OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Zero to Hero

benp28 · 06-07-2024, 11:07 AM

If the aim was to build on the success of 2027, the first half of the season did not go to plan for the Kansas City Royals (47-51) as the league prepares to restart following the All Star Game. One winning month (14-13 in May) across the first three months of the season is a not a recipe for a successful season, as the standings show. Luckily for the Royals, while a Wildcard seems out of reach with the Royals 7 games back, the AL Central is a division of mediocrity and the Royals are 1½ game out of 1st place. All to play for over the last 64 games, then, for a franchise looking for back-to-back playoff appearances for only the second time this century.

Name: ASB KC Team Stats.jpg
Views: 449
Size: 319.1 KB

Name: ASB KC Team Stats.jpg
Views: 449
Size: 319.1 KB

The team batting stats show a sorry regression towards 2026 after the highs of 2027. No power (14th) or walks (15th) are nothing new, but paired with poor OBP (12th) and hits (7th), leave the Royals with the 11th best runs scored total (371) in the American League.

On the pitching side, there has been a reversal from 2027 with the starting pitching owning the 2nd best ERA in the American League (3.90) but the bullpen struggling (7th). The Royals give up too many Home Runs (121 – 12th) and walks (340 – 13th) but in most other statistics are performing well, including leading the AL in hits allowed, opponents AVG, and strikeouts. The fielding has seen a sharp increase, leading both defensive efficiency and zone rating in the AL.

It seems clear, then, that the Royals need to find some more hitting, and to improve the bullpen to give up less HRs and Walks.

Name: ASB KC Bats.jpg
Views: 447
Size: 470.9 KB

Name: ASB KC Bats.jpg
Views: 447
Size: 470.9 KB

Sorting the batters by At Bats and one of the main issues in the first half of the season becomes clear – availability. None of two-time All Star Nick Loftin (53%), MVP superstar Bobby Witt Jr. (57%) or big off season outfield power bat Wyatt Langford (53%) have appeared in more than 60 games. Starting center fielder Jorge Ruiz has been out since May 8 with a ruptured tendon in his foot while even major offseason FA signing Luis Garcia is currently halfway through a five-week absence with a fractured wrist.

While trades on the hitting side shouldn’t be ruled out, the best route to the postseason for the Royals is fitness.

The Catching corps have been adequate with both Herrera (2.8) and new back up Lomavita (0.4) offering positive framing. Their bats have been similar with Lomavita (.244/.302/.385/ 86wRC+) hitting for slightly more power but walking less and striking out more. Lomavita has some growth left in his bat and will be given a slightly bigger role in the back half of the season to see what development he can show.

At first base, Luis Garcia (.280/.330/.418 / 97 wRC+) is showing good swing mechanics (12.3 SO%) but needs to put more balls in play when he comes back from injury. Garcia’s injury opened a path for Hunter Owen (2024 4th Rd) to make his big-league debut. Having only started learning 1B at AAA this year, Owen has been almost a revelation; at 6’ 6” he is built for the position, but a 7.77 RNG and 0.6 ZR through his first 125+ innings in the position is beyond the best of hopes. A line of .237/.277/.542 / 112 wRC+ with 6 HR in his first 60 ABs will prove a nice problem on Garcia’s return.

At 2B, Loftin’s (.263/.333/.387 / wRC+ 97) injury has left a big hole in the line-up. Rule 5 acquisition Gregory Barrios(.217/.263/.270 / 43 wRC+) has stepped into the everyday role but has struggled. Fans second guessing the decision to trade Ahmed at the start of the season to retain Barrios have plenty of ammunition. Loftin is on a rehab assignment in Omaha and will be back before the end of the month.

