Farm to Fountains: Weekly Royals News Roundup

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

The biggest news is Preston and the guys at KC: Chase the Pennant sat down with Royals pitching prospect Noah Cameron last week. Check out the full interview here.ICYMI: Farm to Fountains now has merch! Get all your favorite gear with the Farm to Fountains logo at our shop!

Royals News

The Royals acquired RHP John Schreiber from the Red Sox in a trade.

Pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training. Today the position players report as well.

John Sherman and the Royals unveiled their plans for a downtown stadium in the Crossroads district.

Royals Analysis

Preston Farr re-evaluates the team’s 40-man roster value after a busy offseason.

“Back in early December, I undertook the task of evaluating every player on the Kansas City Royals 40-man roster. That exercise included players now gone from the organization, including Edward Olivares, Taylor Clarke, and others. It also didn’t include most of a busy offseason plan put into effect by General Manager J.J. Picollo. With spring training getting underway, it seems like the perfect time to re-evaluate the roster. Much like last time, this exercise is centered around a handful of key factors. Those factors include ability (hit tool, power, defensive ability, and speed), positional value, age, injury risk, and team control.”

Alvin Garcia looks closer at the bullpen and who should be the team’s main closer.

“As the 2024 MLB season approaches, the Kansas City Royals find themselves at a pivotal juncture in their quest for success. With the team opting not to pursue another closer via trade, the decision on who will take on the crucial role falls on three pitchers: Will Smith, John McMillon, and James McArthur. While all three bring their unique strengths to the table, the wisest choice for the Royals appears to be the seasoned veteran, Will Smith.”

Jared Perkins takes a look at his first 26-man roster projection of the Spring.

“Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training this, so what better time to make some predictions for the 26-man roster? The influx of new talent from free agency has made it a lot more fun to see how this 26-man roster may take shape. The Royals have brought in a bunch of arms both for the rotation and bullpen to give some the depth they did not have last year. “

Alvin Garcia takes a look at the expectations for Michael Massey this season.

“Reviewing Massey’s 2023 performance reveals a mix of promise and shortcomings. While his 15 home runs added power to the lineup, his .229/.274/.381 batting line left room for improvement. While the overall slash wasn’t much to write about, Massey ended on a high note in September. He hit .269/.313/.513 with five home runs and 12 RBI. With projections forecasting a rebound in 2024, Massey faces the challenge of meeting or exceeding these expectations, knowing that consistency is critical.”

Preston Farr looks at the three biggest decisions facing the Royals this spring.

“This spring, the Royals again have the first four more or less settled as we head toward Opening Day. Cole Ragans and Brady Singer should return to the rotation alongside newcomers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo. The fifth spot should come down to Daniel Lynch IV or Jordan Lyles. Alec Marsh and Angel Zerpa each have their own case to make, as do Anthony Veneziano and Jonathan Bowlan to a lesser extent. Others, such as Matt Sauer could push the issue but seems more unlikely. In all, Lyles seems to have a strong case due to the contract he’s owed. Lynch is the former top prospect who’s struggled to this point but had better results this winter and in the Arizona Fall League (over much smaller samples).”

Max Rieper discusses what he likes, and doesn’t like, about the Royals stadium proposal.

“The location wasn’t my first choice – I still think the East Village makes more sense as an area of downtown that could use a boost. But clustering the major sporting event venues together with the entertainment makes sense so the project can use existing infrastructure rather than cannibalizing other districts. The Crossroads as the welcoming mat to the stadium has the potential to be fantastic. If the Royals were seeking to create a Wrigleyville-type environment, the Crossroads has that potential. And to the north, if you want a more corporate entertainment district, like the Braves or Cardinals have near their ballparks, the Power and Light can cater to your needs.”

Mike Gillespie looks at the outlook for outfielder Drew Waters.

“But two things, a subpar 2023 season and the Royals’ recent acquisition of veteran outfielder Hunter Renfroe, call Waters’ Kansas City future into question. Off to a late start due to injury, Waters hit only .228 in 96 games for the Royals, and his wRC+ plunged to 82. And with Renfroe expected to start in right field, Kyle Isbel in center, and MJ Melendez in left, Waters may have difficulty beating out Dairon Blanco and Nelson Velázquez (who’s also a DH), and perhaps promising prospect Tyler Gentry, for the club’s fourth and fifth outfield spots.”

Matthew Gerrity looks at why outfielder Hunter Renfroe could be a big addition.

“Kansas City’s offense was poor in most metrics last year, not least of which was tying for 26th-worst in the majors in homers. Renfroe might not be a household name to some Kansa City fans, but if the Royals are going to put together a successful underdog story, Renfroe’s power must be a pivotal part of the puzzle.”

Jacob Milham considers three trade targets for the Royals to consider in 2024.

“Players jockeying for a spot on the 26-man roster should not make Kansas City ignore a crowded free agent and trade market. Baseball’s free-agent process is commonly a slow burn, but several top-tier talents remain unsigned less than two months ahead of Opening Day. While richer teams will look to players like pitcher Blake Snell and designated hitter J.D. Martinez for help this year, the Royals payroll isn’t set to dramtically increase.”

Farm System

Jackson Wilks looks at a roster projection for the 2024 Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

“Just about every player on this specific list deserves a paragraph or two. In the interest of time, I will be a little selective and give a breakdown of the few who look to make big strides this season. Or at the very least, they may not stick around in Springdale long enough for me to write about them again.”

Zac Miller has a look at his own roster projection as well, this time for the Omaha Storm Chasers starting rotation.

“The Omaha Storm Chasers are in a position to have a significantly better starting rotation than they were able to piece together last season. The trickle-down effect of more talent at the big-league level will allow Omaha to reap the benefits of a more consistent and effective group of pitchers.”

Preston Farr looks at potential Spring Breakout matchups to watch for.

“Over the winter, MLB announced the first annual Spring Breakout showcase. The showcase, which takes place March 14-17, will allow teams to field a roster built solely of their organization prospects. The rosters will then compete against other clubs. The Kansas City Royals Breakout team will play a game against the Milwaukee Brewers prospects on March 17. Games will take place in the Spring Training facilities, meaning the Royals and Brewers will play their game in Arizona.”

The Royals signed infielder Josh Lester to a minor league contract.

“Lester was originally a 13th-round pick by the Detroit Tigers out of Mizzou in 2015, reaching the big leagues with them in 2022. He was outrighted off the roster at the end of the season and the Orioles picked him up for 2023. He spent most of the season in Triple-A, but went 4-for-22 for the big league team.”