Kevin O'Brien

On Tuesday afternoon, the Royals announced that they had acquired right-handed pitcher Easton McGee from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations. To make room for McGee, the Royals transferred reliever Nick Mears to the 60-Day IL. McGee pitched in 9 outings and 14.2 IP last season with the Brewers, posting a 5.52 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. However, his FIP was much better at 3.24. This year, he's spent most of it in Triple-A Nashville, as he has only appeared in two games for the Brewers. In those two outings, he has a 0.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He showcased an intriguing TJ Stuff+ profile, though he didn't generate many whiffs in his brief Brewers tenure this year. With the Sounds in Triple-A, McGee has a 5.62 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 4.18 WHIP, and 13.6% K-BB% in 41.2 IP. In Nashville, he has done a good job of flooding the strike zone, with strong percentiles in zone rate and CSW. That is something sorely needed with this Royals bullpen, which ranks 28th in reliever BB/9 this year. In a corresponding move, the Royals moved Mears from the 15-Day IL to the 60-Day IL. Mears had been on the IL since May 29th due to right shoulder impingement. The former Brewers pitcher, acquired this offseason along with Isaac Collins in the Angel Zerpa trade, had a 5.12 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 21 appearances and 19.1 IP before going on the IL. View full rumor

Image courtesy of Dylan Widger-Imagn Images The Royals' President of Baseball Operations delivered pretty clear messaging to the media after selecting outfielder Zion Rose sixth overall. He didn't sugarcoat it, especially after a brutal first half that saw the Royals go 38-59, which tied them with the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) for the worst record in baseball at the All-Star Break. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The Royals have long employed a strategy of selecting the "best available player" in the first round while still leaving enough money to sign some high-upside overslot players later in the MLB Draft. Picollo and Scouting Director Brian Bridges certainly aimed for that in this Draft, as they selected a mix of college and prep players who likely will command higher-than-expected slot deals from the Royals. This should help boost a system that is pretty thin in Double-A and Triple-A at the moment. Still, the big mark on Picollo and the Royals' scouting department and farm system has been that they haven't "hit" on a majority of their first-round picks. This problem isn't just a Picollo issue; it dates back to former President of Baseball Operations Dayton Moore, who struggled to find success with his first-round selections after the 2015 World Series. Will Rose be the "slam-dunk big leaguer" that the Royals need from this MLB Draft? Furthermore, did they address any glaring needs in their system in this Draft (especially given the assumed savings from the Rose selection)? What to Like From This Royals Draft While the Rose selection was controversial, one can appreciate the Royals highlighting a guy who fit what they needed and going after him instead of waiting until pick 30 and missing out on him completely. Rose had gotten a lot of helium heading into the MLB Draft, and even Baseball America, in its post-Draft discussion, said that Rose going at No. 6 wasn't as surprising as some may have thought, given the rankings. I think things came between Rose and Eric Booth Jr., who was initially reported as the Royals' pick by Joe Doyle of Overslot.com, who spoiled pretty much every first-round draft pick. In many ways, Booth and Rose feel like similar players in terms of their profiles, as they are both athletic guys with great speed and intriguing ceilings. The main difference is that Booth has a higher ceiling for power, while Rose has a better contact tool now (Booth's contact tool may be the weakest part of his game). The Royals liked both players and probably would've been happy with either. That said, they valued Rose's proximity to the Majors and more polished profile more, even if it means they lose out on a player in Booth who may have more long-term upside. I don't think the Royals' poor record this year affected their decision to draft Rose over Booth. That said, there is likely urgency for Picollo to get this Draft right, and Rose carries far less risk than Booth, a prep outfielder. They can't wait for a Booth to develop like Sean Gamble or Blake Mitchell. Some may disagree with that strategy, but considering the Royals have heavily invested in prep guys in two of the past three drafts (Mitchell in 2023 and Gamble in 2025), I don't mind the Royals going with the more MLB-ready prospect now, especially considering the Royals' lack of high-profile outfielders in this system at this moment. Rose is definitely a guy many have warmed up to, even though Jared Perkins, Joel Penfield, and I were shocked when the pick was initially announced. While some have compared this pick to Gavin Cross in 2022, who was expected to be a fast-moving outfielder due to his polished profile from Virginia Tech, I think Rose has much better tools and batted-ball skills than Cross did coming out of college. Rose also definitely feels like an incredible competitor and high-grade human being, as evidenced by this interview with Jared Perkins and the Just Baseball team earlier in the year. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Speaking of the Royals needing players who could have an impact at the Major League level sooner rather than later, Kansas City seemed to nab a lot of college pitching in this Draft. Of the 16 pitchers they selected in this Draft, 14 of them were college arms. Here's a list of all those college pitchers selected by the Royals over the past two days: Taylor Rabe, RHP, Ole Miss (No. 30) Maxx Yehl, LHP, West Virginia (No. 91) Ethan McElvain, LHP, Arkansas (No. 151) Justin LeGuernic, LHP, Clemson (No. 180) Dylan Vigue, RHP, Georgia (No. 209) Grant Fontenot , RHP, LSU (No. 299) Lance Hartley, RHP, College of Central Florida (No. 359) Dalton Hill, RHP, Nicholls State (No. 389) Madden Clement, LHP, Virginia Tech (No. 449) Dylan Alonso, RHP, Troy (No. 479) Richie Roman, RHP, Houston (No. 509) Cooper Corkrean, LHP, New Mexico (No. 539) Riley McDonald, RHP, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (No. 599) There are a couple of Junior College arms on that list (Hartley and McDonald), but for the most part, all these pitchers are polished college guys who could move quickly, especially as relievers. Rabe definitely has upside of any of the pitchers drafted and could be a No. 2-3 starter at the MLB level. Some have compared him to Brady Singer, and it's easy to see that comparison based on their pitching styles, though I like Rabe's repertoire a lot more than Singer's coming out of college. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Yehl is another arm with some starter upside, though he may be more of a three- or four-starter type. He came back from Tommy John surgery in 2025 and really anchored a Mountaineers rotation that reached the College World Series. In fact, getting two pitchers who played in the 2026 CWS is an underrated aspect. That experience shows they can pitch against quality competition and big moments. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== In Day Two, they went college-heavy, opting for arms with lower ceilings, but higher floors that can move quickly. There's a nice mix of Power 5 and Mid-Major guys who not only have a solid outlook, but could sign right away. That is important because it means they will enter the Royals Farm System immediately and have a shot at making an impact in Low-A Columbia or High-A Quad Cities, at the very least. While the college arms are nice, the low-ceiling approach with these arms also opened the opportunity to select some intriguing prep talents. Prep pitchers Jack Slightom and Hudson DeVaughan could be the two best pitchers from this Royals draft after Rabe. Pipeline ranked them 89th and 138th, respectively, in their Top 250 ranking, and it's easy to see why. Both are 6'5 dudes with great frames and solid fastballs that could gain velocity as they mature and grow into their frames. Slightom is a four-pitch pitcher with an electric fastball that sits 94-96 with 98 MPH upside. He dominated Illinois high school hitters and also seemed to do well on the showcase circuit. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== As for DeVaughan, he's a special pitching prospect with serious top-of-the-rotation upside. He was hitting 98 MPH in high school, and many remarked that he has great feel and command for a prep pitching prospect. The main issue will be prying him away from his commitment to Alabama, so a lot of overslot money will be dedicated to DeVaughan (hopefully). data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== On the hitting side, the Royals made some nice splashes in rounds 4, 9, and 14. In the fourth round, they selected Dominic Battista, a prep bat from the Chicago area. While he's not an imposing player, he's athletic, has budding power, and has tools that could blossom in professional ball. He's a prospect I didn't know much about going into the MLB Draft, but I like him as a high-ceiling, high-risk prep outfielder complement to the safer outfielder in Rose. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== In the ninth, the Royals went with a college guy, but one with tremendous upside that will be an overslot signee. Camden Johnson was the starting shortstop on an Oklahoma team that won the national championship, and he's an athletic player with four solid tools. He can play multiple positions well, and he feels like an upgraded version of Nick Loftin. That is great to have, and he could be a dude who could compete for a Royals roster spot in the second half of 2028 or on Opening Day in 2029. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The Royals definitely had a nice balance of safety and risk in this Draft, and it's easy to see the riskier picks pan out, as they fit this organization's strengths on both the hitting and pitching sides. What Not To Like From This Royals Draft The Royals' Draft this year is definitely deep, benefiting from a strong crop of pitchers, especially college pitchers. However, it did feel like this Draft was colored by the fact that Kansas City is 21 games under .500 so far this year. Even though injuries have certainly taken their toll on the Royals this year, the reality is that this organization has disappointed greatly in 2026. Maybe thinking 85 wins was optimistic, but Kansas City is on pace for 100 losses. That is something that no Royals fan saw coming back in Spring Training, especially after back-to-back winning seasons in 2024 and 2025. It definitely felt like Bridges and Picollo drafted with the understanding that the next couple of years would be crucial. Rose is not a project. Neither is Rabe, Yehl, Johnson, nor the slew of college arms they selected on Day Two. Thus, it feels like the Royals sacrificed some long-term upside in this Draft. While they did get some high-ceiling prep players, it didn't seem as much as it could've been, especially since Bridges has preferred this profile in his past two years running the Royals draft. The Draft is complicated because simply "drafting best available" is not always realistic in the current slot system. Teams have to be judicious with how much they can allocate at each selection. There is a balance between drafting for "upside" and drafting for "practicality". This Draft seemed to lean more toward the latter than the former. Was that the correct strategy? Only time will tell. That said, the good thing is Royals fans will know the answer to that question real soon, perhaps by the end of the 2027 season. Overall Grade On Day One, I gave the Royals a C+. I liked the Rose selection, but was curious whether Rabe, Slightom, Yehl, and Battista were enough to offset the Royals' "reach" on Rose in the first round. Day Two was a much better one. They built some nice pitching depth that has been sorely needed. Many of the 2026 college pitchers selected could be in Double-A by midseason in 2027. Considering their lack of pitching depth in Omaha and Northwest Arkansas, that is a good thing. That said, they made some nice oversloots on Day Two. Johnson is an excellent selection who probably should've been a Day One guy, and I think he could move fast and be a borderline Top-10 Royals prospect by this offseason. DeVaughan will be a tough sign because of that SEC commitment, but if the Royals save money on Rose, it would make sense for them to dedicate a ton of resources to their 19th-rounder. He's that good. He could be a first-round selection in two years. Based on those results, I would give the Royals' Day Two Draft an A-. Put those together, and the Royals have a B grade for this Draft. And B is good. Granted, I think we were hoping for an A Draft, but Jackson Flora and Carson Boleman had to fall to Kansas City to make that happen. They didn't (they went to the Giants instead). Thus, I think this is the best the Royals could have done given the circumstances. I don't think drafting Booth or Drew Burress makes a difference on the grade, with all things considered. Even if the Royals drafted either of those guys, they likely don't draft Johnson or DeVaughan in the process. I'll take that quantity here over quality, especially considering the farm system's needs. View full article

