Kevin O'Brien

On Saturday morning, Martie Cordaro, Omaha Storm Chasers President and GM, shared some tragic news that Terrance Gore, a postseason hero in 2014 and 2015, passed away at the age of 34. Gore's wife confirmed his passing on Facebook, noting that he died from complications from a routine surgery. The Kansas City Royals also shared their condolences to Gore and his family on social media later in the morning. Gore is survived by his wife, Britney, and three children. On Saturday, many shared their condolences and fond memories of Gore's tenure in Kansas City. That included former GM and Royals President of Baseball Operations Dayton Moore, who was quoted in an Anne Rogers article about Gore's passing. Former Royals First Baseman and All-Star Eric Hosmer also shared his condolences on Twitter with a broken-heart emoji and some pictures of him and Gore playing together with the Royals. A 20th-round pick in the 2011 MLB Draft by the Royals, Gore played in 112 career games at the Major League level. Most of his career was spent with the Royals, where he played in 85 games (including a career-high 58 in 2019). That said, Gore also played with the Cubs, Mets, and Dodgers. He was primarily utilized as a pinch runner, as he only had 85 career plate appearances and accumulated a 0.1 fWAR and .580 OPS. That said, he was a weapon for the Royals during the 2014 and 2015 postseason runs. He had four postseason stolen bases with the Royals, including one in the 2014 Wild Card game against the Athletics and two in the 2014 ALDS against the Angels. His unique role for the Royals made him a bit of an anomaly, as baseball content creator Jolly Olive profiled in a 2022 breakdown on YouTube. Gore will certainly be missed, not just by his family and friends, but by Royals fans who remembered his career fondly, especially in the postseason. Without Gore, it's possible that the Royals may still be searching for that second World Series championship today. Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images View full article

Image courtesy of Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images In my last post, I took a look at five pitching prospects in the Royals system who are not in the Royals Keep Top-20 Prospects rankings. The pitchers were a mix of ones who may have had down seasons in 2025 or showed progress, but are just on the outside when it comes to being classified as a Top-20 prospect. The same will be true for the five position player prospects that I will profile in this piece. The Royals are looking to improve their farm system hitters further in 2026. While the Royals made the news with the hirings of new assistant hitting coaches Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames, they also restructured the Minor League hitting development coaching staff. Gone is Drew Saylor, and in his place is a two-headed team with Nic Jackson handling hitters in the upper levels and Abrahan Nunez overseeing lower-level hitters. Hopefully, Jackson and Nunez can have an impact on the Royals' position player prospects. The five I am going to profile are prime candidates to have underrated impacts this season with the right tweaks and adjustments. As in my previous post, I will be using TJ Stats for graphics and images for each player. Spencer Nivens, OF (Projected Starting Level: Double-A) There were some high hopes last season for Nivens, a fifth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Missouri State in Springfield. In 99 games and 412 plate appearances in High-A Quad Cities in 2024, he hit 20 home runs, posted a .369 wOBA, and 130 wRC+. He had a slightly high strikeout rate at 26.9%, and his 0.44 BB/K ratio was good, not great. Furthermore, he only hit .243, though his .290 BABIP did him no favors in the Midwest League. That said, the power was enticing, and there was some hope that Nivens could be a 20+ HR and 15-20 SB threat at the MLB level in 2027 or 2028. Unfortunately, Nivens' power dipped significantly in 2025 in Double-A Northwest Arkansas. His home run total went from 20 to 6 despite having 103 more plate appearances with the Naturals. Furthermore, his ISO went from .232 in High-A to .096 ISO in Double-A. As a result, his wOBA dipped to .329 and wRC+ to 97, and his prospect stock fell as well this offseason. However, there were some encouraging signs from Nivens last season, despite the dip in power. His batting average (.250), BB/K ratio (0.64), and contact% (75.2%) all improved with the Naturals last season. He also overcame a slow start in 2025, as he saw a tremendous spike in wOBA by his 400th plate appearance. By the end of the year, he was posting a wOBA in the .400 range, which is excellent and closer to what he did in 2024 in Quad Cities. The walk rate dipped by his 400th plate appearance, but so did his K%, so it was a fair trade-off. Nivens seems to be a hitter who takes some time to adjust to a level. He had a slow start in High-A in 2024 and then ended up mashing 18 of his 20 home runs after July 1st. The power didn't translate in Double-A, but the strong finish overall did. Thus, it wouldn't be surprising for Nivens to get off to a hot start in a repeat in Northwest Arkansas and quickly matriculate to Triple-A Omaha. Sam Kulasingam, 2B (Projected Starting Level: Double-A) Kulasingam has often gone under the radar as a prospect in his career, stemming back to college. He excelled as a player at the Air Force Academy, but that's not a school that's going to turn heads or capture the attention of prospect analysts like LSU, Texas, or Oregon State. As a result, he was drafted in the 13th round, though he did manage a respectable $150,000 signing bonus. The 24-year-old second baseman was seen as a polished prospect with strong intangibles and leadership potential, and he showed exactly that in High-A Quad Cities last season. In 123 games and 547 plate appearances, he hit .291 with a .366 wOBA and 122 wRC+. He didn't hit for a lot of power (2 home runs; .103 ISO), but he stole 22 bases and had a strong eye at the plate (0.73 BB/K ratio). This profile, along with solid defense and intangibles, helped him earn the Alex Gordon Heart and Hustle Award. Kulasingam doesn't appear to be a high-ceiling prospect, and his swing, while polished, will have a tough time gaining power as he moves up the Royals system, unless changes are made. He did tail a bit toward the end of the year, as he saw a sharp decline in wOBA around the 400th plate appearance. On a positive note, he did rebound around the 500th plate appearance, helping him finish the season on a good note. The Royals' system is full of polished middle-infield prospects, especially ones who can play second base (Peyton Wilson, Javi Vaz, and Dustin Dickerson are a few others). However, Kulasingam's polished profile and strong makeup should help him continue to succeed in Double-A in 2026. Continued progress in the Texas League, especially in the power department, could help him be a candidate for a 40-man roster spot in 2027. Austin Charles, 3B/SS (Projected Starting Level: High-A) Charles has always been seen as a high-ceiling, low-floor prospect since being drafted in the 20th round in the 2022 MLB Draft. The 22-year-old has intriguing size (6'5, 215 pounds) and strong athletic potential. He also performed well in his first full Minor League stint in Low-A Columbia in 2024, hitting 10 home runs, stealing 36 bases, and posting a 117 wRC+ in 481 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he took a step back in High-A Quad Cities in 2025. Limited to only 59 games with the River Bandits due to various nagging injuries, Charles hit .205, had two home runs, and posted a .264 wOBA and 57 wRC+. He did steal 11 bases, but his ISO went from .130 with the Fireflies to .093 with the River Bandits. As illustrated in his TJ Stats card above, whiffs have been an issue for Charles, both in High-A and even Low-A ball (25.8% K% with the Fireflies). With the River Bandits, he struck out 25.9% of the time and also whiffed 33.8% of the time, both below-average marks. His walk rate wasn't good overall at 8.3%, but he saw considerable progress later in the year, as it rose to nearly 15% after his 200th plate appearance. In fact, Charles was just a whole lot better by the end of the year. According to his rolling wOBA chart, he was close to league-average in wOBA after his 200th plate appearance. I think there was some pressure that Charles was feeling after being seen as a "breakout" prospect in 2025 after a strong 2024 campaign in the Carolina League. He pressed, he got hurt, and negative results followed. When he got healthy and stepped back into the spotlight, Charles seemed more like his 2024 self. It will be a key year for Charles in 2026, especially with him eligible for the Rule 5 Draft in December of this year. If he can get off to a hot start in High-A ball and matriculate to Northwest Arkansas and hold his own, he could be someone the Royals add to the 40-man roster next offseason. There is still considerable upside with Charles, and at 22, he has some development left in him, especially in his frame and athleticism. That said, he can't have another season like 2025. Henry Ramos, OF (Projected Starting Level: Low-A) Ramos, one of the Royals' top international signings in 2022, is an interesting prospect because the surface-level metrics aren't eye-popping from the past two seasons. In his first taste of Stateside competition in the Complex League last year, Ramos hit .260 with a .319 wOBA and 70 wRC+ in 140 plate appearances. He also had one home run and nine stolen bases in 37 games as a 19-year-old. As a 20-year-old in Low-A Columbia, he hit .220 with a .313 wOBA and 83 wRC+ in 277 plate appearances. While he did steal 18 bases, the power was lacking. He only hit one home run and posted a .073 ISO with the Fireflies. That said, there's a lot to like when one looks at his scouting report and swing metrics. Baseball America highlighted Ramos as one of its "breakout prospects" in a December 17th piece. Ramos showed strong contact, with a 84.4% Z-Contact% and a 24.8% whiff rate, both above average. He also posted a 0.57 BB/K ratio, amplified by a 12.1% BB%. The latter is impressive to see for a 20-year-old in the Carolina League. Furthermore, his walk rate significantly improved after his 200th plate appearance. According to his rolling charts, he was producing a near 20% BB% by the end of the season, and his K% was below 20%. He slumped a bit in the middle of the year, according to his rolling wOBA chart, but he got off to a strong start and finish with the Fireflies. That shows that Ramos has resiliency and the ability to adjust to professional pitching. With budding batted-ball and power skills, the Dominican-born outfielder could see some legitimate progress in a repeat of Low-A ball, which could help him earn a call-up to High-A Quad Cities by midseason, at the latest. Jose Cerice, 1B/3B (Projected Starting Level: High-A) Not many prospect experts are talking about the Cuban-born corner infielder, a 2024 International signee. However, he should be one that Royals fans pay attention to closely in the Minors this season. As a 20-year-old, Cerice performed well in both the Complex and Carolina League last season. In 28 games and 109 plate appearances in Arizona, he hit .354, posted a .429 wOBA, and 140 wRC+. That solid performance in the Complex League earned him a call-up to Columbia, and he once again held his own in Low-A full-season ball. In 34 games and 126 plate appearances, he hit .302 with a .355 wOBA and 109 wRC+. Much like his time in the Complex, Cerice hits, but doesn't provide much else beyond that. He had only one home run in Columbia, which was just one fewer than in Arizona. He also had only six stolen bases combined between Arizona and Columbia. It's not like he's a bad athlete by any means, but his tools, especially power and baserunning, don't really "pop" like other prospects in the Royals system. That said, another former prospect in the lower Minors didn't have impressive power or athleticism initially but showed a strong ability to hit. That contact tool eventually carried him, and he became more valuable as his body filled out. That Royals prospect? None other than Maikel Garcia. Now, am I saying Cerice is going to be Garcia 2.0? Not at all. However, Garcia is an example of why Royals fans should not overlook strong-hitting prospects at lower levels just because they don't initially flash big-time power or speed. Cerice could be another success story for the Royals, especially as he continues to grow into his frame and makes the likely move to High-A ball in Quad Cities this season. View full article

On Thursday afternoon, the Royals announced that they would be bringing back catcher Luke Maile on a minor league deal. That also includes an invitation to spring training. Maile played in 25 games and had 54 plate appearances with the Royals last year, primarily filling in as the backup catcher after Freddy Fermin was traded to San Diego at the Trade Deadline. The 34-year-old journeyman catcher hit .244 with the Royals and also posted a .316 wOBA, 99 wRC+, and 0.3 fWAR. He was primarily known for his defense with the Royals, especially in the framing department. He was two runs above average in terms of framing runs and sported a +1 FRV in 143 innings behind the plate. On the offensive side, he swung and missed a lot, but he made up for it with a strong walk rate, hard-hit rate, and sweet-spot percentage. That is evident in his TJ Stats summary below. The Royals will have eight catchers in Spring Training camp, which is important given that pitchers and catchers report in five days. It is likely that the Royals will begin the year with Carter Jensen as the backup to Salvador Perez, who will likely be the regular catcher in 2026 after signing a two-year extension this offseason. That said, Maile will provide a veteran presence in Arizona while Perez plays for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, Maile could also help Jensen in his adjustment to catching at the Major League level in Perez's absence. Once the season starts, the Royals could promote Maile to the Majors if Perez or Jensen gets hurt (or if Jensen struggles out of the gate and needs time in Omaha to reset). View full rumor

I think this is an interesting question. The one benefit is that the competition will be better in the WBC than what he will probably be getting in Spring Training at that time. I also think that with seven other Royals playing, the chemistry won't be too affected. My only worry would be inconsistent playing time, which hurt Brady and Bobby in the 2023 WBC. With Italy, however, he should be an everyday player, so he'll definitely be getting the same number of bats. I think having this highly competitive experience, and being around other pros will be great experience for him.

On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals continued to add to their Cactus League roster by signing infielder Brandon Drury to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Drury is certainly familiar to baseball fans due to his journeyman career. The 33-year-old infielder has played in 867 career games, which include stops in Arizona, the Bronx (Yankees), Toronto, Queens (Mets), Cincinnati, San Diego, and Anaheim (Angels). In 3,159 career plate appearances, he has posted .308 wOBA, 90 wRC+, and 5.4 fWAR. While the former 2010 13th-round pick has certainly seen his fair share of teams, he didn't play in the Majors at all in 2025. Drury played in the White Sox and Angels organizations, but he primarily stayed in Triple-A. In 53 games and 228 plate appearances in Triple-A, he posted a .315 wOBA and 70 wRC+. That included three home runs, 26 runs scored, and 17 RBI. Surprisingly, the infielder actually posted decent Statcast metrics in the Minor Leagues last season, especially in the categories of 90th EV, O-Swing%, and walk rate. That is illustrated in the TJ Stats summary below. Even though Drury ranked in the 19th percentile in wOBA, he actually had a 69th percentile xwOBA, which shows that he might have been a little unlucky in Triple-A last season. Furthermore, Drury sported a patient approach at the plate, which was illustrated not just in his chase (86th percentile), but also in his low swing rate on pitches in the zone (second percentile Z-Swing%). It seemed to pay off for him, as he sported a strong Z-Contact% (73rd percentile) and whiff% (63rd percentile). The Royals have been targeting patient hitters this offseason who minimize swinging outside of the strike zone. Isaac Collins from the Brewers and Lane Thomas from the Guardians fit that profile, as do Minor League signings such as Josh Rojas, Abraham Toro, and Kevin Newman. While Drury had success in 2022 and 2023 (5.8 fWAR combined), he had a -2.1 fWAR in his last MLB season in 2024 and seems to be at the tail end of his career. Not only did he fail to make the White Sox Opening Day roster last year, he was designated for assignment, picked up by the Angels and languished in Salt Lake City (the Angels' Triple-A team). Thus, it's not a surprise that he didn't earn an MLB deal this offseason. He likely will have a hard time making the Royals' Opening Day roster, especially with so much competition in the infield this spring. It is likely that Drury will give the Royals Cactus League roster some at-bats while infielders Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. play in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela and the United States, respectively. Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images View full rumor

Image courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The Royals' farm system remains a work in progress, ranking in the lower half of the league according to most publications and prospect analysts. That said, it's come a long way since JJ Picollo took over as President of Baseball Operations in 2023. With the help of Brian Bridges, the Royals' Scouting Director, and Daniel Guerrero, who leads International Scouting, the Royals have added a lot of talent who could make the farm system even more prestigious in 2026. When it comes to top prospects, I wrote about 20 who could have a major impact on the Royals' farm system or Major League squad in some capacity next season and beyond. However, there are many other prospects in the Kansas City organization worth watching, even if they are not on the Royals Keep list. In this post, I am going to highlight five pitching prospects who may not be getting much "prospect hype" but could make serious progress in the Minor Leagues this season. I consider these five "sleeper" pitching prospects and will identify them from different levels of the Royals' farm system. There will also be a companion post highlighting five "sleeper" position player prospects for 2026. Any graphics or tables are courtesy of TJ Stats. Eric Cerantola, RHP (Projected Starting Level: Triple-A) The Royals added Cerantola to the 40-man roster last offseason after posting a 2.97 ERA and 31.4% K rate in 72.2 IP with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Double-A) and Omaha Storm Chasers in Triple-A. The 2021 5th round pick primarily pitched in Triple-A last year and made 38 appearances and pitched 49 innings. In that sample, he saw his ERA rise to 4.04 and his K rate drop to 29.6%. Even though he didn't see any time with the Major League squad in 2025, Cerantola made some promising progress that could hint at his readiness for a MLB debut in 2026. While his ERA was higher last year than in 2024, his 3.64 FIP was actually