Zero to Hero - A Scotsman in MLB

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The Astros win their second World Series in four years, defeating the Dodgers 4-2, as Los Angeles loses its 3rd World Series in the last 4 years. That being said six World Series appearances in seven years, with three titles is a strong dynasty.

Kansas City Postseason Stats



Other than the Catchers and Bobby Nickelberry (66 wRC+) the Royals can’t be unhappy with how their hitters performed in the post season. The Catchers, however, are a postseason concern with Zach Herr now with a postseason 26 OPS+ from 128 PAs and Mike Woods at -77 albeit from only 13 PAs. This could be an area of improvement despite Herr’s elite defense.



Joe Davis (143 FIP-) was the big disappointment from the starting rotation, although Jeremy Ogans (149) struggled in both starting and relief, albeit as a left handed pitcher out of the bullpen against the Astros left-crushing line up. Too many of the Royals bullpen struggled, with Doug Campos (131) the biggest disappointment as a multi-inning reliever. Luis Danys Rhodes was good when he was good but awful when he wasn’t with 3 shutdowns and 3 meltdowns.

Owner Goal Review



Team Record:
I told you before the season to win it all, and you at least made a strong push towards it. I am a little disappointed, and I know I push hard, but only because I know this team has the talent to make it that last step.

Extend your player:
Curt Bogans is a huge part of this team: his skill on the field is immense and our team really benefits because of him. I'm pleased that you were able to sign him and maintain our high standards.

Acquire a player:
Looks like you forgot all about searching for a Hometown player. Good thing I'm not the owner of the ball club -- and your boss -- or I'd be incredibly angry...

Improve your team record:
I'm impressed with the improved results in extra-inning games

Long Term:
You made the playoffs. I had set out a longer vision to bring a championship to Kansas City by 2047, and that time isn't up yet. I know you won it all last year, and I do hope we can bring another championship in the next few years, but back-to-back wins would have been nice. Just make sure we don't go too long before the next championship.

I am happy with your performance in accomplishing the goals I have given you. However, when I consider the on- and off-field success of the team, my overall mood with your performance is very happy.

Minor Leagues

One of the poorer Minor League seasons during Stewart’s reign with some fans wondering if the World Series title has seen the GM/Manager take his eye off the ball.



Postseason

Omaha Storm Chasers [AAA] won the Championship.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals [AA] missed the playoffs by 8.5 games.
Quad Cities River Bandits [A+] missed the playoffs by 7 games.
Columbia Fireflies [A] missed the playoffs by 4 games.
Kansas City (ACL) Royals [R] missed the playoffs by 2 games.
Kansas City (DSL) Royals Stewart [R] lost in the Championship.
Kansas City (DSL) Royals Glass [R] lost in the 2nd Round of the Playoffs. 

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International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Ernesto Chairez, 17 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Ernesto Chairez hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has tremendous power potential. He makes good contact which should translate to a .270 batting average. Chairez could be an above average left fielder someday.

Jesus Coronado, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Jesus Coronado hails from Bajos de Haina, Dominican Republic. He has power potential to develop into a human highlight film. He knows how to use his speed on the field. At maturity he should have an above average eye. Coronado has potential to unleash his obvious talent both on the field and at the plate.

It was a great practice and none of the invitees disappointed in showcasing their talent.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Juan Fuentes, 16 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Juan Celis, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
David Abrev, 16 year-old LF out of Venezuela
Juan Banda, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Andres Brito, 16 year-old 2B out of Mexico
Rodolfo Lara, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
David Rojo, 16 year-old CF out of Panama
Juan Zavala, 16 year-old RHP out of Panama

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Another 111-win season for the Royals makes it 5 100+ win seasons in a row with a winning percentage in every statistic other than winning percentage in March and October. The consensus 2nd best batting team in the AL with the 2nd best pitching team shows the strength of this Royals team, the only problem being the Astros being number one in both categories!



Catcher

A 108 wRC+ with the lowest CERA (3.27) in the American League shows the value of Zach Herr. However, his career postseason performances mean the Royals may be on the lookout for a replacement as Herr enters his arbitration years. Mike Woods put up a higher wRC+ (123) and with his elite defense (albeit very weak arm) could be ready to step into the starting role.