3B Maikel Garcia (.253/.312/.359 / 83 wRC+) is coming to the end of the line with the Royals organisation. The hoped for bounce back has not appeared with his stat line broadly in line with 2027 (-.003/-.008/.005). The challenge is likely to be finding a taker for his $10m 2028 season salary. Kevin Made will not be the answer as his performance (.224/.254/.343 / wRC+ 57) was so bad he was sent down to AAA before Loftin’s injury. In what would be a defensive regression, the solution may be to move Luis Garcia to 3B and slot Owen in as the everyday 1B.

Shortstop has been a rotational challenge with Bobby Witt Jr. (.252/.294/.411 / 86 wRC+) spending more time on the IL (7-8 weeks across 4 injuries) this season – hopefully some time in the development lab over the coming off season will put an end to these problems. Jose Caballero, the winter MiL FA signing, has spent some unconvincing time in the Majors - .177/.275/.271 – and recently 2027 back up Jose Ramos has had some at bats, with some success. Witt Jr. is healthy now and the Royals will be looking for him to anchor the line up over the last 68 games.

The new look outfield has been decimated by injury and performance. Tyler Gentry (.184/.281/.262 / 49 OPS+) was unplayable and after a considerable run of 42 games, and out of options, he was DFA and will play out the season in AAA.

Centrefielder Jorge Ruiz’s ruptured tendon saw trade acquisition Jacob Jenkins-Cowart called up – with Matthew Etzel moving to CF – and he has performed very well, 16 HRs to go with a .279/.333/.543 line and 133 wRC+.

Wyatt Langford was out for 6 weeks with a high ankle sprain but, when fit, has also offered the expected pop - .282/.336/.503 / 126 wRC+.

Braylin Tavera came up to provide some extra CF cover when Langford was injured but has really struggled and the Royals are counting down the days for Ruiz to return.

An everyday outfield of Langford / Ruiz / Jenkins-Cowart should provide more than enough offence while retaining defensive cover for the pitching staff.

Name: 2028 ASB Arms.jpg
Views: 453
Size: 263.0 KB

Name: 2028 ASB Arms.jpg
Views: 453
Size: 263.0 KB

The second best ERA in the AL from starters is underpinned by a breakout season from Chase Burns and an historic season from Mason Burnett.

No Royals pitcher has ever had a season ERA under 2.00 but Barnett is flirting with the record, an ERA of 1.73 through 20 starts earning him a first All-Star nomination (he was named starting pitcher although did not pitch during the game) while holding opponent batters to a .161 average. A .198 BABIP suggests there will be some regression before the end of the season but his performance is already paying back that offseason 4 year extension.

Burns (108 ERA+) is the only starter with a FIP under 3.50, with his 3.04 a full half a run lower than Barnett's. A 31.5% strike out rate is elite and a .327 BABIP suggests his performance is not an outlier.

Drew Beam has been adequate in his first rotation season – 4.71 FIP, 16 K-BB%, 98 ERA+ – while Veneziano (5.32 FIP, 100 ERA+) has regressed from his 2027 numbers and Peralta (4.94 FIP, 85 ERA+) is not looking like a pitcher who will have his 2029 option picked up by the team.

With five of the bullpen holding FIP under 3.90, there is a strong base of arms. The challenge is that the two struggling pitchers still in the pen (Herz and Gomez) are the team’s stoppers and have been collectively bad. Gomez was still selecting to his second All Star game, pitching one shutout inning and collecting the win. McMillon, who returned to the bullpen immediately following his recovery from injury, may give Herz a rest as a stopper for the rest of July, but the Royals will definitely be on the lookout for a reliever or two in the run up to the trade deadline. Their one acquisition to date, Reid-Foley, has been disappointing and it is likely that Josiah Gray (starting in AAA) will be seen back in the big leagues well before roster expansion.

Kelly, having won the last place in the bullpen in Spring Training, struggled in 15 games and is back to AAA. Nick Margevicius, former Royal and 2026 MiL FA signing, replaced him and has offered adequate relief, poorly supported with a FIP (3.63) over 2 runs lower than his ERA.