better than the 5.38 FIP he posted in Omaha in 14.1 IP. He also lowered his HR/FB rate from 13.6% in 2024 (with NWA and Omaha) to 7.8% with the Storm Chasers last year. Considering Omaha is considered the fifth most hitter-friendly ballpark in Triple-A, according to park factors, this kind of ability to minimize the long ball was an impressive feat. In addition, he still struck out batters in bunches (29.6% K rate) while still maintaining decent control (18.3% K-BB%). The zone rate was pretty erratic, but he still was able to generate plenty of chases and whiffs last season, according to TJ Stats. Cerantola posted a 28% chase rate, which was around league average. That said, he had a strong 37.2% whiff rate and a slightly above-average xwOBACON of .330. Those are promising signs that Cerantola developed a better feel for his pitches out of the bullpen in Triple-A last season. The only issue is that Cerantola's pitches didn't profile well on a TJ Stuff+ end. His slider, his primary pitch, which he threw 53% of the time, was an above-average offering with a 104 TJ Stuff+ and 51.2% whiff rate. However, his four-seamer was mediocre, to put it nicely. It had an 85 TJ Stuff+ and 18.5% whiff rate, both poor marks. For Cerantola to solidify a spot in the Royals' bullpen in 2026, developing his changeup should be a key priority. Even though he threw it only 1.0% of the time, it still had a 33.3% whiff rate. Making the changeup a bigger part of his arsenal could help him lessen his four-seam usage and thus make him a more effective reliever overall who could be better prepared for Major League hitters. Dennis Colleran, RHP (Projected Starting Level: Double-A) Colleran mostly pitched in Low-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities a season ago. He started the season with the Fireflies, posting a 4.06 ERA, 3.31 FIP, and 29.8% K rate in 31 IP. However, it was his tenure with the River Bandits that got prospect analysts to pay closer attention to him. In 21 outings and 34.1 IP in the Midwest League, he posted a 1.69 ERA, a 25% K rate, a 14.4% K-BB%, and 0.82 WHIP. What made Colleran such an effective reliever for Quad Cities was not just his ability to limit runners on the basepaths (via base hit or walk), but his propensity to induce hitters to keep the ball on the ground (43% groundball rate) and in the yard (9.4% HR/FB rate). A seventh-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Royals, Colleran showcased some solid command in Quad Cities, resulting in some impressive strike metrics. He posted a 48.5% F-Strike%, an 11.4% Swinging Strike rate, and 28.6% CSW. While those aren't elite by any measure, they are still impressive and encouraging, especially combined with his groundball rates. The former Northeastern product pitched in Surprise in the Arizona Fall League and held his own over 7.2 IP, as seen below in his TJ Stats summary. Colleran posted a 1.17 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and 28.6% K-BB% with the Surprise Saguaros. His FIP was a little higher at 3.54, but that's still a solid number, especially considering the small sample. Like his time with Quad Cities, Colleran's ability to limit productive contact was on full display in Arizona, as illustrated by his .262 xwOBACON. The TJ Stuff+ metrics this fall were mixed. In addition to a 97 overall mark, his sinker had a 91 TJ Stuff+, and his four-seamer had a 92 TJ Stuff+, both below average. That said, both pitches still succeeded in different ways. His sinker only allowed a .140 xwOBACON, and his four-seamer induced a 30% whiff. His cutter also had a 102 TJ Stuff+, and his slider had a 103 TJ Stuff+, showing that he has plus pitches in his arsenal. Hence, if Colleran can be successful in specific ways with his fastball pitches, he may be able to get better results with those pitches long-term than his stuff metrics would indicate. Colleran received a non-roster invite to Major League camp this spring. While he is a long shot to make the team out of camp, he could impress the Royals coaching staff and leverage that Spring Training experience into a successful Minor League campaign in 2026. A.J. Causey, RHP (Projected Starting Level: Double-A) Causey was another 2024 Royals Draft pick (5th round) who pitched with Colleran in Quad Cities and in Surprise in the AFL. However, the former Tennessee product eventually matriculated to Northwest Arkansas, where he saw far more innings (33 IP) than Colleran (1.0 IP). In 48 appearances and 73.1 IP with the River Bandits and Naturals, Causey posted a 1.72 ERA, 2.28 FIP, 0.90 WHIP, 26.5% K rate, and 20.5% K-BB%. He was particularly effective in Double-A ball, posting a 1.91 ERA, 2.39 FIP, and 18.9% K rate in 33 IP with the Naturals. Like Colleran, the atypical-throwing righty (15-degree average arm angle) earned an invite to the AFL this past fall. Unfortunately, the stats weren't as sterling as his draft classmate, as seen below. In 9.2 IP, Causey posted a 7.45 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. However, his FIP was much better at 4.39, and he struck out hitters in bunches (29.5% K rate) while limiting free passes on the basepaths (27.3% K-BB%). He also sported excellent chase (31.6%) and whiff rates (38.7%), as well as a decent xwOBACON. The main issue with Causey in the AFL was that he maybe threw TOO MANY strikes in hittable parts of the zone and hitters made him pay, especially since most of his repertoire rates as below average on a TJ Stuff+ end (91 overall). His curve may arguably be the best pitch in the Royals' farm system (106 TJ Stuff+; 62.5% whiff rate in AFL). Unfortunately, his slider was the only other pitch that had a TJ Stuff+ over 92. Causey will get some time in Major League camp this spring, which will be good exposure for him when it comes to getting tutelage from pitching coaches Brian Sweeney and Mike McFerran. Hopefully, they can help him make some tweaks to his pitches, especially his fastball offerings, which can help him be more effective as he climbs up the ladder in the Kansas City farm system. Hiro Wyatt, RHP (Projected Starting Level: High-A) A third-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Connecticut, Wyatt was seen as a bit of a sleeper pitching prospect last year after posting a 2.67 ERA in 27 IP in Low-A Columbia in 2024. As expected, he started the year again with the Fireflies. Unfortunately, the results weren't as impressive. At 20, he posted a 4.78 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 22.3% K rate, and 14% K-BB% in 21 outings (20 starts) and 79 IP. His FIP was slightly better at 4.47, but some prospect analysts felt that Wyatt, selected as a bit of a project in the 2023 MLB Draft, didn't make expected progress after a solid Low-A debut in 2024. While his numbers didn't blow fans or experts away, there is still a lot to be hopeful about with Wyatt in 2026. Wyatt didn't generate a whole lot of whiffs in 2025 (8.4% SwStr%). However, he still did a good job generating strikes overall, as illustrated by 47% F-Strike%, 17.6% Called Strike rate, and 26.1% CSW. He also kept the ball on the ground effectively, inducing a GB% of 47.1%. Lastly, his HR/FB% wasn't exactly low at 11.9%, but it's tolerable and could be subject to improvement, especially if he can do a better job of inducing whiffs in 2026. The righty is only 21 years old and isn't arbitration eligible until 2027. Thus, the Royals have time to continue developing him as a pitcher in their system. He has the potential to be a solid No. 3-5 starter, especially with his ability to work efficiently (2.69 K/BB ratio) and keep the ball on the ground. Even if he plateaus a bit with more innings, he at the very least could be a solid reliever at the Major League level, with setup man potential. He is not an "elite" prospect, but Wyatt is one Royals fans should watch closely in 2026, likely in High-A Quad Cities. Kyle DeGroat, RHP (Projected Starting Level: Low-A) When it came to Complex League pitchers, David Shields (our No. 3 prospect) and Kendry Chourio (our No. 4 prospect) got more hype, and rightfully so. They did matriculate to Low-A and found various levels of success in the Carolina League, after all. While DeGroat didn't get as much time in Columbia (he only made one start with the Fireflies), he did show some progress in the Complex League, and he is a talented pitcher who shouldn't be taken lightly in the Royals farm system. At the surface level, DeGroat doesn't seem like a prospect worth following too closely. He posted a 4.11 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, and 4.89 FIP in 12 outings (11 starts) and 46 IP in the Arizona Complex League. Furthermore, he was a 14th-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. That said, he fell in the draft because he was seen as a firm commitment to the University of Texas at the time. Instead, DeGroat surprised folks and accepted a $350,000 signing bonus. Here's what Burnt Orange Nation, a Texas Longhorns blog, said about DeGroat's pitching profile after he signed with the Royals. Even though he's an older prep prospect (he just turned 20 on January 30th), it seems like the Royals handled DeGroat with more kid gloves than they did Shields and Chourio, other teenage pitching prospects. He also had a rough stretch from June 23rd to July 14th, where he gave up 15 runs (12 earned) in four starts. Take that stretch away, and his ERA numbers look a whole lot different. Lastly, he put up a solid outing in his lone Low-A performance, allowing no runs and no hits while walking one and striking out three in 3.1 IP. He is on the outside-looking-in right now when it comes to the Royals' Top-20 Prospects list. However, if he makes progress in Columbia, it wouldn't be surprising to see him not just a Top-20 prospect, but maybe a Top-15 or Top-10 one by midseason. That's how much upside DeGroat still has. View full article

Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images One of the best Royals stories from 2025 was the emergence of rookie left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron. In his first MLB season, the rookie from St. Joseph, Missouri, made 24 starts and pitched 138.1 innings after starting the season initially in Triple-A Omaha (seven starts and 32.2 IP with the Storm Chasers). In that MLB sample, he posted a 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 2.65 K/BB ratio, and 1.8 fWAR. In a season where Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, Seth Lugo, and Michael Lorenzen all missed some time on the IL, Cameron became a workhorse at the bottom of the Royals' rotation. As a result, he not only finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, but he also earned the Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year team award, which goes to the best Royals pitcher that season. Safe to say, Cameron did everything in 2025 to prove that he belongs in the Royals rotation in 2026 and beyond. That said, there were a couple of minor red flags from the past year that could affect his outlook for the upcoming season, based on surface-level metrics alone. While he posted a sub-three ERA, which is pretty elite, his xERA was 4.08, his FIP was 4.18, and his xFIP was 4.08. Those aren't bad metrics by any means, especially for a No. 4 or No. 5 starter in the rotation. At the same time, each of those indicators has a difference of over 1, which is a significant gap. Add that with a .241 BABIP and 84% LOB% (strand rate), and it seems likely that Cameron will be unable to sustain his 2025 numbers into 2026, especially with the new park dimensions at Kauffman Stadium. At the same time, Cameron remains a strong pitcher with a solid repertoire and the ability to minimize hard contact. Therefore, how much regression should Royals fans expect from the 26-year-old lefty this year? Will he pitch himself out of the rotation, especially with options like Ryan Bergert, Stephen Kolek, and Luinder Avila likely starting the season in Triple-A Omaha? Or will Cameron's regression be minor? In this post, I am going to look at his pitch repertoire and quality, what the batted ball and spray chart metrics from last season illustrate, and some final takeaways about Cameron's outlook for 2026 and beyond. (All stats and graphics courtesy of TJ Stats and Baseball Savant). Excellent Repertoire, but Poor Four-Seamer Cameron doesn't sport an elite fastball, which is why he was a bit of an underrated pitching prospect in the Royals system after being drafted in the seventh round (199th overall) out of Central Arkansas in the 2021 MLB Draft. However, he succeeded in the Minors thanks to his super command. Cameron posted a 6.7% walk rate and 21.1% K-BB% over 128.2 innings with Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Omaha Storm Chasers in 2024. While the St. Joseph-born lefty limited walks, he also succeeded with a five-pitch mix that kept hitters off balance. That trend continued in the Majors, as he sported a diverse pitch mix, throwing all of his pitches at least 14.3% of the time. While that's not Lugo's level of pitch variety (very few pitchers can throw 10 pitches), it's still strong enough to keep hitters at bay. Furthermore, he was able to sport not just decent stuff with his pitches but also strong chase and whiff rates, as well as a reasonable xwOBACON, as seen in his TJ Stats summary below. Cameron doesn't generate a ton of extension on pitches, as his 6.3 average rates as slightly below average. Thus, it's not a surprise that he doesn't generate a ton of velocity on his offerings either. Four of his five offerings last year rated as below average in terms of velocity, with the only exception being his curve, which was slightly above with an 80.9 MPH velocity. That said, he still produced strong movement and quality on the pitches. That led to four of his five offerings earning decent to above-average ratings for TJ Stuff+. Furthermore, non-Royal folks have rated his repertoire pretty highly, pointing out his advanced "feel" for his pitches, as well as his ability to tunnel pitches with one another effectively. Speaking of "tunneling", Cameron does do a good job of pairing offerings with one another soundly, which makes it tough for hitters to hone in on his offerings, even if they aren't "elite" in terms of stuff or velocity. Below is a look at his pitch movement plot from 2025, and notice how he pairs certain offerings with one another on the chart. His four-seamer and changeup are both paired with one another, which is an effective combo, especially considering the 11 MPH difference between the two pitches. He also does a nice job blending his cutter, slider, and curve, a strategy that proved sound for him last year. All sport downward, glove-side movement, but to different degrees of break. That is hard on hitters because the slightest difference in movement on breaking pitches can lead to poor swings, resulting in weak contact or whiffs, as seen below against Seattle. When it comes to breaking down his offerings individually, his cutter was his most standout pitch from last year and his second most-thrown offering at 21.5%. It also had a 103 TJ Stuff+, tied for the best grade of his five offerings. The cutter was an interesting pitch location-wise, as Cameron tended to throw it more in and up on righties and down and away against lefties, as illustrated by his TJ Stats pitch heatmap summary. He threw the pitch more against righties (23% to 16.9% against lefties), but in terms of CSW, it was far more effective against lefties. It sported a 36.8% CSW and 39.1% whiff rate against left-handed hitters, compared to 24% and 18.9% rates against right-handed hitters. There wasn't much difference, though, in terms of chase (34.1% O-Swing% against lefties and 30% O-Swing% against righties) and xwOBACON (.371 against lefties; .366 against righties). In terms of fastball offerings, his cutter was by far better than his four-seamer. When it comes to breaking offerings, the curve was Cameron's best swing-and-miss offering against righties. It sported a 100 TJStuff+, which was 3 points lower than his slider. Nonetheless, despite the lower grade, it was a key part of his repertoire last year (19% usage). Unlike his cutter, he threw the pitch in one area, down and glove-side, against both righties and lefties. However, it was more effective against righties, as illustrated by his 33.8% CSW, which can be seen below. Lefties did worse in terms of production on the pitch, as they had a .291 xwOBACON against Cameron's curve, which was 21 points lower than his xwOBACON allowed against righties. That said, when Cameron needed whiffs against righties, it seemed like his curveball was his best offering. Conversely, when it came to getting swing-and-miss against lefties, his slider was the better pitch, as seen below in the slider heatmap data. There was a huge gap in slider usage for Cameron against lefties (28.7%) and righties (9.8%). It made sense, as Cameron's slider generated a 39.2% CSW and 34.9% whiff rate, which is pretty impressive, to put it mildly. Interestingly enough, righties chased more on the slider (45.3% O-Swing%), and his xwOBACON was lower (.292 to .331 against lefties). Still, fewer strikes were generated against righties with the slider, as evidenced by his 28% CSW. His last solid offering was his changeup, which had a 98 TJ Stuff+, the second-lowest mark of his five offerings. It didn't necessarily have elite qualities, but he had superb command on the pitch, especially against right-handers (22.9% usage). Against righties, his changeup generated a 30.5% usage, 43.5% whiff rate, and 27.7% O-Swing%. He also seemed to effectively throw the pitch away and arm-side to right-handed hitters, while his command of the offspeed pitch against lefties was more erratic. Against lefties, the changeup had a CSW of 8.7% and a whiff rate of 7.7%, and a .541 xwOBACON (nearly 200 points higher than his split against righties). Thus, it wasn't really an ideal pitch against lefties in any context. Then again, he threw the pitch less than five percent of the time, so it was more of a "get-me-over" offering than a regularly utilized one against lefties. Unfortunately, when it comes to pitch repertoire, the main concern with Cameron is his four-seamer. The primary offering sported a lackluster pitch quality with an 87 TJ Stuff+. That's not a good pitch for any pitch, let alone one he throws the most in a given game. Unsurprisingly, he generated lackluster CSW and whiff marks with the pitch against both lefties and righties. However, he did at least command the pitch effectively: in the upper edges of the strike zone. Hitters didn't chase much on the pitch, and most of his CSW rates came from called strikes rather than swinging ones. He was better against lefties with xwOBACON (.393) than righties (.510), which is interesting to see for a left-handed pitcher. When it comes to Cameron moving forward with the four-seamer, he's at a bit of a crossroads with the pitch. It's an essential part of his repertoire, and I think it's more effective against righties because it tunnels well with the changeup (a pitch that righties struggled against). That said, when he makes mistakes with the pitch, it's hit hard. The .550 xSLG and .390 xwOBA on the pitch illustrate that. Thus, I don't think it's as easy as "throwing the four-seamer less" because I think that could come at a cost of his other offerings, especially the cutter, which has emerged as one of his best offerings. Rather, I wonder if new assistant pitching coach Mike McFerran can help Cameron make some tweaks to the pitch, perhaps generating