Kevin O'Brien

Agreed. He looks a lot more locked in and relaxed, which he didn’t look like in April and May. I think the pressure got to him initially but he’s made the adjustment which is great because the other tools like baserunning and defense have still been solid

Carson Roccaforte homered and drove in three as the Northwest Arkansas Naturals beat Corpus Christi, 8-3, behind five innings from Hunter Patteson. Michael Lombardi struck out six over five sharp innings for Columbia, though the Fireflies bullpen faltered in a loss. Blake Wolters fanned four as Quad Cities raced to a 13-2 lead before rain suspended play, and rain also halted Omaha's game with the Storm Chasers trailing early. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Rain Suspends Storm Chasers' Game With Omaha Trailing Rain suspended the Omaha Storm Chasers' game against the Indianapolis Indians in the top of the fourth inning, with Omaha trailing 1-0. The only run to that point came on a solo home run in the second inning. Starter Mason Black was otherwise sharp across 3 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and no walks while striking out two, with that home run the lone blemish. Andrew Pérez took over on the mound before play was stopped. Omaha's offense had little going, managing just one hit, a single from leadoff man Rudy Martin Jr., who also stole a base. Brett Squires drew the team's only walk. The game is scheduled to resume at 4 p.m. on the Fourth of July. Saturday's scheduled game will be a 7-inning game and take place after the conclusion of the first game. Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr. 2 0 1 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo 2 0 0 0 0 1 John Rave 1 0 0 0 0 1 Abraham Toro 1 0 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires 0 0 0 0 1 0 Peyton Wilson 1 0 0 0 0 0 Gavin Cross 1 0 0 0 0 0 Elih Marrero 1 0 0 0 0 0 Andrew Velazquez 1 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason Black 3 1/3 4 1 1 0 2 1 Andrew Pérez 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Roccaforte Homers As Naturals Roll Past Corpus Christi The Northwest Arkansas Naturals answered an early deficit with a big first two innings and cruised past the Corpus Christi Hooks, 8-3. After the Hooks pushed across a run in the top of the first, leadoff man Roccaforte tied the game with a home run, and Jack Pineda followed with a home run of his own to give the Naturals a 2-1 lead. In the second, Roccaforte lined a two-run single to score Omar Hernandez and Alberto Rodriguez, and Pineda added a run-scoring single that plated Canyon Brown, stretching the lead to 5-1. Daniel Vazquez doubled home a run in the fifth, and Brown launched a two-run homer in the sixth to make it 8-2. Roccaforte finished 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in, Pineda went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, and Brown drove in two. Starter Patteson earned the win, working five innings and allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out three. Anthony Simonelli, Chase Jessee, and Augusto Mendieta combined to finish the game. The Naturals left six runners on base and went 5-for-10 with runners in scoring position. With the victory, Northwest Arkansas improved their record to 32-45. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 1 3 3 1 0 Colton Becker 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 1 2 2 0 0 Spencer Nivens 4 1 1 0 0 1 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 2 1 0 1 Connor Scott 4 0 0 0 0 3 Omar Hernandez 3 2 2 0 0 0 Alberto Rodriguez 4 1 1 0 0 0 Canyon Brown 3 2 1 2 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Patteson 5 4 2 2 4 3 1 Anthony Simonelli 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 Chase Jessee 1 2/3 3 1 1 2 1 0 Augusto Mendieta 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 River Bandits Race To 13-2 Lead Before Rain Suspends Play The Quad Cities River Bandits piled up runs in a hurry before rain suspended their game against the Cedar Rapids Kernels with Quad Cities ahead 13-2. The River Bandits scored seven times in the first inning, capped by a three-run home run from Erick Torres and fueled by a two-run double from Tyriq Kemp, a bases-loaded hit by pitch, and an error. They tacked on four more in the second, including a run-scoring double from Derlin Figueroa and a solo home run from Kemp. In the fourth, a fielder's choice and a run-scoring single from Diego Guzman pushed the margin to 13-2. Wolters turned in four solid innings on the mound, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Kemp finished with a home run, a double, and three runs batted in; Torres also drove in three, and Ramon Ramirez reached base three times and scored three runs. The game is scheduled to resume on the Fourth of July at 4 p.m. Saturday's game will begin 40 minutes after the completion of game one and will be a 7-inning contest. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez 3 1 1 0 0 1 Nolan Sailors 3 0 0 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell 3 2 1 0 0 0 Ramon Ramirez 1 3 1 0 2 0 Derlin Figueroa 2 2 1 1 1 1 Jose Cerice 1 2 0 2 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 2 2 2 3 1 0 Erick Torres 3 1 2 3 0 1 Diego Guzman 3 0 1 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters 4 4 2 2 1 4 0 Lombardi Sharp, But Fireflies Bullpen Unravels In Loss Michael Lombardi gave the Columbia Fireflies a strong start, but the bullpen could not hold a late lead in an 8-3 loss to the Fredericksburg Nationals. Lombardi struck out six over five innings, allowing just one run on three hits and two walks, and handed off a 2-1 lead. He now leads all Single-A pitchers in strikeouts. Columbia had scratched out its runs on an unearned tally in the second inning and a run-scoring single from Jhosmmel Zue in the fourth that brought home Yandel Ricardo. The lead disappeared in the sixth, when Fredericksburg connected for a two-run home run to move ahead 3-2, a blown save charged to Jhon Reyes, who took the loss. The Nationals kept pouring it on, adding two runs in the seventh, one in the eighth, and two more in the ninth against a bullpen that struggled to find the strike zone. Luis Valdez walked five in a single inning. Josh Hammond led the offense with a 2-for-4 night, and Zue added two hits and a run batted in, but Columbia struck out 11 times and could not recover. The Fireflies went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position. They are now 39-40 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Hammond 4 0 2 0 0 1 Sean Gamble 3 0 0 0 1 1 Yandel Ricardo 4 1 1 0 0 2 Hyungchan Um 3 2 1 0 1 0 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 2 1 0 0 Roni Cabrera 4 0 0 0 0 2 Connor Rasmussen 2 0 0 0 1 2 Josi Novas 3 0 0 0 0 1 Ivan Sosa 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Michael Lombardi 5 3 1 1 2 6 1 Jhon Reyes 1 2 2 2 0 2 1 Randy Ramnarace 1 2/3 3 3 3 0 0 1 Luis Valdez 1 2 2 2 5 3 1 Hunter Alberini 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 2-for-4, K Blake Mitchell: 1-for-3, 2 R Sean Gamble: 0-for-3, BB, K Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-1, 2B, 3 R, 2 BB Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 3-for-4, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-3, SB, R, K Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-4, R, 2 K Michael Lombardi: 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vázquez: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, K Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of David Frerker-Imagn Images Things have been rough for the Kansas City Royals, as they are 18 games under .500 as of Friday, July 3rd. Sporting a 0.7% playoff odds before the Fourth of July isn't the greatest place to be as an organization or fanbase. That said, there is some lingering hope in the Royals' Minor Leagues that should help this fanbase be more optimistic about 2027 and beyond. Let's take a look at the top hitters in June from each Royals affiliate, and what these strong performances over the past month mean for not just the players themselves, but the farm system as the MLB Draft looms on July 12th. *All Statcast summaries courtesy of TJ Stats. Triple-A Omaha: Matthew Lugo, OF I talked in a recent post about Lugo deserving a shot in Kansas City. His strong June at the plate is the reason why. In 21 games and 80 at-bats with the Storm Chasers this month, Lugo hit .325 with a 1.035 OPS. He hit seven home runs, the most of any Omaha hitter in June, and scored 17 runs, which tied Abraham Toro for the June lead. Toro technically produced the better average (.326) and OPS (1.041). Still, I gave the edge to Lugo considering Lugo's power (more home runs and higher slugging than Toro) and youth (25 to the 29-year-old Toro). Lugo still had flaws this month. His 4.7% walk rate ranked in the 3rd percentile, and his 34% O-Swing% ranked in the 12th percentile. That said, his barrel rate ranked in the 90th percentile (11.5%), his LA Sweet-Spot% ranked in the 97th percentile (45.9%), and his Pull Air% ranked in the 88th percentile (19.7%). The Royals need bats who can not only hit for power but also pull the ball effectively, especially at home, where the stadium's dimensions are modified. Hopefully, the