Kevin O'Brien

Blake Wolters turned in a quality start, and Quad Cities beat Dayton 8-4 for the system's only win of the night. Erick Torres and Jose Cerice each collected two hits. Ryan Ramsey allowed four runs in Omaha's 4-1 loss, though Scott Barlow followed with 2 2/3 hitless innings. Drew Beam surrendered nine runs in Northwest Arkansas' 9-3 defeat. Moises Amezquita worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings for Columbia, which fell 15-3, while Ivan Sosa doubled twice. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Storm Chasers Held To Three Hits In 4-1 Loss To St. Paul The Omaha Storm Chasers were held to three hits Thursday night at Werner Park, falling 4-1 to St. Paul. Ramsey took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts. Almost all of the damage arrived before he had settled in. A three-run homer to left field in the top of the first put St. Paul ahead 3-0, and a wild pitch in the third made it 4-0. Ramsey did not allow another run after that, and the Storm Chasers bullpen kept the deficit where it was. The veteran Barlow followed with 2 2/3 hitless innings, walking one and striking out two. Dan Altavilla worked a hitless ninth. Omaha pitching combined for eight strikeouts. The only Omaha run came in the fifth inning. Drew Waters opened the inning with a single to left, Luca Tresh singled him to second, and Alejo Lopez walked to load the bases. Gavin Cross then lifted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Waters and moved Tresh to third, but a strikeout stranded two runners and ended the threat. Cross' six-game home run streak came to an end on Thursday. Waters finished 1-for-3 with a walk and the club's only run. Abraham Toro and Tresh had the other two hits. The Storm Chasers struck out 13 times and left five runners on base. Omaha Storm Chasers AB R H RBI BB K Gavin Cross RF 3 0 0 1 0 3 Jack Pineda SS 4 0 0 0 0 2 Brett Squires 1B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Abraham Toro DH 4 0 1 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo LF 3 0 0 0 1 1 Drew Waters CF 3 1 1 0 1 2 Brandon Drury 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1 Luca Tresh C 3 0 1 0 0 0 Alejo Lopez 2B 2 0 0 0 1 0 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan Ramsey (L) 5 1/3 4 4 4 2 6 1 Scott Barlow 2 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Dan Altavilla 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Six-Run Third Sinks Naturals In 9-3 Loss At Tulsa A six-run third inning sank Northwest Arkansas on Thursday night at ONEOK Field, where the Naturals dropped a 9-3 decision to Tulsa. Beam, the Royals' No. 13 prospect, took the loss after allowing nine runs on 10 hits over 2 2/3 innings. The former Tennessee product did not walk a batter and struck out four, but he gave up two home runs in the third, turning a 3-0 game into a 9-0 game. Beam was pulled with two outs in the inning, his ERA inflating to 7.13. Four relievers held the line the rest of the way, combining for 5 1/3 scoreless innings on four hits with eight strikeouts. Oscar Rayo allowed one hit over two innings. Tyson Guerrero struck out three across 1 1/3 innings, and Anthony Simonelli fanned four over 1 2/3 innings. Dennis Colleran Jr. recorded the final out of the seventh. Jorge Alfaro put Northwest Arkansas on the board with a leadoff homer, his 11th, in the fifth. The Naturals added a run in the seventh when Omar Hernandez singled, Alfaro walked, and Justin Johnson lined a single to center to bring Hernandez home. Sam Kulasingam and Spencer Nivens opened the eighth with back-to-back singles, and Daniel Vazquez grounded out to third to score Kulasingam. Johnson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Alfaro reached base twice with the homer and a walk. Carson Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, drew two walks. Northwest Arkansas managed six hits and left eight runners on base. Northwest Arkansas Naturals AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte CF 3 0 0 0 2 2 Colton Becker 3B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Sam Kulasingam RF 3 1 1 0 1 0 Spencer Nivens LF 4 0 1 0 0 2 Daniel Vazquez SS 3 0 0 1 1 1 Omar Hernandez C 4 1 1 0 0 0 Jorge Alfaro 1B 3 1 1 1 1 1 Canyon Brown DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 Justin Johnson 2B 4 0 2 1 0 0 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam (L) 2 2/3 10 9 9 0 4 2 Oscar Rayo 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 Tyson Guerrero 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Anthony Simonelli 1 2/3 2 0 0 3 4 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 0 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wolters and Torres Lead River Bandits Past Dayton, 8-4 Wolters, the Royals' No. 20 prospect, turned in a Quality Start, and Quad Cities scored in four separate innings, beating Dayton 8-4 on Thursday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Wolters earned the win, working six innings and allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He carried a 4-0 lead into the fifth before a three-run homer trimmed it to 4-3, then came back out and worked a scoreless sixth to finish his night. Rob Hensey followed with two innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts, and Yimi Presinal closed it out with a scoreless ninth. The River Bandits went to work immediately. Asbel Gonzalez singled with one out in the first, Jose Cerice singled him home, and after a Derlin Figueroa walk, Erick Torres singled to left to make it 2-0. Figueroa doubled the lead in the third with his 20th homer, a two-run shot to right-center that also scored Blake Mitchell. The sixth broke the game open. Cerice walked and stole second, Torres tripled him in, Hyungchan Um, recently called up from Low-A Columbia, doubled home Torres, and Tyriq Kemp singled home Um for a 7-3 lead. Mitchell walked to open the seventh and scored on a Figueroa sacrifice fly. Torres finished 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, and two RBI. Cerice went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Figueroa drove in three. Mitchell walked twice and scored twice. Quad Cities River Bandits AB R H RBI BB K Tyriq Kemp SS 5 0 1 1 0 3 Asbel Gonzalez CF 4 1 1 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell DH 2 2 0 0 2 1 Jose Cerice 3B 3 2 2 1 1 1 Derlin Figueroa LF 2 1 1 3 1 1 Erick Torres RF 3 1 2 2 1 0 Hyungchan Um C 4 1 1 1 0 2 Trevor Werner 1B 3 0 0 0 1 2 Pedro Roque 2B 3 0 0 0 1 1 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters (W) 6 5 3 3 2 5 1 Rob Hensey 2 2 1 1 3 4 0 Yimi Presinal 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Fireflies Buried Early In 15-3 Loss At Augusta Columbia never recovered from a five-run first inning and lost 15-3 at Augusta on Thursday night. Jose Gutierrez took the loss, allowing eight runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings with four walks, three strikeouts, and two home runs. Augusta sent eight men to the plate in the first, capped by a grand slam, and added a two-run homer in the second and a run in the fourth before Gutierrez was lifted. Amezquita was the exception out of the bullpen, working 2 2/3 scoreless innings on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts. The rest of the relief corps could not find the plate. Jhon Reyes, Brandon Herbold, and Gabriel Silva combined to walk nine over two innings as Augusta scored three in the seventh and four in the eighth, with