more vertical movement to at least make it a slightly below-average offering in 2026 rather than a greatly below-average one. The right tweak on his four-seamer could help him avoid a major regression on the mound in 2026. Induces Weak Contact; But Will Results Change with "New" Kauffman? When it comes to contact, Cameron was obviously above average at getting hitters to not "connect" as often as they would like. When looking at his Statcast percentiles via TJ Stats from last season, he ranked in the upper percentiles of the league in terms of minimizing the kind of contact that could result in a lot of production (i.e., home runs, extra-base hits, etc.). Cameron ranked in the 91st percentile in average exit velocity allowed, 86th in barrel rate, and 85th in hard-hit rate. He also ranked in the 71st percentile in whiff% and Z-Contact%. That's pretty elite, especially for a pitcher with fastball velocity that ranked in the 24th percentile and extension that ranked in the 29th percentile. On a more negative note, he was mediocre in terms of his zone, chase, K%, BB%, and K-BB% (all under 50%). While his GB% and CSW% ranked in the 52nd percentile, they need to be higher going forward, especially since it's unlikely that the Z-Contact% and CSW will remain at such high levels with his stuff profile. A key hint that regression may be coming on the batted-ball end could be seen in his rolling xwOBA chart from 2025 via Savant. He maintained a below-average xwOBA for the first half of his season, but that trend spiked around the 350th plate appearance and stayed above the league average for the remainder of the season (above-average is NOT good in this case). Now, he still posted a 2.99 ERA last year despite this trend. Thus, let's take a look at how this correlated with his actual wOBA chart trend from 2025. Cameron saw a spike in rolling wOBA, but there was a decline at the 500th plate appearance. He also appeared to be "unluckier" around his 100th to 250th plate appearances, as his wOBA trend was higher than his xwOBA. Still, that big gap in wOBA and xwOBA from the 500th plate appearance to the end of the year is a bit concerning and could be a hint that regression could be coming to his overall metrics in 2026 unless proper adjustments are made. Speaking of adjustments, the 26-year-old lefty will be pitching in a new Kauffman Stadium in terms of dimensions. When looking at his spray chart at home from 2025, it did seem that he would've given up a few more home runs at the K when taking into consideration the new dimensions (which would be similar to Target Field in Minnesota). Notice the number of outs that would have been homers below, especially in right field. When it comes to right field, he would've given up six more home runs at Kauffman Stadium had these new dimensions been in play last year. That's a huge boost, and it could've resulted in his ERA not just being higher than his 2025 mark, but his FIP mark as well (which was already in the four range). For Cameron to overcome these new "possible" ballpark issues, he will need to increase the swing-and-miss in 2026. After all, strikeouts can't go for extra-base hits or home runs in any park. On a positive note, he showed a strong whiff trend at the beginning of the year before it tailed off around the 300th swing mark. For roughly 100 swings after the mark, the swinging-and-missing percentage stayed subpar. Thankfully, he made some adjustments and got it back to above league-average around the 425th swing mark. Getting more swing-and-miss in 2026 won't be easy, especially considering the limitations of his velocity and stuff (98 TJ Stuff+ overall). However, Cameron is a student of the game who made strong adjustments to succeed in 2024 in the Minors after a rough stint in Double-A the previous year. He also made the proper adjustments to succeed in the Majors in 2025. Perhaps he has a couple of more tweaks in him to help him become a better swing-and-miss pitcher. Final Breakdown on Cameron Cameron is well-loved by Royals fans as a local kid from Northern Missouri. However, he also had gotten plenty of attention from non-Royals fans, with Roster Economics showing some praise of the Royals' homegrown product in a breakdown of Cameron on Twitter on January 29th. The Royals have a solid asset on their hands in Cameron, even if he may never be more than a No. 3 starter over the course of his career. He still isn't arbitration-eligible until 2029 and won't be a free agent until 2032, so Cameron won't be an arm that they'll financially have to worry about for a long time (which is nice after the tough arbitration negotiations with Bubic this offseason). That kind of profile is needed for teams, especially small-market ones, trying to stay competitive each season. And yet, regression seems likely for Cameron in 2026. The stuff profile isn't there to be a sub-three ERA pitcher again, and the below-average extension will make it harder for him to add more perceived velocity on his offerings as well (Bubic succeeds with below-average velocity because his strong extension gives him more perceived velocity). When it came to this offseason, I was more willing to part with Cameron as a trade asset than Bubic simply because I believe Bubic's stuff profile makes him more dependable long-term than Cameron (even with Bubic being older and hitting free agency next year). At the same time, the Royals' pitching coaches have shown they can help pitchers make the right tweaks and adjustments to succeed and avoid long stretches of poor performance. While McFerran doesn't have the history of former assistant pitching coach Zach Bove (who's now the White Sox's head pitching coach), his background suggests he's cut from a similar cloth and will be able to do the same things Bove did. I am hoping that McFerran and Sweeney can identify the right tweaks with Cameron to get more movement and quality out of his four-seamer because that seems to be the key to what his regression could look like in 2026. A similar fastball in TJ Stuff+ in 2026 is likely to result in much worse outcomes. However, a newer, slightly better one? Perhaps Cameron could give another dependable 130-150 innings with an ERA in the 3.00-3.50 range. If that's the case, the Royals will not just have one of the best rotations in the AL Central, but perhaps in all of baseball (as long as they stay healthy, of course). View full article

Earlier today, reports came out that Maikel Garcia would be playing for Team Venezuela in the WBC. Later in the evening, the Dominican Republic WBC selection team announced on their social media that Carlos Estevez would be playing for his home country in this upcoming tournament. Like Garcia, this will be Estevez's first WBC appearance. That said, the Royals closer has long expressed his desire to play for the Dominican Republic in the WBC as far back as April, as quoted in an article from Robert Rizzo of Latino Sports on April 17th. It was a stellar first season in Kansas City for the 32-year-old reliever. In 67 appearances and 66 IP, he posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.67 FIP, and 1.1 fWAR. Furthermore, his 42 saves were not just a career-high, but also led all of Major League Baseball. He is the first Kansas City closer since Dan Quisenberry to lead the majors in saves. Estevez's 20.1% K rate was 3.5% down from the previous season, and his 11.9% K-BB% was six percent lower than his 2024 mark. However, the Dominican-born closer found success by pounding the strike zone and keeping the ball in the yard (5.2% HR/FB rate, a career-low). Estevez has the stuff to succeed in the WBC and in 2026 as the Dominican Republic and Royals' closer, respectively. While he struggled to generate chase and whiff with the Royals in 2025, his strong TJ Stuff+ numbers (103 TJ Stuff+ overall) illustrated that he still overwhelmed batters in high-leverage situations. In addition to Garcia and Estevez, Salvador Perez (Venezuela), Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy), and Bobby Witt Jr. (USA) have all been confirmed to play in this year's World Baseball Classic. Jac Caglianone (Italy) and Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico) have committed to play if selected, but they have not officially been named to their respective rosters just yet. MLB Network will unveil all the official WBC rosters on February 5th. Photo Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images View full rumor

On Thursday evening, the Kansas City Royals added to their Spring Training roster by signing right-handed reliever Eli Morgan to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. Royals fans should be familiar with Morgan, as he pitched for four seasons with the Cleveland Guardians from 2021 to 2024. His best season with Cleveland came in 2024, as he posted a 1.93 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 3.09 K/BB ratio, and 0.3 fWAR in 32 appearances and 42 IP. He was also a key reliever for them in the postseason, as he came in and pitched in some high-leverage spots. The Guardians traded him to the Chicago Cubs before the 2025 season in exchange for outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario. Unfortunately, Morgan struggled to transition that success from Cleveland to the North Side. In 7.1 IP, he posted a 12.27 ERA, 8.59 FIP, and 1.33 K/BB ratio. His K rate dropped from 20.4% in 2024 to 11.4% last year. However, it's likely that he wasn't healthy at the start of the year, as he was put on the 60-Day IL on April 15th for right elbow impingement, related to an inflamed ulnar nerve. While he was activated off the IL on September 21st, he didn't return to the Majors last season. He posted a 5.06 ERA and 3.96 FIP in 10.2 IP with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. The Cubs did not tender Morgan a contract this offseason. Morgan is a three-pitch pitcher who leans heavily on his changeup (41.7% usage last year). Even though his overall stuff wasn't impressive on a TJ Stuff+ end (98 overall), he did an excellent job of generating chase. He sported a 41.1% chase rate last year, with all three of his offerings having a chase rate of 40% or above, according to TJ Stats. Morgan will need to improve his command in 2026, as he lagged in zone rate (44.7%) and generating whiffs (21.7%) last year. However, the Royals' front office has been valuing and targeting pitchers who can induce chase, and Morgan fits the bill perfectly. Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney also has experience working with Morgan in Cleveland, so it's likely that Sweeney and GM JJ Picollo felt Morgan was worth taking a risk on due to their familiarity with him. The former Gonzaga product has a Minor League option remaining, which gives the Royals some roster flexibility with him should he make the team. The Morgan acquisition now increases the Royals' non-roster invitee list to 26. Photo Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images View full rumor

