Eli Nitz

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The Kansas City Royals selected Blake Mitchell with the 8th overall pick in the 2023 MLB draft. Mitchell was a high school catcher out of Sinton, Texas. As the first prep catcher off the board, the Royals had incredibly high hopes for Mitchell’s long-term success. The draft prospect grades for Mitchell were outstanding. Hit 55, Power 55, Arm 70, Field 50, Run 35 for an overall grade of 55. Very deserving numbers to be taken that high in the draft. Mitchell spent the 2023 season at the Complex League, appearing in 13 games in his first taste of professional baseball. In 2024, he was assigned to Low-A Columbia and, in 106 games, had an exceptional season, posting a .238 batting average, .376 OBP, .439 slugging percentage, an .815 OPS, and slugging 18 home runs. He also posted a 35.0% strikeout rate. That earned Mitchell a brief five-game promotion to High-A Quad Cities to end the season. The 2025 season was derailed before it ever got started. On February 23, 2025, it was announced that Mitchell would undergo surgery on his right hamate bone, leading to 4-6 weeks of downtime plus a rehab assignment. A hamate bone injury is notorious for sapping power, and that's what happened. Mitchell returned to High-A and in 49 games produced a .207 batting average, .372 OBP, .296 slugging percentage, and a .668 OPS while being reduced to just 2 home runs. He also continued to post another high strikeout rate of 32.9%. Fast forward to the end of Mitchell’s fourth professional campaign, and he is putting up another really good season, batting .233, with a .414 OBP, .469 slugging percentage, and a .883 OPS while bashing 17 home runs. Unfortunately, his strikeout rate has continued to climb to an unsustainable 34.5%. Mitchell has become the epitome of a true three-outcome hitter: walk, strike out, or hit a home run. What do you do with a player with this truly interesting batting profile? Option 1: Promote Mitchell To Double-A There are definite arguments for a promotion. Mitchell is having a good season, save for his strikeout rate. He would definitely see better pitching at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. It is clear Mitchell has an excellent grasp of the strike zone. He has walked at an incredible 23% rate in 2026. With better pitches to hit, does his contact rate increase? We won’t know until Mitchell is promoted, but there are signs that contact rate has been getting better right before our eyes. Since July 1st, Mitchell is hitting .321/.433/.643/1.076 with 4 home runs, 11 walks, and just 12 strikeouts in 67 plate appearances. That is a 16.4% walk rate with a 17.9% strikeout rate. It is a small sample size, but is it sustainable? Has Mitchell figured some things out and deserves a promotion? Or is the sample too small and it is just a hot streak? Option 2: Keep Mitchell At High-A For Remainder Of 2026 The High-A season ends September 6. With 38 games remaining and hopefully a playoff appearance in their future, there are benefits to remaining with the River Bandits. If Mitchell has figured some things out to improve his contact rate while dropping his strikeout rate, this would allow him to continue to build on the 67 plate appearances currently trending in a positive direction. The Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals did not win the first-half split and are currently tied for fourth place and 2.5 games behind the division leader in the North Division. A playoff spot and extending the season is unlikely at Double-A. A promotion potentially denies Mitchell exposure to high-pressure playoff baseball. Additionally, if this was just a hot streak, Mitchell could get exposed and further diminish his already declining prospect status. Option 3: Trade Mitchell, Either At Trade Deadline Or In Offseason Internally, if the Royals do not believe the player will ever hit for average, you could look to move them in a trade. Mitchell happens to have a running mate at High-A in Ramon Ramirez that is also a catcher. Ramirez is still learning the position, as he was converted to catcher from the outfield four years ago when he was a Royals international signing. By all accounts, Mitchell is the superior defender, but Ramirez is the more well-rounded hitter. Until recently, Mitchell has been the more highly touted prospect, which makes sense given his first-round draft status. In 2024, MLB Pipeline had Mitchell ranked as the 94th overall prospect and climbed to 52 by season's end. In 2025, Mitchell ranked 48th overall even with an injury-marred season. In 2026, Mitchell started the season as the 50th-ranked prospect but has fallen out of the top 100 in MLB.com rankings and to 105th in the FanGraphs pre-trade-deadline rankings. Do you look to move a once top 100 prospect before the shine wears completely off of them? You do have 23-year-old rookie Carter Jensen already ranking in the top 10 as an offensive catcher in the major leagues and an up-and-coming catcher in Ramón Ramírez that recently surpassed Mitchell in those same 