former Angels prospect will get a chance to do that in Kansas City sooner rather than later. Double-A Northwest Arkansas: Jack Pineda, 2B/SS/3B The Naturals struggled in June hitting-wise. That was especially true of their top players. Carson Roccaforte, our No. 8 prospect at Royals Keep, hit .200 with a .683 OPS. Daniel Vazquez, our No. 18 prospect, hit .247 with a .687 OPS. Sam Kulasingam, who looked to be on the verge of a promotion to Omaha in May, only hit .173 with a .612 OPS. One Northwest Arkansas player that did NOT struggle was Pineda, a Royals 12th-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. In 78 at-bats (second most of any Naturals player this month), the utility infielder hit .346 with a .908 OPS. He launched two home runs, scored 10 runs, and collected 14 RBI. The latter led all Naturals players this month in that category. The former Baylor product also drew 11 walks to only 9 strikeouts and stole 9 bases on 10 attempts in June. The 26-year-old infielder also had a 15-game on-base streak that extended from June 13th to July 1st (it ended on July 2nd against Corpus Christi). Pineda is an aggressive hitter who can chase a lot (31.8% O-Swing% this month), but he makes contact frequently (82.5% Z-Contact%). If the Royals opt to promote Peyton Wilson this year, Pineda could replace him on the Storm Chasers roster. The 5'8, 170-pound infielder isn't a high-ceiling prospect, and his profile seems more similar to Nicky Lopez than Michael Massey. That said, the Royals need gritty guys who play good defense, are efficient on the basepaths, and can put the ball in play. Perhaps Pineda can satisfy that role in Kansas City in 2027. High-A Quad Cities: Luke Pelzer, OF There are a lot of big names in Quad Cities, as catcher Blake Mitchell and pitcher Kendry Chourio were the two representatives chosen to represent the Royals in the MLB All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, June 12th (the same day as the Draft). However, while Pelzer doesn't have the prospect status of those two, or position players like Ramon Ramirez (No. 6), Asbel Gonzalez (No. 9), or Austin Charles (No. 17), he has arguably been one of the most productive hitters this season in Davenport. In 77 at-bats in June, the 2025 17th-round pick hit .390 with a .966 OPS. While he didn't hit a home run, he produced a .494 Slugging thanks to six doubles and one triple. Pelzer also scored 14 runs, collected 15 RBI, and stole 6 bases on 7 attempts. The University of Illinois-Chicago product also drew 12 walks to just 17 strikeouts, good for a 0.71 ratio. Another intriguing aspect of Pelzer's profile is that he's been extremely productive with ducks on the pond. He has produced a .525 average in RISP and 2-Out situations this season, according to the Royals Player Development social media account. Pelzer didn't pull the ball much this month (13th percentile Pull Air%), but he is a patient hitter (27th percentile in June) who doesn't chase (70th percentile O-Swing%), whiff (79th percentile whiff%), or strike out (81st percentile). That profile should earn him a promotion to Double-A Northwest Arkansas soon. Low-A Columbia: Sean Gamble, OF Gamble's overall numbers this year in Columbia are atrocious. In 70 games and 304 plate appearances, he is hitting .182 with a .565 OPS. However, that was mostly due to brutal months in April (23 TJ Bat+) and May (46 TJ Bat+). It's been a much different story in June for Gamble, and he's finally showing fans why the Royals drafted him 23rd overall in last year's MLB Draft. In 77 at-bats this month, Gamble is hitting .260 with a .760 OPS. His TJ Bat+ in June is 107, 84 points higher than his April mark and 61 points higher than his May mark. The former IMG Academy scored 13 runs, collected 14 RBI, and stole 10 bases on 11 attempts. Another impressive development? He drew 13 walks to 20 strikeouts, good for a 0.65 mark. The 19-year-old showed much better plate discipline in June, with a 22.2% O-Swing% (81st percentile), a 21.8% whiff rate (84th percentile), and 84.7% Z-Contact% (76th percentile). He also pulled the ball much better this past month, as his 15.5% PullAir% ranked in the 66th percentile. That resulted in some big hits, as he had four doubles, a triple, and a home run this month. Fellow 2025 MLB Draft selection Josh Hammond has gotten more attention in Columbia, and he had a great month as well, hitting .316 with two home runs in 98 at-bats. However, Gamble actually had a better OPS than Hammond in June (.746), with Gamble striking out the same amount (20), but walking six more times than Hammond this month. Many jaded Royals fans have already chimed in that Gamble is another Royals draft "bust." That said, this past month has demonstrated that Gamble has made the necessary adjustments to Low-A pitching (a promising development sign), and he's showing he could have a future as a defensive and speed specialist who can maintain discipline at the plate and make regular contact. A strong July and early August could help propel Gamble to a short stint in Quad Cities during the stretch run in late August and September, something that seemed unthinkable back in May. View full article

Drew Beam struck out eight over seven innings, and Alberto Rodriguez capped a five-run seventh with a home run to rally Northwest Arkansas from a two-run deficit past Corpus Christi. Kendry Chourio spun six strong innings as Quad Cities beat Cedar Rapids, with Ramon Ramirez collecting two hits and two stolen bases. Omaha and Columbia both fell despite a quality start from Mitch Spence and seven strikeouts from Jose Gutierrez. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals activated RHP Stephen Kolek from the bereavement list. Kansas City Royals designated RHP Eric Cerantola for assignment. Kansas City Royals optioned RF John Rave to Omaha Storm Chasers. Kansas City Royals selected the contract of C Luke Maile from Omaha Storm Chasers. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Jose Cuas to Omaha Storm Chasers. Eighth-Inning Homer Sinks Omaha Despite Spence's Quality Start The Omaha Storm Chasers carried a lead into the eighth inning, but a late home run flipped the game, and they fell to the Indianapolis Indians, 4- 2. Starter Spence, who has struggled at the Major League level with Kansas City, bounced back from a recent rough outing and turned in a quality start, working six innings and allowing one run on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Omaha built its lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth. In the fourth, Matthew Lugo, who had walked and stolen a base, came around to score on a two-out single by Brett Squires. In the fifth, Andrew Velazquez singled, stole a base, and scored when leadoff man Gavin Cross singled him home—that 2-to-1 advantage held until the eighth. Dan Altavilla worked a scoreless seventh, but the bottom of the bullpen faltered in the eighth, when a three-run homer put Indianapolis ahead for good. Génesis Cabrera was charged with two runs in two-thirds of an inning, and Ben Sears allowed the home run over his one-third of an inning. Anthony Gose closed the ninth with a scoreless frame. At the plate, Squires led the way, going 2-for-4 with a run batted in and a stolen base. Cross and Velazquez each added a hit, and Abraham Toro doubled. Omaha drew four walks but stranded seven runners and could not add on after the fifth. They went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. The loss overshadowed a strong outing from Spence, who gave the Storm Chasers exactly the kind of start they needed before the bullpen surrendered the lead late. The loss drops Omaha's record to 37-46. Player AB R H RBI BB K Gavin Cross 4 0 1 1 0 0 Matthew Lugo 3 1 1 0 1 0 Abraham Toro 4 0 1 0 0 1 Drew Waters 3 0 0 0 1 1 Brett Squires 4 0 2 1 0 0 Peyton Wilson 3 0 0 0 1 1 Luca Tresh 3 0 0 0 1 1 Rudy Martin Jr. 0 0 0 0 0 0 Kevin Newman 4 0 0 0 0 2 Andrew Velazquez 4 1 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mitch Spence 6 6 1 1 1 5 0 Dan Altavilla 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Génesis Cabrera 2/3 0 2 2 1 1 0 Ben Sears 1/3 1 1 1 0 1 1 Anthony Gose 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Five-Run Seventh Powers Naturals Past Corpus Christi The Northwest Arkansas Naturals erased a two-run deficit with a five-run seventh inning and held on to beat the Corpus Christi Hooks, 5 to 4. Beam, the No. 7 prospect in the Royals' system at Royals Keep, set the tone on the mound, striking out eight over seven innings while allowing two runs on four hits and one walk, one of them coming on a solo home run. Trailing 2- 0, the Naturals broke through in the seventh. Sam Kulasingam singled and scored on a triple by cleanup hitter Spencer Nivens. Nivens then came home on a wild pitch, and after Daniel Vazquez walked and a throwing error extended the inning, Connor Scott and Omar Hernandez each brought in a run on groundouts. Rodriguez capped the rally with a solo home run that made it 5 to 2. The Hooks answered with two runs in the eighth against the bullpen, 5- 2, as Caden Monke was charged with two runs in two-thirds of an inning before Zachary Cawyer recorded the final out of the frame. Dennis Colleran Jr. worked a scoreless ninth, striking out