Great piece and some interesting thoughts. I'm okay with keeping Tolbert as well. I don't think he's going to command a whole lot, and I think he's worth a longer look. That said, he feels similar to Freddy Fermin in that he may get more than expected in a trade. Considering the Royals' lack of trade assets, I think they should go for it if that presents itself. Avila has done much better since moving to the rotation full-time. While his ultimate outlook may be a reliever, I think he's done a fine job and has been one of the more dependable arms as of late. With Wacha and Lugo's futures unknown, holding on to Avila in the rotation for the remainder of the year and into 2027 makes sense. Massey will be an interesting one. History says the injury bug will come, but he's stayed healthy this year for the most part. He's been such an upgrade defensively at second over India, and offensively he's produced similar production to India. I'm not sure what Massey's long-term outlook is, but I agree with you and think he deserves the second base position for now.

Omaha beat Louisville 7-2 behind Mitch Spence, who struck out five over 5 2/3 innings, and three hits from Brett Squires. Quad Cities drew eight walks and topped Peoria 8-6, with Erick Torres going 3-for-3 and Tyson Guerrero striking out four in two perfect innings. Ryan McDonagh threw three scoreless innings, but Columbia lost 8-4 to Salem in 10 innings. Carson Roccaforte tripled and scored, but Northwest Arkansas fell 8-5 at Wichita. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Squires, Drury Lead Storm Chasers Past Louisville The Omaha Storm Chasers collected 14 hits and beat the Louisville Bats 7-2 on Saturday. Squires went 3-for-5 with two doubles and scored twice, Brandon Drury doubled, drove in two runs, and walked three times, and Drew Waters went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Omaha took the lead in the second inning when Luca Tresh singled, moved up, and scored on a Waters double. Louisville tied it in the third, but the Storm Chasers answered with three runs in the fourth. Tresh walked and scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Velazquez, and Matthew Lugo followed with a two-run double that brought home Drury and Waters for a 4-1 lead. Former first-round pick Gavin Cross added an RBI single in the fifth, and Drury capped the scoring with a two-run double in the ninth that scored Squires and Cross. Spence started and turned in a strong outing, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. Oscar Rayo recorded the final out of the sixth. Vince Velasquez, making his Omaha Storm Chasers debut, allowed one run over two innings with two strikeouts, and former Twins reliever Justin Topa worked around two hits and a walk in a scoreless ninth. Omaha drew five walks and left 11 runners on base. They went 6-for-16 with runners in scoring position. They head into the All-Star Break with a 40-52 record. Player AB R H RBI BB K Matthew Lugo 5 0 1 2 0 1 John Rave 5 0 2 0 0 0 Abraham Toro 5 0 2 0 0 1 Brett Squires 5 2 3 0 0 1 Luca Tresh 4 2 1 0 1 2 Gavin Cross 5 1 2 1 0 2 Brandon Drury 2 1 1 2 3 0 Drew Waters 4 1 2 1 0 1 Rudy Martin Jr. 0 0 0 0 1 0 Andrew Velazquez 4 0 0 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mitch Spence 5 2/3 5 1 1 2 5 0 Oscar Rayo 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Vince Velasquez 2 3 1 1 0 2 0 Justin Topa 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Naturals Fall Behind Early, Drop 8-5 Decision At Wichita The Northwest Arkansas Naturals lost 8-5 to the Wichita Wind Surge on Saturday despite a three-hit night from Jack Pineda, who went 3-for-5. Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 8 prospect, led off the game with a triple and came around to score on a fielding error by the right fielder. Wichita answered with a run in the first and two in the second, one scoring on a throwing error by catcher Canyon Brown. The Naturals tied it at 3-3 in the third, when Spencer Nivens doubled home Pineda, and Daniel Vazquez, the Royals' No. 18 prospect, brought in Sam Kulasingam with a groundout. The Wind Surge pulled away from there, unfortunately. Two solo home runs in the fourth made it 5-3, and Wichita added two more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and a steal of home. Northwest Arkansas got two back in the sixth, with Vazquez scoring on an Alberto Rodriguez forceout and Colton Becker scoring on a Brown sacrifice fly, but Wichita answered with a run on a passed ball in the bottom half. Hunter Owen started and allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits with one walk, four strikeouts, and two home runs over four innings. Anthony Simonelli allowed two runs in an inning of work. Chase Jessee allowed an unearned run with two strikeouts. Frank Mozzicato and Augusto Mendieta each threw a scoreless inning. Northwest Arkansas left eight runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. They fall to 36-49 after the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 5 1 1 0 0 1 Jack Pineda 5 1 3 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 4 1 1 0 1 0 Spencer Nivens 5 0 1 1 0 2 Daniel Vazquez 3 1 1 1 1 1 Colton Becker 3 1 0 0 1 2 Omar Hernandez 2 0 1 0 1 1 Alberto Rodriguez 4 0 0 1 0 1 Canyon Brown 3 0 0 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 4 7 5 4 1 4 2 Anthony Simonelli 1 1 2 2 1 1 0 Chase Jessee 1 1 1 0 1 2 0 Frank Mozzicato 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Augusto Mendieta 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Torres Collects Three Hits As River Bandits Outlast Peoria The Quad Cities River Bandits drew eight walks and beat the Peoria Chiefs 8-6 on Saturday. Erick Torres went 3-for-3 with two RBI and scored twice, Nolan Sailors went 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBI, and Diego Guzman walked three times and scored twice. Trailing 1-0 in the second, Quad Cities loaded the bases on a Jose Cerice hit-by-pitch, a Tyriq Kemp walk, and a Torres single. After a flyout, Guzman walked to reload the bases, and Sailors drew a bases-loaded walk to score Kemp. Torres then scored on a wild pitch, and No. 9 prospect Asbel Gonzalez singled home Guzman to give the River Bandits a 3-1 lead. The River Bandits added single runs in the third and fifth, both on plays by Torres: a sacrifice fly and an RBI single that each scored Luke Pelzer. Gonzalez singled home Guzman again in the sixth, and Quad Cities tacked on two in the seventh when Kemp scored on a Guzman groundout, and Torres scored on a Sailors single. David Shields, the Royals' No. 2 prospect, allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts over three innings. Tyson Guerrero retired all six batters he faced, striking out four over two perfect innings. Aiden Jimenez allowed an unearned run over three innings with three strikeouts, and Yimi Presinal allowed two runs in the ninth while striking out three. The River Bandits left 10 runners on base and went 6-for-18 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities is now 41-42 this season after the victory. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 0 2 2 1 1 Asbel Gonzalez 5 0 2 2 0 2 Ramon Ramirez 4 0 2 0 1 2 Luke Pelzer 3 2 0 0 2 1 Jose Cerice 2 0 0 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 4 2 1 0 1 0 Erick Torres 3 2 3 2 0 0 Trevor Werner 4 0 0 0 0 1 Diego Guzman 1 2 0 1 3 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 3 4 3 3 2 4 0 Tyson Guerrero 2 0 0 0 0 4 0 Aiden Jimenez 3 2 1 0 1 3 0 Yimi Presinal 1 3 2 2 0 3 0 Fireflies Lose Late Lead, Fall To Salem In 10 Innings The Columbia Fireflies led 3-0 through six innings but lost 8-4 to the Salem RidgeYaks in 10 innings on Saturday, wasting a 14-hit night. Hyungchan Um went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI, and JC Vanek went 2-for-5 with a triple. Ivan Sosa opened the scoring with a solo home run in the fifth. Later in the inning, No. 10 Royals prospect Yandel Ricardo scored on a double by Um. Roni Cabrera made it 3-0 with a solo home run in the sixth. Salem got on the board with a solo home run in the seventh, then tied it with two runs in the ninth on an RBI double and an RBI single. The game unraveled in the extra innings for the Fireflies (unlike Saturday's win). Salem's zombie runner scored on a two-run home run, and a three-run home run later in the inning pushed the lead to 8-3. In the bottom half, Columbia's zombie runner, Um, took third on a Vanek groundout and scored on a Jhosmmel Zue single, but the Fireflies could get no closer. They went 3-for-18 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. McDonagh started and threw three scoreless innings, allowing two hits, two walks, and four strikeouts. Coleman Picard allowed one run on two hits with two walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Brandon Herbold allowed two runs in the ninth. Luis Valdez allowed five runs, four earned, and Randy Ramnarace struck out the only batter he faced. The Fireflies go into the All-Star Break with a 43-44 record. Player AB R H RBI BB K Yandel Ricardo 4 1 1 0 1 0 Stone Russell 5 0 1 0 0 0 Hyungchan Um 5 1 3 1 0 1 JC Vanek 5 0 2 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 5 0 2 1 0 0 Connor Rasmussen 3 0 1 0 2 0 Roni Cabrera 5 1 2 1 0 1 Angel Ramirez 4 0 1 0 1 0 Ivan Sosa 3 1 1 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan McDonagh 3 2 0 0 2 4 0 Coleman Picard 5 2 1 1 2 5 1 Brandon Herbold 2/3 2 2 2 1 1 0 Luis Valdez 1 4 5 4 0 0 2 Randy Ramnarace 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: 3 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K Josh Hammond: DNP Blake Mitchell: DNP Sean Gamble: DNP Ramon Ramirez: 2-for-4, BB, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-5, 3B, R, K Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 K Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-4, R, BB 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-3, R, RBI, BB, K Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: DNP View full article