2026 FanGraphs top 100 rankings at 81st overall. This would be a great time to trade from a clear position of organizational depth to address an area of weakness. According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Angels are looking to acquire a young catcher and are clear sellers at the trade deadline. Could the Angels be a potential trade partner for a Royals franchise that hopes to rebound in 2027? The Royals have an interesting dilemma on their hands. They have a former first-round pick with great defense, a good eye, and immense power, who strikes out too much but has recently been making better contact. They have young organizational depth with Carter Jensen and Ramon Ramirez in the organization. They also have a clear need in both the high minors and with the MLB club lacking talent in the outfield, starting pitching, and relief pitching. Arguments can be made for all three scenarios. It will be interesting to see what decision the Royals front office will make with Blake Mitchell. Which path would you pick? Maybe you have other ideas on how to handle the situation. Please leave your comments. I would love to hear your thoughts. View full article

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft concluded July 12 with the Royals making 21 selections. The most notable is the 6th overall selection, Zion Rose from Louisville. Zion Rose was recently at Kauffman Stadium signing his major league contract. Soon, Rose will make the trip to Arizona to begin his ascent to the major league club. Rose is well on his way, and the front office should be thrilled to see their hard work come to fruition. But it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for everyone in the Royals organization. As one door opens, another closes. Major League Baseball limits organizations to 165 domestic minor league players under contract. This limit excludes players participating in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) and players on the team’s 40-man roster. Rose is in, but now someone must go. The top minor league affiliate is virtually devoid of young talent. The Royals have signed 11 veterans to help round out the roster at Omaha. I believe a number of the players jettisoned to make room for the draft picks will be of the veteran variety, allowing the team more time to evaluate its young talent. That younger talent will make their debuts at the Complex League, Low-A affiliate Columbia, SC, and maybe (Rose perhaps?) at High-A Quad Cities in Davenport, IA. It is only logical that some players will be promoted to provide room for the draft pieces while squeezing out those players at the top of the minor league food chain. Let’s see who could be on the proverbial chopping block. Kevin Newman: 3B, age 32 Year AB R H HR RBI SB AVG OBP OPS 2026 MiLB Stats 187 18 42 0 10 1 .225 .298 .587 The light-hitting utility infielder has been behind Nick Loftin, Tyler Tolbert, and recently 40-man roster additions of Josh Rojas and Andrew Velazquez. Dan Altavilla: RHP, age 33 Year W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP 2026 MiLB Stats 3 4 6.35 34 0 0 39.2 32 1.87 Altavilla is in his second stint with Kansas City. He appeared in 5 contests in 2024, completing 3.2 IP while giving up 5 hits, 3 walks, and 6 earned runs for an ERA of 14.73. Familiarity brought Altavilla back to KC, and now it’s time to make way for younger prospects. Anthony Gose: LHP, age 35 Year W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP 2026 MiLB Stats 1 3 5.56 28 0 0 34.0 42 1.62 The former Detroit Tigers outfielder is a great story, converting to a left-handed relief pitcher. Gose has already been passed up by Jose Cuas and Easton McGee for a spot on the 40-man roster. At 35 years old, it’s time for the Royals to move on to other options. Connor Kaiser: SS, age 29 Year AB R H HR RBI SB AVG OBP OPS 2026 MiLB Stats 76 12 9 0 4 1 .118 .236 .368 Kaiser has been injured and has not played much in 2026. The Overland Park, KS native was signed off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks as organizational depth in November 2025. Jorge Alfaro: C, age 33 Year AB R H HR RBI SB AVG OBP OPS 2026 MiLB Stats 130 21 28 10 34 0 .215 .286 .778 The Double-A Northwest Arkansas catcher still shows some power, but there are a couple of High-A catchers knocking on the door that could be promoted soon. Alfaro is easily the oldest player on the Naturals roster. No one celebrates a player’s tenure coming to an end. Everyone works tirelessly to be the best player they can be. Eventually, the bell tolls for every man. The new crop of 2026 draft picks is about to get their chance to shine as the sun sets on several current members of the Royals' minor leagues. View full article