five of those runs walked or hit in. Ivan Sosa carried what offense there was, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. He doubled in the fifth and came around to score on an error, then doubled home Roni Cabrera and Connor Rasmussen in the ninth for the final margin. Josh Hammond, the Royals' No. 3 prospect, reached three times on a single and two walks. No. 11 prospect Yandel Ricardo, Jhosmmel Zue, JC Vanek, and Angel Ramirez each added a hit. Columbia finished with seven hits and left eight runners on base. Columbia Fireflies AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos LF 5 0 0 0 0 2 Josh Hammond DH 3 0 1 0 2 0 Yandel Ricardo SS 3 0 1 0 0 0 Josi Novas 3B 1 0 0 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue C 3 0 1 0 1 1 JC Vanek 1B 3 0 1 0 0 0 Roni Cabrera RF 4 1 0 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 2B 2 1 0 0 2 0 Angel Ramirez CF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ivan Sosa SS 4 1 2 2 0 0 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez (L) 3 1/3 5 8 8 4 3 2 Moises Amezquita 2 2/3 2 0 0 0 4 0 Jhon Reyes 0 2/3 2 3 3 3 0 0 Brandon Herbold 0 2/3 0 4 4 4 1 0 Gabriel Silva 0 2/3 1 0 0 2 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-3, 2 BB Blake Mitchell: 0-for-2, 2 BB, SB, 2 R, K Sean Gamble: DNP Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, R, SB, K Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, 2 BB, SB, 2 K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-3, SB Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: 2 2/3 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR (L) Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-2, 2 R, BB Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR (W) View full article

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports There may not be a hotter hitter in Omaha, and maybe the International League in general, than outfielder Gavin Cross. The 9th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, Cross has been on fire at the plate. Over the past 30 days, Cross is hitting .340 with a 1.063 OPS in 102 plate appearances. He also has seven home runs and 22 RBI. Last week, the former Virginia Tech outfielder had an incredible stretch in Salt Lake City against the Bees. Not only did he hit .444 with 12 hits, but he also had nine runs scored, 10 RBI, and home runs in five consecutive games. As a result, Cross was named the International Player of the Week. If that wasn't enough, Cross extended his home run streak to six games with a homer on Sunday in the series finale against St. Paul at Werner Park in Omaha. Due to a slow start, Cross's numbers haven't been overly impressive in Omaha this year. In 91 games and 353 plate appearances this year, he is hitting .249 with a .736 OPS and 91 TJ Bat+. That includes 11 home runs, 48 runs scored, 40 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Those numbers aren't much different from what he did in Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2025. In 114 games and 507 plate appearances with the Naturals last year, Cross hit .241 with a .704 OPS and 92 TJ Bat+. He also had 17 home runs, 75 runs scored, 64 RBI, and 23 stolen bases. A big issue for Cross the past two years has been the strikeouts. He had a 26.4% K% in 2025 with the Naturals, and he has a 27.2% K% with the Storm Chasers this year. That said, Cross has made some adjustments at the plate, resulting in improved performance. That was profiled in a recent piece on MLB Pipeline. It appears that the addition of a toe tap, rather than a leg kick, was the major adjustment Cross made in late May. Here's what Cross said in the Pipeline piece. It's been theorized that Cross adjusted May 21st and 24th. Since May 26th, the 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .307 with 10 home runs, 34 runs scored, 29 RBI, and a .912 OPS. Granted, the approach is a little free-swinging, as evidenced by a 24.5% K% and 0.30 BB/K ratio. That said, not only have the numbers been better since Memorial Day, but the Statcast percentiles have also been impressive. When looking at Cross' percentiles from before the adjustment (left) and after (right), he has pulled the ball more in the air, is hitting the ball harder, barreling more balls, and making more contact while swinging less. That is not just a recipe for success in Triple-A but also one that could translate well to the Major Leagues. Thus, when will Cross see a call-up to the Major Leagues? Cross will likely get that opportunity after the Trade Deadline, when many key outfielders are moved. Thomas and Marte's Likely Departures Should Clear the Way for Cross On Wednesday night before the Royals' second game against the Twins, MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Royals were going to hold onto some key players at the Deadline, including Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV, and Alex Lange. However, two names that weren't mentioned were outfielders Lane Thomas and Starling Marte. Thomas may be the Royals' best and most sensible trade chip. He's on a one-year deal and will be a free agent after this year. Furthermore, he's been performing well in his first season in Kansas City, with 10 home runs, a .325 OBP, and .721 OPS in 317 plate appearances. He doesn't hit for a high average (.229), and the barrel and K rates haven't been great this year. That said, his Statcast profile is impressive, especially for a guy who can play all three outfield positions. As for Marte, he's been strictly limited to a platoon role, which explains his 142 plate appearances, his lowest total since the 2020 COVID-affected season. In that small sample, he's hitting just .258 with a .630 OPS, and the Statcast profile is pretty lackluster, especially compared to what he had done in the past with clubs like the Mets, Diamondbacks, A's, Marlins, and Pirates. Marte hits the ball hard and has been able to barrel the ball well despite the few plate appearances. However, he hasn't been able to pull the ball, doesn't walk, and doesn't launch it well enough to be effective. As a result, his 79 wRC+ ranks in the 33rd percentile, which isn't great, even for a platoon player. Thomas will likely be traded by next Monday's Deadline. Marte may be traded, but if he isn't, he probably will be designated for assignment. By August 4th, the Royals should have two outfield spots open. Unless they get an outfielder from another organization in a trade return, Cross should be the most sensible candidate to get a promotion to Kansas City, especially with John Rave already up due to Vinnie Pasquantino being added to the IL. Other outfielders in Omaha could be called up to Kansas City instead of Cross. That said, the former Hokie has the best combination of skills and upside of the current Storm Chasers outfield group. Does Cross Being a Lefty Hurt His Chances? The main roadblock for Cross' promotion right now may be because he's left-handed and the Royals are flush with lefties on their 40-man roster. In addition to Rave, Josh Rojas (on the MLB roster), Brett Squires (another call-up candidate), and Abraham Toro (who's been very good in Omaha this year) are left-handed hitters. Kyle Isbel, who's on a rehab in Omaha, is also left-handed and should return soon. Thus, the Royals may be better served by promoting a right-handed bat, especially if Thomas and Marte, both righties, are traded away. When looking at his Statcast splits via TJ Stats, Cross is clearly a