Royals Minor League Pitchers of the Month: August 2026

[Kevin O'Brien]

Image courtesy of USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

 

 After highlighting the top hitters in the Royals farm system in August in my most recent post, I will now focus on the best pitchers in the Royals farm system from last month.

This was an intriguing month for arms in the Royals' system, as some under-the-radar ones stepped up and had strong performances on the mound in August. Of the four arms highlighted, two were starters, and two were relievers. None of them are ranked in our Top 20 at Royals Keep. 

Let's break down the performances of those top Royals Minor League pitchers from August. 

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Triple-A Omaha: Henry Williams, RHP

The pitching wasn't great in Omaha in August, but Williams stuck out as the Storm Chasers' best starter. 

In five starts and 26.2 IP, the former Padres draft pick posted a 3.71 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 2.61 FIP, and 16.7% K-BB%. While the CSW% wasn't high (29th percentile), he did an excellent job of generating strikeouts (70th percentile), O-Swing% (82nd percentile), and groundballs (92nd percentile GB%). His stuff isn't eye-popping by any means (97 TJ Stuff+), but he did have five of his six pitches with TJ Stuff+ marks between 98 and 100. That was good enough to help him generate a 12.2% SwStr%, which ranked in the 55th percentile. 

 

For the year, Williams has a 5.60 ERA and 5.71 WHIP in 117.1 IP between Double-A and Triple-A ball this year. While Williams is not good enough for a promotion to the Major League rotation right now, I do wonder what Williams could look like with a move to the bullpen next year. Limited innings could help him build his stuff profile, making him more effective and a candidate for a promotion at some point next season. 

The soon-to-be 25-year-old (he turns 25 on September 18th) should be one to watch in Spring Training in 2027, especially if Kansas City decides to make him a reliever. 

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Double-A Northwest Arkansas: Hunter Owen, LHP

The stats overall this year aren't pretty for the former Vanderbilt product. In 22 appearances and 88 IP, Owen sports a 6.14 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, and 5.37 FIP. However, he's been a much different pitcher since the beginning of August.

In five starts and 27 IP last month, Owen posted a 1.33 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2.03 FIP, and 27% K-BB%. The 24-year-old lefty has been a strikeout and swinging-strike machine recently, as evidenced by his 40.5% K% (96th percentile) and 17.7% SwStr% (91st percentile). Control was a little erratic, as shown by a 29th percentile walk rate and 17th percentile zone rate. However, Owen generated a lot of chase (37.1% O-Swing%) and CSW% (32.7%) to make up for that inconsistent control. 

Incredibly, the former Vandy product has continued this scorching August into September. He struck out eight and walked only one in six innings of work on Wednesday evening.

 

Owen could be a candidate to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason. He could be eased in as a starter, perhaps holding a hybrid reliever/starter role like Daniel Lynch IV or Bailey Falter. Owen has the strikeout stuff to be effective, and he's not far away from making his MLB debut. If he's not protected, he could get selected in the Rule 5 Draft in December (if it happens, of course, which seems unlikely with the pending lockout). 

He can work on a few things in the meantime. His command needs polish, as home runs allowed have been a huge issue for Owen this year. He has a HR/FB% of 15.3%, which is 5.9% higher than last year's mark. Furthermore, he's giving up an LD% of 27.5%, up 2.2% from last year. Those need to regress a bit if he wants to be successful at the MLB level.

Still, with strong strikeout (24.8% K%) and control numbers (15.1% K-BB%), Owen has the profile to be a successful lefty reliever in the Majors. 

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High-A Quad Cities: Dash Albus, LHP

Albus is not a pitcher who's going to generate much fanfare at first glance. He's a 19th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Abilene Christian, a Mid-Major school. He doesn't cast an intimidating presence on the mound at 5'11, 180 pounds. Furthermore, the numbers have been fine, but not impressive, for a Minor League reliever.

Last season, he posted a 3.54 ERA in 61 IP with the Fireflies. This season, he has a 4.39 ERA in 26.2 IP with the River Bandits. Thus, it is easy to dismiss him as just "organizational bullpen depth." However, he had an impressive August that should put Royals fans on notice. 

In nine outings and 16.2 IP in August with Quad Cities, he posted a 1.08 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 1.84 FIP, and 29% K-BB%. He has looked in control on the mound, and his quick and efficient style is starting to pay dividends in High-A ball after an initial slow start. 

For context, Albus made some noise last year in Columbia with an eight-pitch immaculate inning back in late July. 

 

It will be interesting to see how Albus continues to develop as he progresses in the Royals' farm system. As a reliever, he could move quickly if he continues to produce on the mound. The Royals lack high-quality lefty relievers right now on the 40-man roster, and he could be a cheap internal option who could contribute by the end of 2027 or Opening Day in 2028. 

Albus doesn't have an immaculate stuff profile, which limits his ceiling. However, he has shown strong control at each level: Low-A (6.00 K/BB this year) and High-A (3.63 K/BB). For a Royals bullpen that struggles with walks at the Major League level, the former ACU product has the skill set that they need in the future. 

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Low-A Columbia: Andy Basora, RHP

The 21-year-old Basora has been a sporadic Fireflies closer this year, as he has eight saves in 44 appearances and 58 IP. Strikeouts haven't been an issue for him, as evidenced by a 24.1% K%. However, the walks could be better, as demonstrated by a 12% BB% and 12% K-BB% with Columbia.

However, it seems like the Dominican-born righty is finally getting into a groove in Low-A ball.

Over the last month, Basora posted a 2.70 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 2.50 FIP, and 21.7% K-BB%. His 15.1% SwStr% ranked in the 73rd percentile, his 30% K% ranked in the 75th percentile, and his 32.3% CSW ranked in the 79th percentile. For a reliever who pitches in high-leverage for the Fireflies, those are encouraging metrics. 

The Royals have moved slowly with Basora, as this was his first full season of affiliated ball, and he didn't make his Complex League debut until last year as a 20-year-old. He also has a lot of growing to do, as he is 6'3 but only weighs 155 pounds. That said, his frame could help him gain some velocity, especially as he gains productive weight. 

 

Basora will actually be Rule 5 eligible this December due to spending so much time in the DSL. However, the Royals have had some success with slow-moving international signees before, like Carlos Hernandez, who debuted in the DSL and Complex League at a much older age than other Latin American prospects. 

Considering he hasn't pitched above Low-A ball yet, it's unlikely that Basora will be drafted in December. That means Basora will have plenty of time to keep developing on the mound and could become a reliever with high Major League upside, possibly debuting in 2028 or 2029. 

 

 

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