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect With the deadline looming on August 3rd, the baseball trade winds are starting to blow, and Michael Wacha’s name continues to be floated on those winds. The Royals workhorse just threw his 13th quality start in 20 outings this season, ranks 3rd in MLB with 125 1/3 innings pitched, and has an affordable contract for 2027 at $14 million and a club option for 2028 also at $14 million. In his 125 innings pitched, Wacha has posted a 1.17 WHIP, allowing 111 hits, 36 walks, and 5 batters hit by pitch. His ERA is 3.66, and his FIP trails closely at 4.03. Those factors make him a target for almost any contender's rotation. Who could be a good fit for Michael Wacha at the deadline? Why The Braves Would Want To Trade For Michael Wacha The Braves sit at 58-42 and are currently atop the National League East. The trio of Chris Sale, Bryce Elder, and Grant Holmes have all been good this year. Sale has been excellent, posting a 2.06 ERA in 18 starts with 11 quality starts. After those three, the rotation gets sketchy. Reynaldo Lopez has averaged a little over four innings per start in his last five starts. Martin Perez is back in the rotation after a recent stint on the IL. Lopez and Perez have combined for a grand total of three quality starts. That just isn’t giving Atlanta the length it needs to keep its outstanding bullpen fresh. Lopez has appeared in 23 games with 10 starts, so it seems he would be the logical candidate to move back to the pen if Atlanta made a move for a starting pitcher. Lopez sports an ERA of 3.95 and a FIP of 4.57. Wacha currently outpaces Lopez in both categories. Why The White Sox Would Want To Trade For Michael Wacha In what would be a rare interdivisional trade, the White Sox stand out as another starting pitching-deprived team. In a surprise on the South Side, the Sox are currently tied for first place in the American League Central while also being plus 1 game up in the wild card standings. Wacha could easily slide into the number three spot in the rotation ahead of Anthony Kay and Eric Fedde. In fact, the White Sox have a dramatic drop-off in innings pitched after Fedde. Fedde has thrown 93 innings, and the next closest player has just 56 innings pitched. Wacha is an innings eater and would give the bullpen a chance to catch their breath. Why The Cubs Would Want To Trade For Michael Wacha The Chicago Cubs are currently in second place in the National League Central Division at 57-44 and are currently 4.5 games ahead in the wild card race standings as the first wild card recipient. To say the Cubs' starting pitching could use some help would be an understatement. Wacha would immediately become the de facto ace of the staff. Only Shota Imanaga comes close to matching Wacha’s 2026 performance. Imanaga has a solid 3.91 ERA and a FIP of 4.5. Wacha would easily be in any playoff rotation for the Cubs. Of these three teams, the Cubs may be the most desperate for Wacha’s services. Jim Bowden suggested this possible trade in The Athletic: Cubs receive: Michael Wacha, RHP Royals receive: Matt Shaw, INF/OF; Kevin Alcántara, OF In this deal, the Cubs would add Wacha, 35, who made the All-Star team this year and is controllable through 2027 with a team option for 2028. He has posted sub-4.00 ERAs each of the past five years (including this one) and still has a special changeup and unique downward plane to his pitches. In return, the Royals get two young bats who can’t crack the Cubs’ starting lineup in Shaw and Alcántara. Shaw, 24, can play second base, third base and corner outfield. As an everyday player, he projects to have 15-20 home run power. Alcántara, 23, has never been given a legitimate chance with Chicago, but he’s having another strong season in Triple A. I think this deal is an overpay by the Cubs, but it could be worth it to land a veteran starter like Wacha, especially given that there are so few starting pitchers on the market right now. The Royals front office has stated the return for Wacha would need to be “massive”. Any offer is usually just a starting point. Oh, to be behind those closed doors and hear what offers and counteroffers are being made. I believe the Cubs, Braves, and White Sox will all make a move for starting pitching. Who will they target? Unclear. The reality is the Cubs could use as many as three starting pitchers, the White Sox two, and the Braves one. Even if one or two of the top names in Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, Kevin Gausman, Foster Griffin, Casey Mize, or Reid Detmers are moved, that doesn’t mean the door is closed on Wacha moving to that same team. As seen above, even teams in control of a playoff birth still need more starting pitching. View full article

I am glad you asked! I intend to dive into Blake Mitchell. The true three outcome catcher is an interesting case study. I want to look at his recent success - since July 1 his numbers are really good. Mitchell has raised his batting averave from .210 to .238, and his slugging % from .834 to .910. Is this just a hot streak or is he starting to figure some things out? Do the Royals want to promote him and have him potentially get exposed at Double-A if it is smoke and mirrors? His trade stock took a little hit when he fell out of the Baseball America top 100 prospects. I wonder if he will stay put for 2026 to preserve his off season trade value.