stronger hitter against righties than lefties. Interestingly enough, his Pull Air% is the same against both lefties and righties, and he actually makes more contact on pitches in the zone and strikes out less against lefties. That said, in terms of exit velocity, barrel ability, launch angle, and hard-hit rate, Cross is CONSIDERABLY more effective against right-handed pitchers. However, Kansas City may be worrying about "splits" less during a lost season like this one. Going into Wednesday's game against Minnesota, the Royals are 45-63 with 0.2% odds to make the postseason. Yes, there will be occasions for playing the splits, which manager Matt Quatraro is prone to do (like many MLB managers, frankly). However, I think the splits matter less during a season like this. What matters most is evaluation, and Cross is a player worth evaluating. Cross is also worth evaluating, as he will be Rule 5-eligible again this year. He was Rule 5 eligible last year, but went unselected, mostly because teams are unwilling to pounce on a hitter in the December Draft who has an OPS under .730 in Double-A. Conversely, what Cross is doing in Triple-A feels legitimate, and it's easier for a team to give him an active roster spot and see if he can figure it out, like some recent Rule 5 success stories like Akil Baddoo and Ryan Noda. The Royals may not want to risk losing Cross, especially if they are not able to replace Thomas this offseason with a free-agent outfielder replacement. Outfielders Isaac Collins and Jac Caglianone seem to be set for the 2027 Opening Day roster. However, the Royals may be tempted to trade Kyle Isbel, who is good but may be limited in terms of ceiling. Cross is athletic enough to play center field and maybe platoon with a right-handed center fielder, whether in the organization or via a trade or free agency. Cross hasn't had the best career as a prospect in the Royals system. His best season as a prospect came in 2024 in Double-A, as he hit .261 with a 114 wRC+ in 436 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he regressed in a repeat of Double-A in 2025, hitting .241 with a 92 wRC+. It seems like Cross is looking more like his 2024 self and at a higher level to boot. With the Royals 18 games under .500, Kansas City needs to give Cross his chance in August or September, even if it is in a limited role. View full article

Columbia turned an eight-run second inning, built on home runs from Yandel Ricardo, Sean Gamble, and JC Vanek, into a 9-8 escape at Augusta. Omaha wasted six sparkling innings from Mason Black, tying the game in the seventh before losing 4-3 on a ninth-inning home run. Northwest Arkansas managed only six hits at Tulsa and fell 6-2. Quad Cities left 11 runners on base and struck out 12 times in a 3-0 shutout loss to Dayton. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals placed 1B Vinnie Pasquantino on the 10-day injured list. Right wrist soreness. Kansas City Royals recalled RF John Rave from Omaha Storm Chasers. Black Dominates, But Chasers Drop 4-3 Decision To St. Paul Black gave Omaha nearly everything it needed, and the Storm Chasers still could not close it out, falling 4-3 to St. Paul. Black worked six innings, allowed just one hit and one run, walked three, and struck out four. St. Paul scratched out a run in the first on a sacrifice fly to center field. Omaha answered with two in the fifth. Brandon Drury opened the inning with a walk, Elih Marrero doubled him to third, and Alejo Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Drury home. Marrero then scored from third on a wild pitch during Kyle Isbel's bunt single, and Omaha led 2-1. The seventh turned the game around. Matt Moore allowed three consecutive singles without retiring a batter, the third tying the score, and he was charged with a blown save. Ben Sears entered, recorded a lineout and a strikeout, gave up a two-out double that pushed St. Paul ahead 3-2, then struck out the final batter of the inning. Omaha came right back in the bottom half. Drury walked again, Lopez walked with two outs, and Isbel singled to right field to bring Drury home, with a throwing error from right field moving Isbel up to second base, and the game was tied 3-3. Justin Topa could not hold the tie. He surrendered a one-out solo home run in the ninth, retired the next hitter on a lineout, walked a batter, allowed a single, and picked a runner off first base to end the inning. Omaha went down in order in the ninth. Isbel finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, Marrero went 2-for-4 with a double, and Drury reached twice on walks and scored twice. The Storm Chasers collected six hits and three walks, and struck out seven times. Omaha went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. They are now 49-54. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kyle Isbel 4 0 3 1 0 1 Stone Russell 1 0 0 0 0 1 Jack Pineda 4 0 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires 4 0 1 0 0 1 Drew Waters 4 0 0 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo 3 0 0 0 0 1 Brandon Drury 2 2 0 0 2 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 0 0 0 1 Elih Marrero 4 1 2 0 0 0 Alejo Lopez 2 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 32 3 6 2 3 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason Black 6 1 1 1 3 4 0 Matt Moore 0 3 2 2 0 0 0 Ben Sears 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Jose Cuas 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Justin Topa 1 2 1 1 1 0 1 Totals 9 8 4 4 4 8 1 Roccaforte And Johnson Homer, But Naturals Fall 6-2 In Tulsa Carson Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, wasted no time, leading off the game with his 23rd home run of the season, but Northwest Arkansas never built on that start and lost 6-2 at Tulsa. Hunter Owen took the loss after 4 2/3 innings in which he gave up nine hits, four runs, and three home runs, though he did not walk a batter and struck out six. Tulsa answered Roccaforte's leadoff shot with a solo home run in the first, added two more on a home run in the second, and pushed the lead to 4-1 with another solo home run in the fifth. The Naturals had their best early chance in the opening inning. After Roccaforte's home run, Luke Pelzer singled, but a double play and a strikeout ended the threat. Canyon Brown singled in the third and doubled in the fifth, and Spencer Nivens drew a walk in the seventh, yet Northwest Arkansas never had more than one runner on base after the first. Tulsa put the game away in the seventh, when Caden Monke walked two batters, gave up a two-run home run, and allowed a single in two-thirds of an inning. Brandon Johnson had been sharp before him, retiring four batters in a row over 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and Zachary Cawyer worked 1 1/3 innings without allowing a run. Justin Johnson provided the only other offense, hitting a solo home run in the eighth, his third of the year. Brown finished 2-for-3 with a double, and Roccaforte went 2-for-4. The Naturals totaled six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. They went 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position and left three runners on base. They are now 40-56. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 1 2 1 0 1 Luke Pelzer 4 0 1 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 4 0 0 0 0 1 Spencer Nivens 3 0 0 0 1 1 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Omar Hernandez 3 0 0 0 0 0 Connor Scott 3 0 0 0 0 2 Canyon Brown 3 0 2 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 3 1 1 1 0 0 Totals 31 2 6 2 1 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 4 2/3 9 4 4 0 6 3 Brandon Johnson 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Caden Monke 0 2/3 2 2 2 2 1 1 Zachary Cawyer 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 0 0 Totals 8 12 6 6 3 9 4 River Bandits Strand 11 Runners In 3-0 Shutout Loss To Dayton Quad Cities put 11 runners on base and never got one of them home, dropping a 3-0 decision to Dayton. Tanner Jones deserved better after his solid outing. The right-hander went 5 2/3 innings, allowed four hits and two runs, walked nobody, and struck out six, with both runs coming on solo home runs in the third and the sixth. He was charged with the loss and fell to 3-6 for the season. The River Bandits had chances in every stretch of the game and could not convert any of them. Asbel Gonzalez led off the sixth with a double and Blake Mitchell walked behind him, putting two on with nobody out, but a strikeout, a flyout, and a groundout ended the inning. Gonzalez singled to open the eighth and Mitchell walked again, and again the inning died on two strikeouts and a groundout. The ninth brought one last opportunity. Trevor Werner singled with one out, and after a strikeout, Nolan Sailors singled to move Werner to third. A strikeout ended the game. Kamden Edge was excellent in relief, retiring four batters over 1 1/3 innings without allowing a hit while striking out two. Nick Conte worked the final two innings and allowed one run, which came on a two-out single in the eighth. Gonzalez led the offense at 2-for-5 with a double, and Mitchell reached base twice on walks. Jose Cerice, Tyriq Kemp, Werner, and Sailors each singled. Quad Cities managed six hits and four walks, and struck out 12 times. The River Bandits stranded 11 runners and went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. They are now 46-48. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 0 1 0 1 2 Asbel Gonzalez 5 0 2 0 0 2 Blake Mitchell 2 0 0 0 2 0 Jose Cerice 4 0 1 0 0 2 Derlin Figueroa 4 0 0 0 0 2 Erick Torres 4 0 0 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 1 0 0 1 Trevor Werner 3 0 1 0 0 0 Angel Acosta 3 0 0 0 1 3 Totals 33 0 6 0 4 12 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tanner Jones 5 2/3 4 2 2 0 6 2 Kamden Edge 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Nick Conte 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 Totals 9 6 3 3 2 10 2 Fireflies Ride Eight-Run Second To Wild 9-8 Win At Augusta Columbia scored nine runs in the first two innings, then held on for dear life, beating Augusta 9-8. Henry Ramos started it with a leadoff home run in the first, his sixth of the year. The second inning was an avalanche of runs for Columbia. Connor Rasmussen reached on an error, Ricson Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, and Gabriel Silva moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Ramos then tripled home two runs, No. 3 prospect Josh Hammond walked, and No. 11 prospect Ricardo hit a three-run home run for a 6-0 lead. No. 5 prospect Gamble followed with a home run, Vanek homered on the next at-bat, and Roni Cabrera doubled. Rasmussen struck out but reached first base on a passed ball that moved Cabrera to third, Gonzalez walked, and Silva singled home Cabrera to cap an eight-run inning and make it 9-0. Randy Ramnarace started and gave Columbia 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit while walking two and striking out four, and he was charged with the run Augusta scored on a triple in the third. Adrian Belen worked 1 1/3 innings, allowed two hits, and earned the win. Augusta got most of it back in the sixth. Jesus Oliveira walked four batters in the inning, one of which forced in a run, and Michael Braswell III balked home another before a groundout, a single, and a single made it a five-run inning and a 9-6 game. Augusta added single runs in the seventh to put the Green Jackets in striking distance. Thankfully for the Fireflies, Andy Basora recorded a hold in the eighth, and Manuel Colon retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth for his first save. Ramos finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, Cabrera went 3-for-5 with a double, and Vanek was 2-for-4. Columbia's staff issued 10 walks. The Fireflies went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners. With the win, Columbia improved to 51-47 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 5 2 3 3 0 0 Josh Hammond 4 1 1 0 1 0 Yandel Ricardo 5 1 1 3 0 1 Sean Gamble 4 1 1 1 0 2 JC Vanek 4 1 2 1 1 2 Roni Cabrera 5 1 3 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 5 1 0 0 0 3 Ricson Gonzalez 2 1 0 0 2 0 Gabriel Silva 3 0 1 1 0 1 Totals 37 9 12 9 4 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Randy Ramnarace 2 2/3 1 1 1 2 4 0 Adrian Belen 1 1/3 2 0 0 1 1 0 Jesus Oliveira 1 1/3 0 4 4 4 0 0 Michael Braswell III 1 2/3 4 2 2 1 1 0 Andy Basora 1 2 1 1 2 1 0 Manuel Colon 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 9 8 8 10 8 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, BB Blake Mitchell: 0-for-2, 2 BB Sean Gamble: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 K Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, K Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP View full article

Omaha and Quad Cities won, Northwest Arkansas and Columbia fell. Bailey Falter struck out five over five innings and Aaron Bummer closed out a 6-3 win. Aiden Jimenez, Tommy Molsky, and L.P. Langevin combined for 6 2/3 hitless innings behind Tyriq Kemp's grand slam. Yeri Perez and Brandon Herbold kept Augusta hitless, though Columbia managed three hits, with Roni Cabrera homering. Carson Roccaforte homered and Omar Hernandez tripled in a six-run seventh for the Naturals. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals placed RHP Beck Way on the 15-day injured list. Low back spasms/tightness. Kansas City Royals sent 3B Maikel Garcia on a rehab assignment to Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Kansas City Royals recalled RHP Easton McGee from Omaha Storm Chasers. Storm Chasers Break A Tie Late To Beat St. Paul 6-3 The Omaha Storm Chasers scored three runs in the eighth inning to beat the St. Paul Saints 6-3. Falter started and allowed one run on three hits, walking three and striking out five over five innings. Dan Altavilla followed and gave up two runs, one of them earned, on two hits, and he was charged with a blown save. Anthony Gose allowed a hit and a walk without giving up a run. Eli Morgan gave up two hits and a walk without allowing a run, earning the win to improve to 4-0. Aaron Bummer struck out two and allowed no hits and no walks for his first save. Gavin Cross put Omaha ahead in the third with a two-run homer to right field, his 11th of the season and his sixth in six consecutive games. Leadoff man Kyle Isbel scored on the play after drawing a walk. Peyton Wilson added a solo home run to left in the fifth and finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. St. Paul pulled even at 3-3 in the sixth. However, the Storm Chasers were able to pull away in the later innings. Jack Pineda untied it in the eighth with an RBI double, and Luca Tresh followed with a two-run single. Pineda went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored, and Tresh drove in two. Brett Squires had a double and two