Unfortunately, former closer Scott Effross has struggled all season and the ASB has seen him demoted to AAA. A 7.99 ERA is simply unplayable and this could be the end of a Royals career that peaked in 2026 with his 41(8th All-time for the Royals) saves.

Trades

May 3rd, with the Royals sitting at 13-17, RP Sean Reid-Foley was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati. RP Josiah Gray was optioned to Triple A Omaha.

Injuries

Wednesday, April 12th , 2028

RP Scott Effross was injured after his kid ran into him with his bike. The Diagnosis: sprained wrist. He's expected to miss about 2 weeks.

Saturday, April 15th , 2028

SS Bobby Witt Jr. diagnosed with a strained hamstring, is day-to-day for 2 weeks.
RF Wyatt Langford was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: high ankle sprain. He's expected to miss about 5-6 weeks.

Tuesday, May 2nd , 2028

SS Bobby Witt Jr. diagnosed with a strained groin muscle, will miss 5 weeks.

Friday, May 12th , 2028

CF Jorge Ruiz diagnosed with a ruptured foot tendon, will miss 4-5 months.

Friday, June 2nd , 2028

SS Nick Loftin was injured while throwing the ball. The Diagnosis: sprained elbow. He's expected to miss about 5 weeks.

Friday, June 23rd , 2028

SS Bobby Witt Jr. was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: latissimus dorsi (back) strain. He's expected to miss about one week.
Wednesday, June 28th , 2028
1B Luis Garcia was injured being hit by a pitch. The Diagnosis: fractured wrist. He's expected to miss about 5 weeks.

Minor Leagues

Name: 2028 ASB MiL Standings.jpg
Views: 438
Size: 55.3 KB

Bats
3B Juan Zubia DSL – the 19-year-old is having a solid (.286/.465/.381) season but will stay in DSL to finish the season.
CF Jimmy Goodman AA – the concerns about over promotion maybe true for Goodman who has struggled with a .199 average at AA level. He will remain there for the season and hope he can turn it around.
SS Jeremy Rogerson R – excelled in Rookie Ball (1.041 OPS) and will move up to A+
LF Luis Cabrera DSL – another difficult season (.283/.372/.358) for the 19yo, who will remain at DSL.
1B Marv Hubbard R – solid numbers (.250/.361/.462) from the 19yo but he will finish up the Rookie ball season.
LF Braylin Tavera AAA – made his ML debut but has struggled (.425 OPS) so will head back to AAA.
RF Ken Adams R – like Hubbard, the 19yo has performed well (.757 OPS) but will finish Rookie season.
1B Luke Adams AAA – has excelled (1.129 OPS) but was overlooked for Hunter Owen when a 1B was needed.
CF Juan Ramirez DSL – at 18yo, finishing the season at DSL is not bad thing after a so-so season so far (.790 OPS).
C Edgar Rivera DSL – like Ramirez, will remain at DSL albeit with better performance (.871 OPS).
LF Angel Rodriguez AA – too much power (.490 SLG) for AA and promoted to AAA to finish the season.

Arms
RHP Mike Hoffer R – 12.4 K/9 rate is excellent, will finish up the Rookie season.
RHP Josh Olaniyan R – 6.0 BB/9 is holding him back, will finish up the Rookie season.
RHP Marco Paz A+ - 94 ERA+ with 12.6 K/9 had him close to promotion but he will stick in A+.
RHP William Schmidt A+ - 72 ERA+/12.2 K/9 meant he wasn’t quite as close as Paz for a promotion.
RHP Isaac Morton AA – 109Ks in 101 IP with a 131 ERA+ earned Morton a promotion to AAA.
RHP Chase Burns MLB – has done everything asked of him at the ML level.

2027 Draft

After their pennant winning 2027, the Royals had their lowest 1st round pick in years, making the 25th pick. With Hernandez rejecting his QO, they were also armed with a supplementary pick, the 35th overall.

