Kevin O'Brien

Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images One of the more encouraging stories this year has been the re-emergence of second baseman Michael Massey. It seemed like Massey was on his way to a solid career as the Royals' second baseman in 2024. In 100 games and 356 plate appearances, the former Illinois product hit .259 with a 104 wRC+. That included 14 home runs, 45 RBI, and a 1.6 fWAR. However, while dealing with nagging injuries, Massey took a step back last year. In 277 plate appearances, he hit .244 with a 57 wRC+. He also only had 3 home runs, 20 RBI, and a -0.4 fWAR. Massey also didn't have quite a clear role either last year, with the presence of Jonathan India, who also struggled in 2025 with the Royals (89 wRC+, -0.3 fWAR). Massey and India were expected to battle it out again for the second base job, but India only played 17 games this year, as his season was cut short due to shoulder surgery. However, India's unfortunate setback opened an opportunity for Massey, and the 28-year-old infielder has taken advantage of it. In 86 games and 279 plate appearances, he is hitting .272 with a 101 wRC+. Massey also has 7 home runs, 34 RBI, and a 1.5 fWAR. ZiPS and The BAT both project at least a 0.5 fWAR for Massey for the remainder of the season. That means he will likely surpass his career-high fWAR from 2024. The Statcast percentiles have also been encouraging with Massey, especially when it comes to making contact and pulling the ball in the air. The Royals still have Massey under team control for a while. He enters arbitration eligibility this offseason, and he isn't a free agent until 2029. Much like Isaac Collins, it would make sense to hold onto Massey for 2027, as he will provide stability at the bottom of the lineup, and he has proven to be a very good defensive infielder (5.6 Def, +8 OAA, +6 FRV, and +4 DRS). That said, Kansas City has a chance to take advantage of the trade market, and unlike some other of their position player trade options, they do have some internal depth in the infield that they could absorb the loss of Massey quite easily. Massey Still May Just Be Righty-Only Option With the injury to India, Massey has gotten more opportunities for everyday at-bats at second base, regardless of who's pitching on the mound. He has shown some progress against southpaws this year, as evidenced by his splits. This season, Massey is hitting .281 with a 103 wRC+ and .738 OPS in 61 plate appearances against lefties. That fares favorably to his splits against righties. Against right-handed pitchers, Massey is hitting .270 with a 100 wRC+ and .739 OPS in 218 plate appearances. Some Royals fans may look at these numbers and say, "Hey! Massey has solved those issues! Why are we trading him?" A deeper look into his splits and Statcast splits demonstrates that Massey may be due for regression soon against southpaws. Against righties, Massey has a 0.41 BB/K ratio. That includes a 6.0% BB% and 14.7% K%. Against lefties? He has a 0.19 BB/K ratio with a 4.9% BB% and 26.2% K%. Striking out more and walking less against lefties isn't a good indicator for future success. Furthermore, he has shown better power against righties, with a .160 ISO (compared to a .140 ISO against lefties). His Statcast percentile splits show similar trends, not just with plate discipline, but also with batted-ball ability. As Royals fans can see above, there is a massive gap in Whiff% (85th percentile against RHP; 31st percentile against LHP), Hard Hit% (73rd percentile against RHP; 17th percentile against LHP), and LA Sweet-Spot% (63rd percentile against RHP; 18th percentile against LHP). It's one thing to miss. However, to miss and not hit the ball hard? That's not a recipe for consistent success. Now, Loftin has his own split differences. His wRC+ against lefties is 120, while it is just 96 against righties. That said, there are fewer Statcast concerns on the splits data, as seen below. When it comes to Loftin, he does pull the ball more in the air against righties and has better Max EV against lefties. Other than that? His splits are pretty similar, especially in categories that are important like Whiff%, Z-Contact%, O-Swing%, and LA Sweet-Spot%. Maybe there isn't a ton of upside with Loftin, but he is a much more stable asset than Massey, who has not just had bigger split differences, but a more checkered injury history as well. Thus, if the Royals do trade Massey, the Royals could still be fine at second base, especially once Maikel Garcia returns from the IL. Granted, Loftin has his defensive issues (-4.6 Def, -8 OAA, -5 FRV, and -7 DRS at 2B). That said, he may get better now that he is solely focused on second base and not moving around the field. Who Is a Possible Trade Partner? One team that makes a ton of sense as a trade partner for Massey is the Miami Marlins. The Marlins are still competing for a playoff spot, but they have faded a bit, as they are 52-53 and 9.5 games behind in the NL East. Miami has always taken a "long-term" approach to the Trade Deadline, especially under President Peter Bendix, who came over from the Tampa Bay Rays. However, Massey is an option that would fit within their philosophy. He carries years of control, and he still has Minor League options, giving him roster flexibility. They are also weak in the infield, with Javier Sanoja their current third baseman. Sanoja would be better served as a bench piece, especially since he doesn't offer any power upside, as illustrated in his Statcast percentiles. Massey could not just play third, but he could move around the field as necessary. Unlike India, Massey has proven that he can be adept defensively in a utility role. In exchange for Massey, the Marlins could ship over two players who haven't quite lived up to expectations in Miami: pitcher Braxton Garrett and Connor Norby. After a solid 2023 season (3.66 ERA in 159.2 IP), Garrett has struggled with injury (missed 2025 due to elbow surgery) and inconsistency (5.35 ERA in 2025; 14.54 ERA in 2 starts with the Marlins this year). However, he has been much better in Triple-A (2.32 ERA in 73.2 IP with Jacksonville), and his Statcast percentiles demonstrate that he could bounce back if given the opportunity at the MLB level. As for Norby, he just hasn't demonstrated that much after a promising 2024 with the Marlins after coming over from Baltimore. This year, in 233 plate appearances, he hit .205 with an 81 wRC+. He also had four home runs, 16 RBI, and a 0.2 fWAR. However, his 30% K% is a big reason why he's in Jacksonville and not Miami. That said, the Royals hitters have seen a bit of a resurgence with the help of new assistant hitting coaches Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames. While he has his flaws, Norby does two things that this coaching staff and front office like: he doesn't chase, and he walks. Thus, Norby could be a nice project for the Royals, especially if Garcia needs more time on the IL this season. He also still has two minor league options, giving him roster flexibility for 2027. I am not sure if Massey alone could get these two. However, Massey and a reliever like John Schreiber, Alex Lange, or Matt Strahm? Maybe that's an easier call for Bendix and the Marlins. Should the Royals Trade Massey? He's a tough dilemma for the Royals, perhaps even tougher than Collins. On one end, Massey is well-liked by the Royals clubhouse and franchise. He won the Mike Swanson Award, which goes out to the player who's most helpful to the media. He has a great relationship with the fans, and more importantly, he's been an important player for this club who's stepped up when they needed him the most in the wake of India's injury. At the same time, it feels like Massey is a bit of a ticking time bomb injury-wise. He's just not a guy who can be depended upon for a full season. He's only had more than 400 plate appearances in his career once, which was in 2023 (461). Furthermore, his free-swinging approach is good when he makes contact. When he doesn't? Things can go south, as they did in 2025 and 2023 (74 wRC+). The Royals should explore a possible trade with Massey, and Miami makes the most sense. Not only could Massey be on a winning team and fit into what they like to do as an organization, but the Royals could get two nice bounce-back projects that could thrive in a change of scenery. View full article

I totally agree. I wasn't a fan of how he dropped in our latest writer rankings. He is a Top-10 prospect and I think he has a bit more upside than Gonzalez. I think your point about him being younger than Gamble and Hammond is noteworthy, and he actually has a better OPS than Hammond now. He was plagued by a bad first stint in Columbia and a slow start this year, and I think that has dampened his outlook. But I think he should be on more experts' radars. (Same thing with Vanek, who's not a Top-10 guy, but may be a Top-30).

Thanks for the insight Kerry. The Royals have been doing a good job of finding talent from Canada that has been overlooked. Here is a look at his TJ Stats profile and it seems to back up a lot of what you saw in person with McDonagh. You would like to see more chase, but everything feels very legit, especially the CSW and the whiffs. I'm really curious to see how he will adjust to High-A. He's doing pretty well as a 20-year-old in Columbia. If he transitions this to Quad Cities, we need to be talking about him as a serious prospect more.

