of the Storm Chasers’ success.
Check out last week’s Omaha weekly recap to get my analysis on Logan Porter’s hot start. Stats are through Tuesday, April 16.
Image credit: Omaha Storm Chasers