Infield

At 1B the Royals platoon of Gilberto Matos and Luis Aceves was very successful. Matos’ 153 wRC+ was the only truly elite rating amongst the Royals bats and his injury was a tough blow for their postseason hopes. He is now fragile and the Royals will hope to put him through a successful stint in the Development Lab to improve this. Aceves had a 140 wRC+ against LHP and offers plus defense at 1B. On the minimum contract next year he will back on the roster.

Edgar Mir (119 wRC+) continues to build his Royals legacy as he enters the top ten list for runs scored in a season with 112, good for 8th on the list. He is now two more All Star calibre seasons (5.5 WAR) from matching George Brett’s WAR total for the Royals and, if he stays fit, it is difficult to bet against him. He will be the Royals 2B starter in 2045 for the 11th year in a row. One anomaly, not backed up by ratings, of his season was his weakness against LHP (85 wRC+) compared to RHP (127 wRC+). This hasn’t been the case through his career but the Royals will monitor this in 2045.

At 3B Estanislau Covete (108 wRC+) has become a fan fav while not quite reaching the 2043 heights. He is in his second year of arbitration and, while owner Sherman has set the goal of resigning him, the Royals would likely entertain offers for him even if they ultimately bring him back before he reaches arbitration.

Jadon Tezeno (110 wRC+) had another strong season but probably has to show more to keep justifying the long term contract he is on. Like Covete, he has large L-R splits and is another that the Royals would be happy to have starting at SS in 2045 but also would listen to the right offer.

Chris Ambrose (115 wRC+) and Arturo Oramas (97 wRC+) are similar right-handed infielders, with Ambrose offering better defensive ratings and Oramas better hitting ratings, although both have splits similar to Covete and Tezeno that favour LHP. Both players remain on league minimum contracts for next year before entering arbitration at the end of next season. It is unlikely the Royals will retain both players and, for the right price, both players time with the Royals may come to an end.

Outfield

Eight players played in more than 10 games in the Royals outfield as injuries hit once again.

RF Bobby Nickelberry played in 146 games and while this was another good not great season from the former Rookie, Batting Title, MVP winner, he put up at 135 wRC+ with the first Royal 40 HR season since Hunter Owen in 2030, and the 4th highest total of all time in Royals history. That power with a .286 average means that there is no doubt that Nickelberry will start in RF in 2045.

In CF Natalino Villa had another injury riddled season as he moved to a wrecked injury proneness while only appearing in 51 games. His plus plus contact, gap power, speed and defence provided a great combination as evidenced by his 4.9 WAR season in 2043 from only 112 games. Unfortunately, the injury proneness not only limits his availability but also requires his baserunning to be managed, taking away one of his main powers. Entering the second year of arbitration it may be the end of the road for the 2034 International Amateur signing.

In Villa’s absence CF Chris Goldberg was the man to benefit most, making over 350 PAs with a 1.046 EFF rating from over 800 IP at CF. Unfortunately, his bat didn’t back up his glove as 72 wRC+ meant his overall contribution was a lowly 0.8 WAR. Goldberg has option years left and so is a candidate to return to Omaha as a defensive safeguard but the Royals would certainly entertain trade offers if the right deal was offered.

It was a Chris overload, with Chris Albright and Chris Kern playing the majority of games in a combination of LF/DH roles. Kern was by far the more effective with a 122 wRC+ compared to Albright’s 88. Both offer similarly elite defence at LF, with Albright offering plus speed and plus plus power against LHP while Kern has more balanced splits but is very slow on the bases. Both players will be available over the summer, but should they play in a platoon in 2045 the Royals will have a strong LF.

Chris Morrow, the 2038 2nd round pick, was a beneficiary of the injury crisis as he made his debut and had 169 PAs. He struggled with a 66 wRC+ however, as a left hander, has one of the clearest routes to the 2045 26-man roster which is very Right dominated.

Ernesto Pimental was a casualty of the injury crisis as he was plucked from AA ball courtesy of being on the 42-man roster and played in 15 games, showing his lack of preparation for the Major Leagues with a .208 average. With the options available to the Royals, it is hard to see a role for Pimental and his 42-man spot may even be at risk when the Rule 5 squeeze comes.