To lead off Day 2 of the MLB Draft, the Kansas City Royals selected left-handed pitcher Ethan McElvain with the 151st pick. McElvain was the closer for the Arkansas Razorbacks and posted a 1.88 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and a 4.23 K/BB ratio in 38.1 IP and 20 appearances. He also collected six saves. McElvain was a transfer from Vanderbilt, where he had an uneven career. In his first year, he posted a 3.24 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 25 IP. However, in his sophomore year, he posted an 8.89 ERA and 2.16 WHIP in 27.1 IP. Command was a problem for McElvain with the Commodores, as he posted K/BB ratios of 1.93 in 2024 and 1.61 in 2025. His improvement in his K/BB ratio in 2026 shows his maturity and development as a pitcher. The 21-year-old lefty is a power arm with a fastball in the upper 90s and a power cutter. He will likely move quickly through the Royals' farm system and could push for a spot in the Royals' bullpen in 2027 or 2028. View full rumor

Royals get things started in the 5th round by drafting Ethan McElvain from Arkansas. Was ranked 144th by Pipeline. Power lefty who was closer for Razorbacks after transferring from Vandy. 1.88 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 4.23 K/BB. Power fastball and a great cutter. Could be a guy who could move quickly and impact the bullpen at some point in 2027 or 2028 at the latest.