On Thursday afternoon, the Royals shared on social media that Maikel Garcia will play for Venezuela in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. This will be Garcia's first appearance in the WBC with his home country. His inclusion on the Venezuelan team was merited, especially after a breakthrough season in 2025. In 666 plate appearances last year, he hit 16 home runs, scored 81 runs, collected 74 RBI, stole 23 bases, and hit .286. He also posted a 121 wRC+ and a 5.6 fWAR, the latter being the second-best mark of Royals players last season. In 449 career MLB games, Garcia has accumulated a 9.1 fWAR. In addition to his gaudy metrics, he played in his first All-Star game, won a Gold Glove, and won the team's Special Achievement award (which typically goes to the second-best player on the team). The stellar campaign helped Garcia earn a five-year, $57.5 million extension this offseason. He is guaranteed to stay under contract in Kansas City until 2031. The Royals' third baseman will be joining family member Ronald Acuna Jr. (of Atlanta) and teammate Salvador Perez in the World Baseball Classic. Perez was named the captain of Team Venezuela back in November. Pool play for the WBC will begin on March 5th and go until March 11th. The WBC final will be on March 17th at loanDepot Park in Miami. For more information, check out the World Baseball Classic's official site here. Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images View full rumor

Image courtesy of Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images On Tuesday evening, the Seattle Mariners made a minor move: they designated pitcher Jackson Kowar for assignment in order to make room for catcher Jhonny Pereda. Royals fans should be familiar with Kowar, as he was drafted 33rd overall by the Royals in the 2018 MLB Draft. Yes, that infamous draft in which the Royals selected pitchers with their first five picks. Those pitchers, in addition to Kowar, included Brady Singer (18), Daniel Lynch IV (34), Kris Bubic (40), and Jonathan Bowlan (58). Austin Cox (152) and Jonathan Heasley (392) were also pitchers selected who made it to the Major Leagues, while position players Kyle Isbel (94) and Nate Eaton (632) also came from that draft. While that draft was chock full of names, Kowar may have possessed the most upside at the time of that bunch. In 2019, Kowar was ranked fourth among the Royals' prospects by MLB Pipeline (he was behind Bobby Witt Jr., Singer, and Lynch). However, he had a sterling scouting report, with many scouts feeling he had middle-of-the-rotation upside, maybe more, if it all clicked. Here's a look at his scouting report from Pipeline that season. While there was hope that Kowar would be a crucial part of this rotation, much like Singer and Bubic, or even bullpen, like Lynch and, to an extent, Bowlan, things never came together for Kowar in Kansas City. In 39 appearances and 74 IP, he posted a 9.12 ERA, 2.10 WHIP, 5.99 FIP, and 1.47 K/BB ratio. As a result, the Royals decided to move on from Kowar, trading him to Atlanta in a deal for pitchers Kyle Wright and Nick Anderson before the 2024 season. After the trade, Kowar was traded to Seattle in a deal for outfielder Jarred Kelenic. Injury and Tommy John surgery kept Kowar out of action in 2024 and limited him to only 33 IP combined in 2025 in Triple-A and Seattle. That said, the 29-year-old showed some flashes of progress with the Mariners last season, and could be an intriguing pickup by the Royals, who are already familiar with his talent and pitching style. Let's take a look at what Kowar did with the Mariners in 2025, a pitch that could be key for him in 2026, and why Kansas City should take a flier on their former competitive round draft pick. Small Sample; Decent Results in Seattle As stated before, Kowar didn't see much action in either Triple-A Tacoma or Seattle due to his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2024. That said, he produced respectable numbers at both levels. In 16 appearances and 18 IP with the Rainiers, he posted a 2.81 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 4.28 FIP. His command was a work-in-progress in his return to the mound, as he only had a 21.9% K rate and 1.60 K/BB ratio. However, he only allowed an 86.1 MPH EV, induced a 55.6% groundball rate, and sported a 30.1% CSW in Triple-A. According to his Statcast profile via TJ Stats, Kowar did an excellent job limiting exit velocity on batted balls (91st percentile) and barrels (75th percentile). That said, he did give up a lot of hard hits (14th percentile), and his control was an issue at times, based on zone rate (4th percentile). Obviously, this is not a perfect profile, but it was encouraging, especially for a pitcher who missed over a full season of play in the previous year. Kowar got the call-up to the Mariners later in the season, and his numbers were fine, but not as impressive as his Triple-A metrics. In 15 outings and 17 IP, he posted a 4.24 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 2.14 K/BB ratio. That said, he struggled with home runs, giving up a 14.8% HR/FB rate, and his FIP was much higher at 5.84. While he induced groundballs at a high level, that didn't translate so much to the Majors, as illustrated by his 31.3% GB%. In addition, his Statcast metrics were mediocre with the Mariners (as seen below), which explains why he wasn't a part of the Seattle bullpen mix at any point in the postseason. Kowar sported plus fastball velocity (95th percentile), but everything else was below average, with the exception of a 64th percentile whiff rate. The CSW was a big surprise: it ranked in the 95th percentile (30.3%) in Tacoma but in the second percentile (24.2%) in Seattle. That was one of many examples of when Kowar thrived in Triple-A but couldn't translate those skills and performance to the MLB level. This has been a long-term problem for Kowar, especially during his time with the Royals. In 2021, he posted a 3.46 ERA, 3.05 FIP, a 34% K%, and a 3.38 K/BB ratio in 17 outings (16 starts) and 80.2 IP with the Storm Chasers. Those strong numbers helped him earn Triple-A East Pitcher of the Month at one point that season. Hence, it may be a case where Kowar is simply a good Four-A pitcher who can succeed in Triple-A, but doesn't quite have the "it" factor to do the same in the Majors. Then again, he was recovering from injury and hadn't pitched since 2023. Thus, some growing pains, especially in command, were to be expected and aren't exactly a "death knell" on his outlook as a pitcher in 2026. Kowar's Pitcher Repertoire (And Why the Slider Could Be Key) When looking at Kowar's pitch arsenal, he's a limited three-offering pitcher. That's not great for a starter, but it's more than serviceable for a reliever. While his fastball velocity has also rated highly, the pitch has lacked shape and thus has rated slightly below average in most stuff models, including TJ Stuff+, as seen below. Kowar doesn't get a ton of extension on his pitches, and his four-seamer didn't spot a ton of vertical break either. That explains why it sported a 97 TJ Stuff+, the worst mark of his four offerings last year. The metrics, especially whiff (12.8%) and xwOBACON (.423), also illustrated that his four-seamer was a mediocre offering that was thrown way too much last year (57.7%). Conversely, Kowar's three other offerings were superb. His slider, changeup, and sinker had TJ Stuff+ marks of 107, 111, and 103, respectively. As a result, his overall TJ Stuff+ was 102, which is more than serviceable for a middle-innings reliever. Looking at his TJ Stats summary from 2023, his last year in Kansas City, Kowar saw incremental progress with the Mariners, especially with his secondary pitches. Kowar's four-seamer had a bit more vertical break and spin in Seattle than it did in Kansas City, which was encouraging. However, the slider saw the best improvement with the Mariners. The slider was three points better in terms of TJ Stuff+ and had a better chase rate (36.5% to 32.9%) and whiff (52.3% to 32.4%). It seemed like Kowar's slider sported more movement. Kowar's primary breaking offering had 1.2 more inches of vertical break, 0.8 more inches of horizontal break, and 322 more RPM in spin. I created a clip compilation below that showcases his progression in his slider movement from 2022 to 2025. The slider was more of a harder offering with the Royals. With the Mariners, it sported much more movement and, as a result, became a better chase and whiff pitch for Kowar last season. Even when looking at the heatmap data of Kowar's slider over his past two seasons, it's obvious that the Mariners seemed