Jorge Corujo, the number four prospect in baseball, made his debut as a September call up and the Royals hope that he may be the successor to Natalino Villa in CF. He has room for further development in his contact and gap power which could see plus-plus contact to go with plus gap power and 80 speed while his defense at CF is plus at the moment and the Royals will hope that can take a step forward as well. If Corujo was left handed, he would be anointed as the messiah for this Royals line up. As it is, he is merely the next big hope and may find himself offered a long term extension over the winter.

Offseason / Early 2043 Overview

C Mike Woods
1B Gilberto Matos
2B Edgar Mir
3B Estanislau Covete
SS Jadon Tezeno

LF Chris Kern
CF Jorge Corujo
RF Bobby Nickelberry

DH TBC

C TBC
IF Luis Aceves
IF TBC
OF TBC



Starters

The starting rotation was almost as troublesome as the outfield with 10 pitchers starting games (including Mike Herzner who is still out with his torn labrum).

Of players that were on the opening day roster, only Greg Moehring played more than 25 games, playing in 32 games, with an AL leading 6.1 WAR behind a 61 FIP-. His 2.44 ERA was good enough for 4th on the Royals All Time list, with his 0.95 WHIP 3rd all-time, as was his OAVG .197. Unsurprisingly, Moehring has opted out of his contract and is looking for $40m+/year for 111 years, front loaded; this is obviously not a contract the Royals will offer. However, he is still arbitration eligible so he will return, albeit probably with a contract worth upwards of $30m. This will allow the Royals to make him a QO next summer to assure a comp pick for a pitcher they can’t afford.

Midseason acquisition Jeremy Ogens wasn’t as effective for the Royals as he was in San Diego but his .344 BABIP suggests he got unlucky, and his 76 FIP- was lower than the 77 he had in San Diego. He enters his first year of arbitration and will return next year.

Ben Lane played in 24 games and is now considered fragile so the Royals will hope that an offseason development lab can assist with this as he put up 5.2 WAR and is the Royals best RHP.

Joe Davis should be a lock but at 28 is already wrecked and so the Royals will likely see what they can get in trade for the talented RHP who retains plus stuff and movement with an arbitration figure lower than $3m.

Mike Herzner will be fragile when he returns and unsurprisingly after a torn labrum opted in to his $22m salary. Luckily the Nationals will pick up 90% of that salary which makes Herzner a very cheap option for a place in the rotation. Unfortunately it is unlikely he will be back in time for a development lab opportunity so the Royals will roll the dice on his health and hope that, as with Moehring, they will be in a position to receive a comp pick after next season.

Mike Gaytan (99 FIP-) was a league average injury fill in, doing exactly what was needed of him without ever risking earning a starting slot permanently. He has options so is likely going to spend the year in Omaha in case he is needed. With a knuckle curve, though, the Royals may choose to put him through the development lab to see if he can improve that pitch over the winter.

Julio Bonilla, the 2040 1st round pick, played in 6 games and was excellent, pitching 35 innings 28 H, with a 0.3 HR/9 and 2.8 BB/9 rate. Both of those rates a huge outliers to his Minor League career and at odds with his ratings so the Royals might see if this had provided some false value for other teams. His alternative is likely as a safety valve in AAA if there is no trade value.

The two veterans Curt Bogans (82 FIP-) and Ethan Chafin (92 FIP-) were both better than league average and contributed 26 starts between them with 2.9 WAR. Ethan Chafin, in particular, was valuable as a RHP when it came to the Astros series, winning a POTG award in a losing effort. Chafin has a $16m Team Option and Bogans is a Free Agent after accepting the QO last year. He is looking for $11m over one year. It is likely that the Royals will turn down Chafin’s TO but try to resign him and try to negotiate Bogans down to something certainly in seven figures. Bogans is now comfortably the greatest Royal pitcher of all time by WAR, but is 12 wins from the top of that list, which the Royals would love to help him reach – Mason Barnett earned 14 wins in his 36+ years so there is a chance.

Bullpen

In the bullpen, the two stoppers contributed over 3.0 WAR each and were both All Stars. Both have Team Options – Rhodes at $10m, Nichols at $10.5m – and the Royals expect to pick up both options. Nichols is an Iron Man so the Royals are comfortable paying him in his year 40 year and he has the chance to join the list of 100 win & 100 save pitchers which at the start of the save numbered 15 and now includes Ismael Moreno (who just retired) and Joe Kohl. He had a 29:13 shutdown to meltdown rate, with Rhodes being stronger at 38:13, a SD rate which led the league, as did his 77 appearances.