three, to secure the win. Leadoff man Carson Roccaforte reached three times, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. Nivens finished with a triple, a walk, and a run batted in, and Rodriguez drove in the go-ahead run with his home run. The Naturals collected only five hits but drew four walks and made the most of the seventh, turning a quiet night into a comeback victory. They left four runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Northwest Arkansas is now 31-45 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 3 0 2 0 1 0 Jack Pineda 4 0 0 0 0 2 Sam Kulasingam 4 1 1 0 0 0 Spencer Nivens 3 1 1 1 1 0 Daniel Vazquez 2 1 0 0 1 0 Colton Becker 2 1 0 0 1 0 Connor Scott 3 0 0 1 0 0 Omar Hernandez 3 0 0 1 0 0 Alberto Rodriguez 3 1 1 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam 7 4 2 2 1 8 1 Caden Monke 2/3 1 2 2 2 1 0 Zachary Cawyer 1/3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 Chourio's Quality Start Carries Quad Cities Over Cedar Rapids The Quad Cities River Bandits got a quality start from Chourio, the Royals' top prospect and just recently added to the MLB All-Star Futures Game roster, and did just enough at the plate to beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels, 3-1. Chourio worked six innings, allowing one run on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. The River Bandits gave him the lead early. In the second, Derlin Figueroa scored on a double by Trevor Werner, and Werner came home on a two-out single by Angel Acosta to make it 2- 0. Cedar Rapids pulled within a run on a sacrifice fly in the fourth, but Quad Cities restored its cushion in the fifth, when Ramon Ramirez singled, stole a base, and scored on a double by Tyriq Kemp. The bullpen slammed the door from there. Aiden Jimenez tossed two scoreless innings, and Max Martin worked a scoreless ninth to finish it. It was Martin's first save of the season. Ramirez was the standout on offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bases. Werner added a double, a walk, and a run batted in, while Kemp doubled, walked, drove in a run, and stole a base. Figueroa also doubled among the eight hits for Quad Cities. The River Bandits left nine runners on base and struck out ten times, but they cashed in enough of their chances to hold the lead throughout. They went 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Chourio has now given the River Bandits another strong arm at the front of the rotation with David Shields, the No. 2 prospect at Royals Keep. The bullpen backed him with three scoreless innings to close out the win, improving their record to 34-40. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell 3 0 0 0 1 1 Ramon Ramirez 3 1 2 0 1 0 Luke Pelzer 4 0 0 0 0 3 Derlin Figueroa 4 1 1 0 0 2 Tyriq Kemp 2 0 1 1 1 1 Erick Torres 4 0 1 0 0 2 Trevor Werner 3 1 1 1 1 0 Angel Acosta 4 0 1 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Kendry Chourio 6 3 1 1 1 3 0 Aiden Jimenez 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 Max Martin 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Fireflies Fall to Fredericksburg Despite Gutierrez's Seven Strikeouts The Columbia Fireflies could not solve the Fredericksburg Nationals at the plate and dropped the game, 5 to 1. Starter Gutierrez piled up seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings, but he was tagged for three runs on five hits with one walk, including a solo home run. Fredericksburg jumped ahead with two runs in the second on a pair of doubles, then added a run in the sixth on the home run off Gutierrez. Columbia answered in the bottom of the sixth, when JC Vanek walked, moved into scoring position, and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Hyungchan Um. That was the only run the Fireflies would push across on Thursday night. Dutch prospect Brandon Herbold provided a lift out of the bullpen, striking out three over 1 2/3 scoreless innings, but Yeri Perez was charged with two runs in the eighth that put the game out of reach. Dash Albus finished with a scoreless ninth in mop-up duty. Offensively, the Fireflies managed just four hits. Cleanup hitter Vanek went 1-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases, and the team's only run. Connor Rasmussen doubled, and Yandel Ricardo and Jhosmmel Zue each singled. Columbia drew six walks but stranded seven runners and could not string together enough offense to support Gutierrez. His strikeout total was the bright spot on a night when the Fireflies were held to a single run and never led. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 3 0 0 0 1 1 Sean Gamble 3 0 0 0 1 1 Yandel Ricardo 4 0 1 0 0 1 JC Vanek 2 1 1 0 2 1 Stone Russell 3 0 0 0 1 0 Hyungchan Um 2 0 0 1 1 0 Angel Ramirez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 3 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez 5 1/3 5 3 3 1 7 1 Brandon Herbold 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Yeri Perez 1 3 2 2 1 0 0 Dash Albus 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: DNP Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K Sean Gamble: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 1 K Ramon Ramirez: 2-for-3, 1 BB, 2 SB Drew Beam: 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-3, 1 BB, 1 SB Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 1 SB, 1 K Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-4, 1 K Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vázquez: 0-for-2, 1 BB Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: 0-for-2, 2 BB View full article

Image courtesy of Troy Taormina-Imagn Images The Royals' season is plummeting fast, much to the chagrin of fans. Going into Thursday's game, Kansas City was 35-52, good for last in the AL Central. At the time of this writing, the Royals are losing 5-1 and are on the verge of being swept by the Tampa Bay Rays at home. That's not a good sign, especially with a tough weekend home series against the Philadelphia Phillies coming up. With 1.1% odds to make the postseason, according to Fangraphs, the Royals are clearly in rebuilding mode. They likely will bring in a lot of new pieces later in the month, especially as they near the August 3rd MLB Trade Deadline. For now, however, they have to rely on players on their 40-man roster or those up in Omaha who can make the transition from Triple-A to Major League competition. Right now, there isn't a lot of depth in the Royals system, both on the hitting and pitching end. However, the Royals really have nothing to lose at this point, especially being 17 games under .500. Therefore, Kansas City could benefit from bringing in some fresh faces from Omaha to help spark this club over the next few months. While they may not be long-term solutions to the Royals' roster problems, they deserve a shot to show the front office what they can do and whether or not they will be part of the Royals' roster in 2027 and beyond. Here are four players in Omaha (three hitters and one pitcher) who should get an opportunity for some playing time with the Royals at some point in the second half of this brutal season. Ryan Ramsey, LHP The Royals do not have much pitching depth, both on the 40-man roster and in Triple-A Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The only pitcher who deserves a chance who isn't on the 40-man (and not injured) is Ramsey, who is in his second year with the Storm Chasers. Ramsey's surface-level metrics aren't eye-popping. In 15 outings (13 starts) and 69.2 IP, the former Maryland product is posting a 4.78 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 5.57 FIP, and 9.2% K-BB%. That said, he seems to be trending positively recently, as he went five innings and only allowed one run on four hits in his most recent start on June 26th. Ramsey is not a strikeout (19.7% K%) or swinging-strike machine (9.7% SwStr%). However, he is efficient in generating called strikes, as evidenced by his 14.2% called-strike rate. The former 13th-round pick has also demonstrated an ability to limit hard hits and contact in the zone. That is illustrated in his Statcast percentiles summary from Triple-A this season via TJ Stats. When it comes to TJ Stuff+, Ramsey's overall 97 mark isn't impressive, but his slider and curveball rate as above-average offerings with 101 marks. He also has produced a decent whiff rate this year, with his 23.7% whiff rate ranking in the 59th percentile, according to TJ Stats. Ramsey may not be a long-term option for the Royals. That said, the former Terrapin could be a nice hybrid guy for the remainder of the season who could thrive if given the opportunity. Peyton Wilson, 2B/3B Wilson has not gotten much attention in Omaha because he's been overshadowed by veteran infielders like Josh Rojas, Abraham Toro, Kevin Newman, and Brandon Drury. Furthermore, he was hurt in mid-April and missed roughly a month of play. That said, since returning, Wilson has performed much better in his second stint in Omaha. Last year, the former Alabama product hit .223 with a 65 wRC+ in 319 plate appearances with the Storm Chasers. This season? He's hitting .294 with a 102 wRC+ in 186 plate appearances. He also has shown a strong ability to not just hit with more power in Omaha this year (.107 ISO compared to .086 last