SS Tim Storer is an elite infield defender who could play up the middle, or at 3B if his power develops. The potential plus power is paired with a plus plus eye – forcing teams to pitch in his zone with the ability to knock the ball out of the park. A 35 current contact rating means he will start in R ball but is likely to make rapid progress next season.

3B Danny Petty was the Royals’ supplementary 1st round pick, and he will start in A ball. Petty can play in any corner position, infield or outfield, with a well-rounded hitting profile with above average power. Petty is a two way player, with mid rotation potential based on above average stuff and three quality pitches.

Round 2, Pick 28, SP David Garza, age 17 out of high school
Round 3, Pick 21, CF Enny Mijhail Van Dyke, age 18 out of high school
Round 4, Pick 23, SP Lazaro Espinal, age 21 out of college
Round 5, Pick 23, CF Tim Spears, age 18 out of high school

Garza rejected the Royals signing bonus and will stay in education. The Royals will receive a supplementary draft pick in the 2029 draft.

Espinal will start in A ball, while the rest of the Royals will start in Rookie ball with the exception of 20th round pick RP Tim Boone, who will start at A+ as Closer.

The top five picks of the first round were:

Round 1, Pick 1 - Oakland Athletics: SS Chris Ryder, age 18 out of high school
Round 1, Pick 2 - Miami Marlins: SS Rusty Kopp, age 21 out of college
Round 1, Pick 3 - Houston Astros: C Dana Barndt, age 22 out of college
Round 1, Pick 4 - Seattle Mariners: LF Mike Miller, age 21 out of college
Round 1, Pick 5 - Philadelphia Phillies: SS Steve Melendy, age 21 out of college

Name: 2028 Draft First Round.jpg
Views: 450
Size: 295.0 KB

Name: 2028 Draft First Round.jpg
Views: 450
Size: 295.0 KB

Around the League

Major Injuries

Pitchers

Boston and the Dodgers lost two starting pitchers for the season while Carlos Hernandez, who signed a $144m, 7-year contract with the Astros after rejecting the Royals QO, ruptured his ulnar collateral ligament and will miss the next 12 months.

Spencer Strider ATL diagnosed with a herniated disc, will miss 3 months.
Richard Fitts BOS diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, will miss 11-12 months.
Rhett Kouba BOS diagnosed with radial nerve compression, will miss 5-6 months.
Jordy Vargas COL diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, will miss 3 months.
Carlos Hernandez HOU diagnosed with a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 12 months.
Max Meyer LAD diagnosed with a partially torn labrum, will miss 3-4 months.
Braxton Garrett LAD diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 11 months.
Walker Powell OAK diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, will miss 5-6 months.
Paul Skenes PIT has suffered a setback in his recovery. He is not expected to recover for another 8 months.
Emailin Montilla SEA diagnosed with an arthritic elbow, will miss 4 months.
Thomas Szapucki WAS diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, will miss 8 months.

R.J. Dabovich SF diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 9-10 months.
Blair Henley LAA diagnosed with rotator cuff inflammation, will miss 3 months.
Ryan Borucki MIL diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 10 months.
Brusdar Graterol LAD diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, will miss 9 months.
Brock Burke PHI diagnosed with a partially torn labrum, will miss 3 months.
Keegan Akin ARI diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 9 months.

Hitters

1B were a high risk investment with three teams losing their starters for an extended period. Cleveland felt jinxed, losing their starting Catcher and their two-time All Star for the season on the same day.

C Bo Naylor CLE diagnosed with a ruptured medial collateral ligament, will miss 8 months.
3B Oneil Cruz CLE was injured when he fell down the stairs while sleepwalking. The Diagnosis: post-concussion syndrome. He's expected to miss about 10 months.
2B Kyren Paris LAA diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 9 months.
1B Dustin Harris SF diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 8 months.
1B Jake Burger STL diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon, will miss 4 months.
1B Brady House WAS diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 10 months.