There are then a succession of arbitration eligible arms that the Royals will have to consider:

• Juan Anaya $2.3m
• Nate Avis $4.7m
• Joe Manley $5.6m
• Julio Pesina $2.6m

Manley had 21 saves at an 87.5% success rate as well as a 21-8 SD-MD rate and will come back as the bullpen’s top LHP. Juan Anaya had a 2.67 FIP and gave up 0.7 HR/9 with 1.9 BB/9 and over 11 K/9 so at $2.3m is a bargain. Nate Avis and Julio Pesina had very similar seasons with Avis giving up more HRs and Pesina more BBs – after the early years of this save, HRs are the root of all Stewart’s fear and so it is likely the Royals move on from Avis and retain Pesina – it helps that Pesina is over $2m cheaper in arbitration.

The minimum salary arms will all be back at least for Spring Training with Jeremy Stockoff and Bob Capozziello pencilled in for roles in the opening day roster.

One player who the Royals will certainly look to trade is Doug Campos. A 5-9 SD-MD rate with a 104 FIP- and 1.46 WHIP are not viable returns for an $8m contract, especially for a wrecked pitcher so despite the great personality it is time to move on from Campos. The only caveat is the slight potential that the scouting department believes Campos shows which tempts the Royals into a development lab spot to increase he trade value.

Offseason / Early 2043 Overview

SP Greg Moehring
SP Ben Lane
SP Jeremy Ogens
SP Mike Herzner
SP Curt Bogans

RP Joe Manley
RP Luis Danys Rhodes
RP Dan Nichols
RP Juan Anaya
RP Julio Pesina
RP Jeremy Stockoff
RP Bob Capozziello
RP Ethan Chafin
RP TBC

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Owner Goals



Owner Sherman had seen something Stewart had missed that the staff cohesion could be improved – ending the season at only happy.

It is understandable the desire to extend Covete although how financially viable it is remains to be seen.

The improvement in extra-inning games desire seems a red herring to improve this team, but anything that helps the road to those championship goals should be considered.

Finances

I have just decided on your budget for the upcoming season.
You will have $280,000,000 available for the total team expenses. Given your current spending on staff and other costs, this should allow you a team payroll of around $220,000,000.

You may now set your ticket price for next year. You have until the Winter Meetings end on December 18th , 2044, 43 days from now, to set the price. Season tickets will start selling at that point. You have until the end of the pre-season to set your Scouting Budget, Player Development Budget, Draft Budget, and Intl Amateur FA Budget.

Once again, owner Sherman backs Stewart with another increase in the budget by $6m – the 2045 budget is almost 17% higher than Sherman’s father’s final budget.

The Royals saw their attendance almost sell out, with an average of only 223 available seats per game across the season. Considering that average attendance was under 30k when Stewart took over, the Royals have become the show in town. Stewart will consider an additional $1 on a ticket for next year.



Personnel

The Office of the Commissioner has informed you that the following staff member of the Kansas City Royals has decided to retire:

Bench Coach Kurt Isenberg (1 WS, 3 years with Royals)

The Office of the Commissioner has informed you that the following staff member of the Quad Cities River Bandits (MWL, A+) has decided to retire:

Manager Miguel Garcia (2-time Manager of the Year, 8 years with Royals)
Pitching Coach Jason Hammel (4 years with Royals)

The last 2 years with your organization have been terrific. At this time, though, I've chosen to sign a contract with the Sioux City Explorers to be a Manager.

Sincere Latin

The Office of the Commissioner has informed you that the following staff members of the Kansas City (DSL) Royals Stewart have left the team because their contracts ran out or they have been promoted:

DSL, R Pitching Coach Seranthony Dominguez

The Royals made internal promotions to replace the Minor League coaches but took the search external for their new Bench Coach.

A+ Manager Yoiber Ocopio from Rookie Ball
A+ Pitching Coach Sandy Garces from DSL Glass

Minor Leagues

Awards

In the down year of the Royals Minor League system, the only Award winners were at the AAA level. However, it was a successful haul as the Royals took home Manager of the Year (Peter O’Brien’s 5th in a row), Reliever of the Year (2038 Scouting Discovery Juan Armas) and Most Valuable Player (2039 Scouting Discovery Edgar Noriega).