I am glad you asked! I intend to dive into Blake Mitchell. The true three outcome catcher is an interesting case study. I want to look at his recent success - since July 1 his numbers are really good. Mitchell has raised his batting averave from .210 to .238, and his slugging % from .834 to .910. Is this just a hot streak or is he starting to figure some things out? Do the Royals want to promote him and have him potentially get exposed at Double-A if it is smoke and mirrors? His trade stock took a little hit when he fell out of the Baseball America top 100 prospects. I wonder if he will stay put for 2026 to preserve his off season trade value.

I really like Luke Pelzer. I would like to see his tjstats Zswing% come up some showing he is attacking the balls in the strike zone with regularity. He strikes out and walks at an acceptable 21.4% and 10.2% respectively. I won't be shocked if he is also promoted or if they hold him for the full season at High-A Quad Cities

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect - Ramon Ramirez Many of you, like me, have attended the elementary school promotion ceremony. In May, I attended (on the same night) my niece’s promotion to middle school and my nephew’s promotion to high school. While it is a nice year-end recognition of a student’s ascension to another level, it usually consists of awkward handshakes of congratulations, uncoordinated tromping across the stage, and an occasional flamboyant gesture from the class clown. Unlike the school promotion, promotions in the minor leagues signify excellence. I’m not saying there aren’t excellent students moving up in grade, but the kid who gets a 2.0 GPA goes to the next grade the same as the kid who pulls a 4.0 GPA. In baseball, a promotion means you have accomplished all you can at your current level, and it’s time for a new challenge. Let’s see who is ready to be promoted and face new challenges. Augusto Mendieta, RHP - 5’11”/190 - Age 21 Year W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP 2026 MiLB Stats 4 4 4.39 27 0 1 41.0 51 1.39 The soon-to-be 22-year-old Mendieta started the season at High-A and, after only 3 IP, was promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The Ciudad Valles, Mexico native has a 28.5% K rate and an acceptable 10.1% walk rate. Mendieta throws strikes and gets ground balls all at an above-average rate. Jack Pineda, SS - B/T: L/R - 5’8”/170 - Age 26 Year AB R H HR RBI SB AVG OBP OPS 2026 MiLB Stats 210 34 78 7 25 16 .371 .443 .991 Pineda spent plenty of time getting end-of-game MLB at-bats in spring training. It looks like that experience has paid off as his second trip through Double-A has him on the cusp of a promotion to Triple-A Omaha. Pineda doesn’t walk much, but he does make excellent contact. There could be more power potential as the Baylor product learns to pull the ball more. Spencer Nivens, OF - B/T: L/R - Age 24 Year AB R H HR RBI SB AVG OBP OPS 2026 MiLB Stats 209 33 56 7 37 11 .268 .363 .818 Another player in his second trip to Double-A has kept his average and walk rate similar to 2025 but has increased his power output. The 2023 Missouri State draftee rarely strikes out and walks at a very good rate. Another player that might unlock more power with a more pull-happy approach. Kendry Chourio, RHP - 6’0”/160 - Age 18 Year W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP 2026 MiLB Stats 5 1 2.26 15 15 0 67.2 65 0.90 The 18-year-old fireballing phenom from Maracaibo, Venezuela has already been promoted once on June 15th and is angling for another promotion to Northwest Arkansas. His appearance in the All-Star Futures Game did nothing but add helium to his already rising prospect status. He has been nothing short of dominant this season. Chourio fills the strike zone, and walks are almost non-existent. The Royals #1 prospect and Baseball America’s #32 prospect should have a taste of AA in his future. David Shields, LHP - 6’2”/210 - Age 19 Year W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP 2026 MiLB Stats 8 4 3.86 18 18 0 81.2 96 1.10 Shields, the Royals' #3 prospect, has had a tremendous start to 2026. His 29.1% K rate and his ability to fill the strike zone have been on display in Davenport, IA all season. The biggest knock on Shields is his lack of fastball velocity at 92 mph. I