JC Vanek homered twice and drove in three, backing Shane Van Dam's seven-strikeout start as Columbia handled Kannapolis. Kendry Chourio allowed one run over six innings for Quad Cities and lost anyway. Oscar Rayo threw three hitless innings in relief for Northwest Arkansas, and Steven Zobac struck out four. Gavin Cross and Brett Squires homered for Omaha, but Easton McGee surrendered five runs in the seventh. Three affiliates came up short, and only Columbia won. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals traded CF Kameron Misner to Philadelphia Phillies for cash. Cross And Squires Homer, But Omaha Falls In Salt Lake Two Omaha home runs were not enough in Salt Lake, and the Storm Chasers lost 8-4. Mitch Spence gave Omaha five innings, allowing five hits and two runs, only one of them earned, with two walks and six strikeouts. He handed off with Omaha trailing by a run. The Storm Chasers scored first in the second. Matthew Lugo led off with a double to center, Squires grounded out to move him to third, and Abraham Toro lifted a sacrifice fly to right that brought Lugo home. Salt Lake answered in the bottom half and took the lead in the fourth on a run that scored after a throwing error by Luca Tresh and a fielding error by Peyton Wilson. Cross pulled Omaha even again in the sixth with his ninth home run, a drive to right-center. The seventh ended up being the deciding inning for the Storm Chasers. McGee retired the first two hitters, then allowed a double, an RBI single, a two-run home run, and a solo home run before striking out the last batter of the inning, and Salt Lake led 7-2. McGee finished with two innings, six hits, five runs, no walks, two strikeouts, and two home runs allowed. Omaha got two back in the eighth. John Rave drew a one-out walk, and Squires hit his 15th home run to right-center. Scott Barlow then allowed a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning and finished with one inning, two hits, one run, and one strikeout. Cross went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Lugo was 1-for-4 with a double and a run. Omaha finished with eight hits, two walks, 10 strikeouts, and six left on base. They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. The Storm Chasers are now 47-53 for the season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kyle Isbel 3 0 0 0 0 1 Alejo Lopez 2 0 0 0 0 0 Gavin Cross 4 1 2 1 0 1 John Rave 3 1 1 0 1 0 Matthew Lugo 4 1 1 0 0 2 Brett Squires 4 1 1 2 0 1 Abraham Toro 2 0 0 1 1 1 Jack Pineda 4 0 1 0 0 1 Luca Tresh 4 0 1 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mitch Spence 5 5 2 1 2 6 0 Easton McGee 2 6 5 5 0 2 2 Scott Barlow 1 2 1 1 0 1 1 Oscar Rayo's Hitless Relief Goes To Waste As Naturals Are Shut Out Northwest Arkansas managed six hits and three walks at home, and lost 3-0 to Springfield. Zobac, the Royals' No. 19 prospect, worked five innings and gave up six hits, two runs, both earned, with no walks, four strikeouts, and two home runs. The first was a leadoff home run to center that opened the game, and the second was a solo shot to right in the fifth. The Cardinals got their last run in the sixth. Frank Mozzicato gave up a leadoff single, another single that moved the runner to third, and then a double play grounder that scored the run while erasing two runners. Mozzicato walked two more before ending the inning, and his line read one inning, two hits, one run, and two walks. Rayo, recently optioned from Omaha, followed with three hitless innings, walking one and hitting one, with a strikeout. He also got two double-play grounders, and Springfield never moved a runner into scoring position against him. Rayo was also helped by some stellar defense by the Naturals infield. The Naturals could not finish an inning on a scoring note. In the seventh, Jorge Alfaro singled with one out and Omar Hernandez singled behind him, but Alberto Rodriguez struck out to strand them. In the ninth, Alfaro singled again, Hernandez was hit by a pitch, but Rodriguez struck out to end the game. Alfaro went 2-for-4, Hernandez was 2-for-2 with a walk and a hit by pitch, and No. 9 prospect Carson Roccaforte was 1-for-4 with a single in the eighth. Daniel Vazquez drew two of the team's three walks. Northwest Arkansas struck out 10 times, grounded into two double plays, and left eight on base. They went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. The loss dropped the Naturals' record to 40-53. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 0 1 0 0 0 Luke Pelzer 4 0 1 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 4 0 0 0 0 1 Spencer Nivens 4 0 0 0 0 3 Daniel Vazquez 2 0 0 0 2 0 Jorge Alfaro 4 0 2 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez 2 0 2 0 1 0 Alberto Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 3 Justin Johnson 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Steven Zobac 5 6 2 2 0 4 2 Frank Mozzicato 1 2 1 1 2 0 0 Oscar Rayo 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Chourio Allows One Run, But River Bandits Strand Ten In Beloit Quad Cities drew eight walks in Beloit and did not score in a 1-0 loss. Chourio, the Royals' No. 1 prospect, gave the River Bandits six innings and allowed four hits and one run, with no walks, four strikeouts, and one hit batter. It was an impressive performance after his no-hit outing in his last start (he and Emmanuel Reyes combined for a no-hitter). The only run against him came on a leadoff home run to right in the sixth. Tommy Molsky followed with two innings, one hit, and no runs. The offense had chances and could not finish them. In the seventh, Derlin Figueroa struck out, Jose Cerice walked, Tyriq Kemp singled to third, and Trevor Werner walked to load the bases. Angel Acosta struck out and Nolan Sailors grounded out to short, and the River Bandits came away with nothing. The eighth followed the same shape. No. 8 prospect Asbel Gonzalez lined out, No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell singled to right, Chris Brito singled to center to put runners at first and second, and Derlin Figueroa flied out. Jose Cerice walked to load the bases again, and Tyriq Kemp struck out to end the inning. Quad Cities put at least one runner on in six of the nine innings, including two on with two outs in the first, and never got one home. Mitchell went 1-for-3 with a hit by pitch, Brito was 1-for-3 with a walk, and Kemp was 1-for-4. Cerice walked three times, and Werner walked twice. Those three hits were all the River Bandits managed against Beloit pitching, and they struck out 10 times and left 10 on base. They struggled with ducks on the pond, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities falls to under .500 with the loss. They are now 45-46. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 0 0 0 1 1 Asbel Gonzalez 3 0 0 0 1 2 Blake Mitchell 3 0 1 0 0 0 Chris Brito 3 0 1 0 1 2 Derlin Figueroa 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jose Cerice 1 0 0 0 3 1 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 1 0 0 1 Trevor Werner 2 0 0 0 2 0 Angel Acosta 4 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kendry Chourio 6 4 1 1 0 4 1 Tommy Molsky 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Vanek's Two Home Runs Carry Columbia Past Kannapolis Vanek hit two home runs and drove in three, and Columbia beat Kannapolis 5-1 at home. Starter Van Dam took the win with 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball. He allowed four hits, walked one, struck out seven, and gave up a solo home run in the fifth. Columbia opened the scoring in the second. Jhosmmel Zue walked to lead off, and Vanek followed with his ninth home run, a two-run drive to right-center. Hyungchan Um singled, Roni Cabrera was hit by a pitch, and Angel Ramirez moved both up with a sacrifice bunt, but Ivan Sosa's fielder's choice cut down Um at third, and Cabrera was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. The fourth was the decisive one for the Fireflies. Zue struck out to start it, but then Vanek hit his 10th home run to left. Um walked, Cabrera singled to left to put runners at second and third, and Ramirez singled to left to score both. Ramirez was thrown out at second trying to stretch it, and Sosa struck out, but Columbia led 5-0. Van Dam retired the first 12 hitters he faced, and left in the seventh with two on and two outs after a strikeout. Dash Albus got the last out of that inning, Brandon Herbold worked the eighth with two strikeouts, and Yeri Perez finished the ninth without allowing a hit. Vanek went 2-for-4 with two runs. Ramirez was 1-for-2 with two RBI, Um was 1-for-2 with a walk and a run, and Cabrera was 1-for-2 with a run. Yandel Ricardo, the Royals' No. 11 prospect, walked twice. Columbia had five hits, four walks, and three left on base. They went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position. The Fireflies improved to 50-45 with the win. They sit in fourth place in the South Division of the Carolina League. Player AB R H RBI BB K Yandel Ricardo 2 0 0 0 2 0 Josh Hammond 4 0 0 0 0 3 Sean Gamble 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 3 1 0 0 1 3 JC Vanek 4 2 2 3 0 0 Hyungchan Um 2 1 1 0 1 0 Roni Cabrera 2 1 1 0 0 0 Angel Ramirez 2 0 1 2 0 0 Ivan Sosa 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Shane Van Dam 6 2/3 4 1 1 1 7 1 Dash Albus 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brandon Herbold 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Yeri Perez 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, 3 K Blake Mitchell: 1-for-3 Sean Gamble: 0-for-4, 1 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4 Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-2, 2 BB Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-3, R, RBI, SB Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K Blake Wolters: DNP View full article

Abraham Toro homered twice with four RBI as Omaha piled up 15 hits in a 10-7 win at Salt Lake, where Gavin Cross was a single shy of the cycle. Columbia broke a tie with four runs in the sixth and beat Kannapolis 6-3 behind three hits apiece from Sean Gamble and Ivan Sosa. Quad Cities managed one run in a 5-1 loss at Beloit, and Northwest Arkansas was shut out 9-0 by Springfield. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals activated RHP Nate Pearson. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Eli Morgan to Omaha Storm Chasers. Toro's Two-Homer Night Carries Omaha To A 10-7 Win The Omaha Storm Chasers collected 15 hits, homered five times, and held on for a 10-7 win over the Bees. Toro did the heaviest lifting, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a walk, four RBI, and two runs scored. His solo shot in the second inning opened the scoring, and his three-run blast in the third was the middle of a six-run rally that put Omaha ahead 8-1. Cross finished a single shy of the cycle, homering, tripling, and doubling in a 3-for-5 night with three runs scored. Matthew Lugo added two hits, including a solo homer in the sixth, and Peyton Wilson connected for his first home run of the season during the third-inning outburst. Brandon Drury drove in two runs, the second on a ninth-inning single that pushed the lead back to three. Starter Vince Velasquez never settled in. He lasted three innings and was charged with seven hits, six earned runs, and three walks while striking out three, allowing Salt Lake to climb within 8-6 by the fourth inning. The bullpen took over from there. Ben Sears worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to earn the win and improve to 6-1. Ryan Ramsey struck out four over 2 1/3 innings and surrendered only a Cade Marlowe home run in the eighth. Justin Topa walked two in the ninth but finished the game without allowing a hit, locking down his third save of the year. The Storm Chasers left seven runners on base and went 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Omaha improved to 47-52 with the win. Player AB R H RBI BB K Matthew Lugo, LF 5 2 2 1 0 1 John Rave, RF 4 1 2 0 1 0 Drew Waters, CF 5 1 1 1 0 1 Abraham Toro, 3B 4 2 3 4 1 1 Gavin Cross, DH 5 3 3 1 0 0 Brandon Drury, 1B 5 0 2 2 0 1 Peyton Wilson, 2B 4 1 2 1 1 2 Elih Marrero, C 5 0 0 0 0 2 Alejo Lopez, SS 4 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Vince Velasquez 3 7 6 6 3 3 0 Ben Sears 2 2/3 2 0 0 0 3 0 Ryan Ramsey 2 1/3 1 1 1 0 4 1 Justin Topa 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Northwest Arkansas Held To Three Hits In A 9-0 Shutout Loss The Northwest Arkansas Naturals never found any traction at the plate and were shut out 9-0 by the Springfield Cardinals. Springfield needed two innings to warm up, then broke the game open with five runs in the third. Jesus Baez started it with a three-run homer, and Miguel Ugueto followed with a two-run double that scored Rainiel Rodriguez and Won-Bin Cho. Baez went on to add sacrifice flies in the fourth and sixth innings, driving in five runs on the night. Drew Beam absorbed the damage. The right-hander went four innings and was tagged for eight hits, seven earned runs, and a home run while striking out one and issuing no walks, dropping him to 5-9. Beam kept the ball around the strike zone, but Springfield squared him up repeatedly, and the Cardinals finished with 13 hits. The Royals' No. 13 prospect was helped by some stellar defense, especially by infielder Justin Johnson. The bullpen steadied things. Chase Jessee gave Northwest Arkansas three innings of one-run, one-hit ball with four strikeouts, and Brandon Johnson worked the final two innings and allowed a run on four hits. Northwest Arkansas managed just three hits. Carson Roccaforte doubled and walked to reach base twice, Luke Pelzer singled, and Omar Hernandez singled. The Naturals drew three walks, struck out 10 times, and stranded five runners. Sam Kulasingam and Spencer Nivens each worked a free pass without coming around to score, and the lineup never mounted a rally once it fell behind by five runs in the third inning. Northwest Arkansas didn't have a lot of scoring chances, going just 1-for-3 with runners in scoring position. The Naturals fell to 40-52 with the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte, CF 3 0 1 0 1 1 Luke Pelzer, LF 4 0 1 0 0 2 Sam Kulasingam, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 2 Spencer Nivens, RF 3 0 0 0 1 2 Daniel Vazquez, SS 4 0 0 0 0 1 Jorge Alfaro, DH 3 0 0 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez, C 3 0 1 0 0 0 Justin Johnson, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell, 1B 3 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam 4 8 7 7 0 1 1 Chase Jessee 3 1 1 1 1 4 0 Brandon Johnson 2 4 1 1 0 1 0 Shields Strikes Out Five But Quad Cities Falls 5-1 At Beloit The Quad Cities River Bandits never solved the Beloit pitching staff until the ninth inning and dropped a 5-1 decision to the Sky Carp. David Shields, the Royals' No. 2 prospect at Royals Keep, took the loss despite a serviceable outing. The left-hander pitched six innings, struck out five, and walked just one, but he was charged with seven hits and five earned runs, including a home run. Beloit jumped on him immediately, as Cody Schrier laced a two-run double in the first inning to make it 2-0. A groundout in the third, an Esmil Valencia solo homer in the fourth, and a second Schrier RBI double in the sixth accounted for the rest of the scoring against him. Shields fell to 8-5 on the season, but the back of the bullpen was sharp behind him. Nick Conte tossed a scoreless inning with a strikeout, and L.P. Langevin worked a scoreless frame of his own despite issuing two walks. Quad Cities put together seven hits and three walks, yet the offense could not string anything together. Chris Brito led the way with two hits and finally broke up the shutout in the ninth inning, singling home Derlin Figueroa. Tyriq Kemp and Angel Acosta each added two hits, and Jose Cerice reached twice with a single and a walk. Nolan Sailors went 0-for-3, and Asbel Gonzalez went 0-for-4 at the No. 1 and 2 spots in the order, which stunted their lineup overall and resulted in the River Bandits leaving five runners on base. Quad Cities didn't have many opportunities to generate runs, going 1-for-2 with runners in scoring position. The loss dropped the River Bandits back to .500 at 45-45. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors, RF 3 0 0 0 0 0 Asbel Gonzalez, CF 4 0 0 0 0 1 Derlin Figueroa, 3B 3 1 0 0 1 0 Chris Brito, DH 3 0 2 1 1 1 Jose Cerice, 1B 3 0 1 0 1 0 Erick Torres, LF 4 0 0 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp, SS 3 0 2 0 0 0 Ricson Gonzalez, C 3 0 0 0 0 2 Angel Acosta, 2B 3 0 2 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 6 7 5 5 1 5 1 Nick Conte 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 L.P. Langevin 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 Four-Run Sixth Sends Columbia Past Kannapolis 6-3 The Columbia Fireflies broke a sixth-inning tie with four runs and never looked back in a 6-3 win over the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. Ivan Sosa and Sean Gamble each collected three hits and two RBI to lead an 11-hit attack. Sosa put Columbia on the board in the second inning with a run-scoring single, then added another RBI single in the seventh. Gamble delivered the biggest swing of the night, a two-run double in the sixth that stretched the lead to 5-1. That sixth inning began with a wild pitch that plated two runs while Josh Hammond struck out swinging, an odd sequence that flipped the game after Kannapolis had tied it 1-1 in the fifth. Starter Darwin Rodriguez set the tone. He worked five innings, allowed one run on seven hits, walked nobody, and struck out five, keeping Columbia in a game that was still tight when he departed. Andy Basora followed with two innings and picked up the win to move to 4-3, and Henson Leal finished with two innings of one-run ball. Connor Rasmussen reached base three times on walks and scored twice, and Roni Cabrera added two hits and a walk out of the seven hole. Columbia stranded 12 runners, a total that could have made the finish uncomfortable, but Kannapolis managed only single runs in the fifth, seventh, and ninth innings despite piling up 12 hits of its own. The Fireflies went 5-for-19 with runners in scoring position. They are now 49-45 this season and are the only Royals affiliate with a record over .500. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, DH 5 1 1 0 0 2 Josh Hammond, SS 5 1 0 0 0 2 Sean Gamble, CF 4 0 3 2 1 1 JC Vanek, LF 4 0 1 0 0 3 Jhosmmel Zue, 1B 5 0 1 0 0 2 Connor Rasmussen, 2B 2 2 0 0 3 2 Roni Cabrera, RF 3 1 2 0 1 0 Ivan Sosa, 3B 4 1 3 2 0 0 Gabriel Silva, C 4 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Darwin Rodriguez 5 7 1 1 0 5 0 Andy Basora 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 Henson Leal 2 3 1 1 1 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (L, 8-5) Josh Hammond: 0-for-5, R, 2 K Blake Mitchell: DNP Sean Gamble: 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-4, K Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-3, 2B, BB, K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: 4 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 1 K, HR (L, 5-9) Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images One of the Royals' most productive hitters lately has been Isaac Collins, who was acquired this offseason in the Angel Zerpa trade with Milwaukee (along with reliever Nick Mears). For the season, Collins is hitting .246 with a .324 wOBA and 104 wRC+ in 343 plate appearances with the Royals. After a slow start, the 29-year-old outfielder has posted wRC+ marks of 98 in June and 162 in July after marks of 85 in March/April and 91 in May. While he hasn't been a huge source of power, he's shown a strong ability to generate walks and limit strikeouts, as evidenced by his 0.51 BB/K ratio for the year. The former Creighton product has been primarily locked in since Memorial Day, as Joel Penfield of KC Sports Network noted on Twitter. The nice thing about Collins is that the Royals have him under control for a good while after this season. He isn't arbitration eligible until 2028, and he doesn't become a free agent until 2031. Thus, Collins could be a foundational piece that the Royals can depend on going forward, even if Kansas City decides to upgrade their outfield even further this offseason via trade or free agency. That said, the Royals are 43-62. Bobby Witt Jr. just went on the IL due to a lower-back injury, and Maikel Garcia is still out for an indeterminate amount of time. Thus, the Royals really aren't playing for anything beyond pride and player development, and at nearly 30 years old, one has to wonder if Collins truly is a long-term piece for Kansas City. Lane Thomas and Starling Marte seem to be for-sure trade chips for Kansas City at the Trade Deadline. It makes sense since they are both on one-year deals and likely won't be part of the Royals' plans in 2027 or beyond. That said, what about Collins, who could perhaps get a better trade package than Thomas or Marte due to his long-term flexibility? Let's break down his trade candidacy, some possible fits, and whether the Royals should trade Collins by the August 3rd Deadline. Collins Doesn't Chase, But Has Questionable Batted-Ball Metrics (And Baserunning and Defense) The issue with Collins is that he has some obvious strengths as a hitter, but some glaring concerns that limit his ceiling. Those are evident in his Statcast percentiles summary via TJ Stats. On a positive note? Collins ranks well in O-Swing% (96th percentile), BB% (76th percentile), Z-Contact% (66th percentile), bat speed (66th percentile), and whiff% (62nd percentile). However, his barrel rate ranks in the 29th percentile, and his LA Sweet-Spot% and average EV rank in the 23rd percentile. Thus, it's not a surprise that his wOBA (35th percentile) outpaces his xwOBA (29th percentile), which is a sign that regression could be coming for Collins, especially after a strong July. It would be one thing if Collins were a patient hitter. His walk and whiff rates seem to suggest that. That said, he's actually quite free-swinging. That's illustrated in his 39.9% Swing%, which ranks in the bottom fifth percentile. That makes Collins prone to more strikeouts, and thus, a stunting of his ultimate ceiling. Hence, while Collins has been more-than-serviceable this year, Kansas City may be tempted to add a free-agent outfielder this offseason. Baltimore's Taylor Ward is not hitting for a ton of power this year, but he's dealt with lingering injuries, and if healthy, he could be a 20+ HR candidate. The Royals have been tied to Ward in the past when he was a member of the Angels. So Picollo may be aggressive and go after him now that he's a free agent. Another option could be Seiya Suzuki, who's having another banner year (17 home runs; .827 OPS), but will be a free agent, and the Cubs may not want to give him a long-term deal. The Royals have Jac Caglianone in right field and Kyle Isbel in center field. Those players seem less expendable than Collins, especially with Cags (1.4 fWAR) and Isbel (0.4 fWAR) combining for nearly two fWAR this year. The former Brewers outfielder only has a 0.5 fWAR, despite an above-average wRC+. The primary reason for that is his lackluster defense and baserunning. According to Fangraphs, Collins has been -2.4 BsR (baserunning runs) below average and has been caught five times on stolen base attempts in 11 tries. On the defensive end, he has a -3 OAA and FRV. His defense has been better after a sluggish start, but he's still been below-average overall. Isbel, on the other hand, has been a solid defensive player and baserunner in his Royals career. Cags' range has been questionable, but his arm strength makes him an intriguing right fielder who can limit runs on the basepaths. Collins doesn't share any of those qualities, and while his bat is good, it's not enough to merit playing time over a Ward or Suzuki in 2027. What Teams Could Be Fits for Collins? An interesting fit for Collins could be the Boston Red Sox, who seem to value former Brewers. They acquired Caleb Durbin this offseason, and he's overcome a slow start, producing a 90 wRC+ and 1.5 fWAR. Thus, Boston may want Collins, who can play both corners and draw walks. The Red Sox may be tempted to trade Jarren Duran to the Royals, a player that the Royals have coveted in the past. Duran has a 58 wRC+, has a -0.1 fWAR, and has seemed to rub the Boston media the wrong way, as evidenced by his latest incident with Tyler Milliken, who covers the Red Sox for the Section 10 podcast. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Duran could get a fresh start, and he doesn't become a free agent until 2029. Thus, Boston and Kansas City would be trading similar assets. For the Red Sox, they get a more versatile outfielder in Collins who doesn't carry the same number of headaches as Duran. As for the Royals, they get a player with some All-Star upside who may play better in a smaller market and with less "social media noise". The results haven't been good for Duran this year. However, the bat speed, exit velocity, and barrel rates illustrate that he could see a bounce-back, especially if he can take advantage of Kauffman's new hitting dimensions. Another option could be the Phillies, who have struggled to get productive outfield play beyond All-Star Brandon Marsh. Beyond Marsh (115 wRC+), only former White Sox outfielder Derek Hill has a wRC+ over 100 (106). That said, he has only 62 plate appearances, and his K% is 43.5%. Safe to say, he's going to fall back to earth soon, so they need to have another outfielder in the mix if they want to make a run in the postseason. Collins could fit in right field for the Phillies, and the Royals could maybe get a package that could include one of the Phillies' top-five prospects. That includes Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, Aroon Escobar, and Gage Wood. Painter, the Phillies' No. 1 prospect, has struggled in his brief MLB tenure (7.06 ERA in 65 IP), but the stuff is solid, and he could thrive with less pressure in Kansas City. Even though the Royals would lose Collins, they would get an arm with top-of-the-rotation upside. That would make trading Michael Wacha or Seth Lugo a lot easier at the Trade Deadline or in the offseason. While that seems like a steep price to pay from the Phillies' perspective, Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has proven, not just in Philly, but in Boston and Detroit as well, to be willing to trade prospects for proven veterans at the Deadline. What Will the Royals Do? The Royals probably believe that they have a chance to rebound and be competitive again in 2027. Thus, I think they are looking at preserving a core at the Deadline that can help get them back to 2024 and 2025 levels, when they won 86 and 82 games, respectively. That's why I see the Royals trading Wacha or Lugo, but not both. The Royals can't go into 2027 with Luinder Avila as their Opening Day starter and expect to make the postseason. However, while Collins has been decent and has years of team control, I think Picollo should deal Collins if they get the opportunity, with Boston and Philadelphia as the primary targets. With the Red Sox, the Royals could get a proven MLB vet with team control that has All-Star upside and could be due for a bounce-back in new surroundings. It would be a similar situation to Mike Yastrzemski last year, but in this case, the Royals would have Duran for two more seasons (unlike Yaz, who became a free agent after 2025). With the Phillies, Kansas City could get a flawed but talented pitcher who makes more sense on a developing Royals team than a Phillies team that is flush with veteran starting pitching. Painter could be Cole Ragans 2.0, but with a better health track record. Wood could also be a nice piece if the Phillies aren't willing to part with Painter, especially with Wood pitching well in Double-A Reading. The Royals keeping Collins would be fine, especially since he's done enough to prove that he can be counted on in the lineup for not just 2027, but perhaps 2028 and beyond. That said, Kansas City needs to look at trade scenarios for all their players, and if they get good value on Collins, they need to pounce quickly. The last thing they want is to hold onto a player like Collins too long, and he not only has tanked his trade value, but they're just designating him for assignment and releasing him in 2028 or 2029. View full article

The Royals affiliates went two and two on Thursday. Gavin Cross hit a go-ahead grand slam in the ninth to lift Omaha to a 12-to-9 win, and Columbia held on for a 2-to-1 victory behind Jose Gutierrez. Northwest Arkansas and Quad Cities each lost in extra innings, the Naturals falling 5-to-4 and the River Bandits dropping a 3-to-2 walk-off despite fourteen strikeouts on the mound. Royals Transactions No transactions were reported for the Kansas City Royals organization on July 23, 2026. Omaha Storm Chasers 12, Salt Lake 9: Cross Slam Caps a Comeback Omaha trailed 9 to 8 heading into the ninth inning and needed one swing to change the game. Gavin Cross provided it, driving a grand slam to right-center field that scored Peyton Wilson, Luca Tresh, and Alejo Lopez for a 12-to-9 lead. Cross finished 2 for 5 with a walk, a stolen base, and five runs batted in. The offense built the win across several innings. Omaha erased an early two-run hole with four runs in the third, capped by Brett Squires' two-run homer. Squires went 2 for 5 with two runs batted in. Kyle Isbel doubled twice, drove in two, and finished 3 for 4 from the leadoff spot. Tresh reached base four times on two hits and two walks, and he scored three times while adding a two-run single in the fifth. John Rave and Drew Waters each collected two hits, and the Storm Chasers piled up sixteen hits and seven walks as a team. The bullpen closed the door after Mason Black allowed six earned runs over four innings. Aaron Bummer struck out four across 1 1/3 scoreless innings, Jose Cuas followed with 1 1/3 hitless innings and two strikeouts to earn the win, and Anthony Gose recorded the final two outs in the ninth for his first save. Omaha pitchers combined for eleven strikeouts on the night. The Storm Chasers left nine runners on base and went 6-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Omaha improved their record to 46-52 with the win. Batter POS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Kyle Isbel CF 4 1 3 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 Alejo Lopez LF 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Gavin Cross RF 5 1 2 0 0 1 5 1 1 1 John Rave DH 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Brett Squires 1B 5 1 2 0 0 1 2 0 2 0 Jack Pineda SS 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Drew Waters CF 5 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 Brandon Drury 3B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 Abraham Toro 2B 4 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Peyton Wilson 2B 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Luca Tresh C 3 3 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 Totals 41 12 16 2 0 2 11 7 9 3 Pitcher IP H R ER BB K HR NP Dec Mason Black 4 11 7 6 0 4 2 86 Ethan Bosacker 1 2/3 2 2 2 3 1 0 34 Aaron Bummer 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 4 0 19 Jose Cuas 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 14 (W, 5-2) Anthony Gose 0 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 (S, 1) Totals 9 14 9 8 3 11 2 158 Northwest Arkansas Naturals Fall 5 to 4 in Ten Innings Northwest Arkansas rallied in front of the home crowd but could not hold a late lead, falling 5 to 4 in ten innings. The Naturals climbed back from a 3-to-1 deficit with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh, when Sam Kulasingam laced a two-run double to score Canyon Brown and Carson Roccaforte for a 4-to-3 edge. Kulasingam led the offense, going 2 for 4 with a double, a walk, and two runs batted in. Brown reached base three times on a double, a walk, and a run scored, and he drove in a run with a fifth-inning double. Daniel Vazquez added a run-scoring single in the sixth, and Luke Pelzer collected two hits. Roccaforte doubled and scored as part of a 1-for-5 night atop the order. The Naturals managed eight hits but struck out fifteen times and left runners on base in extras. Hunter Owen turned in a steady start, allowing three earned runs over 5 1/3 innings with three strikeouts. Anthony Simonelli and Frank Mozzicato bridged the middle innings, with Mozzicato striking out two in a scoreless frame for a hold. The bullpen could not protect the lead in the late innings. The tying run scored in the ninth, and the go-ahead run came home in the tenth after the zombie runner was placed at second base, saddling Augusto Mendieta with the loss and a blown save. The Naturals went 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. Northwest Arkansas is now 40-51 this season. Batter POS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Carson Roccaforte DH 5 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 Luke Pelzer CF 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Sam Kulasingam 3B 4 1 2 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 Spencer Nivens LF 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Daniel Vazquez SS 4 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 Colton Becker 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Justin Johnson 2B 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Alberto Rodriguez RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 Canyon Brown C 3 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 Stone Russell 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Totals 36 4 8 3 0 0 4 5 15 0 Pitcher IP H R ER BB K HR NP Dec Hunter Owen 5 1/3 8 3 3 1 3 0 82 Anthony Simonelli 1 2/3 1 0 0 0 0 0 16 Frank Mozzicato 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 18 (H, 3) Augusto Mendieta 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 48 (L, 3-5)(BS, 5) Totals 10 11 5 4 3 7 1 164 Quad Cities River Bandits Drop a 3-to-2 Walk-Off Despite 14 Strikeouts Quad Cities pitching was dominant, but the River Bandits could not push enough runs across and lost 3 to 2 on a walk-off in the tenth inning. The staff struck out fourteen batters and scattered just four hits over the night. Blake Wolters set the tone with five innings of one-run ball, striking out seven on only 57 pitches while allowing a lone solo homer. Aiden Jimenez and Kamden Edge followed with two scoreless innings apiece, and Edge punched out five in his outing. Chris Brito carried the offense, going 3 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. He gave the River Bandits a fourth-inning lead with a solo home run, his second of the year, and put them back in front in the tenth with a run-scoring single that plated Blake Mitchell, who had started the inning as the zombie runner. Erick Torres reached base three times on two hits and a walk, Asbel Gonzalez added two hits and a stolen base, and Jose Cerice chipped in two hits. The River Bandits collected ten hits and stole three bases, yet stranded runners throughout and struck out eleven times. The tenth turned against them when Yimi Presinal