year), but hit fewer pop-ups and more line drives as well. Wilson is still striking out and whiffing a lot, but he's launching the ball better and hitting it hard, as illustrated by his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles summary from Omaha. Wilson has long been known for a solid glove at the keystone and hot corner, so he's the kind of player who at least would hold his own defensively in the infield. The biggest question mark with him has been his bat. That's been the primary reason he hasn't been added to the 40-man roster or picked up in the Rule 5 Draft. When looking at Wilson, his profile feels very similar to Michael Massey. While Massey has had a solid year (1.2 fWAR and 96 wRC+), he is also 28 and will be 29 next season. Furthermore, Massey could be a trade candidate. If Wilson can fill in for Massey adequately, then Royals president JJ Picollo may be tempted to trade the former Illinois product by August 3rd. Matthew Lugo, OF The Royals claimed Lugo off waivers after he was designated for assignment by the Angels. Since coming over to the Kansas City organization, he's done nothing but hit in Omaha. In 90 plate appearances with the Storm Chasers, Lugo is hitting .321 with a 151 wRC+. The former 2019 Red Sox draft pick has also shown tremendous home run power, with seven home runs in 22 games with Omaha. Lugo had a cup of coffee with the Angels last year, but didn't do anything earth-shattering in his rookie debut. In 31 games and 70 plate appearances, the 25-year-old hit .232 with an 89 wRC+. He flashed some power with the Halos with four home runs. However, he struck out 34.3% of the time and didn't draw a single walk in his MLB tenure last year. Thus, his free-swinging approach was a big reason why the Angels opted to part ways with him this year. Still, even though his profile is flawed, there's some big-fly and power potential with Lugo, who can reasonably play all three outfield positions. In Triple-A this year, with both the Angels and Royals organizations, he has demonstrated the ability to barrel and launch the ball consistently, per TJ Stats Statcast percentiles. The Royals have a dearth of right-handed bats on the 40-man roster right now. That has been obvious in this Rays series, as manager Matt Quatraro has had to bat lefty hitters like Kameron Misner and Michael Massey against lefty starters like Shane McClanahan and Ian Seymour. Misner has cooled off significantly after a strong start, and the Royals may opt to bring up Lugo to take Misner's place, especially since Lugo would give Kansas City a right-handed bat who can play multiple positions in the outfield. Brett Squires, 1B/3B I have talked about Squires before here on Royals Keep, as he's been the kind of player who's hit at every level in the Royals system. Since being called up to Omaha, the former Oklahoma product has hit .293 with a 131 wRC+ in 162 plate appearances. That includes 10 home runs in 40 games. The main issue preventing Squires from a possible promotion or addition to the 40-man roster is his lack of positional versatility. He is a corner infielder who primarily plays first base. Thus, he's been blocked by Maikel Garcia and Nick Loftin at third base and Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Jac Caglianone at first. That said, those positions have become a lot more open. Garcia is currently on the IL, and Loftin has cooled at the plate, as he is hitless in his last 21 plate appearances. Vinnie is also on the IL, Salvy is hurt, and Caglianone seems to be rotating between right field and first base, depending on the pitching matchup. Thus, the Royals may have a spot for Squires, who is producing some of the most impressive batted-ball metrics in Omaha, as evidenced by his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles. It is hard to see Squires as a long-term answer, especially once Garcia and Pasquantino return healthy. Nonetheless, the Royals need some pop and consistency in the middle of the batting order, and Squires could provide that, even if there is some swing-and-miss risk with his hitting profile (15th percentile whiff rate, 12th percentile chase rate, and 26th percentile K rate). View full article

On Thursday afternoon, the Royals announced that they had signed former closer Scott Barlow on a Minor League deal. Barlow pitched with the Royals from 2018 to 2023, serving as the team's closer in his last three years. Over that time frame, the righty saved 53 games with Kansas City. During his 5 1/2 years with the Royals, the former Dodgers draft pick produced a 6.7 bWAR, a 3.39 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and a 2.98 K/BB ratio. The Royals traded Barlow to the Padres at the 2023 Trade Deadline for pitching prospects Henry Williams and Jesus Rios (only Williams remains in the organization). After finishing the 2023 season with the Padres (3.07 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 29.1 IP), he ended up pitching for the Guardians in 2024 (4.25 ERA in 55 IP) and the Reds in 2025 (4.21 ERA in 68.1 IP). This season, Barlow pitched 36 games with the Athletics and struggled in 33.1 IP. He posted a 6.48 ERA in Sacramento, a career-worst mark. As a result, the Athletics designated Barlow for assignment on June 21st and ended up releasing him on June 24th. With a lack of bullpen depth and Kris Bubic recently added to the 60-Day IL, the Royals are looking for Barlow to provide a veteran presence in Triple-A Omaha and perhaps Kansas City, if needed. While the overall numbers aren't great, and the TJ Stuff+ marks are subpar (97 overall TJ Stuff+), he still generates strikes at a high level, as illustrated by his CSW and whiff rates below. The 33-year-old will likely start in Omaha. However, he could move up to Kansas City quickly, especially with the Royals needing fresh arms for a tough series against the Phillies this weekend at Kauffman Stadium, and a looming road trip to Queens (the Mets) and Baltimore (Orioles) before the All-Star Break. Barlow is the second former Royals reliever to return to the organization this year. Jose Cuas made his 2026 Royals debut on Wednesday, allowing one run and striking out three Rays hitters in two innings of work. He also posted a TJ Stuff+ of 100 and a decent xwOBACON of .350, as seen below via his TJ Stuff+ summary. Cuas hadn't pitched in the Majors since 2024, and he last pitched with the Royals in 2023. That season, he posted a 4.54 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 41.2 IP before being traded to the Chicago Cubs at the Trade Deadline for Nelson Velazquez. View full rumor

Abraham Toro and Luca Tresh homered to lift the Omaha Storm Chasers past Indianapolis, 4-2, behind three scoreless innings from Oscar Rayo and a three-strikeout save from Eli Morgan. Hunter Owen struck out nine over five scoreless innings, but Northwest Arkansas fell 5-3. Quad Cities dropped a 9-7 slugfest despite Luke Pelzer's home run. Shane Van Dam steadied Columbia's staff, and Coleman Picard closed out a 7-4 comeback win. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Toro And Tresh Homers Carry Omaha Past Indianapolis The Omaha Storm Chasers scored three times in the fourth inning to pull away from the visiting Indianapolis Indians in a 4-2 win. Toro led the offense, going 2 for 4 with a solo home run that tied the game in the first, and Tresh added a two-run homer that provided the decisive margin. Brett Squires singled and drove in a run, Matthew Lugo and Kevin Newman each doubled, and Elih Marrero chipped in with a triple. Omaha broke the game open in the fourth. Squires singled to center to bring home Lugo, and two batters later Tresh drove a fly ball to left field for a two-run homer that scored Squires and pushed the lead to 4-1. Starter Ethan Bosacker turned in a steady outing across four innings, allowing one run on two hits with one walk and two strikeouts, with the only damage a solo home run in the first. Rayo followed with three scoreless innings, walking two and striking out two to earn the win. Ben Sears worked a scoreless inning, and Morgan closed it out, striking out three in the ninth while surrendering a solo home run in the save. The four Omaha arms combined for eight strikeouts. The Storm Chasers stranded two baserunners and went 2-for-5 with runners in scoring position. They improved their record to 37-45 after the victory. Player AB R H RBI BB K Peyton Wilson 3 0 0 0 1 0 Abraham Toro 4 1 2 1 0 0 Matthew Lugo 4 1 1 0 0 1 Drew Waters 3 0 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires 3 1 1 1 0 0 Luca Tresh 3 1 1 2 0 1 Gavin Cross 3 0 0 0 0 0 Elih Marrero 3 0 1 0 0 1 Kevin Newman 3 0 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ethan Bosacker 4 2 1 1 1 2 1 Oscar Rayo 3 0 0 0 2 2 0 Ben Sears 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Eli Morgan 1 1 1 1 0 3 1 Northwest Arkansas Wastes Owen Gem In Eighth-Inning Collapse The Northwest Arkansas Naturals carried a three-run lead into the eighth inning before the Corpus Christi Hooks rallied for a 5-3 win. Owen was outstanding on the mound, working five scoreless innings and allowing just one hit while walking three and striking out nine. Leadoff man Carson Roccaforte, the No. 8 prospect at Royals Keep, and Jack Pineda each finished with