believe his ability to locate pitches and feel for pitching far outweighs any marks against his fastball. This man deserves a promotion. L.P. Langevin, RHP - 6’1”/225 - Age 23 Year W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP 2026 MiLB Stats 4 2 3.11 27 0 0 37.2 74 1.12 The Quebec City, Canada native throws almost exclusively (82.5%) a sinker. But man, does it work. Langevin is striking out an absurd 46.3% of batters but walking an equally absurd number at 17.5%. Langevin needs to find one more quality pitch to rely on. His slider, cutter, and changeup all grade 101 or better in tjstuff+, but he doesn’t throw any of them more than 8.8% of the time. Ramon Ramirez, C - B/T: R/R - 5’11”/180 - Age 21 Year AB R H HR RBI SB AVG OBP OPS 2026 MiLB Stats 284 59 84 11 72 8 .296 .379 .879 The Royals #7 prospect and current Midwest League RBI leader with 72 RBI in 75 games played has been on a heater all season long. Ramirez is hitting .296, walks a reasonable amount at 10.6%, and has decent power with 23 doubles, 1 triple, and 11 home runs in 329 at-bats. The Porlamar, Venezuela native has a strong arm and continues to work on his receiving and blocking as he converted from the outfield just four years ago. Ramirez has the look of a middle-of-the-order run producer and projects to have 20+ home run power. Ryan McDonagh, RHP - 6’5”/190, Age 20 Next is another Canadian with really strong metrics. The 20-year-old McDonagh is having a great 2026 season. He has already been promoted once from the Surprise complex league to Columbia on June 16th. The reliever throws a lot of strikes and continues to get a lot of swing and miss. Tjstuff+ doesn’t rank, but one of his pitches is average or above (changeup 101), and the four-pitch mix of 4-seam fastball, changeup, sinker, and curveball continues to get the job done. The big right-hander relies on his slow (76 mph) curveball 43.9% of the time. The Royals recently welcomed 21 new members to the team. Those new signees reported to the Surprise complex today. In short order, some of the more advanced players will be assigned to the Columbia Fireflies and possibly even the Quad Cities River Bandits. Some promotions will be needed to facilitate room at the lower levels. In school, you can pass with an A+ or barely scrape by with a D for degrees. Baseball is much less forgiving. Only one team celebrates a championship at season's end. When the Royals have had an A+ farm system, they won it all. The days of D and F farm systems are in the rearview mirror. Brian Bridges has a plan, and after his third draft, I believe the Royals are on the path to achieving that A+. Don’t see your favorite minor leaguer on this promotions list or have a question about a particular player? Leave a comment, and we can take a look at the likelihood of their promotion. View full article

The Kansas City Royals are tied with the Los Angeles Angels for the worst record in baseball at 38-59. Whether the 2026 season is swirling the bowl, in its death knells, one hair dryer away from being dropped into the bathtub, or the baseball equivalent of a priest reading the last rites, it will eventually end, and the Royals will field a team in 2027. The 2026 season is nearly ready for the coroner, but the autopsy can still tell us plenty about what the 2027 roster should look like. The Rule 5 draft is usually reserved for off season discussion, but with so little life on the diamond, we should go the Frankenstein lab route to look ahead and see who may be added this off season to the 40 man roster to add a jolt of electric life to the roster. If they are going to be added, should we get a preview of what they look like in the second half of 2026 at the MLB level? According to the MLB.com glossary: Held each December, the Rule 5 Draft allows clubs without a full 40-man roster to select certain non-40-man roster players from other clubs. Clubs draft in reverse order of the standings from the previous season. Players signed at age 18 or younger need to be added to their club's 40-man roster within five seasons or they become eligible for the Rule 5 Draft. Players who signed at age 19 or older need to be protected within four seasons. Not every club will make a selection, but those that do pick a player must pay $100,000 to the club from which said