allowed two runs, taking the loss and a blown save as the winning run scored to end it. The River Bandits struggled to cash in runs despite collecting 10 hits as a team. They went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 total runners. The loss dropped Quad Cities' record to 45-44. Batter POS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Erick Torres RF 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 Asbel Gonzalez CF 5 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 Blake Mitchell C 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 Chris Brito 1B 4 1 3 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 Derlin Figueroa LF 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Jose Cerice 3B 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Trevor Werner DH 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Angel Acosta 2B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Diego Guzman SS 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 37 2 10 2 0 1 2 3 11 3 Pitcher IP H R ER BB K HR NP Dec Blake Wolters 5 1 1 1 2 7 1 57 Aiden Jimenez 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 24 Kamden Edge 2 1 0 0 0 5 0 35 Yimi Presinal 0 1/3 1 2 1 0 0 1 6 (L, 2-2)(BS, 4) Totals 9 1/3 4 3 2 2 14 2 122 Columbia Fireflies Hold On for a 2 to 1 Win Columbia needed only one inning of offense and made it stand, beating Kannapolis 2 to 1. The Fireflies pushed both of their runs across in the bottom of the first, then leaned on their pitching the rest of the way. Yandel Ricardo sparked the lineup, going 2 for 3 with a stolen base from the two-hole. Hyungchan Um also finished 2 for 3 and delivered a run-scoring single in the first to give Columbia the lead. Jhosmmel Zue drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly, and Sean Gamble added a hit and a run scored. Henry Ramos drew a walk and scored the tying run, while Angel Ramirez and Ivan Sosa each singled. The Fireflies totaled seven hits and left only six runners on base. Gutierrez earned the win with a strong start, allowing one earned run over 5 2/3 innings with three strikeouts. Hunter Alberini recorded a hold with 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and two strikeouts, and Jhon Reyes closed it out with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts for his fourth save. Columbia pitchers combined for eight strikeouts and did not allow a home run, keeping Kannapolis to a single run and locking down the one-run win. The Fireflies went 2-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded two runners in the win. Columbia improved their record to 48-45. Batter POS AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB Henry Ramos LF 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 Yandel Ricardo SS 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Sean Gamble CF 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Jhosmmel Zue 1B 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 Hyungchan Um C 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Connor Rasmussen 2B 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Angel Ramirez RF 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Josi Novas DH 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ivan Sosa 3B 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 26 2 7 0 0 0 2 1 4 1 Pitcher IP H R ER BB K HR NP Dec Jose Gutierrez 5 2/3 4 1 1 3 3 0 87 (W, 8-3) Hunter Alberini 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 25 (H, 3) Jhon Reyes 2 1 0 0 0 3 0 28 (S, 4) Totals 9 6 1 1 3 8 0 140 Top-20 Prospect Performance 1. Kendry Chourio, Quad Cities River Bandits: DNP 2. David Shields, Quad Cities River Bandits: DNP 3. Josh Hammond, Columbia Fireflies: DNP 4. Blake Mitchell, Quad Cities River Bandits: 0 for 5, 1 run, 3 strikeouts 5. Sean Gamble, Columbia Fireflies: 1 for 3, 1 run, 1 strikeout 6. Ramon Ramirez: DNP 7. Zion Rose: DNP 8. Asbel Gonzalez, Quad Cities River Bandits: 2 for 5, 1 stolen base, 2 strikeouts 9. Carson Roccaforte, Northwest Arkansas Naturals: 1 for 5, 1 run, 1 double, 3 strikeouts 10. Taylor Rabe: DNP 11. Yandel Ricardo, Columbia Fireflies: 2 for 3, 1 stolen base 12. Justin Lamkin: DNP 13. Drew Beam, Northwest Arkansas Naturals: DNP 14. Michael Lombardi, Columbia Fireflies: DNP 15. Jack Slightom: DNP 16. Felix Arronde, Northwest Arkansas Naturals: DNP 17. Angeibel Gomez, DSL Royals Ventura: 1 for 4 18. Ben Kudrna: DNP 19. Steven Zobac, Northwest Arkansas Naturals: DNP 20. Blake Wolters, Quad Cities River Bandits: 5 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts, 1 home run allowed View full article

David Shields spun five scoreless innings with four strikeouts as the Quad Cities River Bandits beat Wisconsin, and Darwin Rodriguez fired six strong frames for the Columbia Fireflies. Josh Hammond went 5 for 5, and Yandel Ricardo homered and drove in three in Columbia's rout. Matthew Lugo and John Rave supplied the offense as Omaha topped Lehigh Valley. Drew Beam battled six innings, but Northwest Arkansas fell to Midland despite Connor Scott's two-run home run. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals traded RF Rudy Martin Jr. to the Baltimore Orioles for cash. Storm Chasers Rally Past IronPigs Behind Lugo And Rave, 6-2 The Omaha Storm Chasers rallied from an early deficit to beat the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, 6-2. Kameron Misner opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first, but Lehigh Valley grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third on a two-run single. Omaha answered in the bottom of the fifth when Lugo laced a two-run double to plate Elih Marrero and Rave, putting the Storm Chasers ahead for good at 3-2. From there, Omaha steadily pulled away, adding a run in the sixth on a Brandon Drury fielder's choice, another in the seventh, and a Rave solo home run, his 12th, in the eighth. Lugo finished 2 for 5 with a double, a triple, and two RBI, while Misner also collected two hits with a double and a triple. Rave reached three times, drawing two walks to go with his homer, and Marrero added two hits. Omaha utilized a bullpen-heavy strategy in the victory. Veteran Vince Velasquez turned in the longest and sharpest outing, working three scoreless innings, allowing one hit, and striking out three to earn the win. Starter Stephen Kolek, on a rehab assignment, gave up both runs on six hits over 2 2/3 innings, and Easton McGee, recently acquired from Milwaukee, bridged the middle with two shutout innings and three strikeouts. Anthony Gose closed it out with no runs and a strikeout in the ninth. The Storm Chasers left eight runners on base, one more than Lehigh Valley's seven. They also went 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position. Omaha improved to 42-52 for the season. Player AB R H RBI BB K John Rave 3 2 1 1 2 1 Matthew Lugo 5 1 2 2 0 0 Kameron Misner 4 1 2 1 0 2 Brett Squires 3 0 0 0 1 0 Drew Waters 4 1 1 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 1 0 0 2 Brandon Drury 4 0 0 1 0 0 Elih Marrero 4 1 2 0 0 0 Andrew Velazquez 3 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Stephen Kolek 2 2/3 6 2 2 0 3 0 Ben Sears 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Vince Velasquez 3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Easton McGee 2 1 0 0 1 3 0 Anthony Gose 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Naturals Fall To RockHounds As Seventh-Inning Rally Sinks Beam, 8-2 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals managed just five hits and dropped an 8-2 decision to the Midland RockHounds. Scott accounted for most of the offense, homering in the second inning for an early 1-0 lead and later doubling home No. 18 prospect Daniel Vazquez in the ninth. Scott finished 2 for 4 with a home run, a double, and two RBI. Midland tied the game in the third and edged ahead in the sixth before breaking things open in the seventh. In that seventh inning, the RockHounds sent a string of hitters to the plate and pushed across five runs, turning a one-run game into a 7-1 lead. Brennan Milone added a solo home run in the ninth to cap the scoring. No. 7 prospect Beam pitched well in a losing effort, working six innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Unfortunately, the bullpen struggled behind him. Former first-round Draft pick Frank Mozzicato retired just one batter while walking four and being charged with four runs in the seventh, and that wildness allowed Midland to seize control. Zachary Cawyer followed with 1 2/3 innings, and Tyson Guerrero surrendered the ninth-inning homer. No. 8 prospect Carson Roccaforte singled and walked atop the order, and Vazquez collected a hit and scored a run. Northwest Arkansas left seven runners on base and went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Naturals fall to 37-50. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 3 0 1 0 1 0 Jack Pineda 3 0 1 0 1 1 Sam Kulasingam 3 0 0 0 1 2 Spencer Nivens 3 0 0 0 1 0 Daniel Vazquez 4 1 1 0 0 2 Connor Scott 4 1 2 2 0 0 Canyon Brown 4 0 0 0 0 1 Alberto Rodriguez 4 0 0 0 0 2 Justin Johnson 3 0 0 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam 6 6 2 2 2 4 0 Frank Mozzicato 1/3 0 4 4 4 1 0 Zachary Cawyer 1 2/3 2 1 1 0 2 0 Tyson Guerrero 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 Shields And River Bandits Blank Timber Rattlers Early In 6-2 Win The Quad Cities River Bandits jumped on Wisconsin early and cruised to a 6-2 win over the Timber Rattlers in a seven-inning contest. Nolan Sailors got things started with a solo home run in the third, his fourth of the year, and Jose Cerice followed with an RBI single as Quad Cities built a 2-0 lead. The River Bandits blew the game open in the fifth, scoring three times on a Luke Pelzer RBI triple and back-to-back sacrifice flies from Derlin Figueroa and Erick Torres. No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell was a catalyst at the top of the order, reaching base four times on two doubles and two walks while scoring twice. Sailors added a stolen base to his home run, Pelzer tripled and drove in a run, and No. 9 prospect Asbel Gonzalez singled and scored. The lineup struck out just once as a team. On the mound, Shields, the Royals' No. 2 prospect, was dominant. The left-hander spun five scoreless innings, scattering two hits with no walks and four strikeouts to pick up the win. L.P. Langevin handled the final two innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on a home run while striking out four. Quad Cities left seven runners on base, went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, and out-hit Wisconsin 7 to 4 while coasting to the victory. The win pushed the River Bandits' record to over .500, as they are now 43-42 for the season. The second game of a scheduled doubleheader was canceled due to deteriorating air quality in Appleton from the Canadian fires. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 1 1 1 0 0 Asbel Gonzalez 4 1 1 0 0 0 Blake Mitchell 2 2 2 0 2 0 Luke Pelzer 4 1 1 1 0 0 Jose Cerice 1 1 1 1 0 0 Derlin Figueroa 3 0 1 1 0 0 Erick Torres 3 0 0 1 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 3 0 0 0 0 1 Angel Acosta 3 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 5 2 0 0 0 4 0 L.P. Langevin 2 2 2 1 1 4 1 Hammond and Ricardo Power Fireflies Past RiverDogs, 9-2 The Columbia Fireflies pounded out 14 hits and rolled to a 9-2 victory over the Charleston RiverDogs. Hammond, the Royals' No. 3 prospect, set the tone at the top of the order, going a perfect 5 for 5 with two doubles and two runs scored. Ricardo, the Royals' No. 10 prospect, was the biggest run producer, homering in the fourth to give Columbia a 2-1 lead and finishing 3 for 4 with a home run, three RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. After Charleston scratched across a run in the first, the Fireflies took control with a three-run sixth. No. 6 prospect Sean Gamble delivered an RBI single, and Columbia added two more on bases-loaded walks to Hyungchan Um and Connor Rasmussen, stretching the lead to 5-1. The visitors tacked on two more in the eighth on another pair of walks and put the game away in the ninth when Rasmussen launched a two-run homer. Rasmussen finished 2 for 4 with the home run and three RBI, and Gamble drove in two runs. Left-handed starter Rodriguez was excellent, working six innings and allowing just one run on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts to earn the win. Jhon Reyes, Randy Ramnarace, and Hunter Alberini combined for the final three innings out of the bullpen. Columbia stranded 10 runners and went 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Despite those questionable numbers, they had more than enough offense, out-hitting Charleston 14 to 5. The win propelled the Fireflies to over .500, as they now sit at 45-44 for the season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 5 1 0 0 1 3 Josh Hammond 5 2 5 0 0 0 Yandel Ricardo 4 2 3 3 1 1 Sean Gamble 4 1 1 2 1 3 Jhosmmel Zue 5 0 2 0 0 0 Stone Russell 4 1 0 0 1 2 Hyungchan Um 4 0 0 1 1 1 Connor Rasmussen 4 1 2 3 1 1 Angel Ramirez 5 1 1 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Darwin Rodriguez 6 2 1 1 2 5 0 Jhon Reyes 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 Randy Ramnarace 1 1 0 0 2 3 0 Hunter Alberini 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: W, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K for Quad Cities. Josh Hammond: 5 for 5 with two doubles and two runs scored for Columbia. Blake Mitchell: 2 for 2 with two doubles, two walks, and two runs scored for Quad Cities. Sean Gamble: 1 for 4 with two RBI, a walk, and a run scored for Columbia. Ramon Ramirez: DNP Drew Beam: L, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K for Northwest Arkansas. Carson Roccaforte: 1 for 3 with a walk for Northwest Arkansas. Asbel Gonzalez: 1 for 4 with a run scored for Quad Cities. Yandel Ricardo: 3 for 4 with a home run, three RBI, a walk, and a stolen base for Columbia. Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1 for 4 with a run scored for Northwest Arkansas. Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: DNP View full article

Kendry ChourioDavid ShieldsJosh HammondZion RoseBlake MitchellSean GambleRamon RamirezTyler RabeAngeibel GomezYandel RicardoMichael LombardiJustin LamkinJack SlightomAsbel GonzalezCarson RoccaforteL.P. LangevinDrew BeamBen KudrnaSteven ZobacCameron Millar

Image courtesy of Dylan Widger-Imagn Images On Saturday before their game against the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals held a press conference to announce the signing of Zion Rose, their first-round selection in the 2026 MLB Draft. According to Anne Rogers, the Royals agreed to a $5,809,574 signing bonus. That was well under the slot amount of $7,746,100 for the sixth overall selection in this year's Draft. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Rose was seen as a mid-to-late first-round pick in this past MLB Draft. However, much of that was due to an injury that sidelined him at the beginning of the season. When healthy, was excellent on the field. In 173 plate appearances, Rose hit .417 with a 147 wRC+. He had six home runs, scored 44 runs, collected 47 RBI, and stole 24 bases. He also showed strong contact ability with a meager 8.7% K% and a BB/K ratio of 1.27. Many in the organization feel that Rose could continue to develop as a hitter in the Royals system, and that he was one of the most polished hitters in the Draft after being selected No. 4. That included Brian Bridges, who spoke about Rose on the Royals Pipeline podcast on Friday. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== With nearly $2 million saved, the Royals will likely use this amount to sign overslot selections like pitchers Taylor Rabe (No. 30 overall), Jack Slightom (No. 59 overall), and Hudson DeVaughan (No. 569 overall), as well as shortstop Camden Johnson (No. 269 overall). Rose is the first signee to be made official by the Royals. We will be keeping a tracker of Royals Draft Picks and how much they sign for at our Draft Tracker on Royals Keep. MLB teams have until July 27th to sign all their Draft picks. Those who go unsigned can return to or attend college, or play in Independent League baseball. View full article

Omaha edged Lehigh Valley 2-1 on solo home runs from Kameron Misner and Brett Squires, with Mason Black striking out seven over 5 1/3 innings. Carson Roccaforte homered in the ninth and singled home the winning run as Northwest Arkansas walked off Midland 7-6 in 10 innings. Quad Cities outslugged Wisconsin 13-10 on Luke Pelzer's five RBI, and Columbia edged Charleston 5-4 behind Yandel Ricardo's two RBI and Andy Basora's save. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Squires, Misner Homer As Storm Chasers Edge Lehigh Valley The Omaha Storm Chasers rode two solo home runs to a 2-1 win over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs on Saturday. Misner and Squires each homered, and Black struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings before the bullpen finished with 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Misner, just recently optioned to Omaha before the All-Star Break, opened the scoring with a solo home run to right center in the first inning. Lehigh Valley tied it in the sixth on a Dylan Moore solo homer, but Squires answered in the bottom of the seventh, driving a solo shot to right center that held up as the winning run. Matthew Lugo, Gavin Cross, and Andrew Velazquez had Omaha's other hits, and Velazquez stole a base. Black, who's made the transition back to the rotation in Omaha, started and allowed one run on two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. The Storm Chasers relied on a trio of veteran arms to carry them to a victory over the Iron Pigs on Friday. Dan Altavilla worked around two walks in 1 1/3 scoreless innings, and Jose Cuas retired all four batters he faced to earn the win. Justin Topa pitched a perfect ninth for the save. Omaha managed five hits and left four runners on base. They went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. The Storm Chasers are now 41-52 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K John Rave 4 0 0 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo 4 0 1 0 0 2 Kameron Misner 4 1 1 1 0 0 Brett Squires 3 1 1 1 0 0 Abraham Toro 3 0 0 0 0 2 Gavin Cross 3 0 1 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 2 0 0 0 1 0 Luca Tresh 3 0 0 0 0 1 Andrew Velazquez 3 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason Black 5 1/3 2 1 1 0 7 1 Dan Altavilla 1 1/3 0 0 0 2 0 0 Jose Cuas 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Justin Topa 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Roccaforte Walks It Off As Naturals Edge Midland In 10 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals walked off the Midland RockHounds 7-6 in 10 innings on Saturday. Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 8 prospect, homered in the ninth to tie the game and singled home the winning run in the 10th, finishing 2-for-6 with two RBI. Omar Hernandez and Alberto Rodriguez each added two hits, and Colton Becker reached base three times with three walks and two steals. Northwest Arkansas scored in each of the first two innings, with the first run of the game being driven in by No. 18 prospect Daniel Vazquez. The Naturals pushed the lead to 5-2 in the sixth on a Jorge Alfaro run and a Rodriguez double-play grounder. Midland answered with a four-run seventh to take a 6-5 lead, and the game stayed there into the ninth, when Roccaforte homered to right field to force extra innings. In the 10th, Midland stranded its zombie runner at third without scoring. Northwest Arkansas then won it in the bottom half, as Alfaro was hit by a pitch and Roccaforte lined a single to right that scored zombie runner Becker. Former Kansas City Monarchs pitcher Grant Gambrell started and allowed two runs over five innings with three strikeouts and a home run. Anthony Simonelli was charged with four runs in the seventh without recording an out, but Dennis Colleran Jr. and Brandon Johnson steadied the bullpen, and Augusto Mendieta worked a scoreless 10th to earn the win. The Naturals stranded 11 runners on base and went 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Northwest Arkansas improved their record to 37-49 with the victory. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 6 1 2 2 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 1 1 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 2 0 0 0 3 1 Spencer Nivens 5 0 0 0 0 1 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 1 1 1 0 Colton Becker 2 3 0 0 3 0 Jorge Alfaro 3 1 0 0 1 0 Omar Hernandez 5 1 2 1 0 0 Alberto Rodriguez 5 0 2 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Grant Gambrell 5 3 2 2 2 3 1 Brandon Johnson 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Anthony Simonelli 0 1 4 4 2 0 0 Tommy Molsky 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 Augusto Mendieta 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Pelzer Drives In Five As River Bandits Outslug Wisconsin The Quad Cities River Bandits outslugged the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers 13-10 on Saturday. Pelzer drove in five runs on two hits, including a three-run double, No. 9 prospect Asbel Gonzalez scored four times with two hits and two stolen bases, and Jose Cerice homered and drove in three. Trailing 3-1, Quad Cities got a two-run homer from Cerice in the third and then blew the game open with a five-run fourth, sending 10 men to the plate. No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell, No. 6 prospect Ramon Ramirez, Pelzer, and Erick Torres each drew a bases-loaded walk or reached to force in a run, and Cerice was hit by a pitch that plated another. Wisconsin clawed back to tie it 8-8, but the River Bandits pulled away with a run in the seventh and a decisive four-run rally capped by Pelzer's three-run double. Mitchell added an RBI single in the ninth for insurance. Tanner Jones earned the win with three innings of two-run relief and six strikeouts. Blake Wolters started the game with two innings, struggling with control in his first outing after the All-Star Break. The Royals' No. 15 prospect allowed three runs on four hits and four walks. Aiden Jimenez and No. 20 prospect Kamden Edge each worked two innings as Quad Cities held on despite Wisconsin's 14 hits. The River Bandits left nine runners on base and went 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities is now back to .500 at 42-42. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez 5 4 2 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 2 1 2 2 1 Ramon Ramirez 4 2 0 2 2 3 Luke Pelzer 4 1 2 5 2 1 Jose Cerice 3 1 2 3 0 1 Derlin Figueroa 5 0 1 0 0 2 Erick Torres 4 1 1 1 1 0 Tyriq Kemp 3 1 1 0 2 1 Angel Acosta 4 1 2 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters 2 4 3 3 4 2 0 Aiden Jimenez 2 2 3 3 1 0 1 Tanner Jones 3 5 2 2 2 6 0 Kamden Edge 2 3 2 2 0 1 0 Ricardo, Hammond Lead Fireflies Past Charleston The Columbia Fireflies collected 13 hits and held on to beat the Charleston RiverDogs 5-4 on Saturday. No. 3 prospect Josh Hammond went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs, No. 10 prospect Ricardo went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI, and Hyungchan Um homered. Columbia struck first in the opening inning when Ricardo singled home Hammond. Charleston briefly went ahead with a two-run first, but the Fireflies retook the lead in the third on a No. 5 prospect Sean Gamble run-scoring single. Um provided the eventual difference in the fourth, launching a solo home run to left center for a 4-3 lead. Ricardo added an insurance run in the seventh, tripling home Roni Cabrera for a 5-3 lead. Charleston pushed a run across in the eighth, but the Fireflies closed it out from there. Hammond and Stone Russell each had two hits to go with Ricardo's and Gamble's pair of base knocks. Jose Gutierrez earned the win with five innings of three-run, two-earned ball and three strikeouts. Henson Leal followed with two scoreless innings and two strikeouts. After Dash Albus allowed a run in the eighth, Basora recorded the final 1 1/3 innings without a hit to earn the save. The Fireflies went 4-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded five runners on base. Columbia is back to .500 after the victory, with their record now 44-44. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 5 0 0 0 0 1 Josh Hammond 4 2 3 0 0 1 Yandel Ricardo 3 0 2 2 0 0 Sean Gamble 4 0 2 1 0 0 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 0 0 1 JC Vanek 4 1 1 0 0 0 Stone Russell 4 0 2 0 0 1 Hyungchan Um 3 1 1 1 1 1 Roni Cabrera 3 1 1 0 1 0 Angel Ramirez 0 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez 5 5 3 2 3 3 0 Henson Leal 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 Dash Albus 2/3 2 1 1 0 0 0 Andy Basora 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 R, K Blake Mitchell: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, K Sean Gamble: 2-for-4, RBI Ramon Ramirez: 0-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-6, HR, 2 RBI, R Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 4 R, 2 SB, K Yandel Ricardo: 2-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: 2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 2 K Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-4, RBI, BB Kamden Edge: 2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 K Warren Calcano: 1-for-3, 3 R, 2 BB View full article

Image courtesy of Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images One of the more disappointing players this year has been relief pitcher Lucas Erceg. When he was acquired at the Trade Deadline from the Athletics in 2024, Erceg looked to be exactly what the Royals needed in the bullpen. In 23 IP and 25 appearances with the Royals in 2024, the former Cal product posted a 2.88 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, 1.88 FIP, and an insane 28.9% K-BB%. From August 1st until the end of the year, Erceg was arguably one of the most dominant relievers in the American League, and his Statcast percentiles that season proved it. Unfortunately, the last two years haven't been as rosy for the right-handed reliever. Erceg seemed to be bothered by a lingering minor back injury. Despite this, he still pitched 61.1 IP and posted a 2.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. While those numbers were impressive on the surface, the more advanced metrics weren't as kind. Erceg's FIP was 3.46, and his K-BB% was 12%, down from his overall 22.1% K-BB% with the Athletics and Royals in 2024. The biggest red flag was his decline in K% from 2024 to 2025. After producing a 28.5% K% in 2024 with the A's and Royals, he saw his K% regress to 19.4% in 2025. Furthermore, his whiff rate went from 31% in 2024 to 24.7% in 2025, and his CSW% went from 32.2% in 2024 to 27% in 2025. He also saw lackluster percentile rankings across many categories in 2025, per TJ Stats. It wasn't as if Erceg was bad in 2025. He was still one of the Royals' best relievers, even though he wasn't the primary closer (that role belonged to All-Star Carlos Estevez). That said, he wasn't as elite in 2025 as he was in that brief tenure in Kansas City in 2024, especially in their push to the postseason (and in the playoffs against Baltimore and New York as well). This year has been even worse for Erceg, as he looks like a shell of his 2024 Royals or former Athletics self. In 38 games and 37 IP, he has a 5.11 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 4.99 FIP, and 3.6% K-BB%. His K% is 16.4%, down 2.9% from a year ago, and his 24.2% CSW is 2.8% down as well. To make matters worse, Erceg has seen a spike in home runs allowed this year. His 13.8% HR/FB% is 5.3% higher than a year ago. One would think that Erceg may be seeing a decline in his velocity or stuff. And while the TJ Stuff+ numbers have seen a regression, his fastball velocity still ranks in the upper percentiles of the league. Unfortunately, most of his other percentile ranks are near the bottom, as illustrated below. Erceg is not a lost cause based on this Statcast profile. He's still limiting barrels and exit velocity on batted balls at a decent clip, and his extension is encouraging as well. Unfortunately, when it comes to generating whiffs (26th percentile) and strikes in general (24th percentile zone rate), he's seen a massive regression, and he's been hard to utilize in high-leverage spots for the Royals, which was far from the case in 2025 and 2024. So what do the Royals do with Erceg, especially at 31 and with his first year of arbitration eligibility this offseason? Instead of just trotting him out in relief and "hoping" he figures it out, the Royals should take a risk and do something bold with Erceg's development: They should transition him to a starting role. Why This Makes Sense for Erceg Now, at 31 years of age, some Royals fans may be asking this: Isn't Erceg too old for this? Well, not really, especially when one looks at his current roster status. Erceg has 2.136 years of service time, according to Fangraphs. That allows him to be still optioned to Triple-A Omaha. Erceg has all three Minor League options remaining, so he can move down to the Minor Leagues to work on this transition, if necessary. Considering the Royals are 21 games under .500, this may be the best opportunity for Erceg to make this move. He's not really helping the bullpen right now anyway. By going down to Omaha (or the Complex League or Double-A Northwest Arkansas, if necessary), he gets to work on stretching out as a starter. In contrast, a reliever or another pitcher in the Minor Leagues (Steven Zobac, perhaps) gets a shot to prove if he can be a part of this Royals pitching staff in 2027 and beyond. Now, Erceg also could make the transition to the rotation more easily than some relievers. Unlike some pitchers, he is not a 2-pitch pitcher like some typical relievers. Erceg sports four pitches in his repertoire, with three of those four posting TJ Stuff+ marks at or above average this season, according to his TJ Stuff+ summary below. His slider (102) and changeup (107) are his best offerings, with his slider (102) being his third-best on a TJ Stuff+ end. His four-seamer doesn't rate well on a TJ Stuff+ end (96), but it has above-average velocity at 97.2 MPH. Furthermore, not only does he have above-average velocity on three of his four offerings, but he also varies his pitches, with three of his offerings (four-seamer, slider, and sinker) being thrown 25% or more (his changeup, while utilized the least, still is thrown 13.9% of the time). That's a strong base for the Royals Pitching Development team to work with. With a four-pitch mix, three decent pitches, he could transition to the rotation and focus more on sharpening the quality and usage over more innings of work. Furthermore, he could add a pitch or two, which would not only diversify his repertoire but also perhaps enhance his other offerings, especially his whiff rate, which is below average at 21.5%. What's interesting about Erceg's history is that he once had five pitches while with the Athletics. He threw a cutter in 2023, and the pitch performed decently, according to TJ Stuff+ summary data. He threw the cutter only 4.5% of the time in 2023, which is minuscule. He also struggled to throw it for strikes, as evidenced by his 21.3% zone rate. Because of those factors, hitters tended to lay off it, only chasing 13.5% of the time. And yet, when they did swing, they were often unsuccessful. His cutter had a 40% whiff rate and a .354 xwOBACON, both above-average marks. As a reliever, it makes sense that he eliminated the pitch in 2024. Relievers should have quality pitches, even if it's fewer. As a starter, however, a more diverse pitch mix is necessary. Erceg bringing back the cutter, and perhaps adding another breaking ball (a sweeper or curve), could help give him the arsenal he needs to succeed in the transition to starting. Furthermore, moving to the rotation could help him find a more even keel on the mound. Erceg is known for his intensity, and he demonstrated that on May 2nd when he accidentally cussed during a postgame interview with Joel Goldberg due to the adrenaline of closing out the game. I wonder if that high adrenaline is having a counterproductive effect on Erceg now, especially as he is struggling this year. Thus, moving to the rotation could perhaps get his composure back and help him focus more on his pitches and mix rather than those highly stressful spots later in games where everything is riding on him for an inning. Being a starter again could not just help him get his career back on track. It could also help him become a better pitcher, especially since he'll be able to work intentionally more on his mix and pitch quality. Those skills would be transferable, even if he moves back to the bullpen if the starting experiment doesn't go right. There Are Success Stories For Erceg to Follow We typically hear success stories of pitchers moving from the rotation to the bullpen to revitalize their careers. Wade Davis is the most well-known one, as he went from a mediocre starter with Tampa Bay and Kansas City to being one of the best closers in the game from 2014 to 2017. However, there have been success stories. The Rays' Griffin Jax, the Mets' Clay Holmes, and even the Royals' own Seth Lugo are examples that Erceg could emulate. Jax was moved to the rotation during the season after a brutal start as the Rays' initial closer. After posting an 8.00 ERA in 9.0 IP as a reliever, he transitioned to the rotation and posted a 2.80 ERA in 61 IP. When looking at his splits from last year and this year, not much has changed in his percentiles, though he has thrived as a starter despite a lackluster zone rate. Despite the inconsistent control, he still generates whiffs, CSW, and GB%. Those are all traits that Erceg has demonstrated in the past (including the lackluster zone rate this year). Holmes is another arm that made the transition from a beleaguered reliever with the Yankees to a dependable starting pitcher with the Mets. As a starter in 2025, he posted a 3.53 ERA and 1.9 fWAR in 165.2 IP. He was actually having a better year this year with a 2.39 ERA in 52.2 IP before going down due to a fibula injury that put him on the 60-Day IL. When looking at his Statcast comparison from 2024, his last season as a reliever, to 2025, his first season as a starter, Holmes actually saw a lot of his percentiles decline. And yet, despite regression in many categories as the load increased, Holmes still managed to be a valuable and dependable starter for the Mets a season ago. Holmes regressed heavily in generating whiffs, CSW, and strikeouts. That said, his ability to generate groundballs and limit barrels continued in Queens. As a result, he had a successful year as a middle-of-the-rotation starter. Erceg has demonstrated the same ability as Holmes to limit barrels and induce a lot of groundballs. Thus, it's feasible to see Erceg develop into a Holmes 2.0 if given the opportunity. Lastly, let's take a look at Lugo, who went from a quality reliever with the Mets in 2022 to a starter with the Padres in 2023. The former AL Cy Young finalist saw a decrease in whiffs and CSW, but an increase in zone rate, strike rate, and groundball rate in the transition. The results for Lugo in 2023? A 3.57 ERA and 2.9 fWAR with the Padres in 26 starts and 146.1 IP. That performance earned him two big paydays from the Royals. Thus, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Erceg could find success as a starter like Jax, Holmes, or Lugo. Erceg shares many of the same profile traits as those three pitchers. Furthermore, like all three of those pitchers, Erceg has nothing to lose with a move from the bullpen to the rotation. It will require some time in the farm system, perhaps for the remainder of the year, depending on how quickly he adapts. That said, there is a path for Erceg to find success in this move. Jax, Holmes, and Lugo did it. Hopefully, the Royals will help Erceg be the next reliever-to-starter success story. View full article

