Royals Minor League Report (8/9): Royals Farm Goes Winless As Arms Carry The Load

All four Royals affiliates lost. Dennis Colleran Jr. struck out all six batters he faced for Northwest Arkansas, Nolan Hoffman, Connor Thomas, and Ethan Bosacker combined for four hitless innings in Omaha, and Michael Braswell III worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings for Columbia. Brett Squires, Justin Johnson, Erick Torres, and Derlin Figueroa homered. Quad Cities lost a five-run lead, falling 9-8, and Josh Hammond doubled for Columbia.

Kansas City Royals Transactions

• Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Craig Kimbrel.
• Kansas City Royals activated RHP Craig Kimbrel.
• Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Easton McGee to Omaha Storm Chasers.

Brett Squires Provides The Only Run As Omaha Falls In Toledo

Squires hit a home run, his 19th of the season, in the first inning, and it was the only run the Storm Chasers scored in a 3-1 loss at Toledo.

Toledo answered with two runs in the second inning and one more in the third for a 3-1 lead that held up. Omaha did not score again over the final eight innings.

The Storm Chasers finished with three hits, one walk, and six strikeouts, and left three runners on base. Jacob Berry had two of the three hits, both doubles, and was the only Omaha batter with more than one hit. Squires went 1-for-3 with the home run, a walk, and a strikeout. Matthew Lugo struck out three times, and six Omaha batters did not record a hit.

Ryan Ramsey started and took the loss. He allowed three runs on six hits over four innings, walked three, and struck out five. Every Toledo hit and every Toledo run came against him.

Former Phillies reliever Hoffman allowed no hits in an inning, walking one and striking out two. Thomas allowed no hits in an inning and walked two. Bosacker allowed no hits over two innings, walked none, and struck out one. The three relievers combined for four hitless, scoreless innings.

Omaha committed one error, a fielding error by Jack Pineda that did not lead to a run, and turned a double play from Brandon Drury to Peyton Wilson to Abraham Toro. Jacob Berry also started a throw that cut down a Toledo runner at second base.

The Storm Chasers went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left three runners on base. Omaha is now 55-58. 

Johnson's Three-Run Homer Accounts For All Of Northwest Arkansas' Offense

Johnson hit a three-run home run, his sixth of the season, and it produced every Northwest Arkansas run in a 6-3 loss to Wichita.

The Naturals trailed 2-0 when Johnson connected in the fifth inning, scoring Connor Scott, who had walked, and Canyon Brown, who had been hit by a pitch. Those three runs put Northwest Arkansas ahead 3-2.

Wichita scored four runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-3 lead, and the Naturals did not answer.

Northwest Arkansas finished with four hits, four walks, one hit batter, and six strikeouts, and left four runners on base. Johnson went 2-for-3 with the home run and three runs batted in. Luke Pelzer, batting leadoff, and Omar Hernandez had the other two hits. The Naturals were retired in order in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. Sam Kulasingam, Connor Scott, and Canyon Brown each stole a base.

Hunter Owen started and allowed one run on two hits over three innings. He walked four and struck out six.

Brandon Johnson allowed no hits in an inning and struck out two. Dennis Colleran Jr. struck out all six batters he faced over two innings, allowing one run on a solo home run. Caden Monke allowed no hits in an inning and struck out one. Zachary Cawyer took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits, including two home runs, in 2/3 of an inning with a walk. Augusto Mendieta allowed one hit over 1 1/3 innings and struck out two.

Naturals pitching struck out 17, walked five, and allowed three home runs. Northwest Arkansas committed no errors, and Carson Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, threw out a runner at home plate.

Northwest Arkansas went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded five runners. They fell to 44-62 for the season with the loss. 

Quad Cities Loses A Five-Run Lead In Peoria

Quad Cities led 7-2 through four innings and lost 9-8 to Peoria.