two hits, Sam Kulasingam added two hits, a walk, and an RBI, and Connor Scott provided a solo home run. The Naturals jumped ahead in the first. Roccaforte and Pineda reached to open the frame, and Kulasingam lined a single to left to score Roccaforte. Spencer Nivens followed with a single to center that brought home Pineda for a 2-0 lead. Scott extended the advantage in the fourth, driving a fly ball to right field for a solo home run. The Naturals' early lead did not hold, unfortunately. Corpus Christi batted around against the bullpen in the eighth, using a leadoff double, a run-scoring single, a walk, an RBI double, and a sacrifice fly to plate four runs and take a 4-3 lead. Augusto Mendieta was charged with three of those runs and took the loss. The Hooks added an insurance run in the ninth. Northwest Arkansas managed seven hits and stranded five, unable to answer late. They went 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position. The Naturals fell to 30-45 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 1 1 0 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 1 2 0 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 3 0 2 1 1 1 Jorge Alfaro 4 0 0 0 0 4 Spencer Nivens 4 0 1 1 0 1 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 0 0 0 1 Connor Scott 4 1 1 1 0 1 Canyon Brown 4 0 0 0 0 2 Justin Johnson 2 0 0 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 5 1 0 0 3 9 0 Brandon Johnson 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Frank Mozzicato 1 1 1 1 2 2 0 Augusto Mendieta 1 2 3 3 1 2 0 Tommy Molsky 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 River Bandits' Late Lead Slips Away In 9-7 Loss The Quad Cities River Bandits out-hit the Cedar Rapids Kernels 13 to 8 but could not hold a late lead, falling 9-7. Pelzer led the way, going 3 for 4 with a double, a home run, and two RBI. Derlin Figueroa added a double and a home run, Blake Mitchell doubled twice, Jose Cerice doubled and scored twice, Tyriq Kemp tripled, and Angel Acosta collected two hits and two RBI in the loss. Trailing 4-2, Quad Cities surged ahead with a sensational four-run sixth inning. Pelzer and Figueroa hit back-to-back solo home runs to tie the game, Kemp followed with a triple to score Cerice, and Acosta singled home Kemp to make it 6-4. The River Bandits tacked on another run in the seventh when Pelzer singled to bring home Mitchell. Starter David Shields, the No. 2 prospect at Royals Keep, struck out seven over 4 2/3 innings but was charged with four runs on four hits and three walks, including a two-run home run. Unfortunately for the River Bandits, the bullpen could not protect the lead. Cedar Rapids tied the game in the seventh on a two-run homer, then pushed across two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. Kamden Edge, our No. 19 prospect at Royals Keep, was tagged with the loss. Quad Cities left four on base and went 4-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They are now 33-40 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 5 0 0 0 0 3 Asbel Gonzalez 5 1 1 0 0 2 Blake Mitchell 4 1 2 0 0 1 Ramon Ramirez 3 0 0 0 1 2 Luke Pelzer 4 1 3 2 0 0 Derlin Figueroa 4 1 2 1 0 2 Jose Cerice 4 2 2 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 3 1 1 1 0 2 Angel Acosta 4 0 2 2 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 4 2/3 4 4 4 3 7 1 Nick Conte 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Kamden Edge 1 1/3 2 4 4 2 3 1 Yimi Presinal 1 2/3 2 1 1 1 0 0 Columbia's Five-Run Third Powers Comeback Win The Columbia Fireflies erased an early three-run deficit with a five-run third inning and held on to beat the visiting Fredericksburg Nationals, 7-4. Henry Ramos drove in three runs on two hits, Roni Cabrera doubled twice and scored twice, and Sean Gamble reached base three times with a hit and two walks. Stone Russell and Hyungchan Um each added a hit and an RBI. Down 3-0, Columbia turned the game around in the third. Russell singled to score Cabrera, and Ramos followed with a single that plated one run before a fielding error allowed two more to come around. Um capped the rally with a run-scoring single, giving the Fireflies a 5-3 lead. Columbia added to it in the fourth when Ramos lined a two-run single, pushing the margin to 7-4. Starter Van Dam scattered six hits over 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, two walks, and a home run while striking out six. The bullpen slammed the door. Andy Basora struck out three across 1 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win, and Picard finished with three scoreless innings, yielding one hit and striking out four for the rare three-inning save. Columbia drew ten walks and left nine on base but did enough early to secure the victory. They also went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The win brings the Fireflies back to over .500 at 39-38 for the year. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Hammond 4 0 0 0 1 0 Sean Gamble 3 2 1 0 2 0 Stone Russell 3 1 1 1 2 1 JC Vanek 2 1 0 0 3 1 Henry Ramos 4 1 2 3 0 0 Hyungchan Um 3 0 1 1 1 1 Angel Ramirez 3 0 0 0 1 0 Connor Rasmussen 4 0 0 0 0 2 Roni Cabrera 2 2 2 0 0 0 Josi Novas 2 0 0 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Shane Van Dam 4 1/3 6 4 4 2 6 1 Andy Basora 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Coleman Picard 3 1 0 0 1 4 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: 4 2/3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, HR Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, BB Blake Mitchell: 2-for-4, 2 2B, K Sean Gamble: 1-for-3, 2 BB Ramon Ramirez: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4 Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-5, 2 K Yandel Ricardo: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 0-for-4, K Kamden Edge: 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, HR Warren Calcano: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images On Wednesday morning, MLB announced the rosters for the 2026 All-Star Futures Game. Two Royals players were named to the rosters: pitcher Kendry Chourio and catcher Blake Mitchell. Chourio and Mitchell are the No. 1 and No. 4 ranked prospects in the Royals system at Royals Keep. Chourio started the season in Columbia and absolutely dominated as an 18-year-old. In 11 starts and 48 IP, he posted a 1.88 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, a 23.4% K%, and 18.6% K-BB%. He was by far the best starting pitcher not just on the Fireflies roster, but arguably the Carolina League. The strong start with the Fireflies helped him earn a promotion to High-A Quad Cities. Chourio has only two starts with the River Bandits so far. In 10.2 IP, the Venezuelan-born pitcher has a 5.06 ERA, but his WHIP (1.03) and FIP (3.63) are much better marks. Chourio has improved his swing-and-miss in Quad Cities, as he has a 31.1% K% and 26.7% K-BB% with the River Bandits. His 32.5% CSW in High-A is much better than the 25.9% CSW in Low-A this season. Joining Chourio will be Mitchell, who is currently a teammate of Chourio in Quad Cities. The 2023 8th overall pick has recovered well this year after struggling through a hamate bone injury a season ago in Quad Cities. In 68 games and 298 plate appearances, Mitchell is hitting .210 with an .834 OPS and 123 wRC+. He also has 13 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and a BB/K ratio of 0.70. While he doesn't hit for high average, the former prep prospect has an exceptional eye at the plate, as evidenced by his 24.5% BB%. He also sports excellent power for a catcher. That is evident in not just the home runs, but his .215 ISO, which is 113 points higher than his mark a season ago. The 21-year-old catcher has also received high remarks for his defense and game-calling. He has thrown out 13 runners this year on 70 attempts and threw out 18 runners last year on 58 attempts. Mitchell has been the preferred catcher behind the plate in Quad Cities, even though fellow catching prospect Ramon Ramirez is also on the roster. Ramirez is our No. 6 Royals prospect at Royals Keep. With his latest honor and the draft coming up during the All-Star week, it seems likely that the Royals will promote Mitchell to Northwest Arkansas after the All-Star Break. The Futures Game will be at Citizens Bank Ballpark in Philadelphia on Sunday, July 12th at noon. It will be broadcast on NBC/Peacock. View full article