Retirements

The Royals saw 4 former draft picks retire with the highest selected player being 2039 9th round selection RP Amari Quash from A+ and the furthest developed 2039 11th round Max Biggs.

Prospect Review

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Personnel

Saturday, November 12th , 2044
Signed Bench Coach Joseph Kantakevich to a 5-year, $900,000 per year contract.

Minor League Appointments

Manager, Rookie Ball Quinn Pippin
Manager, DSL Stewart Jose Vinicio
Pitching Coach DSL Stewart Pedro Lopez
Pitching Coach DSL Glass Andre Jackson

Awards

The Royals had few reasons to celebrate in Award season with first time winners the order of the day the big message. However, that wasn’t true across the board as Edgar Mir won his 7th Platinum Stick at 2B while RF Bobby Nickelberry claimed his second.

The Reliever of the Year had the most interest despite both awards being won unanimously. Kansas City’s Dan Nichols capped a great year with his first Reliever of the Year Award, and also became the first pitcher in history to win both a Cy Young and a Reliever of the Year Award. Meanwhile, in the NL, Pat Black won his 5th Award which leaves him only one behind Rivera for the most Reliever of the Year Awards in history.

AL Great Glove
NL Great Glove SP Pete Bradford PIT | RF Juan Soreni STL
AL Platinum Stick 2B Edgar Mir (7) | RF Bobby Nickleberry (2) KC
NL Platinum Stick
AL Manager of the Year Euner Rodriguez (3) HOU
NL Manager of the Year Bo Bichette LAD
AL Reliever of the Year Dan Nichols KC
NL Reliever of the Year Pat Black (5) LAD
AL Rookie of the Year CF Dan Dress MIN
NL Rookie of the Year 1B Devon Sapien PHI
AL Cy Young Josh Dering DET
NL Cy Young Keondre Dampier WAS
AL MVP LF Sean McCormick TEX
NL MVP LF Juan Nieves CIN

Pre-Arbitration Extensions & Trades

Multiple contract decisions were made on day one of the offseason as the Royals executed on all their Team Options, Mike Herzner did the same with his Player Option, while Greg Moehring executed his player opt-out.

Still in arbitration, Moehring signed on for another year with the Royals, joining the majority of arbitration players coming back for the another year. In addition, the Royals came to an agreement to bring back club legend Curt Bogans for at least one more year, likely at the back of the rotation.

However, not everyone will be back in Kansas City next year as the Royals parted with four players in two trades. Unfortunately, the challenges Stewart saw with each of the players was replicated by other GMs so the returns were lower than perhaps anticipated.

First up, CF Natalino Villa’s injury woes, and RHP Doug Campos’ poor comeback season, saw them shown the door. The Royals added in prospect Pat Keeling – a reliever with at best average HRA – to get a deal done that might improve the rival Astros in the short term but hopefully will prove a long term win through 94th ranked prospect SS David De Anda, who looks like he could be a successor to Edgar Mir. The Royals also acquired cash to strengthen their off season position.

The second trade saw C Zach Herr pay for his postseason struggles, along with Joe Davis and his injury problems, as they were packaged in a deal with the Red Sox. The Royals received the 74th ranked prospect CF Dusty Cook, a left handed bat who could have plus contact and power, as well as left handed OF Chris Everett.