The River Bandits scored once in the second inning on a Hyungchan Um single, twice in the third on a Chris Brito single, and four times in the fourth. Stone Russell doubled home Angel Acosta in the fourth, and Torres followed with a three-run home run, his second of the season, that scored Um and Russell.

Peoria answered with three runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 7-5. Figueroa hit a solo home run, his 23rd, in the seventh for an 8-5 lead, but Peoria scored once in the seventh and three times in the eighth to finish the comeback.

Quad Cities collected 11 hits, drew five walks, had two batters hit by a pitch, struck out eight times, and left 10 runners on base. Brito, batting cleanup, Angel Acosta, and Um each had two hits. Torres, batting leadoff, went 1-for-5 with three runs batted in. No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell drew two walks and stole a base, and No. 7 prospect Zion Rose singled, walked, and stole a base.

Jordan Woods started and allowed two runs on six hits over three innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Rob Hensey allowed three runs on five hits over three innings without a walk. Nick Conte recorded two outs and allowed a run on a walk with one strikeout. Aiden Jimenez took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts.

River Bandits pitching allowed 15 hits, walked four, and gave up no home runs. Quad Cities committed one error, a throwing error by Um that put a runner in scoring position ahead of Peoria's three-run eighth.

Quad Cities went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. The loss dropped the River Bandits to 53-51 for the season. 

Columbia Manages Five Hits In A Loss To Myrtle Beach

Columbia scored in the first inning and did not score again in a 10-1 loss to Myrtle Beach.

Henry Ramos, batting leadoff, reached on an error to open the game, moved up when No. 11 prospect Yandel Ricardo was hit by a pitch, and scored on a groundout by No. 6 prospect Sean Gamble, batting cleanup. Myrtle Beach scored twice in the second inning to take the lead, added four runs in the fourth, three in the eighth, and one in the ninth.

The Fireflies finished with five hits, one walk, and 12 strikeouts, and left seven runners on base. Josh Hammond went 2-for-4 with a double, Columbia's only extra-base hit. Jhosmmel Zue, JC Vanek, and Roni Cabrera had the other three hits. Zue struck out three times, and JC Vanek, Ivan Sosa, and Daniel Lopez struck out twice apiece. Columbia was retired in order in the sixth and eighth innings.

Darwin Rodriguez started and took the loss. He allowed six runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, walked four, and struck out five.

Braswell III turned in the best line of the day for Columbia, allowing two hits over 2 1/3 innings without a run or a walk while striking out three. Andy Basora allowed three runs on six hits over two innings, including a three-run home run, and struck out two. Randy Ramnarace allowed one run on one hit in an inning and walked three.

Fireflies pitching allowed 15 hits and walked seven while striking out 10. Columbia committed no errors, and Cabrera threw out a runner trying to reach second base.

Columbia went hitless with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-6 on Sunday. They also stranded seven runners. The loss dropped the Fireflies' record to 55-51. 

Top-20 Prospect Performance

1. Kendry Chourio: DNP
2. David Shields: DNP
3. Josh Hammond: 2-for-4, 2B
4. Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, K, SB
5. Sean Gamble: 0-for-4, RBI, K
6. Ramon Ramirez: DNP
7. Zion Rose: 1-for-4, R, BB, K, SB
8. Asbel Gonzalez: DNP
9. Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, BB, K
10. Taylor Rabe: DNP
11. Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-3, HBP
12. Justin Lamkin: DNP
13. Drew Beam: DNP
14. Michael Lombardi: DNP
15. Jack Slightom: DNP
16. Felix Arronde: DNP
17. Angeibel Gomez: DNP
18. Ben Kudrna: DNP
19. Steven Zobac: DNP
20. Blake Wolters: DNP

Grade the 2026 trade deadline.

Grade the 2026 trade deadline.

• Grade the 2026 trade deadline. Required
  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • F
• Save

See All Royals Polls >

Interested in learning more about the Kansas City Royals' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!