Angel Ramirez capped a four-run tenth inning with a walk-off single as Columbia stunned Salem 9-8. Ramon Ramirez doubled twice and drove in four runs, but Quad Cities fell 9-8 at home on a ninth-inning home run. Steven Zobac fired five scoreless innings, and Zachary Cawyer closed out a 4-3 Northwest Arkansas win. Brett Squires homered, and Henry Williams turned in a quality start, but Omaha dropped a 4-2 decision at Louisville. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Brett Squires Homers But Omaha Falls 4-2 At Louisville Squires provided all of Omaha's offense, but the Storm Chasers dropped a 4-2 decision to the Louisville Bats. Williams turned in a quality start in the loss, allowing three runs over six innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Louisville got to him early, opening the scoring with a solo home run in the first. The Bats added two more in the third, when a leadoff single was followed by an RBI double and an RBI single to make it 3-0. Omaha answered in the fourth. John Rave drew a leadoff walk, and Squires followed with a line-drive home run to right field, his 12th of the season, to cut the deficit to 3-2. Unfortunately, after Squires' home run, Matthew Lugo struck out, and Gavin Cross and Peyton Wilson grounded out to end the inning. The Storm Chasers never got closer in this one. Anthony Gose was dominant at times in relief, striking out five over two innings. However, he surrendered a solo home run in the eighth, extending Louisville's lead to 4-2. He also walked two. The Storm Chasers managed just five hits, including a double by Elih Marrero, and drew two walks while striking out eight times. Omaha left five men on base and went quietly over the final five innings, failing to score after Squires' blast. They went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Omaha is now 39-52 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr., CF 4 0 1 0 0 2 John Rave, RF 3 1 0 0 1 0 Brett Squires, 1B 3 1 1 2 1 1 Matthew Lugo, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 2 Gavin Cross, LF 4 0 1 0 0 0 Peyton Wilson, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 0 Brandon Drury, DH 3 0 0 0 0 2 Elih Marrero, C 3 0 1 0 0 0 Andrew Velazquez, SS 3 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 6.0 6 3 3 0 5 1 Anthony Gose 2.0 2 1 1 2 5 1 Steven Zobac's Five Scoreless Innings Lead Naturals Past Wichita 4-3 Zobac fired five scoreless innings, and Northwest Arkansas held on for a 4-3 win over the Wichita Wind Surge. Zobac, the Royals' No. 16 prospect, allowed just three hits, walked two, and struck out four to earn the win. The Naturals broke through in the sixth, when Carson Roccaforte reached on an error, stole second base, his 17th of the season, and scored on a line-drive single by Sam Kulasingam. Northwest Arkansas added two more in the seventh. Colton Becker was hit by a pitch, moved up on a stolen base, and scored on an RBI single by Omar Hernandez. Hernandez then stole second and came home on an error when Connor Scott lined out to center, making it 3-0. Reliever Grant Gambrell ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh, allowing an RBI double and a run-scoring single that cut the lead to 3-2, though Roccaforte threw out the runner trying to stretch the hit into a double. Gambrell, who recently came over from the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association, allowed three runs over 2 2/3 innings and earned a hold. The Naturals got an insurance run in the eighth when Jack Pineda doubled, and after a walk to Kulasingam, Spencer Nivens singled him home. Wichita answered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom half, making it 4-3. Cawyer slammed the door on Wichita, retiring all four batters he faced with a strikeout to record his third save. Northwest Arkansas won despite managing just five hits and striking out 10 times. They stranded five runners and went 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position. After their fourth-straight win, the Naturals improved to 36-48. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte, CF 4 1 0 0 0 2 Jack Pineda, SS 3 1 1 0 1 2 Sam Kulasingam, RF 3 0 1 1 1 1 Spencer Nivens, LF 3 0 1 1 1 1 Daniel Vazquez, DH 4 0 0 0 0 1 Colton Becker, 3B 3 1 1 0 0 0 Omar HernanVázquez 4 1 1 1 0 0 Connor Scott, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 0 Justin Johnson, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Steven Zobac (W, 1-3) 5.0 3 0 0 2 4 0 Grant Gambrell (H, 1) 2.2 5 3 3 2 2 0 Zachary Cawyer (S, 3) 1.1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Ramirez Drives In Four But River Bandits Fall 9-8 On Ninth-Inning Homer No. 6 prospect Ramirez doubled twice and drove in four runs, but the Quad Cities River Bandits let a six-run lead slip away in a 9-8 loss to the Peoria Chiefs. Quad Cities pounced early. In the first, No. 9 prospect Asbel Gonzalez walked, Nolan Sailors singled, and Ramirez laced a two-run double, his 22nd. Derlin Figueroa followed with an RBI single to make it 3-0. The River Bandits kept it going in the second, when Angel Acosta and Gonzalez singled ahead of another two-run double by Ramirez, and Luke Pelzer singled him home for a 6-0 lead. Emmanuel Reyes gave Quad Cities five innings, allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts. The game turned in the sixth, when Nick Conte failed to record an out and was charged with four runs as Peoria tied it 6-6. Max Martin struck out five over 2 2/3 innings and was not charged with a run, but was tagged with a blown save when inherited runners scored. The River Bandits answered. Gonzalez lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth to make it 7-6, and Erick Torres singled home Jose Cerice in the eighth for an 8-6 lead. But in the ninth, L.P. Langevin allowed a single to make it a walk, and a three-run home run put Peoria ahead 9-8. Langevin, who's been one of the most dependable relievers in Quad Cities, took the loss and the blown save. Torres finished 2-for-4, and Gonzalez reached with a hit and two walks while scoring twice. The River Bandits stranded five runners and went 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities is now 40-42 after two straight losses. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez, CF 2 2 1 1 2 0 Nolan Sailors, DH 4 1 1 0 1 1 Ramon Ramirez, C 5 2 2 4 0 2 Luke Pelzer, LF 5 0 1 1 0 2 Derlin Figueroa, 1B 4 0 1 1 0 2 Jose Cerice, 3B 4 1 1 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp, SS 3 1 0 0 0 1 Erick Torres, RF 4 0 2 1 0 0 Angel Acosta, 2B 3 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 5.0 3 2 2 2 6 1 Nick Conte 0.0 2 4 4 2 0 0 Max Martin (BS, 1) 2.2 2 0 0 0 5 0 L.P. Langevin (L, 4-2)(BS, 1) 1.1 2 3 3 1 2 1 Ramirez's Walk-Off Single Caps Four-Run Tenth As Fireflies Win 9-8 Ramirez capped a four-run bottom of the tenth with a walk-off single as the Columbia Fireflies rallied past the Salem RidgeYaks 9-8. Darwin Rodriguez delivered a quality start, allowing one run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings with no walks and five strikeouts. The only blemish was a solo home run in the seventh. Columbia broke through in the fifth. Angel Ramirez drove in Connor Rasmussen on a fielder's choice, and Henry Ramos followed with an inside-the-park two-run home run, his fifth, for a 3-0 lead. In the seventh, Ramirez doubled home Jhosmmel Zue on an error, giving the Angels a run and making it 5-1. Salem tied it with four runs in the eighth off Yeri Perez and Andy Basora, then plated three in the tenth against Dash Albus, aided by a fielding error, to take an 8-5 lead. All three runs were unearned, and Albus struck out three in the inning. The Fireflies stormed back in the bottom of the tenth. With Sean Gamble as the zombie runner, Stone Russell and Yandel Ricardo walked, and Rasmussen ripped a two-run single to make it 8-7. Zue walked to load the bases, Ricardo scored the tying run on a wild pitch, and Ramirez grounded an infield single through the left side to score Rasmussen and end it. Ramirez finished 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, and Zue went 2-for-4 with a double and a walk. Albus earned the win. The Fireflies stranded eight runners and went 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position. The win brought Columbia back to .500, as they now are 43-43 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, LF 5 1 1 2 0 2 Sean Gamble, CF 5 1 1 0 0 2 Josh Hammond, 3B 4 0 1 0 1 1 Stone Russell, 1B 4 1 0 0 1 3 Yandel Ricardo, SS 4 1 0 0 1 2 Hyungchan Um, DH 3 0 0 0 1 1 Roni Cabrera, DH 1 0 0 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen, 2B 3 2 1 2 2 0 Jhosmmel Zue, C 4 1 2 0 1 0 Angel Ramirez, RF 5 2 2 3 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Darwin Rodriguez 6.2 5 1 1 0 5 1 Yeri Perez (H, 2) 1.0 1 3 3 1 0 0 Andy Basora (BS, 4) 1.1 4 1 1 0 2 0 Dash Albus (W, 3-2) 1.0 2 3 0 0 3 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, BB, K Blake Mitchell: DNP Sean Gamble: 1-for-5, R, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-4, R, 2 K Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-4, R, BB, 2 K Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: W, 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 0-for-4, K Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: DNP View full article

It is Day 2 of the MLB Draft! The Royals turned some heads by selecting Zion Rose with the No. 6 overall pick. Many projected Rose as a late first-round pick, so the decision was seen as a cost-saving move. Nonetheless, the Royals acquired an outfielder who should have an immediate impact on their farm system. Here's a list of the five players the Royals selected on Day 1: Zion Rose, OF, Louisville (No. 6 overall) Taylor Rabe, RHP, Mississippi (No. 30 overall) Jack Slightom, RHP, Lyons Township High School (IL) (No. 56 overall) Maxx Yehl, LHP, West Virginia (No. 91 overall) Dominic Battista, OF, Oswego East High School (IL) (No. 119 overall) You can find our recap and grade of the Royals' Day 1 of the Draft below. The draft continues today as an all-day affair. Here's the time of the draft and where you can watch it. • 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. ET (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+) We will update picks on the website and in this thread. Follow Royals Keep for all your MLB Draft Day 2 coverage! View full article