Saturday, November 5th , 2044
SP Greg Moehring has exercised his contract opt-out.
SP Mike Herzner has executed his contract year option.
Executed the contract year option of SP Ethan Chafin.
Executed the contract year option of CL Luis Danys Rhodes.
Executed the contract year option of RP Dan Nichols.
Wednesday, November 9th , 2044
Signed SP Greg Moehring to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $30,000,000.
Signed RP Julio Pesina to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $2,500,000.
Signed 3B Estanislau Covete to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $8,800,000.
Signed SP Jeremy Ogans to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $3,700,000.
Signed RP Juan Anaya to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $2,000,000.
Thursday, November 10th , 2044
Traded 27-year old CF Natalino Villa, 29-year old RHP Doug Campos, and 21-year old minor league LHP Pat Keeling to the Houston Astros, getting 17-year old minor league SS David de Anda and $30,000,000 in cash in return.
Friday, November 11th , 2044
Signed RP Joe Manley to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $5,400,000.
Traded 27-year old C Zach Herr and 28-year old RHP Joe Davis to the Boston Red Sox, getting 21-year old minor league CF Dusty Cook, 23-year old minor league RF Chris Everett, and $2,000,000 in cash in return.
Monday, November 14th , 2044
Signed SP Curt Bogans to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $10,000,000.
Traded 26-year old minor league 3B Juan Robles and 22-year old minor league CF Vicente Pimentel to the Minnesota Twins, getting 20-year old minor league 1B Luis Montoya in return.
Monday, November 21st , 2044
Signed CL David Aguilar to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $1,000,000.
Friday, November 25th , 2044
Signed RP Nate Avis to a 1-year contract extension worth a total of $4,540,000.

Arbitration & Qualifying Offers

The Royals traded or agreed terms with all Arbitration eligible players and had no players QO eligible.

International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Ernesto Chairez, 17 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Ernesto Chairez hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has a balanced, rhythmic swing, and is a talented contact hitter. He has a fluid swing and shows above average power potential. He should have an overall good eye. It's early and Chairez is young, but his development prospect as a future left fielder looks extremely promising.

Juan Celis, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Juan Celis hails from Jima Abajo, Dominican Republic. He projects to be a .310 hitter. With his potential he will be a threat to hit the ball out of the park every time he comes to the plate. His disciplined approach at the plate should draw a lot of walks. Celis is an elite big league center fielder.

It was a great practice and none of the invitees disappointed in showcasing their talent.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Juan Fuentes, 16 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
David Abrev, 16 year-old LF out of Venezuela
Juan Banda, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Andres Brito, 16 year-old 2B out of Mexico
Jesus Coronado, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Rodolfo Lara, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
David Rojo, 16 year-old CF out of Panama
Juan Zavala, 16 year-old RHP out of Panama

Around the League

Retirements

Saturday, November 5th , 2044
Philadelphia Phillies: C Ethan Salas retired from professional baseball.
Houston Astros: SP Ismael Moreno retired from professional baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays: CF Mitch Jackson retired from professional baseball.
Tampa Bay Rays: SP Jevin Howard retired from professional baseball.
St. Louis Cardinals: RP Luis Fowler retired from professional baseball. 

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International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Juan Banda, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Lean and athletic, Juan Banda hails from Cabimas, Venezuela. He may not compete for batting titles, but still projects to hit for a .290 batting average. His raw power is bigger than his in-game home run production. Banda profiles as an above average player.

Ernesto Chairez, 17 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Lean and athletic, Ernesto Chairez hails from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He has the potential to be a .310 hitter. His raw power is bigger than his in-game home run production. He has the potential for an average eye. Chairez looks like a potential regular in a key role at the big league level.

It was a great practice and none of the invitees disappointed in showcasing their talent.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Jesus Coronado, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Juan Fuentes, 16 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
David Abrev, 16 year-old LF out of Venezuela
Andres Brito, 17 year-old 2B out of Mexico
Juan Celis, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
Rodolfo Lara, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
David Rojo, 16 year-old CF out of Panama
Juan Zavala, 16 year-old RHP out of Panama

Development Lab

Estanislau Covete has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at third base.

Chris Albright has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at left field.

• No noticeable changes.

Mike Woods has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at catcher.

• Catcher arm rating improves by <5
• Catcher ability rating improves by <5
• Catcher framing rating improves by <5

Edgar Mir has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at second base.

Infield arm rating improves by <5
Infield range rating improves by <5
Infield error rating improves by <5
Turn doubleplay rating improves by <5

Chris Morrow has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at center field.

• Outfield arm rating improves by <5
• Outfield range rating improves by 5
• Outfield error rating improves by <5

Rule 5 Draft Trades & 42-man Changes

The Royals finally took a chainsaw to their bloated 42-man roster ahead of this year’s Rule 5 draft. The Royals traded away 10 players who were either on the 42-man roster, or Rule 5 Eligible this offseason.