Quad Cities powered past Cedar Rapids 8-3 behind an Emmanuel Reyes quality start, with Nolan Sailors and Tyriq Kemp homering. In losses, Daniel Vazquez and Jack Pineda went deep for Northwest Arkansas, and Ryan McDonagh struck out six for Columbia. Omaha rallied to tie before Indianapolis pulled away, as Rudy Martin Jr. collected three hits and Helcris Olivárez fanned three in scoreless relief for the Storm Chasers. Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Storm Chasers Rally To Tie Before Indianapolis Pulls Away The Omaha Storm Chasers climbed back from an early five-run hole but could not hold on, falling 12-5 to the Indianapolis Indians. Omaha built its comeback in the bottom of the second. Trailing 5-0, Gavin Cross and Luca Tresh singled and Luke Maile walked to load the bases with one out. Andrew Velazquez then lined a two-run single, Martin Jr. followed with an RBI single, and Brett Squires added a sacrifice fly to pull the Storm Chasers within 5-4. Omaha tied the game in the fourth when Abraham Toro lifted a sacrifice fly to score Velazquez. The bullpen could not keep it level. Indianapolis pushed across three runs in the fifth and four more in the eighth to take control. Starter Henry Williams struggled over his two innings, allowing five runs, all earned, on two hits with four walks and no strikeouts. Olivárez provided the lone strong relief effort, striking out three over two scoreless innings. Martin led the offense with three hits, a run driven in, and a stolen base. Tresh added two hits, Velazquez finished with two runs scored and two runs batted in, and Squires contributed a triple. Omaha stranded 10 runners on the bases, a total that loomed large in the seven-run defeat. The Storm Chasers went 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Their record is now 36-45. Player AB R H RBI BB K Rudy Martin Jr. 5 0 3 1 0 2 Abraham Toro 3 0 0 1 1 0 Brett Squires 3 0 1 1 1 1 Drew Waters 5 0 1 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 3 0 0 0 2 1 Gavin Cross 5 1 1 0 0 1 Luca Tresh 4 1 2 0 0 1 Luke Maile 3 1 0 0 1 1 Andrew Velazquez 4 2 1 2 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 2 2 5 5 4 0 0 Helcris Olivárez 2 0 0 0 3 3 0 Andrew Pérez 2 5 3 3 1 1 0 Dan Altavilla 2 3 4 4 2 0 1 Anthony Gose 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Vazquez And Pineda Homer But Naturals Fall To Corpus Christi The Northwest Arkansas Naturals managed only six hits and dropped an 8-3 decision to the Corpus Christi Hooks. Two of those hits left the yard. Vazquez pulled a solo home run to center in the second inning, and Pineda led off the ninth with a solo shot to left, but the Naturals could not string together enough offense to threaten. Corpus Christi set the tone in the first inning, scoring four runs against starter Steven Zobac. Zobac settled in after that, finishing five innings with four runs, all earned, on three hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. The game turned decisively in the eighth, when the Hooks scored four more runs, most of them charged to Dennis Colleran Jr., who recorded just two outs while allowing four runs. Chase Jessee, Anthony Simonelli, and Zachary Cawyer combined for scoreless relief around that frame, with Simonelli striking out two in his inning. The Naturals scratched out their third run in the eighth when Alberto Rodriguez grounded into a double play that allowed Colton Becker to score. Vazquez reached base twice and drove in a run, while Carson Roccaforte, Sam Kulasingam, Omar Hernandez, and Alberto Rodriguez each singled. Northwest Arkansas left just two runners on base. They also went just 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. The Naturals are now 30-44 for the season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 0 1 0 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 1 1 1 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jorge Alfaro 4 0 0 0 0 3 Spencer Nivens 4 0 0 0 0 1 Daniel Vazquez 3 1 1 1 0 0 Colton Becker 2 1 0 0 1 0 Omar Hernandez 3 0 1 0 0 1 Alberto Rodriguez 3 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Steven Zobac 5 3 4 4 3 3 1 Chase Jessee 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Anthony Simonelli 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 2/3 4 4 4 1 0 0 Zachary Cawyer 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Kemp And Sailors Go Deep As River Bandits Top Cedar Rapids The Quad Cities River Bandits broke a tie with a four-run sixth inning and cruised to an 8-3 win over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. With the game knotted at 3-3 in the sixth, Kemp launched a two-run homer to left to score Derlin Figueroa, and two batters later Nolan Sailors crushed a two-run shot to left center that plated Angel Acosta, pushing the lead to 5-3. Quad Cities added three more in the eighth, when Jose Cerice scored on a wild pitch, Kemp came home on an Angel Acosta sacrifice fly, and Luke Pelzer singled in Asbel Gonzalez. Reyes turned in a quality start, working six innings and allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts. The bullpen finished the job without a blemish, as Mason Miller, Tyson Guerrero, and L.P. Langevin combined for three scoreless innings, and Langevin struck out three in the ninth. Sailors led the way with three hits, including a double and a home run, two runs batted in, and a stolen base. Kemp added two hits and two runs batted in, Pelzer doubled among his two hits and drove in two, and Gonzalez scored twice with two stolen bases. The River Bandits collected 11 hits and left nine runners on base. They also went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities' record improved to 33-39 with the victory. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 5 1 3 2 0 0 Asbel Gonzalez 4 2 1 0 1 2 Blake Mitchell 4 0 0 0 1 3 Luke Pelzer 5 0 2 2 0 2 Trevor Werner 4 0 0 0 1 2 Derlin Figueroa 3 1 0 0 1 3 Jose Cerice 4 1 1 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 3 2 2 2 1 0 Angel Acosta 2 1 2 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 6 6 3 3 1 5 2 Mason Miller 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Tyson Guerrero 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 L.P. Langevin 1 1 0 0 0 3 0 McDonagh Fans Six But Fireflies Drop Contest To Fredericksburg The Columbia Fireflies could not solve Fredericksburg pitching in a 4-2 loss to the Nationals. Columbia scratched out its first run in the fifth, when Angel Ramirez singled and scored on a Jhosmmel Zue double. The Fireflies pulled within one in the eighth, as Roni Cabrera doubled, moved to third on a Josh Hammond single, and came home on a Sean Gamble bunt single. That was as close as Columbia would get, with Fredericksburg tacking on an insurance run in the ninth. McDonagh gave Columbia a strong outing on the mound, striking out six over 5 1/3 innings while allowing three runs, all earned, on two hits and two walks. Jhon Reyes and Hunter Alberini followed with scoreless relief, and Alberini struck out two in his inning. Hammond led the offense with two hits, while Zue doubled and drove in a run, Cabrera doubled and scored, and Gamble singled in a run on a squeeze bunt. Columbia managed eight hits but stranded five runners on the bases in the two-run loss. They went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position. The Fireflies are back at .500 with a 38-38 record. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Hammond 4 0 2 0 0 1 Sean Gamble 4 0 1 1 0 2 Yandel Ricardo 4 0 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell 4 0 1 0 0 2 Henry Ramos 3 0 1 0 1 1 Hyungchan Um 4 0 0 0 0 1 Angel Ramirez 4 1 1 0 0 2 Jhosmmel Zue 3 0 1 1 0 1 Roni Cabrera 3 1 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan McDonagh 5 1/3 2 3 3 2 6 1 Jhon Reyes 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 0 0 Hunter Alberini 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Henson Leal 1 3 1 1 0 1 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 2-for-4, 1 K Blake Mitchell: 0-for-4, 1 BB, 3 K Sean Gamble: 1-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4 Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 1 BB, 2 SB, 2 K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-4, 1 K Michael Lombardi: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Steven Zobac: 5 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR Austin Charles: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-3, HR, 1 RBI Kamden Edge: DNP Warren Calcano: 0-for-2 View full article

Image courtesy of Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images It was a tough start to the homestand, as the Royals lost 10-4 to the Tampa Bay Rays, who lead the AL East. Even though Kansas City dropped to 35-51, it was a beautiful night at Kauffman Stadium for baseball, especially once the sun set. Not a lot has gone right for the Royals this season. In addition to a regression in performance, they have been plagued by injuries. The latest came tonight, as reliever Connor Seabold had to be removed due to a lat injury. It'll be interesting to see who Kansas City calls up to replace his spot in the bullpen, especially with the 40-man roster lacking dependable (and healthy) arms at this moment. With the Royals 16 games under .500, it's easy for fans to look at what Royals President of Baseball Operations could've done in the offseason to avoid such a disastrous campaign. Could they have been more aggressive in free agency? Should they have pulled the trigger on that rumored Jarren Duran for Cole Ragans deal with the Red Sox? Should they have been more prudent with extensions to Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Maikel Garcia, who have all regressed in 2026? That said, while those are big questions to ponder, there are little moves that went under the radar this offseason that impacted the roster in negative ways. In this post, I am going to talk about three players the Royals parted ways with this offseason (two by non-tender and one by trade) who have ended up having strong 2026 campaigns with their new clubs. Furthermore, I will discuss why the Royals let them go and what