Image courtesy of Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images It was an interesting first day of the MLB Draft for the Kansas City Royals. Tied to prep players like Eric Booth Jr. and Jacob Lombard, and college players like Drew Burress and Jackson Flora, they surprised everyone by selecting Zion Rose, an outfielder from the University of Louisville. Rose was the 26th-ranked draft prospect in Jamie Cameron's Mock Draft on Diamondcentric. Many experts thought that the Royals would be in play for Rose at No. 30, their Competitive Balance A pick. However, drafting the 21-year-old outfielder at No. 6 was seen as a reach, especially with Booth and Burress still on the board. Was Rose a bad pick, or did the fans' expectations that the Royals would select Burress or Booth overwhelm them? And how did his selection affect the Royals' other selections on Day One? Rose Brings Contact-Heavy and Athletic Profile to Outfield (At Underslot Value) The reality is that the Royals need help in the outfield. Sean Gamble is the Royals' highest-rated outfield prospect at No. 5, but he's in Low-A ball, and he may be a guy who moves slowly as he continues to develop and adjust to professional pitching (he's been hitting well since June 1st). Carson Roccaforte and Asbel Gonzalez are Top-10 prospects, but they have their share of flaws that could hold them back (strikeouts for Roccaforte; power for Gonzalez). Beyond those three? There are no other outfielder prospects in the Royals' Top 20 at Royals Keep. Thus, Rose not only changes that but is also a player who could move quickly through the Royals' farm system, given his experience with the Cardinals. Last year, the Royals' first-round pick missed time with an injury and played only 36 games, 30 fewer than his total in 2025. However, despite only getting 173 plate appearances, he slashed .421/.491/.646 with a 1.137 OPS and 147 wRC+. He also stole 24 bases on 27 attempts and hit six home runs. For context, in 301 plate appearances in 2025, Rose hit .310 with a .948 OPS, 109 wRC+, 13 home runs, and 31 stolen bases. In terms of his strengths, the Louisville outfielder shows incredible contact skills and can draw a walk. He had a 1.27 BB/K ratio last year, highlighted by an 8.7% K rate, a career best. Rose makes contact, hits line drives, steals bases, and shows strong defense in the corners, which is impressive, considering he initially came to campus as a catcher. Even though he wasn't a "projected" Top-10 pick, Rose checks off many of the boxes the Royals value in position players. That goes beyond the draft, as Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins were also examples of veteran players with profiles similar to Rose's. The good thing with Rose is that he likely will sign underneath the expected slot bonus of $7.7 million at pick No. 6. Hence, the Royals not only got the outfielder with the profile they wanted, but they also were able to save some money that could be spread out on bonuses given out to other selections in this draft. Rabe, Slightom, and Yehl Are High Upside Arms (Helped by the Rose Selection) At pick No. 30, the Royals selected Taylor Rabe, a 21-year-old righty from Ole Miss. Rabe is not only a big arm (6'5), but he demonstrated excellent command (7.00 K/BB ratio) and ability to strike batters out (34.2% K%). In 17 appearances (11 starts) and 76.1 IP, he posted a 3.55 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 3.75 FIP. Rabe's ranking was a bit all over the place before the MLB Draft. Cameron had him ranked No. 36 at Diamondcentric, and MLB Pipeline ranked him 40th. However, Baseball America was a little more optimistic about his outlook, ranking him 26th. Thus, Rabe could be seen as a good-to-great overslot selection, depending on the ranking. Regardless, there's mid-rotation upside with Rabe at the very least, and he could be a pitcher who could move quickly, something they need considering the dearth of quality starting arms in Double-A and Triple-A. As for their second-round pick, Jack Slightom is a bit more of a project. He just turned 18 in April, and he's an Illinois prep product who will likely begin in the Complex League this year and advance to Low-A ball in 2027. However, he's the pitching prospect that could be a success story, much like David Shields, our No. 2 prospect at Royals Keep. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Here's what Cameron said about Slightom in his Mock Draft article: data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== This is another pick who will likely sign an overslot deal, much like Rabe. Rose's expected savings paved the way for two high-upside, high-cost selections like Rabe and Slightom. Yehl, the Royals' third-round selection, won't be an overslot deal. If anything, he'll probably agree to a deal below the expected $872.9K slot bonus. However, the 22-year-old is a polished and proven lefty who can move quickly and strike out guys in bunches. In 18 starts and 97 IP, Yehl posted a 2.13 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 4.07 FIP, 27.9% K%, and a 4.31 K/BB ratio. He was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Year after missing all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Yehl's professional outlook is still a little hazy. Some believe he can be a middle-to-bottom-of-the-rotation starter, while others believe he carries some reliever risk (hence his falling to the third). Nonetheless, Yehl is a quality arm that can help the Royals quickly, which is a benefit considering their starter and bullpen struggles in Double-A, Triple-A, and even the Major Leagues. How Would We Rate Day One? In the fourth round, the Royals selected Dominic Battista, a prep outfielder from Illinois who ranked outside most experts' Top-100 lists. This selection was likely a cost-saver (i.e., under-slot). Still, Battista has some athleticism and tools, and his draft stock was primarily hurt by a hamate injury that forced him to miss 10 games in his senior year at Oswego East High School. If fully healthy, he could've been a 2nd or 3rd-round selection. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Battista is a University of Illinois-Chicago commit, and the Royals had success with Luke Pelzer, a UIC product, in last year's draft. Pelzer is hitting .342 with a 136 wRC+ in High-A Quad Cities, and he'll likely move up to Northwest Arkansas after the All-Star Break. Overall, there's a strong balance of talent from Day One of the MLB Draft for the Royals. They selected proven guys who can move quickly (Rose and Rabe), some prep guys with upside (Slightom and Battista), and a big arm with big stuff who could develop into a starter with the right pitcher development in the next year or two (Yehl). That's a Day One to be happy about, especially for a Royals farm system that needs help in Double-A sooner rather than later. At the same time, the Royals' Day One feels a little underwhelming, especially considering the expectations going into this 2026 Draft. The Royals could've drafted a big, high-upside guy with star potential at No. 6. That could've been a college guy like Burress or a prep one like Booth or Lombard. And yet, they chose the "cheaper" option in Rose. It's not a bad selection by any means, because Rose has all the tools to be a successful outfielder for the Royals. Plus, Rose has the intangibles and makeup to develop quickly in the farm system. Joe Doyle talked about Rose maybe being the best "sleeper" pick in this draft and could surprise a lot of folks who criticized the Royals for drafting Rose at No. 6. And yet, it feels like the Royals could've done a better job of drafting for "more" upside, especially in their first two selections. Thus, this Day One feels like a passing grade, but not much more, unfortunately. Day One Grade: C+ View full article