walks. John Rave, Matthew Lugo, and Abraham Toro each collected a hit. Omaha finished with 10 hits, three walks, two doubles, and two home runs while striking out seven times, and the Storm Chasers left seven men on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kyle Isbel 3 1 0 0 1 0 Alejo Lopez 1 0 0 0 0 0 Gavin Cross 4 1 1 2 0 2 John Rave 4 0 1 0 0 0 Matthew Lugo 4 1 1 0 0 1 Brett Squires 2 0 1 0 2 0 Drew Waters 0 1 0 0 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 1 2 1 0 0 Abraham Toro 4 0 1 0 0 2 Luca Tresh 4 0 1 2 0 1 Peyton Wilson 4 1 2 1 0 1 Totals 34 6 10 6 3 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Bailey Falter 5 3 1 1 3 5 0 Dan Altavilla 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 Anthony Gose 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Eli Morgan 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 Aaron Bummer 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 9 8 3 2 5 8 0 Naturals Score Six In The Seventh But Fall 11-8 At Tulsa The Northwest Arkansas Naturals put up six runs in the seventh inning and still lost 11-8 to the Tulsa Drillers. Felix Arronde started and gave up eight runs on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out one. He allowed four home runs and took the loss, falling to 5-4. Chase Jessee followed with 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts. Frank Mozzicato gave up two runs on two hits over 2/3 of an inning with a walk and two strikeouts. Augusto Mendieta closed it out with 1 1/3 hitless innings, a walk, and a strikeout. Northwest Arkansas trailed 9-1 before the seventh. Justin Johnson opened the inning with a ground-rule double, and cleanup man Spencer Nivens brought him home with a single. Daniel Vazquez singled home Sam Kulasingam, Jorge Alfaro doubled in two runs, and Hernandez tripled home Alfaro. The inning produced six runs. Vazquez led the offense with a 3-for-5 night, an RBI, and a run scored. Hernandez went 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBI. Alfaro was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Roccaforte homered to left-center in the third, his 22nd of the season, and finished 1-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts. Luke Pelzer drew three walks. Maikel Garcia, on a rehab assignment, went 0-for-3. The Naturals totaled 10 hits, five walks, two doubles, a triple, and a home run, struck out 14 times, and left eight men on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Maikel Garcia 3 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 2 1 1 0 0 0 Carson Roccaforte 4 1 1 1 1 3 Sam Kulasingam 4 1 1 0 1 1 Spencer Nivens 5 1 1 1 0 2 Daniel Vazquez 5 1 3 1 0 2 Luke Pelzer 2 1 0 0 3 1 Jorge Alfaro 4 1 1 2 0 2 Omar Hernandez 3 1 2 2 0 0 Connor Scott 4 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 36 8 10 7 5 14 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 3 2/3 7 8 8 2 1 4 Chase Jessee 2 1/3 5 1 1 0 4 0 Frank Mozzicato 2/3 2 2 2 1 2 0 Augusto Mendieta 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 8 14 11 11 4 8 4 River Bandits Bullpen Goes Hitless In A 12-5 Win Over Dayton The Quad Cities River Bandits erased an early five-run deficit and beat the Dayton Dragons 12-5. Jordan Woods started and allowed five runs on four hits over 2 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out two. He gave up a grand slam. Aiden Jimenez followed with 3 2/3 hitless innings, walking one and striking out four, and he earned the win to move to 2-3. Tommy Molsky struck out three in a hitless inning and picked up his first hold. L.P. Langevin struck out five over two hitless innings with two walks for his first save. The three relievers combined for 6 2/3 hitless innings. Quad Cities answered with a run in the fourth on an RBI single by cleanup man Jose Cerice. Two more came in the fifth. Tyriq Kemp turned the game with a grand slam to right field in the sixth, his eighth of the season, and Asbel Gonzalez singled home another run to cap a five-run inning. The River Bandits added four in the eighth on a Nolan Sailors RBI single, a Gonzalez groundout, a Blake Mitchell sacrifice fly, and a Chris Brito single. Cerice went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk. Kemp finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Trevor Werner had two doubles in a 2-for-3 night with a walk and three runs scored. Gonzalez was 2-for-5 with two RBI, and Sailors and Erick Torres each had two hits. Quad Cities piled up 16 hits, four walks, and three doubles, struck out five times, and left six men on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 5 1 2 1 0 1 Asbel Gonzalez 5 0 2 2 0 1 Blake Mitchell 3 2 1 1 1 0 Jose Cerice 4 1 3 1 1 0 Derlin Figueroa 3 0 0 0 0 1 Chris Brito 2 0 1 1 0 0 Erick Torres 5 2 2 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 4 2 2 4 0 0 Trevor Werner 3 3 2 0 1 1 Angel Acosta 3 1 1 1 1 0 Totals 37 12 16 11 4 5 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Woods 2 1/3 4 5 5 2 2 1 Aiden Jimenez 3 2/3 0 0 0 1 4 0 Tommy Molsky 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 L.P. Langevin 2 0 0 0 2 5 0 Totals 9 4 5 5 5 14 1 Fireflies Manage Three Hits In An 8-5 Loss At Augusta The Columbia Fireflies collected three hits and lost 8-5 to the Augusta GreenJackets. Ryan McDonagh started and allowed six runs on five hits over three innings, walking two and striking out two. He surrendered four home runs and took the loss, dropping to 2-3. Perez followed with two hitless innings, walking three and striking out two. Brandon Herbold worked 1 1/3 hitless innings with four walks and two strikeouts. Moises Amezquita gave up two runs on one hit with three walks and three strikeouts. Jhon Reyes retired both batters he faced and struck out one. Cabrera accounted for Columbia's first run with a solo home run to left in the third, his eighth of the season, and he added two walks in a 1-for-2 night. The Fireflies scored three times in the eighth. Connor Rasmussen came home on a throwing error, and Josh Hammond followed with a two-run single to right. Hammond finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and a walk. Columbia added a run in the ninth when JC Vanek grounded out to score Yandel Ricardo. Henry Ramos had the other Columbia hit and scored a run. Ricardo, Sean Gamble, Cabrera, Rasmussen, and Angel Ramirez all drew walks, and Columbia worked seven walks in all against nine strikeouts. The Fireflies left three men on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 1 1 0 0 1 Josh Hammond 3 0 1 2 1 1 Yandel Ricardo 3 1 0 0 1 1 Sean Gamble 3 0 0 0 1 2 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 0 0 0 0 JC Vanek 4 0 0 1 0 2 Roni Cabrera 2 1 1 1 2 1 Connor Rasmussen 3 1 0 0 1 0 Angel Ramirez 2 1 0 0 1 1 Totals 28 5 3 4 7 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan McDonagh 3 5 6 6 2 2 4 Yeri Perez 2 0 0 0 3 2 0 Brandon Herbold 1 1/3 0 0 0 4 2 0 Moises Amezquita 1 1 2 2 3 3 1 Jhon Reyes 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 8 6 8 8 12 10 5 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, K Blake Mitchell: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB Sean Gamble: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 2 RBI, K Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, BB, 3 K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-3, BB, K Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: 3 2/3 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 4 HR Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-3, 