However, amongst that list were only two players who had made it to Kansas City as RHP Ernesto Soriano (2038 16th round) and Chris Goldberg (2039 8th round) saw their time with the Royals come to the end with too many players ahead of them or pushing behind them to afford them a place on the 42-man roster. The returns were not special, but in general made the Royals younger and gave them more shots to develop the next star through their Minor League system.

Despite the clear out the Royals did lose two players in the draft, both Frank Suniga and Juan Medina players with a Major League future but, on current form, unlikely to break out into stars/

Trades

Sunday, December 4th , 2044
Traded 24-year old RHP Ernesto Soriano, 22-year old minor league SS Sergio Aguilar, and $900,000 in cash to the Boston Red Sox, getting 20-year old minor league 3B Amari Townsel in return.
Wednesday, December 7th , 2044
Traded 26-year old minor league C Greg Cloward, 24-year old minor league LHP Davon Lamptey (retaining 100%), and 24-year old minor league C Zach Riendeau to the Milwaukee Brewers, getting 24-year old RHP Quadir Larrier and 17-year old minor league C Nelson Saiz in return.
Wednesday, December 14th , 2044
Traded 24-year old RHP Quadir Larrier to the Chicago Cubs, getting 20-year old minor league 2B Ramiro Salinas in return.
Monday, December 19th , 2044
Traded 23-year old minor league LHP Juan Armas, 22-year old LHP Julio Bonilla, and 23-year old CF Chris Goldberg to the Texas Rangers, getting 19-year old minor league SS Luis Moreno, 17-year old minor league C Jorge Navarro, 19-year old minor league 2B Oliver Aburto, 20-year old minor league RHP Luis Alamo, and $10,000,000 in cash in return.
Tuesday, December 20th , 2044
Traded 22-year old minor league CF David Guevara to the Milwaukee Brewers, getting 19-year old minor league 1B Nelson Orozco and 18-year old minor league 1B David Ayala in return.
Traded 21-year old minor league 2B Juan Bernal to the Milwaukee Brewers, getting 19-year old minor league 3B Nelson Aguirre, 22-year old minor league RHP Jake Clark, and 22-year old minor league 2B Vincenzo de la Paz in return.

42-man Roster Additions

Wednesday, December 21st , 2044
Placed SS Edgar Noriega on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed SS Trovin Houle on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed RP Cheng Hsien Baker on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed RP Tim Hoffman on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed CL Steve Mitchell on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed CF Sergio Rulz on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed 3B Juan Colunga on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed C Nelson Canjura on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Placed CF Luis Maldonado on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Saturday, December 24th , 2044
Placed 3B Andres Morales on the secondary (42-man) roster.

Rule 5 Draft Transactions

Saturday, December 24th , 2044
Lost SP Frank Suniga in the Rule 5 Draft to the Cleveland Guardians.
Lost 2B Juan Medina in the Rule 5 Draft to the Milwaukee Brewers.

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Financial Update

As we get closer to the start of the season, I have reviewed the team's financial state as of this moment.
As a reminder, you have $280,000,000 available for the total team expenses for the season.

Development Lab

Chris Kern has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at center field.

Edgar Noriega has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

• No noticeable changes.

David de Anda has completed his training in the development complex, and as you are aware, he has been working hard with staff to improve his defense at shortstop.

• Infield arm rating improves by 5
• Infield range rating improves by 5
• Infield error rating improves by <5
• Turn doubleplay rating improves by 5

International Amateurs

We just completed our monthly private practice with many young international amateur free agents who we hope can aid our club in the coming years. It was great to meet the players in-person and get to know them better, and I was able to improve my scouting assessment on all invitees.

In fact some of the players impressed me, since they showcased a higher potential than I had previously expected from them:

Wilson Escobedo, 17 year-old 3B out of Dominican Republic
Wilson Escobedo is a wiry framed third baseman who was born in La Romana, Dominican Republic. His power potential grades out as plus. He has a good swing. He won't likely set records, but could become a solid contact hitter. Scouts project Escobedo to fill a key role for a contending team in the big leagues.

Juan Banda, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Lean and athletic, Juan Banda hails from Cabimas, Venezuela. As he adds strength, he'll hit with more authority. He is a young player with above average power potential. Banda has the talent to flourish in the majors.

It was a great practice and none of the invitees disappointed in showcasing their talent.