In the fourth round, the Kansas City Royals selected Dominic Battista, an outfielder from Oswego East High School in Illinois. Selected 119th overall, Battista is committed to the University of Illinois-Chicago. Battista missed some time due to a hamate injury, but he's been widely hailed by scouts for his toolsy and athletic profile. Here's what Prep Baseball said about him back in a write-up last August. Battista will be a project of sorts, as he is currently 18 and won't turn 19 until October. Prep Baseball ranked him the 6th-best player in Illinois and the best outfielder in the state as well. The Royals are now done for the first round, having made all four of their picks. A complete review of Day 1 of the MLB Draft will be posted on Royals Keep later this evening. View full rumor

Maxx Yehl thrived out of West Virginia's bullpen as a 2023 freshman and again in 2024, but Tommy John surgery cost him 2025. Back in 2026, the 6-foot-6 lefty seized his first shot at starting, became the Friday night ace, won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and clinched the Mountaineers' first College World Series berth. Yehl is known for his durability post-injury, having thrown a 124-pitch complete game against the University of Kansas on May 8th. His fastball has hit 96-97 mph, backed by an above-average slider up to 87. Late-season fatigue is understandable post-surgery. A strong strike-thrower and competitor with limited starting experience, he could stick in a rotation—or fall back on his fastball-slider combo in relief. View full rumor

Image courtesy of © Scott Utterback/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Royals bucked the experts and selected Zion Rose with the sixth overall selection in the 2026 MLB Draft. Rose was ranked No. 30 by MLB Pipeline and ranged in the 15-25 range by most experts, including Baseball America and Overslot.com. Rose was a highly regarded catching prospect out of IMG Academy, transferring there as a senior after initially playing for Brother Rice High School in Chicago for his first three years. Rose, a Chicago-area product, was part of the MLB Develops program as a youth player. Famous MLB Develops alums include Michael Harris II, Taj Bradley, and Lawrence Butler. Since arriving on campus at Louisville, he's transitioned to a full-time role in the outfield. Rose slid a little early in the season due to missed time with injuries, but has since returned to his typical, productive self. At the plate, Rose has a direct right-handed swing with strong bat-to-ball skills. He is particularly adept at making out-of-zone contact, possibly a dangerous combination for him, as it's paired with a higher chase rate than you'd like to see. Rose has above-average power, too, backed by good bat speed. There's an opportunity to get into this more in-game, as he doesn't yet pull the ball much in the air. Defensively, it's likely a corner outfield spot, though some believe with his instincts and athleticism he could see some time in center field. How he develops defensively when he breaks into professional ball will determine his ultimate outlook in the outfield. That said, Scouting Director Brian Bridges raved about his makeup and coachability, which makes a move to center field not entirely out of the question. Rose has above-average speed and stole 31 bases in 2025 and 24 bases in 2026. In 36 games in 2026, Rose managed a .417/.491/.646 line with 6 home runs (20 XBH), an 11% walk rate, an 8.7 K%, and a 147 wRC+. View full article

I think my preference is: Flora, Booth, and Burress. Don't love Lombard, but would be happy with him. Believe all those guys could have a major impact on the Royals roster, with Flora and Burress being the ones to do so the quickest.

Image courtesy of Brett Davis-Imagn Images Welcome to Royals Keep's coverage of the 2026 MLB Draft! Here you can follow all of the day’s events and join in on the conversation surrounding the newest Kansas City Royals. This year’s draft will once again consist of 20 rounds. The first four rounds will take place on Saturday, July 11th. The 5th-20th rounds will take place on Sunday, July 12th. Here's what TV coverage will be like for the MLB Draft, as it is different from years past. • 12:00-1:30 p.m. CST - Preview show + Picks 1-10 (NBC/Peacock) • 1:30-3:30 p.m. CST - Picks 11-40 (MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+) • 3:30-6:45 p.m. CST - Picks 41-135 (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+) The Royals have five picks on day one of the draft: No. 6 (1st round), No. 30 (Competitive Balance A), No. 56 (2nd round), No. 91 (3rd round), and No. 119 (4th round). Kansas City has a bonus pool of $15,954,000 to divide amongst their picks. That is the seventh-highest bonus pool in this year's draft. We're excited to show off the Royals Draft Tracker, which will be kept up to date not only during the draft but throughout the entire signing period. So keep coming back for updates! The draft is a busy, fast-paced event, and we’ll be updating articles and providing scouting reports on the Royals' picks as things happen, so stay tuned and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments! View full article