2B, R Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images The MLB Draft signing deadline passed on Monday with the Royals signing 19 of their 20 Draft selections. They also signed three undrafted free agents, giving them a total of 22 players from this draft-eligible class. The only selection that was not signed was right-handed pitcher Hudson DeVaughan, a prep prospect out of Mooresville High School in Indiana. DeVaughan committed to the University of Alabama, and it seemed like the Royals weren't able to convince DeVaughan to opt out and go professional instead. In the era of NIL, it's getting tougher for teams to sign players like DeVaughan in the Draft. The Cleveland Guardians were unable to sign their second-round pick, Logan Schmidt, a left-handed pitcher who is committed to LSU. Schmidt is debating going to LSU (and making some serious NIL money) or going to JuCo and being eligible for the 2027 MLB Draft. Even though the Royals weren't able to sign all 20 draft picks, they produced an intriguing class with a nice mix of safe, college picks and prep upside. The Royals are already seeing dividends from their 2024 and 2025 Draft classes under Scouting Director Brian Bridges, as High-A and Low-A are the two best-performing clubs in the Royals organization (the Complex League team has also had a strong season). In this post, I am going to highlight five players from this Royals Draft class who could be sleepers and whom fans should pay attention to, especially if they matriculate to Low-A or Complex League ball in 2026. Dominic Battista, OF, Oswego East High School (IL), 4th Round Pick Battista isn't necessarily a sleeper, as he got an overslot deal of $800,000 in the Draft (the slot value was $651, 500). However, while much was made on the first day about first-round selection Zion Rose, I think Battista could be a high-ceiling selection who could surprise in this system. The Illinois prep product isn't an imposing athlete, but he's young (still 18), and he's got a frame that he could grow into effectively. Scouts raved about his defensive ability and his surprising batted-ball and exit velocity metrics on the showcase circuit, making him a bit of a darling of both the Royals' scouts and analytics team. Prospect Porch made note of his exit velocities at the Super 60 and also highlighted his strong arm strength in the outfield. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Some scouts believe Battista could stick in center field. Even if he can't, he could be a nice outfielder to pair with Sean Gamble, who's taking the Carolina League by storm after a slow start in Columbia. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== With any prep prospect, there's a level of risk, especially compared to players right out of college. However, the Royals have demonstrated success developing prep bats from last year's Draft, with Gamble and Josh Hammond being prime examples. It's easy to see the Illinois prep outfielder find similar success, especially with tools that may be more mature than casual fans may think. The exit velocity numbers make me think there's 15-20+ HR upside, maybe more depending on how he fills out his frame as he ages. Battista may not see any professional at-bats for the remainder of the year, as the Royals have been slow to move prep prospect initially (Hammond and Gamble didn't debut in professional ball until 2026). However, I expect him to play in the Instructional League and maybe make a push for the Complex League or Low-A ball, depending on how Spring Training goes for him. Hunter Possehl, LHP, Florida Gulf Coast University, 8th Round Pick Possehl came from FGCU, which produced All-Star lefty Chris Sale. At 6-7, the Royals' 8th-round selection has gotten some comparisons to Sale due to his height and funky delivery. I think that's a bit optimistic, but there is some upside with Possehl that could make him a nice sleeper pick for the Royals. After a mediocre first season at FGCU in 2025 (7.32 ERA in 19.1 IP), Possehl stepped up in his second season. He posted a 3.21 ERA in 67.1 IP and improved his K/BB ratio from 1.69 in 2025 to 2.50 in 2026. He struck out fewer batters per nine innings in 2026, going from a 10.1 K/9 in 2025 to an 8.7 K/9 last year. That said, his BB/9 fell dramatically, going from a 5.9 mark in 2025 to a 3.5 mark in 2026. In addition to showing better control, Possehl has a slider that generated a near 60% whiff rate last season. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== I think there's some room to grow for Possehl, especially if the Royals pitching development team can clean up his delivery a little bit and help him add strength (which will help increase velocity). The arm slot is tough for opposing hitters, and the breaking stuff is polished enough to generate consistent swing-and-miss. He also seems to have strong makeup, and being a Spanish minor at FGCU shows that he is adaptable and quick to learn. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== At the very least, Possehl is an Evan Sisk-like reliever who can move quickly if he stays in the bullpen. However, I think the Royals will give him a shot to prove himself in the rotation, albeit in Low-A Columbia next year. Tanner Griffith, OF, St. Mary's College, 11th Round Pick The Royals had a lot of success with outfielders who aren't imposing or don't have eye-popping tools, but do nothing but perform at the college level. Last year, it was UIC's Luke Pelzer and Creighton's Nolan Sailors, who have absolutely mashed in High-A Quad Cities despite being later selections in the MLB Draft (Sailors was drafted in the 4th round; Pelzer was selected in the 17th round). Griffith may be that type of guy for the Royals from this year's draft class. An 11th-round pick out of SMC of the WCC, Griffith mashed in Moraga, hitting .342 with a 1.022 OPS in 303 plate appearances. He had five home runs, scored 61 runs, collected 45 RBI, and stole 18 bases on 19 attempts. The 21-year-old outfielder also had 45 walks to 38 strikeouts. That kind of approach and batted-ball ability will play, especially in the lower Minors. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Griffith had a TCU commitment, so it's possible that he could've gone even higher in the Draft in 2027 with a move to the Big 12. In addition to a strong final season at SMC, the Gaels outfielder also did well in the WCL summer league for the Portland Pickles before the 2026 season. In 83 plate appearances, he hit .300 with an .826 OPS and had 8 stolen bases on 9 attempts. He was a key member of a team that was very successful in the WCL. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== It's easy to sleep on guys like Griffith, especially since he's not imposing (he's 5'9) and not coming from a Power 5 college. However, all the tools are there for Griffith to be successful and move quickly in the Royals system in 2027, much like Pelzer this year, who has moved to Double-A after a successful stint in High-A Quad Cities. Dylan Alonso, RHP, Troy University, 16th Round Pick It's easy to dismiss a pick like Alonso when one looks at his surface-level metrics. After all, he posted a 5.11 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, and 1.88 K/BB ratio in 49.1 IP with Troy last season. However, a deeper dive into his profile makes him more intriguing and a late-round sleeper who could find success next year. While the walks were high, Alonso struck out 10.9 batters per nine innings and had 60 total strikeouts. The 22-year-old also showed a penchant for pitching well in big games for a team that made the College World Series. A prime example of that was his 2.1 IP, 4 K performance against a ranked University of Alabama team back in May. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Another positive aspect of Alonso's profile is that he thrived in the MLB Draft League in his short sample after finishing his career with Troy. With Williamsport, he posted a 1.13 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, an 11.3 K/9, and a 3.33 K/BB ratio in three appearances and eight innings of work. That strong performance helped him get drafted in the 16th round by the Royals. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Another success story in the MLB Draft League? Former Louisiana-Lafayette pitcher L.P. Langevin, who's emerged as the best reliever in High-A Quad Cities. Alonso doesn't have the pure stuff of Langevin, but he still can pump up to 96 MPH on his fastball, has a nasty breaker, and he comes from the same background and conference as the River Bandits reliever. Don't be surprised to see Alonso turn some heads in the Royals system next year, with stints in Low-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities possible. Ben North, SS/3B, Creighton University, Undrafted Free Agent Usually, undrafted free agents are pure dart throws (Noah Barber from Kansas being a prime example). That said, the Royals may have gotten a nice sleeper in infielder North, who comes from a pretty strong Big East program that's produced some intriguing players in the Royals organization (Sailors, Nicky Lopez, and Isaac Collins, for example). North is an older player, as he was 23 years old in his final season in Omaha. However, as a senior, he hit .319 with a .997 OPS in 265 plate appearances. The former Blue Jay also hit 11 home runs, scored 51 runs, collected 44 RBI, and stole 26 bases on 29 attempts. He also had a big walk-off home run in May against a Kansas team that made it to the Super Regionals (losing to eventual National Champion Oklahoma). data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== He's not a tremendous athlete, but he's a gamer who got better every year at Creighton. After posting a .571 OPS in 2023, he sported an .826 OPS in 2024 and .846 OPS in 2025 before hitting his .997 mark last year. He also increased the walks, going from 19 and 28 in 2024 and 2025 to 35 in 2026 (despite having 13 fewer plate appearances in 2026 compared to 2025). Even in 2025, North showed some intriguing power in big spots, as evidenced by this home run below against Arkansas in the NCAA Tournament. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== While he didn't get selected, it's plausible to see North move quickly and make an impact immediately this year in the Complex League, perhaps the Carolina League if he can mash quickly in Arizona. Some undrafted guys simply go through the cracks for a variety of reasons. Brett Squires is an example of an undrafted free agent who's knocking on the door in Omaha with the Storm Chasers. Perhaps North can be the next Squires-esque success story. View full article

That's good perspective to have. That's something you can't tell from the statline, only from watching the games. I will say he's one I will try to catch the next time he pitches on MiLB.TV. I'm really intrigued by his profile. stat line

I think Asbel could have a Chandler Simpson career arc if he can master bunting and learn to go the other way. But I don't think the EV has been great either and that really limits him, though he has a frame that could put on more strength and power.

I don't think there's an urgency to trade him, so I get what you're saying. If they get a good return, awesome, but I'm not going to be upset if they keep him for another year. He's earned it. As you said, the eye test has been good defensively with Massey and the metrics back that up, which is a good thing. The chemistry between Witt and Massey is world's better than what they had last year with India and BWJ.

Omaha edged Salt Lake 4-3 as Henry Williams struck out five over 5 1/3 innings and Elih Marrero doubled home two runs, with Justin Topa closing it out. Carson Roccaforte homered twice for Northwest Arkansas in a 9-3 loss. Michael Lombardi allowed one run in four innings for Columbia, which fell 4-3 in 10 innings. Trevor Werner homered for Quad Cities, but Emmanuel Reyes was charged with six runs in a 10-8 defeat at Beloit. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Marrero's Two-Run Double Lifts Omaha Past Salt Lake The Omaha Storm Chasers scored twice in the sixth inning and held on for a 4-3 win at Salt Lake. Elih Marrero drove in both of those runs. Jack Pineda opened the sixth with a double, his second of the season, and Brandon Drury drew a two-out walk. Marrero followed with a sharp line drive double to center field that scored Pineda and Drury for a 4-2 lead. Marrero finished 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs batted in, and a run scored. Pineda went 2-for-3. Gavin Cross tied the game in the fifth with his 10th home run of the season, a drive to right-center field. Omaha opened the scoring in the third when Peyton Wilson reached on a fielding error, and Marrero came around to score. Henry Williams worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed four hits and three runs, two of them earned, with two walks and five strikeouts. He gave up a sacrifice fly in the third and a solo home run in the fourth, and he left in the sixth with two runners on base after an error. One of them scored on a single, cutting the lead to 4-3. Jose Cuas retired two of the three batters he faced to end the sixth. Aaron Bummer, Matt Moore, and Justin Topa then combined for three innings without allowing a run, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out four. Topa recorded his fourth save, and Williams picked up the win. Omaha finished with seven hits, three doubles, and five walks. They struck out eight times and left nine runners on base, going just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The Storm Chasers improved to 48-53. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kyle Isbel, CF 3 0 0 0 1 2 Alejo Lopez, 3B 1 0 1 0 0 0 Gavin Cross, DH 5 1 1 1 0 1 Matthew Lugo, RF 5 0 1 0 0 2 Brett Squires, LF 5 0 0 0 0 2 Drew Waters, CF 2 0 0 0 2 0 Jack Pineda, SS 3 1 2 0 0 0 Brandon Drury, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 0 Elih Marrero, C 4 1 2 2 0 0 Peyton Wilson, 2B 3 0 0 0 1 1 Totals 34 4 7 3 5 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 5 1/3 4 3 2 2 5 1 Jose Cuas 0 2/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Aaron Bummer 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Matt Moore 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Justin Topa 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 6 3 2 3 10 1 Roccaforte Homers Twice In Naturals' Loss The Royals' No. 9 prospect homered twice, but Northwest Arkansas lost 9-3 at home. Roccaforte tied the game in the third with his 20th home run of the season, a line drive to right field. He added his 21st with two outs in the ninth, and he finished 2-for-5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored. Spencer Nivens put the Naturals ahead in the fourth with his eighth home run, also to right field. Those three swings accounted for all of