And other players that I was able to further assess were:
Ernesto Chairez, 17 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Jesus Coronado, 16 year-old SS out of Dominican Republic
Juan Fuentes, 16 year-old LF out of Dominican Republic
Luis Tapia, 16 year-old CF out of Venezuela
Juan Celis, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
Rodolfo Lara, 16 year-old CF out of Dominican Republic
David Rojo, 16 year-old CF out of Panama
Juan Zavala, 16 year-old RHP out of Panama





Fall League News

The manager of the Virginia Beach Maulers said he thinks Jorge Asebedo is only going to get better as he gets older.

He may only be 20, but it will be hard to top the center fielder's 2044 campaign, as he has been named the winner of the Arizona Fall League Most Valuable Player.

His winning campaign featured a .329 batting average and a .419 on-base percentage this year. In 58 games he piled up 76 hits, 13 doubles, no triples, 21 home runs, 51 RBIs and 51 runs scored.

He received 9 first place votes out of a possible 30. Josh Ashley of the Surprise Saguaros finished second in voting with 10 first place votes, while David Trevino of the Milwaukee War Eagles finished third with 7 first place votes.

Player - Team - First Place - Total Points
Jorge Asebedo - Virginia Beach Maulers - 9 - 269
Josh Ashley - Surprise Saguaros - 10 - 258
David Trevino - Milwaukee War Eagles - 7 - 258

Transactions

The Royals hit for the fence in January with a couple of big trades and several big signings coming into the ballclub.

The trades saw Major League roster members 3B Chris Ambrose and RP Naldo Lizcano traded, in addition to prospect SS Trovin Houle who just didn’t have a route to the Majors but will be a good MLB player, and borderline prospects LF Juan Guerrero and RP Zyhir Scollan.

In return the Royals got prospect LF Jorge Morales, a younger improvement on Guerrero, and potential 5* prospect SS Juan Montelongo, who the Reds had somehow called up to the big leagues last season as a 17-year old, thereby necessitating his adding to the 42-man roster and starts his three option years.

Most importantly, by giving up Houle the Royals were able to get $2.85m in amateur bonus pool money, the basis for the deal with the Royals having their eye on two elite prospects.

Those two were the CFs David Rojo and Rodolfo Lara. One left handed, one right handed, neither will stick at CF unless they have some strong development in the lab over several offseasons but both have bats that were too good to ignore. In addition, the Royals added a solid potential Catcher, a switch hitter but clearly many years from the leagues.

That was not the only switch hitting catcher the Royals signed as Mike Murphy returned to the Royals on a 3-year (two Team Option) contract, front loaded and worth up to $22m.

The final move was a gamble on the trajectory of OF Jorge Corujo, the rookie getting a 13-year contract as the Royals bet big on his development.

Monday, January 9th , 2045
Traded 24-year old 3B Chris Ambrose and 21-year old minor league LF Juan Guerrero to the Cleveland Guardians, getting 18-year old minor league LF Jorge Morales in return.
Saturday, January 14th , 2045
Signed LF Jorge Corujo to a 13-year contract extension worth a total of $87,000,000.
Sunday, January 15th , 2045
Traded 24-year old minor league SS Trovin Houle, 23-year old RHP Naldo Lizcano, 26-year old minor league LHP Zyhir Scollan, and $9,000,000 in cash to the Cincinnati Reds, getting 17-year old SS Juan Montelongo and $2,850,000 in international amateur bonus pool room in return.
Placed SS Juan Montelongo on the secondary (42-man) roster.
Friday, January 20th , 2045
Signed international amateur CF Rodolfo Lara out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $3,700,000 signing bonus.
Signed international amateur CF David Rojo out of Panama to a minor league contract with a $3,500,000 signing bonus.
Tuesday, January 24th , 2045
Signed free agent C Mike Murphy to a 3-year contract worth a total of $22,000,000.
Wednesday, January 25th , 2045
Signed international amateur C Frank Guevara out of Dominican Republic to a minor league contract with a $400,000 signing bonus.

Hall of Fame

Two new members of the Hall of Fame as Manny Machado finally receives the call in his 7th year on the ballot with 79.7%. There is a first ballot selection, though, with Ronald Acuna Jr. earning 99.3% of ballots to earn his place at the first time of asking.

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