Extensions

New York Mets: 3B Ronny Mauricio 4 years $88,800,000.
Arizona Diamondbacks: SP Yu-min Lin 4 years $99,300,000.
Colorado Rockies: 2B Ryan Ritter 5 years $35,080,000.
St. Louis Cardinals: SP Drew Rasmussen 4 years $105,600,000.
Boston Red Sox: 1B Triston Casas 4 years $99,000,000.
Atlanta Braves: RF Ronald Acuna Jr. 6 years $170,400,000.

06-07-2024, 11:07 AM	#19
benp28 All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2024 Posts: 644	Royals limp to 47-51 All Star Break Record If the aim was to build on the success of 2027, the first half of the season did not go to plan for the Kansas City Royals (47-51) as the league prepares to restart following the All Star Game. One winning month (14-13 in May) across the first three months of the season is a not a recipe for a successful season, as the standings show. Luckily for the Royals, while a Wildcard seems out of reach with the Royals 7 games back, the AL Central is a division of mediocrity and the Royals are 1½ game out of 1st place. All to play for over the last 64 games, then, for a franchise looking for back-to-back playoff appearances for only the second time this century. The team batting stats show a sorry regression towards 2026 after the highs of 2027. No power (14th) or walks (15th) are nothing new, but paired with poor OBP (12th) and hits (7th), leave the Royals with the 11th best runs scored total (371) in the American League. On the pitching side, there has been a reversal from 2027 with the starting pitching owning the 2nd best ERA in the American League (3.90) but the bullpen struggling (7th). The Royals give up too many Home Runs (121 – 12th) and walks (340 – 13th) but in most other statistics are performing well, including leading the AL in hits allowed, opponents AVG, and strikeouts. The fielding has seen a sharp increase, leading both defensive efficiency and zone rating in the AL. It seems clear, then, that the Royals need to find some more hitting, and to improve the bullpen to give up less HRs and Walks. Sorting the batters by At Bats and one of the main issues in the first half of the season becomes clear – availability. None of two-time All Star Nick Loftin (53%), MVP superstar Bobby Witt Jr. (57%) or big off season outfield power bat Wyatt Langford (53%) have appeared in more than 60 games. Starting center fielder Jorge Ruiz has been out since May 8 with a ruptured tendon in his foot while even major offseason FA signing Luis Garcia is currently halfway through a five-week absence with a fractured wrist. While trades on the hitting side shouldn’t be ruled out, the best route to the postseason for the Royals is fitness. The Catching corps have been adequate with both Herrera (2.8) and new back up Lomavita (0.4) offering positive framing. Their bats have been similar with Lomavita (.244/.302/.385/ 86wRC+) hitting for slightly more power but walking less and striking out more. Lomavita has some growth left in his bat and will be given a slightly bigger role in the back half of the season to see what development he can show. At first base, Luis Garcia (.280/.330/.418 / 97 wRC+) is showing good swing mechanics (12.3 SO%) but needs to put more balls in play when he comes back from injury. Garcia’s injury opened a path for Hunter Owen (2024 4th Rd) to make his big-league debut. Having only started learning 1B at AAA this year, Owen has been almost a revelation; at 6’ 6” he is built for the position, but a 7.77 RNG and 0.6 ZR through his first 125+ innings in the position is beyond the best of hopes. A line of .237/.277/.542 / 112 wRC+ with 6 HR in his first 60 ABs will prove a nice problem on Garcia’s return. At 2B, Loftin’s (.263/.333/.387 / wRC+ 97) injury has left a big hole in the line-up. Rule 5 acquisition Gregory Barrios(.217/.263/.270 / 43 wRC+) has stepped into the everyday role but has struggled. Fans second guessing the decision to trade Ahmed at the start of the season to retain Barrios have plenty of ammunition. Loftin is on a rehab assignment in Omaha and will be back before the end of the month. 