to help him fully tap into the pitch in ways that he couldn't in Kansas City. Here's his slider heatmap from last season with Seattle. Kowar struggled a bit against lefties with the pitch, as he left it up in the middle far too often, based on his heatmap. The .412 xwOBACON also confirms that inconsistency. That said, he also generated a 34.4% CSW and 45.2% whiff rate with the slider against lefties, so it was effective when located properly. As for his sldier against righties, it had a much lower xwOBACON (.274), while still maintaining strong CSW (28.2%) and whiff rate (69.2%). Now, let's take a look at his slider heatmap data from 2023 with the Royals. In terms of CSW, Kowar's slider wasn't that much worse against lefties in 2023 (31.2%). However, it generated less whiff (27.3%) and got hit much harder (.522 xwOBACON). The same CSW and whiff rate trend was true for righties, with his whiff being 35.9% lower than his rate in 2025. That said, he still minimized effective contact with the slider against righties, as illustrated by his .273 xwOBACON. If Kowar can continue to show progress with the slider, he may take another step as a reliever in 2026. The pitch has the potential to be that good in the long term. Why the Royals Should Bring Back Kowar While Brian Sweeney was with the Royals in Kowar's last year with Kansas City, Sweeney and company were still figuring out the lay of the land during the 2023 "evaluation" season. Even though Sweeney and Zach Bove tried some things with the Royals' pitching staff (many who returned from 2022), I don't believe they pushed the envelope too much, especially as the losses piled up. Their goal was to determine who was worth keeping and who wasn't (Kowar obviously fell in the latter category at the time). However, if Kowar were to return to Kansas City, Sweeney, assistant pitching coach Mike McFerran, and bullpen coach Mitch Stetter would likely be more aggressive in their approach with Kowar in 2026. I believe they would not only help him continue the changes he made in Seattle but also look to make some adjustments to his pitch mix and repertoire. It also wouldn't be surprising to see Sweeney and McFerran help Kowar add a pitch, something they have done with many Royals pitchers to various levels of success. There's upside here for Kowar to be a solid middle-innings reliever who can fill in high-leverage spots from time-to-time, much like Taylor Clarke a season ago. Granted, Kowar is out of Minor League options, which could scare Royals GM JJ Picollo from taking a chance on Kowar, especially with other "out-of-options" pitchers in the bullpen, such as Nick Mears and Bailey Falter. That said, if the Royals are able put a claim on Kowar and get him to Spring Training in Surprise, they should explore the possibility. If he can respond just as well to Sweeney as he did to Seattle's Pete Woodworth (who's cut from the same cloth as Sweeney in terms of philosophy and approach), then the Royals could finally benefit from the Kowar that they dreamed about when they selected him 33rd overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. View full article

On Tuesday morning, in some unexpected news, Robert Murray of Fansided reported that the Royals signed pitcher Aaron Sanchez on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Sanchez is a former highly touted arm from the Blue Jays organization who made the All-Star team as a 23-year-old in 2016. That season, he made 30 starts, pitched 192 innings, won 15 games, posted a 3.00 ERA, 3.55 FIP, and accumulated a 3.5 fWAR. After the year, it was thought that Sanchez would be the ace of the Toronto rotation for a long time. Unfortunately, injuries and ineffectiveness have limited Sanchez's career since that All-Star campaign. Since 2017, Sanchez has accumulated a 2.0 fWAR in 79 starts and 367.2 IP. His ERA rose to 4.25 in 2017 and 4.89 in 2018 before ballooning to 5.89 with the Blue Jays and Astros in 2019. After missing all of 2020 due to injury, he had a nice bounce-back campaign with the Giants in 2021, posting a 3.06 ERA in nine appearances and 35.1 IP. However, things regressed back to awful levels in 2022, as he sported an ERA of 6.60 in 15 appearances and 60 IP with the Nationals and Twins. The 33-year-old righty hasn't pitched at the Major League level since that 2022 season, and he actually did not pitch at all at any level in 2025. In 2024, his last season in the Minors, Sanchez posted a 7.92 ERA and 6.49 FIP in 14 outings and 61.1 IP with the Buffalo Bisons, the Blue Jays' Triple-A team. Not only was Sanchez hit hard that season (19.4% HR/FB rate), but he also struggled with command (1.05 K/BB ratio) and didn't show great stuff either, based on TJ Stats metrics. Sanchez's groundball rate was decent at 44.3% with the Bisons, and he also limited productive contact, posting a .336 xwOBACON. That said, he sported below-average stuff with a 93 TJ Stuff+ mark overall, and his zone rate (44.4%), chase% (24.3%), and whiff% (23%) were subpar as well. Thus, when he made mistakes, hitters made him pay dearly (illustrated by the HR/FB rate). With Buffalo, his curveball, which he threw 20.3% of the time, was his best offering, as it sported a 100 TJ Stuff+, 33.6% chase%, 35.7% whiff%, and .292 xwOBACON. Below is a breakdown of Sanchez's curveball against left and right-handed hitters via TJ Stats. It's possible that pitching coaches Brian Sweeney and Mike McFerran think he could improve his repertoire this spring, with the curveball as his foundational offering (it generated a 35.1% CSW against right-handed hitters). After taking a year off, Sanchez returned to baseball by pitching with Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League (LiDOM) this winter. The former All-Star thrived in his return to the mound in LiDOM, posting a 1.55 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 3.78 K/BB ratio in eight starts and 46.1 IP. His strong performance earned him top pitching honors in Winter League play. The Royals likely picked up Sanchez due to his strong Winter League performance, hoping that he can show something on the mound again, whether at the Minor or Major League level. It's unlikely that Sanchez will make the Royals rotation, as it is incredibly deep right now with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, Noah Cameron, Ryan Bergert, Luinder Avila, and Stephen Kolek all vying for spots this spring. That said, the Royals likely want pitching depth, just in case their rotation gets hit by injury again like it did a season ago. Furthermore, Sanchez could generate some trade interest for a pitching-desperate team, especially if they are hit by injury in Spring Training play. Such a situation could net the Royals a low-level prospect, cash, or a bench player who could provide needed depth in the system. Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images View full rumor

On Monday evening, MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported that the Kansas City Royals signed Hector Neris on a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training. Neris pitched for three teams last year: the Braves (two outings; one IP), the Angels (21 outings; 14 IP), and the Astros (12 outings; 11.2 IP). In 26.2 overall innings, the 36-year-old righty reliever posted a 6.75 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 5.35 FIP, and -0.1 fWAR. He was primarily hurt by a 16.7% HR/FB rate, his highest mark in that category since 2019 (when he was with the Phillies). While the results weren't good, Neris did post a strikeout rate of 28.2% and a K-BB% of 15.3%, both solid marks. He also had a 26% CSW and 28.3% O-Swing%, indicating he can generate strikes and chase pitches, two qualities the Royals are seeking from their relievers in 2026. Neris struggled to find the strike zone consistently and gave up too many hard hits, according to xwOBACON. That said, the stuff was pretty solid last year from a 36-year-old reliever. Neris sported six pitches last year, with his splitter (43.5%) and four-seamer (40.5%) being his most utilized offerings. Of his six pitches, five had TJ Stuff+ marks of 100 or higher, and four had grades of 50 or higher. He also generated a 28.6% whiff rate, with his splitter sporting a 35.9% whiff rate, the best mark in that category of his six offerings . The splitter has seen an increased usage by Neris over the past two seasons. He's thrown it over 40% of the time in 2024 and 2025 after only throwing it 28.8% of the time in 2023. Consequently, his four-seamer usage over the past two years has declined while splitter usage has risen, as seen in his career pitch-tracking chart via Savant. Because he's on a Minor League contract, Neris will have to earn his spot on the Royals roster this spring. If he doesn't make the roster, he has the option of becoming a free agent after Cactus League play. As of now, the Royals' bullpen seems pretty set with Carlos Estevez as closer and Matt Strahm, John Schreiber, and Lucas Erceg serving as setup men. Nick Mears, Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV, Bailey Falter, Steven Cruz, and James McArthur will likely battle Neris for a spot in the Kansas City bullpen in Spring Training. Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images View full rumor