they could've brought to this team had Picollo decided to bring them back. Taylor Clarke, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks After not pitching in the Majors in 2024 due to injury (he was with the Brewers), Clarke returned to Kansas City in 2025 and had a stellar campaign. In 55.1 IP, he posted a 3.25 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 3.94 FIP, and 17% K-BB%. Even though he didn't get a whole lot of high-leverage opportunities (he had just five holds and one save), Clarke was one of the more dependable bullpen arms for Kansas City last season. However, even though he was coming off a great season, the Royals opted not to tender Clarke a contract in the offseason. The Diamondbacks, who drafted Clarke in the 2015 MLB Draft, signed him to a one-year, $1.55 million contract shortly after his release by the Royals. So far, the 33-year-old righty has lived up to his one-year deal in Arizona. In 35.1 IP, Clarke has a 2.04 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, 3.76 FIP, and 9% K-BB%. The strikeouts are down this year, as his 14.9% K% is 6.5% lower than his K% with the Royals in 2025. That said, he's done a better job of limiting home runs (6.7% HR/FB%), and he's also produced decent TJ Stuff+ numbers to go along with strong xwOBACON marks, as seen below in his TJ Stuff+ summary. Clarke primarily excels with his slider and changeup, which have TJ Stuff+ marks of 105 and 102, respectively. His slider is his best pitch overall with a 33% chase rate, 37% whiff rate, and .296 xwOBACON. Overall, his chase rate (29%) and xwOBACON (.337) are above-average, but his zone rate (46.5%) and whiff rate (22.6%) leave a little to be desired. Some regression could be coming for Clarke, especially when one looks at his Statcast percentiles. The lack of CSW and Swinging Strikes could eventually be exposed as he gets deeper into the season and hitters adjust to his profile and approach. While Clarke's profile is flawed, which explains why the Royals were okay with letting him go, he's been dependable for the Diamondbacks, even in medium- to high-leverage. He has 11 holds this year, his highest mark in that category since 2023 when he had 12 holds in 58 appearances. Clarke will likely surpass that number barring an epic collapse or injury. Considering the Royals bullpen ranks 29th in reliever ERA and 30th in WHIP, Clarke would be a worthwhile arm to have right now, especially in the late innings. Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm have struggled, and Carlos Estevez has only pitched in one game due to injury. The Royals closer likely won't be back anytime soon after another setback, according to Anne Rogers. Jonathan Bowlan, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies Speaking of the bullpen, another arm the Royals could've used this year is Bowlan, their second-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. In his first full season with Kansas City in 2025, Bowlan posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.93 FIP, and 16.1% K-BB%. Stuff was never an issue for Bowlan last year, as he posted an overall TJ Stuff+ of 104 and a K% of 25.6%. However, he struggled with the long ball, as evidenced by his 17.6% HR/FB rate. Needing a more proven veteran arm, Picollo traded Bowlan to Philadelphia for Strahm, a former Royals draft pick. Unfortunately, the move has not turned out as planned for Kansas City this season. In 26.2 IP with the Royals, Strahm has a 5.74 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, a 6.85 FIP, and 8.6% K-BB%. After allowing a 6.0% HR/FB rate in 2025 with the Phillies, the 34-year-old lefty has seen that rate balloon to 18.2% with the Royals. As a result, manager Matt Quatraro has moved Strahm out of high-leverage situations for the time being. On the flip side, Bowlan has taken his pitching to the next level in the City of Brotherly Love. In 25.1 IP, he has a 3.55 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.59 FIP, and 22.9% K-BB%. He's decreased his HR/FB% to 8.7%, and his Statcast profile is encouraging, as he ranks near the top percentiles of the league in most categories. The only categories that Bowlan is under the 60th percentile in? Strike% (38th percentile) and zone% (22nd). That's pretty impressive and a sign that Bowlan may have what it takes to be an elite late-innings reliever. After a slow start in March (7.71 ERA) and April (4.76 ERA), he's been particularly good in June with a 1.13 ERA. He also has 14 strikeouts to just two walks in eight innings of work this month. When comparing Bowlan to Strahm this year, it's not just Bowlan's results that are better than Strahm's, but the righty's stuff and velocity metrics blow Strahm's out of the water as well. That can be seen below via their TJ Stuff+ summary comparison. Not only is Bowlan's TJ Stuff+ 10 points higher than Strahm's, but Bowlan doesn't have a single pitcher under the 100 TJ Stuff+ mark. As for Strahm, he has just two, and at 102 each, that's still lower than Bowlan's worst-rated pitches (Bowlan's changeup and curve have a TJ Stuff+ of 103). The Royals are lacking a lot of relievers with big TJ Stuff+ numbers. Steven Cruz fits that bill, as does Beck Way, but after that, it gets pretty light. Bowlan would be a nice fit for the Royals right now due to his power arm, and he probably could have handled medium-leverage situations at the very least (maybe more if he was given the chance). Randal Grichuk, OF, Chicago White Sox The Royals acquired Grichuk at the Trade Deadline last year, and he was a dud in Kansas City. In 43 games and 105 plate appearances with the Royals after coming over from Arizona, Grichuk hit .206 with a .566 OPS and 83 TJ Bat+. As a result of his poor performance at the plate and questionable defense in the outfield, Picollo opted not to bring Grichuk back by declining his $5 million mutual option and paying a $3 million buyout to shed his contract. Initially, Grichuk signed with the Yankees this offseason and didn't do so hot in the Bronx either. In 33 plate appearances with the Yankees, he hit .194 with a .535 OPS. His TJ Bat+ was better at 136, showing he was due for positive regression, but the Yankees released him with a crowded outfield already. The White Sox scooped up Grichuk shortly after he was released, and the move has paid off for the South Siders. In 38 games and 91 plate appearances with the White Sox, the 34-year-old outfielder is hitting .291 with a .981 OPS. He has nine home runs, 13 runs scored, and 21 RBI. Grichuk also sports a 136 TJ Bat+ and some impressive Statcast percentiles, as illustrated below. Grichuk doesn't walk much, as his 4% BB% ranks in the 5th percentile. However, his barrel rate ranks in the 90th percentile, his hard-hit rate ranks in the 84th percentile, his Pull Air% ranks in the 76th percentile, and his LA Sweet-Spot% ranks in the 99th percentile. Essentially, Grichuk is producing consistent quality contact, and that's a reason why his wOBA ranks in the 88th percentile and his xwOBA ranks in the 95th percentile. A key to Grichuk's success this year has been his effectiveness against left-handed pitchers. He is producing a .439 xwOBA and .440 wOBA against lefties compared to a .307 xwOBA and .236 wOBA against righties. In addition to better wOBA numbers, the former Royals outfielder has also excelled in many Statcast categories against lefties this season. The biggest difference is that Grichuk just pulls the ball in the air, hits the ball harder, and launches it more against lefties than righties. Does that make Grichuk an everyday player? No, but it makes him a premium platoon hitter from the right side, which is exactly what the White Sox needed. The Royals also wanted a platoon bat that could be a righty weapon against lefties. Picollo acquired Starling Marte to satisfy the role. Unfortunately, based on the Statcast percentiles, Marte has actually done better against righties than lefties this season. In 80 PA against lefties, Marte has .289 wOBA and .300 xwOBA. That is much worse than his .330 wOBA and .360 xwOBA in 26 PA against righties. Furthermore, Marte's LA-Sweet Spot%, hard-hit%, barrel%, and pull air% all fare better against righties than lefties, much to the Royals' chagrin. The 37-year-old veteran didn't cost the Royals much (just $1 million). However, for an extra $2 million, the Royals could've had a lefty masher in Grichuk who would've played better into the platoon lineups that Quatraro has preferred to utilize in his tenure as manager in Kansas City. View full article

Hey, you did your job Philip! The reverse jinx always works!

I registered! Can't wait and look forward to your talk! Just got the book as well and can't wait to get started.

Thank you! And yeah, it's a catch-22 and something I don't think fans get. There's a human element to all of this and Michael and his family have settled and made KC home. You uproot that, you get a reputation that you're a cutthroat org and you lose some goodwill. It's fine when you're a New York, Boston, or Los Angeles, places that are desirable to live in with a lot of attractions. But in KC, with an aging stadium and balls hot weather in the summer months (Ichrio's quote always rings true in August), players will look elsewhere.