3B Maikel Garcia (.253/.312/.359 / 83 wRC+) is coming to the end of the line with the Royals organisation. The hoped for bounce back has not appeared with his stat line broadly in line with 2027 (-.003/-.008/.005). The challenge is likely to be finding a taker for his $10m 2028 season salary. Kevin Made will not be the answer as his performance (.224/.254/.343 / wRC+ 57) was so bad he was sent down to AAA before Loftin’s injury. In what would be a defensive regression, the solution may be to move Luis Garcia to 3B and slot Owen in as the everyday 1B. Shortstop has been a rotational challenge with Bobby Witt Jr. (.252/.294/.411 / 86 wRC+) spending more time on the IL (7-8 weeks across 4 injuries) this season – hopefully some time in the development lab over the coming off season will put an end to these problems. Jose Caballero, the winter MiL FA signing, has spent some unconvincing time in the Majors - .177/.275/.271 – and recently 2027 back up Jose Ramos has had some at bats, with some success. Witt Jr. is healthy now and the Royals will be looking for him to anchor the line up over the last 68 games. The new look outfield has been decimated by injury and performance. Tyler Gentry (.184/.281/.262 / 49 OPS+) was unplayable and after a considerable run of 42 games, and out of options, he was DFA and will play out the season in AAA. Centrefielder Jorge Ruiz’s ruptured tendon saw trade acquisition Jacob Jenkins-Cowart called up – with Matthew Etzel moving to CF – and he has performed very well, 16 HRs to go with a .279/.333/.543 line and 133 wRC+. Wyatt Langford was out for 6 weeks with a high ankle sprain but, when fit, has also offered the expected pop - .282/.336/.503 / 126 wRC+. Braylin Tavera came up to provide some extra CF cover when Langford was injured but has really struggled and the Royals are counting down the days for Ruiz to return. An everyday outfield of Langford / Ruiz / Jenkins-Cowart should provide more than enough offence while retaining defensive cover for the pitching staff. The second best ERA in the AL from starters is underpinned by a breakout season from Chase Burns and an historic season from Mason Burnett. No Royals pitcher has ever had a season ERA under 2.00 but Barnett is flirting with the record, an ERA of 1.73 through 20 starts earning him a first All-Star nomination (he was named starting pitcher although did not pitch during the game) while holding opponent batters to a .161 average. A .198 BABIP suggests there will be some regression before the end of the season but his performance is already paying back that offseason 4 year extension. Burns (108 ERA+) is the only starter with a FIP under 3.50, with his 3.04 a full half a run lower than Barnett's. A 31.5% strike out rate is elite and a .327 BABIP suggests his performance is not an outlier. Drew Beam has been adequate in his first rotation season – 4.71 FIP, 16 K-BB%, 98 ERA+ – while Veneziano (5.32 FIP, 100 ERA+) has regressed from his 2027 numbers and Peralta (4.94 FIP, 85 ERA+) is not looking like a pitcher who will have his 2029 option picked up by the team. With five of the bullpen holding FIP under 3.90, there is a strong base of arms. The challenge is that the two struggling pitchers still in the pen (Herz and Gomez) are the team’s stoppers and have been collectively bad. Gomez was still selecting to his second All Star game, pitching one shutout inning and collecting the win. McMillon, who returned to the bullpen immediately following his recovery from injury, may give Herz a rest as a stopper for the rest of July, but the Royals will definitely be on the lookout for a reliever or two in the run up to the trade deadline. Their one acquisition to date, Reid-Foley, has been disappointing and it is likely that Josiah Gray (starting in AAA) will be seen back in the big leagues well before roster expansion. Kelly, having won the last place in the bullpen in Spring Training, struggled in 15 games and is back to AAA. Nick Margevicius, former Royal and 2026 MiL FA signing, replaced him and has offered adequate relief, poorly