John Rave hit a ninth-inning grand slam to lift Omaha past Louisville, 6-4, while Felix Arronde earned his fourth win as Northwest Arkansas rolled past Wichita, 8-1. Kamden Edge struck out four in relief, but Quad Cities fell to Peoria, 6-3, despite Nolan Sailors' three-hit night. Columbia scored five runs in the first inning, and Henson Leal threw 3 1/3 hitless innings, but the Fireflies dropped a 9-8 decision to Salem. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Rave's Ninth-Inning Grand Slam Lifts Omaha Past Louisville The Omaha Storm Chasers trailed by two runs entering the ninth inning in Louisville, and Rave erased the deficit with one swing. The Omaha outfielder, just recently optioned back to Triple-A from Kansas City, hit a grand slam, his 11th home run of the season, to cap a four-run ninth and lift Omaha to a 6-4 win over the Bats. The rally began with a Luca Tresh single and a Drew Waters double. After a strikeout, Rudy Martin Jr. walked to load the bases, and Rave drove a pitch to center field to put Omaha ahead. Rave finished 3-for-5 with four RBI. He was Omaha's top offensive performer on Friday night. Bailey Falter started for Omaha and pitched five innings, allowing two runs on six hits while walking one and striking out one. Louisville scored on an RBI single in the second and a sacrifice fly in the third. The Bats took the lead in the seventh. Against Scott Barlow, a bunt single and a line-drive single put two runners on, and a wild pitch scored a run during a walk. A force-out by Genesis Cabrera brought home another run, making it 4-2. Cabrera and Dan Altavilla held Louisville there, and Altavilla struck out two over the final 1 2/3 innings. Peyton Wilson tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth with a two-run double that scored Abraham Toro and Gavin Cross. Cross went 2-for-5 with a double, and Tresh added two hits. The Storm Chasers left eight runners on base and went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position. They improved their record to 39-51 after the win. Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr. 3 1 1 0 1 0 John Rave 5 1 3 4 0 1 Brett Squires 5 0 1 0 0 0 Abraham Toro 3 1 0 0 2 1 Gavin Cross 5 1 2 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 1 2 0 1 Luca Tresh 4 1 2 0 0 0 Drew Waters 4 1 1 0 0 2 Andrew Velazquez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Bailey Falter 5 6 2 2 1 1 0 Scott Barlow 1 3 2 2 1 1 0 Genesis Cabrera 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Dan Altavilla 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Arronde Earns Fourth Win As Naturals Roll Past Wichita Arronde worked around traffic, and the Northwest Arkansas offense broke the game open late in an 8-1 win over the Wichita Wind Surge. The Royals' No. 14 prospect pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits while walking four and striking out four to earn his fourth win of the season. Northwest Arkansas built an early lead. Spencer Nivens singled home Jack Pineda in the first, Alberto Rodriguez added an RBI groundout in the second, and Pineda doubled in the fifth before coming around to score on a wild pitch. The Naturals put the game away with five runs in the seventh. Pineda tripled and scored on a single by Nivens, Jorge Alfaro followed with a two-run single, and after a pair of walks, Canyon Brown capped the inning with a two-run single of his own to make it 8-1. Pineda finished 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, and three runs scored. Nivens went 3-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base, and Colton Becker reached base five times, going 2-for-2 with three walks, a double, and a stolen base. Wichita's only run came in the sixth on an RBI single against Arronde. Brandon Johnson followed with 2 2/3 hitless innings, striking out two, and Tommy Molsky needed just six pitches for a scoreless ninth. The Naturals stranded 10 runners and went 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position. It was Northwest Arkansas' third-straight win, improving their record to 35-48. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 5 0 0 0 0 0 Jack Pineda 5 3 3 0 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 3 1 0 0 2 1 Spencer Nivens 5 1 3 2 0 0 Jorge Alfaro 4 1 1 2 0 1 Colton Becker 2 2 2 0 3 0 Omar Hernandez 5 0 0 0 0 2 Alberto Rodriguez 4 0 0 1 1 2 Canyon Brown 5 0 1 2 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 5 1/3 5 1 1 4 4 0 Brandon Johnson 2 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Tommy Molsky 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sailors Homers But River Bandits Fall To Peoria Derlin Figueroa and Sailors homered, but the Quad Cities River Bandits dropped a 6-3 decision to the Peoria Chiefs at home. Figueroa gave the River Bandits a 1-0 lead in the second with his 17th home run of the season, a solo shot to center field. He finished 2-for-4. Tanner Jones started and pitched five innings, allowing four runs on nine hits with no walks and three strikeouts. Peoria broke through with three runs in the fifth on back-to-back doubles, a triple, and an RBI single, then added a run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly after Jones left with a runner at second base. Peoria added two more in the eighth, a solo home run charged to Mason Miller and an RBI single that scored an inherited runner. Edge, the Royals' No. 19 prospect at Royals Keep, was a bright spot out of the bullpen, striking out four of the five batters he faced across 1 1/3 innings, including striking out the side in the ninth. Sailors kept Quad Cities in the game with a two-run home run, his third, in the eighth, scoring No. 9 prospect Asbel Gonzalez and cutting the deficit to 6-3. Sailors finished 3-for-4 with a double, and No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Gonzalez tripled, walked, and scored. Unfortunately, the River Bandits struck out 12 times, went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position, and stranded seven runners. The River Bandits' win streak was snapped, and they are now back under .500 at 40-41. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez 3 1 1 0 1 1 Nolan Sailors 4 1 3 2 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 0 2 0 0 1 Luke Pelzer 4 0 0 0 0 3 Derlin Figueroa 4 1 2 1 0 2 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 0 0 0 0 Erick Torres 4 0 0 0 0 1 Trevor Werner 4 0 0 0 0 3 Angel Acosta 4 0 2 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tanner Jones 5 9 4 4 0 3 0 Mason Miller 2 2/3 1 2 2 3 1 1 Kamden Edge 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Fireflies' Five-Run First Wasted In 9-8 Loss To Salem The Columbia Fireflies scored five runs in the first inning, but the Salem RidgeYaks answered with seven unanswered runs across the fourth and fifth innings, and Columbia's late comeback fell one run short in a 9-8 loss. Salem opened the game with two solo home runs against Michael Lombardi, and Columbia responded immediately. Henry Ramos and No. 5 prospect Sean Gamble singled, No. 3 prospect Josh Hammond walked, and JC Vanek was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run. Roni Cabrera drew a bases-loaded walk, Connor Rasmussen added an RBI single, Angel Ramirez lifted a sacrifice fly, and Cabrera stole home to make it 5-2. Lombardi, the Royals' No. 11 prospect, pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits, including three home runs, while walking four and striking out four. A two-run homer in the fourth cut the lead to 5-4, and Salem scored five in the fifth, all charged to Hunter Alberini, on a double, four singles, a hit by pitch, and a walk to take a 9-5 lead. Leal kept Columbia in the game with 3 1/3 hitless innings on the mound, striking out two. The Fireflies got two runs back in the sixth on a Vanek RBI single and a Stone Russell sacrifice fly, and Ramirez scored from second base on a wild pitch in the seventh to make it 9-8. Unfortunately, they could not complete the comeback. Ramos went 3-for-4 with two walks, two runs, and a stolen base, and Rasmussen finished 3-for-5 with an RBI. Columbia went 2-for-18 with runners in scoring position, stranded 12 runners, and struck out 15 times. The Fireflies fell to under .500 with the loss and are now 42-43 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 2 3 0 2 1 Sean Gamble 5 2 1 0 0 3 Josh Hammond 3 1 1 0 2 0 JC Vanek 4 1 1 2 0 2 Stone Russell 3 0 0 1 1 2 Roni Cabrera 3 1 1 1 2 2 Connor Rasmussen 5 0 3 1 0 1 Yandel Ricardo 0 0 0 0 0 0 Angel Ramirez 3 1 0 1 0 2 Gabriel Silva 5 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Michael Lombardi 4 1/3 4 4 4 4 4 3 Hunter Alberini 1/3 5 5 5 1 0 0 Henson Leal 3 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Dash Albus 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-3, 2 BB, R Blake Mitchell: 2-for-4, K, SB Sean Gamble: 1-for-5, 2 R, 3 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-5 Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-3, 3B, BB, R, K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-0 Michael Lombardi: 4 1/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 4 K, 3 HR Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: 5 1/3 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 4 K Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vazquez: DNP Kamden Edge: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K Warren Calcano: DNP View full article