player was selected. Rule 5 Draft picks are assigned directly to the drafting club's 26-man roster and must be placed on outright waivers in order to be removed from the 26-man roster in the subsequent season. Should the player clear waivers, he must be offered back to his previous team for $50,000 and can be outrighted to the Minors only if his original club does not wish to reacquire him. A Rule 5 Draft pick can be placed on the Major League injured list, but he must be active for a minimum of 90 days to avoid being subject to the aforementioned roster restrictions in the next campaign. Clubs may trade a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft, but the same restrictions apply to the player's new organization. However, a club may also work out a trade with the Rule 5 pick's original club to acquire his full rights, thereby allowing him to be optioned to the Minors under traditional circumstances. The Royals will be protecting players drafted from college in 2023 and before or International and high school players drafted or signed in 2022 and before. There have been five Rule 5 Drafts since 2020 (the 2021 draft was canceled because of the MLB lockout). Since 2020, 69 players have been selected: 57 pitchers and 12 position players. The position players break down as follows: four shortstops, three outfielders, two catchers, one first baseman, one second baseman, and one third baseman. The Royals have made only one Rule 5 selection during that span, taking right-hander Matt Sauer from the New York Yankees in the 2023 draft. Coincidentally, that same draft also produced two other notable pitchers: Mitch Spence, who was selected first overall from the Yankees, and Steven Kolek, who was selected later in the draft from the Seattle Mariners organization. The Royals have lost three players in the Rule 5 Draft during that time: Zach Pop in 2020, Robert Garcia in 2022, and Noah Murdock in 2024. The average age of players selected is 24. Let’s look at the Royals organization and see who might be protected. AAA Ethan Bosacker RHP 6’2”/210 age 25 Bosacker is the only AAA player that is first time eligible for the Rule 5 draft. As a comparison, the #1 ranked farm system by MLB.com to start 2026 is the Milwaukee Brewers. They have six first time eligible Rule 5 draftees - two high school 2022 draftees and four 2023 college draft picks in AAA Nashville. They also have an additional 2024 college draft pick on the Sounds roster. This speaks to just how far behind the Royals are compared to top farm systems. I digress. Bosacker started the season with Northwest Arkansas and earned a promotion to Omaha on June 12th. Bosacker started two contests for the Naturals, throwing 9 innings giving up two runs while striking out five and walking two batters. Since the promotion to Omaha, control has been a problem. Bosacker is walking at a nearly 1/1 ratio. He has 24 walks against 31 strikeouts. With a below average fastball sitting at 92mph, Bosacker will need to rely on his best pitch, a slider that rates tjStuff+ at 105. tjStuff+ Season Team Lvl Age # tjStuff+ Cutter Changeup 4-Seam Slider Sinker Curveball 2026 KC AAA 25 705 96 99 94 90 105 92 97 2025 KC AAA 24 455 95 99 91 88 105 91 99 Pitch Arsenal Pitch # Pitch% Velo iVB HB Spin Ext. Stuff+ Zone% Chase% Whiff% xwOBA xwOBACON 2026 — OMA (AAA) Cutter 181 25.7% 84.6 8.9 -4.4 2327 6.6 99 50.8% 25.8% 23.9% .347 .346 Changeup 169 24.0% 84.0 5.3 13.0 1420 6.5 94 36.1% 31.5% 32.5% .259 .247 4-Seam 155 22.0% 91.2 16.2 6.8 2146 6.6 90 48.4% 18.8% 12.1% .367 .377 Slider 99 14.0% 78.9 7.1 -11.6 2415 6.5 105 37.4% 29.0% 42.2% .231 .251 Sinker 81 11.5% 91.2 10.3 14.8 1964 6.6 92 51.9% 15.4% 3.2% .403 .383 Curveball 20 2.8% 74.7 -9.0 -10.3 2500 6.4 97 45.0% 18.2% 37.5% .232 .217 All 705 — 85.6 9.0 3.3 2045 6.6 96 44.8% 25.2% 24.6% .325 .325 The second half of 2026 is huge for Bosacker. If he can consolidate his pitches into a Cutter, Changeup, Slider, Curveball mix and find the strike zone more effectively he could be in line for a shot in the bullpen in 2026. Decision: TBD. Luca Tresh C R/R 6’0”/193 age 26 Season Team Lvl Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS 2026 KC AAA 26 65 265 243 34 67 14 0 8 38 1 1 16 81 0.276 0.326 0.432 0.758 2025 KC AAA 25 72 271 243 24 63 16 3 10 37 3 0 21 59 0.259 0.321 