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    Yandel Ricardo

    • Columbia Fireflies - A
    • SS

    Collapse Explore Scouting Report

    • Bats: S / Throws: R
    • Age: 19
    • Rule 5 Eligible: After 2029 Season
    • Acquisition Method: International Signing

    Scouting Report

    Ricardo was the Royals' top international signing in 2024, as the 17th-best prospect in the class, according to MLB Pipeline, and signed for $2.4 million. The Cuban shortstop received high marks from scouts for his athleticism, strong contact skills, and a projectable frame that could lead to more power in the future, especially once he reached the MLB level.

    In 45 games and 196 plate appearances in the DSL, he only hit .213 with a .696 OPS. However, he posted a 0.74 BB/K ratio, hit two home runs, and stole 14 bases as a 17-year-old. He transitioned that first taste of professional experience to the States in 2025. He did much better in the Arizona Complex League after a full offseason and Spring Training with the Royals development team.

    In 33 games and 145 plate appearances in Arizona, Ricardo slashed .342/.438/..533 with a .971 OPS. He also hit two home runs, scored 26 runs, collected 21 RBI, and stole 17 bases. Without a doubt, the 18-year-old was the best player in Arizona for the Royals by a considerable margin, which helped him earn a promotion to Low-A Columbia later in the season.

    It was a more humbling experience for the teenager in low-A Columbia. In 88 games and 345 plate appearances, he slashed .212/.279/.268 with a .547 OPS. He didn't hit a home run, and he saw his BB/K ratio go from 0.51 in the ACL to 0.32 in Low-A. Conversely, he stole 14 bases in 17 attempts and demonstrated solid defense in the field. 

    The roadblocks Ricardo saw in the Carolina League aren't anything to panic about. Vazquez also saw similar struggles in his first exposure to full-season affiliated ball. Furthermore, Royals fans saw what Ricardo was able to do initially in 2025 after a slow start in the DSL in 2024. 

    With a new hitting coordinator hire on the horizon (Drew Saylor was let go at the conclusion of the 2025 season), Ricardo will likely be a priority for the new hitting development leadership. If they can tap into the Cuban infielder's full potential, then they could have an All-Star on their hands who could give the Royals long-term stability in the middle infield. As a teenager, however, he carries a significant risk and could easily burn out if he doesn't make the necessary adjustments at the plate in the near future. 