supported with a FIP (3.63) over 2 runs lower than his ERA. Unfortunately, former closer Scott Effross has struggled all season and the ASB has seen him demoted to AAA. A 7.99 ERA is simply unplayable and this could be the end of a Royals career that peaked in 2026 with his 41(8th All-time for the Royals) saves. Trades May 3rd, with the Royals sitting at 13-17, RP Sean Reid-Foley was claimed off waivers from Cincinnati. RP Josiah Gray was optioned to Triple A Omaha. Injuries Wednesday, April 12th , 2028 RP Scott Effross was injured after his kid ran into him with his bike. The Diagnosis: sprained wrist. He's expected to miss about 2 weeks. Saturday, April 15th , 2028 SS Bobby Witt Jr. diagnosed with a strained hamstring, is day-to-day for 2 weeks. RF Wyatt Langford was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: high ankle sprain. He's expected to miss about 5-6 weeks. Tuesday, May 2nd , 2028 SS Bobby Witt Jr. diagnosed with a strained groin muscle, will miss 5 weeks. Friday, May 12th , 2028 CF Jorge Ruiz diagnosed with a ruptured foot tendon, will miss 4-5 months. Friday, June 2nd , 2028 SS Nick Loftin was injured while throwing the ball. The Diagnosis: sprained elbow. He's expected to miss about 5 weeks. Friday, June 23rd , 2028 SS Bobby Witt Jr. was injured while running the bases. The Diagnosis: latissimus dorsi (back) strain. He's expected to miss about one week. Wednesday, June 28th , 2028 1B Luis Garcia was injured being hit by a pitch. The Diagnosis: fractured wrist. He's expected to miss about 5 weeks. Minor Leagues Bats 3B Juan Zubia DSL – the 19-year-old is having a solid (.286/.465/.381) season but will stay in DSL to finish the season. CF Jimmy Goodman AA – the concerns about over promotion maybe true for Goodman who has struggled with a .199 average at AA level. He will remain there for the season and hope he can turn it around. SS Jeremy Rogerson R – excelled in Rookie Ball (1.041 OPS) and will move up to A+ LF Luis Cabrera DSL – another difficult season (.283/.372/.358) for the 19yo, who will remain at DSL. 1B Marv Hubbard R – solid numbers (.250/.361/.462) from the 19yo but he will finish up the Rookie ball season. LF Braylin Tavera AAA – made his ML debut but has struggled (.425 OPS) so will head back to AAA. RF Ken Adams R – like Hubbard, the 19yo has performed well (.757 OPS) but will finish Rookie season. 1B Luke Adams AAA – has excelled (1.129 OPS) but was overlooked for Hunter Owen when a 1B was needed. CF Juan Ramirez DSL – at 18yo, finishing the season at DSL is not bad thing after a so-so season so far (.790 OPS). C Edgar Rivera DSL – like Ramirez, will remain at DSL albeit with better performance (.871 OPS). LF Angel Rodriguez AA – too much power (.490 SLG) for AA and promoted to AAA to finish the season. Arms RHP Mike Hoffer R – 12.4 K/9 rate is excellent, will finish up the Rookie season. RHP Josh Olaniyan R – 6.0 BB/9 is holding him back, will finish up the Rookie season. RHP Marco Paz A+ - 94 ERA+ with 12.6 K/9 had him close to promotion but he will stick in A+. RHP William Schmidt A+ - 72 ERA+/12.2 K/9 meant he wasn’t quite as close as Paz for a promotion. RHP Isaac Morton AA – 109Ks in 101 IP with a 131 ERA+ earned Morton a promotion to AAA. RHP Chase Burns MLB – has done everything asked of him at the ML level. 2027 Draft After their pennant winning 2027, the Royals had their lowest 1st round pick in years, making the 25th pick. With Hernandez rejecting his QO, they were also armed with a supplementary pick, the 35th overall. SS Tim Storer is an elite infield defender who could play up the middle, or at 3B if his power develops. The potential plus power is paired with a plus plus eye – forcing teams to pitch in his zone with the ability to knock the ball out of the park. A 35 current contact rating means he will start in R ball but is likely to make rapid progress next season. 