Image courtesy of Kyle Ross-Imagn Images With the All-Star Game behind us, the next major event in baseball is the Trade Deadline on Monday, August 3rd. With a 38-59 record and 0.2% odds of making the postseason, the Royals need to take advantage of the trading period, hoping to acquire talent that can impact the organization at both the Major and Minor League levels. The Royals aren't necessarily "flush" with tradeable assets right now. Many of their best assets are hurt (Kyle Isbel, Kris Bubic, and Carlos Estevez), or have lost a tremendous amount of value since last season. However, that doesn't mean the Royals should or will sit on their hands over the next few weeks. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if the Royals made some of those tough trade decisions, even if it meant losing some popular players. Thus, let's look at three possible trades for Kansas City by the August 3rd Trade Deadline and why those deals could make sense for the respective teams and the Royals. Pitcher Alex Lange to the Chicago Cubs for Infielder James Triantos The Cubs are desperate for relief help. While they rank 16th in bullpen ERA, they are anchored heavily by closer Jacob Webb. After that, it's shaky, especially with so many relievers on the IL (Daniel Palencia, Hunter Harvey, Hoby Milner) or struggling on the mound (Phil Maton and Drew Pomeranz). The North Siders need someone who can produce not just strikeouts, but swing-and-miss ability as well. Lange could be the right fit for this lackluster Cubs bullpen. Northside Baseball brought up Lange as a possibility, saying this about the 30-year-old Royals reliever: There are plenty of issues with Lange's profile. He gives up a lot of hard contact, and his control is spotty, even if it has improved since he took over the closer's job. However, Lange generates whiffs and throws heat. That's a profile that the Cubs want and can work with. (Remember Brad Keller last year?) Lange doesn't have any Minor League options, but he has two years of club control after this season. Furthermore, he's currently pretty cheap, making only $900K. Thus, the Cubs could not just get a strong reliever, but one with plenty of financial flexibility. That is valuable, even for a club as flush as the Cubs. An option the Royals could get back in return is Triantos, a 23-year-old infielder who's stuck in Triple-A. The former 2021 second-round pick is hitting well in Triple-A Iowa with a .311 average and 100 wRC+ in 355 plate appearances. He also has seven home runs and 18 stolen bases. Triantos doesn't offer much power or exit velocity on batted balls, but he doesn't whiff and doesn't strike out, two skills the Royals have really valued in hitters. Triantos is on the Cubs' 40-man roster. That said, he's currently blocked by Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner, both of whom are on long-term deals. Thus, the 23-year-old infielder could be a fit in Kansas City, especially as a right-handed bat. At the very least, he could platoon with Michael Massey at second base for now, and perhaps get more playing time at other positions if he can hold his own at the plate. Furthermore, Triantos carries plenty of long-term value, especially with no service time on his clock just yet. Outfielder Lane Thomas to Atlanta for Pitchers Drue Hackenberg and Luis Vargas The Braves are at the top of the NL East and have been comfortably so for a while. However, the Phillies and Marlins have been closing in fast, with Philadelphia just two games behind and Miami four games behind at the All-Star Break. Thus, Atlanta needs to beef up their roster, especially on the hitting end. Michael Harris II has been great, but the rest of the outfield is a bit suspect. Mauricio Dubon and Eli White just aren't going to cut it, and while he's hurt, Mike Yastrzemski was inconsistent when he was healthy. Add that to questions regarding Ronald Acuna Jr. and his hamstring, and it makes sense that Atlanta could pursue Thomas to add some much-needed depth in the outfield. Thomas' 102 wRC+ is 20 points higher than White's and just 1 point lower than Dubon's. Furthermore, Thomas can play centerfield against lefties when Harris needs a night off. The former National and Guardian has thrived since getting everyday playing time, and his ability to not chase, launch the ball, and pull the ball in the air consistently should intrigue Atlanta. In exchange, the Royals would receive two talented but flawed pitchers currently in the Braves' farm system. The prize of the bunch would be Hackenberg, a 24-year-old former Virginia Tech pitcher. A second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Hackenberg has a 4.88 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 4.17 FIP, and 14.4% K-BB% in five outings and 24 IP with Gwinnett. The stuff and extension haven't been great for Hackenberg, but he's generated a lot of whiffs, a lot of strikes, and a lot of weak contact, according to TJ Stats Statcast percentiles. Considering the injuries to the Royals' pitching staff, Hackenberg could come up right away and get a shot for some starts in August and September. If he does well, he could be a long-term option in the rotation, or at the very least a hybrid starter/reliever with long-term control. Vargas is still in Double-A, but he's the opposite of Hackenberg: the stuff is electric, and he generates strikes and whiffs in bunches. Unfortunately, he also walks hitters in bunches, which explains why he's still in Double-A despite being 24 years old and Rule 5 eligible. Still, the Royals need to take chances with pitchers with this profile and let them see what they can do, even if they don't have the "experience." Hackenberg and Vargas aren't high-caliber pitching prospects by any means. However, they could make an immediate impact on the Royals' pitching staff in both the short and long term, which is what a team wants to get in exchange for a rental like Thomas. Pitchers Michael Wacha and Lucas Erceg for Pitchers Tink Hence and Richard Fitts, 1B/3B Blaze Jordan, and OF Victor Scott II The Royals may not be willing to move Wacha, especially if they're hoping they can win in 2027. To be competitive again next year, they will need starting pitching at the top of the rotation, especially with Cole Ragans missing the start of next year and Seth Lugo and Noah Cameron experiencing regression in 2026. Hence, they may need to keep Wacha, simply because they don't have many dependable options for next year. That said, there have been reports that the Royals could trade Wacha if they were impressed and overwhelmed by a deal. This proposed deal could be the offer that could convince Kansas City to move forward, even if losing an All-Star like Wacha would be tough to stomach initially. In this deal, Kansas City would include reliever Lucas Erceg, who hasn't been good, but has been good in the past and has three years of club control after this year (as well as three Minor League options). However, including Erceg here would be important to maximize the Royals' return from the Cardinals. In exchange for Wacha and Erceg, the Royals would get two intriguing arms in Hence and Fitts, corner infielder Jordan, who's currently on the Major League squad in St. Louis, and outfielder Scott, a former heralded prospect who's struggled and is back in Memphis. Hence has long been a top pitching prospect who's moved slowly in the Cardinals system. He's had numerous injuries that have stunted his progression as a pitcher over the years. Hence started the year in extended Spring Training, and his numbers haven't been good in Memphis this year. In 20 IP, he has a 6.30 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 6.49 FIP, and 3.1% K-BB%. However, the athleticism and the upside are still there, and a new change of scenery may do wonders for him, even if the Statcast percentiles in Triple-A haven't been encouraging. Some encouraging items: he's still generating whiffs (77th percentile whiff rate) and groundballs (62nd percentile GB%). I think with some more development and recovery, the stuff will come back, and he will be a much more effective pitcher in the Royals organization, even if his upside may be as a reliever at this point in his career. Speaking of injuries, Fitts is out for the remainder of the season. However, when he was healthy, he had a 1.76 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 15.1 IP. The former Red Sox pitcher posted a 5.00 ERA over 45 IP with Boston last year, but he showed some progress in St. Louis after being reunited with former Red Sox president Chaim Bloom. Because of that connection, I imagine Bloom may be hesitant to give up Fitts. However, St. Louis will have to wait until Fitts' return in 2027, which they may not have the patience for, especially if they want to stay competitive in a tough NL Central division. Kansas City may be more willing to be patient, especially given the upside Fitts presents with his stuff and his Statcast percentiles. On the hitting side, the Royals would receive a couple of players who could make an impact on the lineup immediately. Scott has struggled at the MLB level, but he's a fast player who doesn't chase and could thrive if given more reps in center field, which likely will happen with Isbel's status questionable for the remainder of the year. The exit velocity isn't there, but maybe the Royals could utilize Scott like the Rays utilize Chandler Simpson. Lastly, Kansas City may have a tougher time utilizing Jordan, since the Royals seem set long-term with Maikel Garcia at third and Vinnie Pasquantino at first. Then again, the Royals may look to deal Vinnie this offseason, especially given his injury issues, and Garcia's status for the remainder of the year is also questionable. At the very least, Jordan could give them a much-needed bat with upside, and if he hits, they can figure out the defense later. Jordan's surface-level numbers aren't gaudy (.608 OPS in 83 PA), but he hits the ball hard, doesn't whiff, and doesn't strike out. The Royals need that profile in the lineup, and at 23 years old, there's plenty of long-term upside with Jordan. Jordan and Scott II haven't had the most stellar seasons with St. Louis in 2026. That said, maybe a move across the state down I-70 could rejuvenate their careers. As for Wacha, he gets to return to the organization that drafted him, which he would likely be more than willing to do. That would also reduce ill will between Wacha and the Royals, which could help the Royals in negotiations with potential free-agent pitchers this offseason. View full article

Awesome piece, Darin. Some fun names on this list. Mark Redman was one I particularly remembered because I was like "Wow, he's an All-Star?" Also fun to see Dye on this list, as he was one of my favorite Royals players when I was younger (though I was biased as a Sacramento native haha).