    Monthly Splits

    Split Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
    No Outs COL 41 75 -- 22 5 0 0 4 5 0 18 -- -- .293 .354 .360 .714
    Two Outs COL 39 62 -- 13 4 0 2 9 9 0 15 -- -- .210 .310 .371 .681
    Runners at 1st & 2nd COL 11 11 -- 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 -- -- .364 .364 .455 .819
    One Out COL 50 83 -- 21 5 3 3 13 8 0 22 -- -- .253 .315 .494 .809
    Ahead in Count COL 45 51 -- 20 4 2 2 7 22 0 12 -- -- .392 .587 .667 1.254
    Starter COL 58 118 -- 27 7 1 2 11 9 0 32 -- -- .229 .287 .356 .643
    Runners at 1st & 3rd COL 7 5 -- 3 1 0 0 5 1 0 0 -- -- .600 .667 .800 1.467
    Batting Sixth COL 1 0 -- 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 -- -- .000 1.000 .000 1.000
    Bases Loaded COL 3 3 -- 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 -- -- .667 .667 1.000 1.667
    On Grass COL 59 220 42 56 14 3 5 26 22 0 55 16 6 .255 .327 .414 .741
    Day Games COL 8 24 5 5 1 0 1 3 5 0 7 1 1 .208 .345 .375 .720
    Extra Innings COL 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .500 .000 .500
    Home Games COL 27 91 24 28 6 2 2 12 17 0 19 10 3 .308 .417 .484 .901
    First Inning COL 46 41 10 13 3 0 0 3 3 0 17 7 3 .317 .370 .390 .760
    Second Inning COL 19 17 3 5 2 0 1 3 2 0 1 2 0 .294 .368 .588 .956
    Away Games COL 32 129 18 28 8 1 3 14 5 0 36 6 3 .217 .255 .364 .619
    Seventh Inning COL 27 22 6 6 1 0 1 2 3 0 6 0 0 .273 .360 .455 .815
    Runner at 3rd COL 9 8 -- 2 1 0 1 6 0 0 1 -- -- .250 .222 .750 .972
    Behind in Count COL 50 96 -- 16 5 0 1 10 0 0 35 -- -- .167 .167 .250 .417
    June COL 14 58 15 15 3 0 1 5 7 0 13 3 1 .259 .333 .362 .695
    Eighth Inning COL 26 23 7 10 3 1 1 4 2 0 4 0 0 .435 .500 .783 1.283
    Runner at 2nd COL 24 24 -- 3 1 0 1 2 3 0 3 -- -- .125 .250 .292 .542
    May COL 25 85 13 24 7 2 4 12 6 0 19 9 3 .282 .344 .553 .897
    Leading Off Inning COL 34 47 -- 12 2 0 0 0 2 0 15 -- -- .255 .286 .298 .584
    Ninth Inning COL 18 17 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 8 0 0 .059 .111 .118 .229
    April COL 20 77 14 17 4 1 0 9 9 0 23 4 2 .221 .302 .299 .601
    Runners at 2nd & 3rd COL 6 2 -- 2 0 0 0 4 4 0 0 -- -- 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000
    Scoring Position COL 45 53 -- 16 5 0 2 21 8 0 8 -- -- .302 .397 .509 .906
    Third Inning COL 34 29 5 2 0 1 1 3 4 0 6 3 1 .069 .182 .241 .423
    vs Right COL 56 176 -- 48 13 2 4 21 20 0 42 -- -- .273 .352 .438 .790
    Fourth Inning COL 24 22 2 6 2 1 0 1 2 0 5 1 1 .273 .333 .455 .788
    Fifth Inning COL 25 22 6 8 0 0 1 6 2 0 3 1 1 .364 .417 .500 .917
    Runner at 1st COL 28 33 -- 10 2 1 1 3 1 0 7 -- -- .303 .343 .515 .858
    Reliever COL 56 102 -- 29 7 2 3 15 13 0 23 -- -- .284 .371 .480 .851
    Sixth Inning COL 29 26 2 5 2 0 0 3 2 0 4 2 0 .192 .250 .269 .519
    Bases Empty COL 56 134 -- 30 7 2 2 2 13 0 40 -- -- .224 .293 .351 .644
    Night Games COL 51 196 37 51 13 3 4 23 17 0 48 15 5 .260 .324 .418 .742
    Late / Close COL 23 21 -- 5 0 0 0 1 3 0 6 -- -- .238 .360 .238 .598
    vs Left COL 25 44 -- 8 1 1 1 5 2 0 13 -- -- .182 .217 .318 .535
    Batting Third COL 8 35 -- 12 2 0 1 4 3 0 5 -- -- .343 .385 .486 .871
    Batting Second COL 22 92 -- 18 3 3 2 11 5 0 32 -- -- .196 .245 .359 .604
    Batting Fifth COL 17 51 -- 15 5 0 1 7 9 0 11 -- -- .294 .410 .451 .861
    Batting First COL 11 42 -- 11 4 0 1 4 4 0 7 -- -- .262 .326 .429 .755
    First Half COL 59 220 42 56 14 3 5 26 22 0 55 16 6 .255 .327 .414 .741
    Season Team LG Level G AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS GO/AO
    2024 D-ROV DSL ROK 45 164 27 35 60 7 6 2 23 25 1 34 14 5 .213 .330 .366 .696 1.72
    2025 2 teams - Minors 83 299 50 79 112 13 7 2 35 31 0 76 31 8 .264 .346 .375 .721 1.70
    2025 A-ROY ACL ROK 33 120 26 41 64 7 5 2 21 18 0 35 17 5 .342 .438 .533 .971 1.24
    2025 COL CAR A 50 179 24 38 48 6 2 0 14 13 0 41 14 3 .212 .279 .268 .547 1.97
    2026 COL CAR A 60 223 42 56 91 14 3 5 26 23 0 57 16 6 .251 .325 .408 .733 1.80
    Date Team OPP AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG HBP SAC SF
    2026-04-02 COL @ HIC 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 3 0 0 .250 .250 .250 0 0 0
    2026-04-03 COL @ HIC 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 .222 .222 .222 0 0 0
    2026-04-04 COL @ HIC 4 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .231 .231 .308 0 0 0
    2026-04-07 COL vs MB 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .222 .222 .278 0 0 0
    2026-04-08 COL vs MB 5 2 3 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 .304 .333 .348 0 0 0
    2026-04-09 COL vs MB 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .259 .286 .296 0 0 0
    2026-04-11 COL vs MB 3 2 1 2 1 0 0 2 2 0 1 1 0 .267 .333 .333 0 0 0
    2026-04-12 COL vs MB 3 1 1 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 .273 .351 .394 0 0 0
    2026-04-14 COL @ CHS 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 0 .237 .310 .342 0 0 0
    2026-04-15 COL @ CHS 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .214 .283 .310 0 0 0