the Northwest Arkansas offense. Hunter Patteson gave the Naturals four innings, allowing two hits and one earned run on a solo home run, with no walks and three strikeouts. The game turned in the sixth, much to the Naturals' chagrin. Grant Gambrell hit the leadoff batter, allowed back-to-back singles, then walked in the go-ahead run. A grand slam followed, and Northwest Arkansas trailed 7-2. Anthony Simonelli entered and retired the next three batters. Gambrell was charged with six runs on five hits and a walk in one inning, including two home runs, and he took the loss. Dennis Colleran Jr. allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in the eighth. Tyson Guerrero and Zachary Cawyer each worked an inning without a run, and Roccaforte's second homer produced the game's final run. Daniel Vazquez went 2-for-4, and Nivens reached twice in four plate appearances on a home run and a walk. The Naturals managed six hits, three of them home runs. They drew five walks, struck out nine times, and left eight runners on base, going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Northwest Arkansas is now 40-54 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte, CF 5 2 2 2 0 0 Luke Pelzer, LF 2 0 0 0 2 1 Sam Kulasingam, 3B 4 0 0 0 0 0 Spencer Nivens, RF 3 1 1 1 1 1 Daniel Vazquez, SS 4 0 2 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez, DH 3 0 0 0 1 2 Connor Scott, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 2 Canyon Brown, C 3 0 0 0 1 1 Justin Johnson, 2B 3 0 1 0 0 1 Totals 31 3 6 3 5 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Patteson 4 2 1 1 0 3 1 Grant Gambrell 1 5 6 6 1 0 2 Anthony Simonelli 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Tyson Guerrero 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 Zachary Cawyer 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 11 9 9 2 4 3 Quad Cities Builds Early Lead, Then Falls At Beloit Quad Cities scored six runs over the second and third innings, then gave all of it back in one half inning of a 10-8 loss at Beloit. The River Bandits went ahead in the second. Jose Cerice was hit by a pitch, Tyriq Kemp walked, and Diego Guzman singled to left field, with a throwing error letting both runners score and Guzman reach third base. The third inning was bigger. Erick Torres doubled, his fifth of the season, and No. 8 prospect Asbel Gonzalez moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt. Blake Mitchell, the Royals' No. 4 prospect, singled to center field to score Torres, then stole second base, his 20th steal of the season, and scored on Cerice's single. Werner followed with his seventh home run, a two-run drive to right field that made it 6-2. Beloit answered with seven runs in the bottom of the third. Reyes retired the first batter, then allowed a walk, two singles, one of which drove in a run, and another walk before leaving with the bases loaded. Mason Miller gave up a grand slam, a walk, a run-scoring double, and a balk that brought home the seventh run of the inning. Miller allowed a solo home run in the fourth and finished with four runs on five hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings, taking the loss. Reyes was charged with six runs, five earned, on four hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts. Quad Cities added two in the seventh on Mitchell's sacrifice fly and a balk that scored Gonzalez. Nick Conte, Kamden Edge, and Yimi Presinal combined for four innings without allowing a run. Torres reached four times, going 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored, and Mitchell drove in two. The River Bandits left three runners on base and went 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The loss dropped Quad Cities to 45-47 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Erick Torres, LF 3 2 2 0 2 0 Asbel Gonzalez, CF 3 1 0 0 1 1 Blake Mitchell, DH 3 1 1 2 0 2 Chris Brito, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 2 Jose Cerice, 3B 3 2 1 1 0 1 Trevor Werner, RF 4 1 1 2 0 0 Tyriq Kemp, SS 2 1 0 0 2 1 Diego Guzman, 2B 4 0 1 1 0 2 Ricson Gonzalez, C 3 0 0 0 1 1 Totals 29 8 6 6 6 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 2 1/3 4 6 5 4 3 0 Mason Miller 1 2/3 5 4 4 3 0 2 Nick Conte 1 2/3 2 0 0 0 1 0 Kamden Edge 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Yimi Presinal 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 8 11 10 9 8 6 2 Fireflies Drop A 10-Inning Decision To Kannapolis Columbia dropped the series finale 4-3 in 10 innings at home to Kannapolis. The Fireflies tied the game and made it interesting in the third. Angel Ramirez and Ivan Sosa walked, and Henry Ramos singled to left field to bring Ramirez home. Columbia went ahead in the fourth on No. 5 prospect Sean Gamble's fifth home run of the season, a fly ball to right field. Later in the inning, JC Vanek doubled, moved to third on a fly out, and scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead. Lombardi, the Royals' No. 14 prospect, started and worked four innings, allowing five hits and one earned run with no walks and two strikeouts. His two strikeouts helped him reach the 100-strikeout mark with the Fireflies this season, just the seventh pitcher in franchise history to reach that total in a season. The lead held into the eighth, when Coleman Picard hit the leadoff batter, struck out the next, and then gave up a single and a two-run double that tied the game 3-3. Picard finished with four innings, four hits, two earned runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. Randy Ramnarace pitched the 10th. The zombie runner advanced to third on a leadoff single, then scored on a single to center field. Ramnarace allowed two hits and an unearned run, and he was charged with the loss. Columbia had its own zombie runner at second base in the bottom of the 10th. Ramos was thrown out at third on No. 3 prospect Josh Hammond's fielder's choice, and Yandel Ricardo, the Royals' No. 11 prospect, grounded into a game-ending double play. Ramos finished 2-for-5 with a run batted in, and Gamble went 2-for-4 with a home run and a run batted in. The Fireflies collected eight hits and six walks, struck out five times, and left seven runners on base. They also went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Columbia is now 50-46 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, LF 5 0 2 1 0 2 Josh Hammond, SS 4 0 1 0 1 2 Yandel Ricardo, 2B 4 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Gamble, CF 4 1 2 1 0 0 JC Vanek, 1B 3 1 1 0 1 0 Hyungchan Um, C 4 0 1 0 0 0 Connor Rasmussen, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 1 Angel Ramirez, RF 1 1 0 0 3 0 Ivan Sosa, DH 2 0 0 0 1 0 Gabriel Silva, DH 1 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 32 3 8 2 6 5 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Michael Lombardi 4 5 1 1 0 2 0 Jhon Reyes 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Coleman Picard 4 4 2 2 1 3 0 Randy Ramnarace 1 2 1 0 0 1 0 Totals 10 12 4 3 1 7 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, BB, 2 K Blake Mitchell: 1-for-3, 2 RBI, SB, 2 K Sean Gamble: 2-for-4, HR, RBI Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, K Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-5, 2 HR, 2 RBI Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-4 Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: 4 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP View full article

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