Image courtesy of Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images With the offseason near its completion (pitchers and catchers report in 15 days), the Royals' roster may be on its way to being finalized. While a minor move still may be on the horizon, the lofty hopes that Kansas City would acquire someone like the Red Sox's Jarren Duran or the Cardinals' Brendan Donovan may seemingly be shot. Regardless, the Royals have improved this offseason. Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas are much-needed additions who will help the Kansas City outfield on both the offensive and defensive ends. Matt Strahm, Nick Mears, and Alex Lange should give the bullpen more velocity, depth, and swing-and-miss ability. Lastly, the Royals should also see some internal improvement from players like Jac Caglianone and Jonathan India, who both struggled in their Kansas City debuts a season ago. One player worth watching in Spring Training and in 2026 is Nick Loftin. Selected 32nd overall in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Baylor, Loftin has shown flashes of promise at the MLB level, but hasn't put it all together to stick. In 427 career plate appearances, the 27-year-old utility player has a career .275 wOBA, 72 wRC+, and 0.2 fWAR. His main strength as a player is his plate discipline, as he has a career 14.8% K% and 0.59 BB/K ratio. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to show much else with the Royals since debuting in 2023, which explains why he is on shaky ground for the Royals when it comes to his Opening Day roster spot. Loftin still has a Minor League option remaining, so he has roster flexibility for the upcoming season. That said, the former Bear has nothing to prove in Triple-A. He needs to show he can produce at the plate and in the field if he wants to be not just a key part of this 2026 roster, but also beyond. Will that happen this season for Loftin? Let's look at what he did last year, what needs to improve, and what Royals fans should be looking for with him in Spring Training in Arizona. Mashing the International League (But not so much in the Majors) Last season with the Storm Chasers, Loftin did all he could to show that he belonged at the Major League level. In 43 games and 197 plate appearances, he posted a .415 wOBA and 145 wRC+. He also hit four home runs, scored 30 runs, collected 24 RBI, and stole 12 bases. Lastly, Loftin also had a 1.63 BB/K ratio and 16.4% O-Swing%. When looking at his TJ Stats metrics, he may have been the Storm Chasers' best overall hitter in 2025. There's a lot to like with Loftin's profile above. He ranked in the 90th percentile in above in O-Swing%, Whiff%, Z-Contact%, K%, and BB%. He also ranked in the 95th percentile in wOBA and 97th percentile in xwOBA. The latter demonstrates that his performance was legitimate and not just a product of "batted ball luck". Lastly, he launched the ball well with Omaha (79th percentile) and pulled the ball in the air effectively (89th percentile). Those kinds of batted-ball skills, combined with his plate discipline, are exactly what the Royals are looking for in hitters, especially under new assistant hitting coaches Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames. Unfortunately, things haven't clicked in Kansas City for Loftin yet, as they did in Omaha last season. In 67 games and 188 plate appearances with the Royals last year, Loftin posted a .279 wOBA, 73 wRC+, and 0.1 fWAR. He also hit four home runs, scored 17 runs, and collected 20 RBI. As expected with Loftin, the BB/K ratio was solid at 0.59. However, like in 2024 and 2023, he struggled to show much in the exit velocity, barrel, and hard-hit categories last year. That is clear in his TJ Stats summary below. With the Royals last year, his average EV ranked in the 23rd percentile, his barrel rate ranked in the 30th percentile, and his hard-hit rate ranked in the 15th percentile. As a result, despite solid plate discipline metrics, his wOBA still ranked in the 6th percentile, and xwOBA ranked in the 15th percentile. Those lackluster metrics explain why the Royals acquired Adam Frazier at the All-Star Break to serve in the utility role previously held by Loftin from May until early July. Some Signs of Encouragement from Loftin's Metrics Loftin got off to a hot start when he was called up, posting an .857 OPS in 14 plate appearances in May. That also included a game-winning hit at Kauffman Stadium against the Mets, where he drove in the winning run off of Mets pitcher (and former Royals draft pick) Sean Manaea. Unfortunately, things really nosedived for Loftin over the remainder of the season. From June to September, he posted the following OPS marks by month: June: .514 OPS (53 PA) July: .695 OPS (51 PA) August: .570 OPS (50 PA) September: .750 OPS (20 PA) He started showing signs of life in September. Unfortunately, by that time, it was too late, as Frazier had established himself as the Royals' primary utility man. Interestingly enough, Loftin's surge in September was no fluke, as his xwOBA rolling chart showed his best xwOBA came down the stretch. Interestingly enough, even though Loftin had a good start, his xwOBA at the start of the year didn't reflect that. His xwOBA was between the .220 and .240 range, which matched one of the worst marks of his career (which was back in 2023). That said, Loftin demonstrated solid progression in xwOBA trends, culminating with him being above the league-average by his 400th career plate appearance. Loftin showed more consistency in 2024 in xwOBA, though his metrics were even worse that year. In 57 games and 171 plate appearances, he posted a .242 wOBA, 51 wRC+, and -0.2 fWAR. Conversely, his BABIP was only .216, which explains why his actual numbers were so different from his xwOBA. The same story was true for Loftin last year, as he had a .223 BABIP. It will be interesting to see if the new Kauffman Stadium dimensions could result in more hits for Loftin, who hasn't gotten the most batted-ball luck in his career (.248 career BABIP). Below is his spray chart from last year, modified to Target Field, which should mirror the new dimensions at the K in 2026. With the new dimensions, Loftin would have had five home runs in 2025. Furthermore, it's possible that many of his field outs could've been hits as well, especially those at the warning track. Thus, that could be why the Royals are balking at bringing back Frazier or at looking for another utility type in free agency, like Austin Slater, Miguel Andujar, or Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Kauffman's new dimensions could help Loftin be more productive at home (though his 96 career wRC+ at home is 53 points better than his career wRC+ on the road, according to Fangraphs splits). What Does Loftin Need to Do in 2026? A positive about Loftin's profile is that he's been solid defensively, though he's not spectacular at one given spot. Last year, he produced a positive OAA (outs above average) value at every position except left field, which can be seen in the table below via Savant. When looking at detailed data on where Loftin was successful, it seemed like he was better on plays straight up, especially in the infield. In the outfield, it seemed like his range wasn't as great, especially toward the gap. The reality is that Loftin won't win a Gold Glove anytime soon. Furthermore, the infield seems set with Maikel Garcia at third base, Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop, and Jonathan India and Michael Massey at second base. For Loftin to earn more playing time, improving his play in the outfield, especially left field, may be essential. In addition to improving outfield defense, Loftin needs to start hitting the ball with more authority. That doesn't have to mean more home runs, necessarily. Rather, seeing a trend upward in his hard-hit rate in 2026 would be a step in the right direction. At six-feet, 180 pounds, he has the ability to generate more hard hits, and his rolling chart last year showed that he made progress in this area. For the first time in his career, Loftin had a hard-hit rate above the league average (which was around the 230th-250th batted-ball mark). While he was slightly below average for the remainder of the year, he was between the 30% and 40% range, which was better than what he had been doing earlier in the year and in 2023 and 2024 as well. That said, generating a higher hard-hit rate can be easier said than done, especially in Loftin's case. The key to that happening depends on his ideal attack angle and his bat speed. Improving those two things can lead to more hard hits, more barrels, and, thus, more offensive production. Regarding the ideal attack angle, he showed encouraging progress last year. His attack angle rolling chart showed multiple instances when it was above the league average. In 2024, he only had one small stretch where it hovered above that league-average line, according to Savant. Conversely, his bat speed has lagged over the course of his career. His 69.4 MPH average bat speed ranked 19th of 23 Royals hitters last year with 10 or more plate appearances. Furthermore, his 6.6% fast-swing rate ranked 18th among Savant's rankings. When looking at his rolling chart for bat speed, the trend has been pretty consistent throughout his career, suggesting his bat speed may remain what it is going forward. Thus, Loftin's hard-hit rate may remain inconsistent unless he continues to show improvement in his attack angle at the Major League level. Nonetheless, the key to Loftin sticking in the Majors will hinge on his ability to get on base and his ability to play multiple positions defensively. Plate discipline and positional flexibility are two areas that manager Matt Quatraro seems to value highly. Loftin could be the fit off the bench the Royals need to improve upon their 2025 82-80 record. However, he needs to show progress immediately in 2026, especially if he comes out of camp on the Major League roster. There's nothing left Loftin needs to do in Omaha. He needs to show better and more consistent results in the Majors. Let's see if he can see that progress in hard-hit, barrel ability, and launch angle in the Majors in 2026 as he did in Triple-A last year. If he does, the former 2020 pick could be a long-term mainstay on the Royals roster. View full article