    2026-04-16 COL @ CHS 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .196 .260 .283 0 0 0
    2026-04-17 COL @ CHS 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .196 .255 .275 0 0 0
    2026-04-19 COL @ CHS 2 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .208 .263 .302 0 0 0
    2026-04-23 COL vs AUG 5 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .224 .274 .310 0 0 0
    2026-04-24 COL vs AUG 4 2 2 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 .242 .299 .323 0 0 0
    2026-04-26 COL vs AUG 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .250 .314 .328 0 0 0
    2026-04-26 COL vs AUG 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 .246 .329 .323 0 0 0
    2026-04-28 COL @ MB 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .229 .308 .300 0 0 0
    2026-04-29 COL @ MB 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 .216 .293 .284 0 0 0
    2026-04-30 COL @ MB 3 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .221 .302 .299 0 0 0
    2026-05-02 COL @ MB 4 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .235 .311 .321 0 1 0
    2026-05-03 COL @ MB 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 .224 .305 .306 1 0 0
    2026-05-05 COL @ KAN 5 2 2 7 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 .233 .310 .367 0 0 0
    2026-05-06 COL @ KAN 4 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 .245 .317 .372 0 0 0
    2026-05-07 COL @ KAN 4 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .245 .315 .378 0 0 0
    2026-05-08 COL @ KAN 4 1 2 6 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 .255 .321 .422 0 0 0
    2026-05-09 COL @ KAN 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .252 .316 .411 0 0 0
    2026-05-10 COL @ KAN 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .243 .306 .396 0 0 0
    2026-05-12 COL vs HIC 3 1 1 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 .246 .312 .412 0 0 0
    2026-05-13 COL vs HIC 3 3 2 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 .256 .326 .427 0 0 0
    2026-05-14 COL vs HIC 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 .248 .316 .413 0 0 0
    2026-05-15 COL vs HIC 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 .240 .307 .400 0 0 0
    2026-05-16 COL vs HIC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .240 .312 .400 0 0 0
    2026-05-17 COL vs HIC 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233 .303 .388 0 0 0
    2026-05-19 COL @ AUG 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .226 .295 .376 0 0 0
    2026-05-20 COL @ AUG 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .226 .293 .372 0 0 0
    2026-05-21 COL @ AUG 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .221 .292 .364 1 0 0
    2026-05-24 COL @ AUG 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .217 .287 .357 0 0 0
    2026-05-24 COL @ AUG 2 1 2 6 1 0 1 3 1 0 0 0 1 .228 .300 .393 0 1 0
    2026-05-27 COL vs CHS 4 1 3 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 .242 .311 .409 0 0 0
    2026-05-28 COL vs CHS 3 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .243 .311 .414 0 0 0
    2026-05-28 COL vs CHS 4 1 2 5 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 .250 .316 .436 0 0 0
    2026-05-29 COL vs CHS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 .248 .322 .433 0 1 0
    2026-05-30 COL vs CHS 4 1 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 0 .255 .326 .435 0 0 0
    2026-05-31 COL vs CHS 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .253 .324 .432 0 0 0
    2026-06-03 COL @ FAY 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 .248 .322 .424 0 0 0
    2026-06-04 COL @ FAY 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 .251 .332 .425 0 0 0
    2026-06-05 COL @ FAY 4 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .251 .330 .427 0 0 0
    2026-06-06 COL @ FAY 5 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .256 .332 .426 0 0 0
    2026-06-07 COL @ FAY 6 2 3 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 .264 .337 .429 0 0 0
    2026-06-09 COL vs DEL 4 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .263 .338 .425 0 0 0
    2026-06-10 COL vs DEL 4 3 2 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 .268 .344 .432 0 0 0
    2026-06-11 COL vs DEL 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 .263 .341 .423 0 0 0
    2026-06-12 COL vs DEL 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .261 .338 .417 0 0 0
    2026-06-13 COL vs DEL 4 2 2 6 1 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 .266 .344 .438 0 0 0
    2026-06-14 COL vs DEL 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .262 .339 .432 0 1 0
    2026-06-16 COL @ HIC 4 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .262 .336 .429 0 0 1
    2026-06-17 COL @ HIC 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .256 .329 .419 0 0 0
    2026-06-18 COL @ HIC 5 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 .255 .327 .414 0 0 0
    2026-06-19 COL @ HIC 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 .251 .325 .408 0 0 0

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