Image courtesy of Petre Thomas-Imagn Images The Royals got a huge boost in last year's MLB Draft lottery as they jumped up to the No. 6 selection in this year's MLB Draft. Not only is having a Top-10 pick in any draft a good thing (especially when they had an 82-80 record last season), but it is especially beneficial in a draft where the class is particularly loaded. We are starting to see more outlets release their updated mock drafts, especially with the MLB Draft in Philadelphia taking place on July 11th. Thus, in this post, we are going to look at five candidates who are not just being mocked to the Kansas City Royals at No. 6, but who could make sense for the organization given its needs at this time. Let's take a look at five draft-eligible players who could hear their names called by the Kansas City Royals on July 11th, and what they could offer the Royals in the long term. Eric (EJ) Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove High School (MS) Booth is widely considered the most sensible pick for the Royals at No. 6. He's a high-upside athlete who makes a lot of sense for a Royals farm system that's lacking premium outfielders. While Carson Roccaforte, Asbel Gonzalez, and Sean Gamble are Top-10 prospects currently, Booth would be the best-rated outfield prospect if drafted by the Royals. In Jamie Cameron's latest mock MLB Draft on Diamondcentric, he predicted Booth getting selected by Kansas City. Here's what he said about the talented outfielder in his write-up: Booth is a five-tool guy who gives All-Star vibes if he develops properly. As a Vanderbilt commit, he has a high profile and can move quickly in the Royals system, even as a prep prospect. The College Baseball Show podcast is high on Booth as a prospect and believes his power and mature approach would matriculate well in 2027, whether it's in the Minor Leagues or SEC. When looking at Booth's tape, he has intriguing speed and a swing that can produce power, especially as he grows into his body. There are a lot of Carl Crawford vibes with Booth, which Royals fans will take, considering the success of Crawford's career in Tampa Bay. thinks As Cameron pointed out in his piece, Booth's swing is a bit funky-looking, and there are concerns that he could experience some contact issues initially, much like this Gamble, the Royals' first selection in the 2025 Draft. However, Booth has a lot more natural power and bat speed than Gamble, which could help him avoid the early struggles Gamble experienced in Low-A Columbia this season. Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech Baseball America mocked Burress to the Royals in their latest mock draft. They believe that Kansas City may draft the Georgia Tech outfielder to have someone who could move quickly in the system after their struggles this season. The Royals have seen the success Jac Caglianone has had in the Majors after being drafted in 2024. They may be hoping for something similar with Burress in this draft. However, though the Royals may want a more "ready" prospect in Burress, that shouldn't dismiss his outlook as a prospect. Here's what Cameron said in his write-up about Burress, whom he mocked at No. 5 to Pittsburgh. Burress not only put up premium numbers at Georgia Tech but also had intriguing Statcast metrics. Despite his diminutive size, he regularly produced excellent exit velocity numbers, as pointed out by Joe Doyle of Overslot.com. The great thing about Burress is that he can do it all as a player. He's a great defender, can hit for average and power, and while he doesn't have elite speed, he still stole 10 bases and may be a better baserunner than base stealer. He also did this against elite competition at Georgia Tech, which should help him move quickly as a prospect in the Royals system. Here are some of his highlights from this year, and it's easy to see Burress make an immediate impact if selected. In the 2023 MLB Draft, the Royals famously selected prep catcher Blake Mitchell over college catcher Kyle Teel. Teel, though injured at the beginning of the year, has been absolutely mashing with the White Sox this season (125 wRC+ last year; 118 wRC+ this year). As for Mitchell, he's still in High-A ball. Perhaps the Royals learned that lesson from 2023 (Scouting Director Brian Bridges didn't take over until 2024), and will go with the more polished college product (Burress) over the intriguing but risky prep outfielder (Booth). Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas High School (FL) Prep pitchers are always risky. That said, there's a lot to like with Rojas, who's been rumored as a possible Royals target at No. 6 by outlets like MLB Pipeline. The 6'4, 195-pound lefty from Florida is a Miami commit, and one can see why the Canes recruited him. He's a power lefty with mature command stuff for his age, and his delivery looks like Sean Manaea, a former Royals first-round pick (who was eventually traded to the Athletics in a deal for Ben Zobrist in 2015). Rojas absolutely dominated in the Florida High School State title game, striking out 16 batters in 6.2 IP. Rojas can throw his four-seamer in the upper 90s, with it topping out at 97 MPH. Some believe he could go even higher if he can continue his development. Furthermore, he has solid secondary offerings, especially of the breaking variety, as highlighted by Cameron in his mock draft write-up on Rojas. He had Rojas getting selected at No. 10 by the Rockies. When looking at more tape on Rojas, he has a smooth delivery and works quickly as a pitcher. He carries a lot of confidence on the mound for a prep pitcher and dominated good prep competition in Florida as well as on the travel ball circuit last summer. Rojas is an older high schooler; he will be 19 on draft day, as Cameron noted. That said, he may move quickly in the Royals system, like David Shields, who was also drafted as an older prep prospect in the 2024 MLB Draft (in the second round). Prep pitchers carry a lot of risk, and the Royals have a mixed track record with first-round prep pitcher selections (Frank Mozzicato hasn't exactly turned out well). However, Rojas seems like the exception and could be part of an excellent long-term Royals starting-pitching trio with Shields and Kendry Chourio, our No. 2 and No. 1 prospects at Royals Keep, respectively. Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara The Royals' starting pitching took a hit at the Major League level this year. Cole Ragans is undergoing elbow surgery and will be out for a while. Kris Bubic has struggled with regression and injury (again). Noah Cameron has taken a step back after finishing fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year voting last year. Lastly, Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo have been solid, but they could be gone by the Trade Deadline. Thus, Kansas City may want to select a pitcher that can move way more quickly in the system. If that's the case, then Flora may be the guy, if available at No. 6. Cameron has the UC Santa Barbara product going No. 4 to the San Francisco Giants. However, if UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky doesn't go No. 1, he could fall to No. 4 to the Giants, which would push Flora down the draft board. The Royals could then swoop in and select Flora, as they did in 2024 with Caglianone. Here's what Cameron said about Flora on Diamondcentric: The 21-year-old righty has all the characteristics one would want to see from a potential ace. He posted excellent numbers with the Gauchos, with a 1.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 102 IP. He has a diverse pitching mix and showcases plenty of velocity and movement on his offerings. Flora is the kind of pitcher who could move quickly in the Royals' farm system and debut as soon as 2027. Below is an example of Flora's performance against the Oregon Ducks, a Power-5 team that hosted an NCAA regional this season. In 5.0 IP against the Ducks, he struck out five, allowed only two hits, three walks, and no runs. What also makes Flora so intriguing is his strong makeup as a pitcher. He's a student of the game, and he would likely thrive in a professional organization with more intensive player development. Below is a clip of him talking about his mechanics with Rob Friedman of Pitching Ninja, and it's obvious how much thought Flora puts into his craft. The Royals have Shields and Chourio coming up the pipeline, but they still may be a year or two away from making their MLB debut. Conversely, Flora is the kind of pitcher they can fast-track, not only because he's a college arm, but also because he's a polished one who should only benefit from professional coaching and player development. If the Royals are looking for their long-term ace to emerge in the next two years, Flora may be their selection at No. 6. Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep High School (FL) The Royals have Bobby Witt Jr. signed until 2030. However, if they are not confident that he will stay beyond 2030, they could have a Witt 2.0 in Lombard, a prep shortstop out of Florida. Lombard is the brother of Yankees infield prospect George Lombard and the son of a former outfielder and current Dodgers bench coach (also named George). The younger Lombard is a true five-tool player who, like Witt, could be franchise-changing. The 18-year-old rates well defensively and on the basepaths, and could have 30 HR-30 SB potential, as Cameron pointed out in his Diamondcentric Mock Draft. Cameron predicted Lombard would be drafted seventh overall, which is held by the Baltimore Orioles. If Lombard gets past the Royals at six, the Orioles could make sense for Lombard, especially considering the organization's affinity for prep players with MLB lineage. Royals scouting director Bridges likes prep players with Lombard's profile, mostly because they have that All-Star ceiling, even with the low-floor risk. There are rumors that the Royals have long liked Lombard, even when he was predicted as a possible No. 1 pick a year ago. His star has dimmed a little during a rough summer circuit last year, especially with Team USA. His contact and swing-and-miss were the biggest concerns with scouts (as pointed out in Cameron's write-up). Nonetheless, there's a smoothness in Lombard's frame and athleticism, both at the plate and in the field. Below is a glimpse of him on the showcase circuit, impressing scouts with his natural tools. You know who was also a talented infielder with MLB family ties who had contact concerns? Witt. And as Royals fans know, that No. 2 overall pick from the 2019 MLB Draft has turned out nicely. Of course, Witt is an unfair comparison, but the similarities are there in so many ways. The main difference is that Lombard is in a loaded draft class, while Witt's was a bit weaker. It's possible that Witt could've gone in that 5-7 range if he was in this draft class. The Royals could set themselves up nicely in the long term with two shortstops with superstar potential by selecting Lombard if available at No. 6. Maybe Lombard moves to second base initially, with the idea that he can move to shortstop if Witt opts out of his deal after the 2030 season. That could help the Royals remain competitive in the long term without breaking the bank. For more on the Royals' selections in the MLB Draft, you can also check out Jared Perkins of Just Baseball and The College Baseball Show and me on Royals Pipeline, a Royals prospects-focused podcast on KC Sports Network. Our first-round draft preview can be found below. View full article

Agreed on the outfield. Kyle Isbel has been that stabilizing force for the OF for a while now and it was nice to see him get some recognition last year (GG nominee). However, with his foot injury, I think his long-term outlook is questionable, and they need to solidify by really improving on the corners defensively to make up for Isbel's regression.