3B Danny Petty was the Royals’ supplementary 1st round pick, and he will start in A ball. Petty can play in any corner position, infield or outfield, with a well-rounded hitting profile with above average power. Petty is a two way player, with mid rotation potential based on above average stuff and three quality pitches. Round 2, Pick 28, SP David Garza, age 17 out of high school Round 3, Pick 21, CF Enny Mijhail Van Dyke, age 18 out of high school Round 4, Pick 23, SP Lazaro Espinal, age 21 out of college Round 5, Pick 23, CF Tim Spears, age 18 out of high school Garza rejected the Royals signing bonus and will stay in education. The Royals will receive a supplementary draft pick in the 2029 draft. Espinal will start in A ball, while the rest of the Royals will start in Rookie ball with the exception of 20th round pick RP Tim Boone, who will start at A+ as Closer. The top five picks of the first round were: Round 1, Pick 1 - Oakland Athletics: SS Chris Ryder, age 18 out of high school Round 1, Pick 2 - Miami Marlins: SS Rusty Kopp, age 21 out of college Round 1, Pick 3 - Houston Astros: C Dana Barndt, age 22 out of college Round 1, Pick 4 - Seattle Mariners: LF Mike Miller, age 21 out of college Round 1, Pick 5 - Philadelphia Phillies: SS Steve Melendy, age 21 out of college Around the League Major Injuries Pitchers Boston and the Dodgers lost two starting pitchers for the season while Carlos Hernandez, who signed a $144m, 7-year contract with the Astros after rejecting the Royals QO, ruptured his ulnar collateral ligament and will miss the next 12 months. Spencer Strider ATL diagnosed with a herniated disc, will miss 3 months. Richard Fitts BOS diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, will miss 11-12 months. Rhett Kouba BOS diagnosed with radial nerve compression, will miss 5-6 months. Jordy Vargas COL diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, will miss 3 months. Carlos Hernandez HOU diagnosed with a ruptured ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 12 months. Max Meyer LAD diagnosed with a partially torn labrum, will miss 3-4 months. Braxton Garrett LAD diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 11 months. Walker Powell OAK diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, will miss 5-6 months. Paul Skenes PIT has suffered a setback in his recovery. He is not expected to recover for another 8 months. Emailin Montilla SEA diagnosed with an arthritic elbow, will miss 4 months. Thomas Szapucki WAS diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, will miss 8 months. R.J. Dabovich SF diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 9-10 months. Blair Henley LAA diagnosed with rotator cuff inflammation, will miss 3 months. Ryan Borucki MIL diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 10 months. Brusdar Graterol LAD diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, will miss 9 months. Brock Burke PHI diagnosed with a partially torn labrum, will miss 3 months. Keegan Akin ARI diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 9 months. Hitters 1B were a high risk investment with three teams losing their starters for an extended period. Cleveland felt jinxed, losing their starting Catcher and their two-time All Star for the season on the same day. C Bo Naylor CLE diagnosed with a ruptured medial collateral ligament, will miss 8 months. 3B Oneil Cruz CLE was injured when he fell down the stairs while sleepwalking. The Diagnosis: post-concussion syndrome. He's expected to miss about 10 months. 2B Kyren Paris LAA diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 9 months. 1B Dustin Harris SF diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 8 months. 1B Jake Burger STL diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon, will miss 4 months. 1B Brady House WAS diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 10 months. Extensions New York Mets: 3B Ronny Mauricio 4 years $88,800,000. Arizona Diamondbacks: SP Yu-min Lin 4 years $99,300,000. Colorado Rockies: 2B Ryan Ritter 5 years $35,080,000. St. Louis Cardinals: SP Drew Rasmussen 4 years $105,600,000. Boston Red Sox: 1B Triston Casas 4 years $99,000,000. Atlanta Braves: RF Ronald Acuna Jr. 6 years $170,400,000.