0.473 0.794 Back up catchers are always in demand. Tresh has been solid at the AAA level and someone may take a chance on him. Tresh clearly has some positives with the bat and a team in need of a back up catcher could be willing to take the chance on adding him to their 40 man roster. In 2026 the Royals have already bypassed Tresh in favor of veterans Elias Diaz and Luke Maile when Salvador Perez has been banged up. Top prospects Blake Mitchell ranked #4 and Ramon Ramirez ranked #7 respectively on MiLB.com are at least one and probably two years away from their MLB debut. With Perez in decline in 2026 I think you reward your farm hands. Maybe he becomes a useful trade piece after being exposed to part time play at the MLB level like Freddy Fermin. Decision: Add Tresh to the 40 man roster. Brett Squires 1B/OF L/R 6’3”/210 age 26 Squires has hit at every level. In two stops in 2026 Squires has continued to rake. Season Team Lvl Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS 2026 — Minors 26 82 340 301 52 89 21 3 18 68 14 1 32 86 0.296 0.365 0.565 0.930 2026 KC AAA 26 50 201 182 30 54 10 3 12 39 5 0 14 53 0.297 0.348 0.582 0.930 2026 KC AA 26 32 139 119 22 35 11 0 6 29 9 1 18 33 0.294 0.388 0.538 0.926 Squires profile looks like he was made for the Royals. Lots of swing and miss. Doesn’t walk much, but when he connects, good things happen. An undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma, Squires doesn’t just hit for power. He is a willing base stealer and could provide an interesting combination of power and speed in a bench bat role…unless the Royals give him a shot after the trade deadline. I want to see what Squires brings to the table. Decision: Add Squires to the 40 man roster. Peyton WIlson 2B S/R 5’9”/180 age 26 Season Team Lvl Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS 2026 KC AAA 26 45 195 175 27 49 18 0 0 15 7 1 20 55 0.280 0.354 0.383 0.737 2025 KC AAA 25 84 319 278 26 62 13 1 3 31 12 2 34 85 0.223 0.309 0.309 0.618 Peyton Wilson has put up a solid second season at Omaha since coming off the IL. He spent two seasons at AA and improved in year two and has done the same thing in AAA. Wilson could be viewed as a utility infielder with the ability to switch hit and provide a valuable bench piece to any team. The back up infielder role is crowded in KC. Loftin and Tolbert are the primary back ups. Witt and Garcia aren’t going anywhere. The Royals could recruit over Michael Massey but he is turning in a the campaign we hoped for in 2024 and 2025. Decision: Do not add Wilson to the 40 man roster. AA Felix Arronde RHP 6’3”/185 age 23 Season Team Lvl Age W L G GS SV HLD IP BF H ER HR BB HBP SO ERA 2026 KC AA 23 4 3 14 14 0 0 59.2 258 53 33 14 27 5 55 4.98 Arronde is a 2022 international signing and #12 Royals prospect on MiLB.com. Rule 5 eligible last season, the Santa Clara, Cuba native received his first taste of midwest league competition in 2026. A starting pitcher, Arronde sports a solid WHIP of 1.34 and almost a SO per IP. He has always been a strike thrower. He features a fastball that sits 94-95 but can touch 97. Someone could view him as a bullpen flyer and see if his peripherals play up in shorter outings. Arronde may be the most developed next starting pitcher up in a HUGE gap between our current 5th starter Luinder Avila and the cavalcade of journeymen and injured players in Omaha. Decision: Add Arronde to the 40 man roster. Carson Roccaforte OF L/L 5’11”/195 age 24 Season Team Lvl Age G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS 2026 KC AA 24 84 384 327 61 79 14 5 17 53 17 15 44 115 0.242 0.335 0.471 0.806 The Louisiana Lafayette alum has posted an impressive 2026 campaign at Northwest Arkansas. He maintains a solid slash line of .242/.335/.471 but a gaudy SO% 35.2. Roccaforte is currently playing CF and could be considered a bench bat and defensive replacement. I really debated on this one a lot. No one wants to lose their #16 prospect when the cupboards are bare but I believe his high SO% will keep him from being drafted. That doesn’t mean that he doesn’t deserve a promotion to Omaha once the trade deadline dust settles. This is easily the biggest risk the Royals take. Decision: Do not add Roccaforte to the 40 man roster. High A Jordan Woods LHP 6’3”/183 age 22 Season Team Lvl Age W L G GS SV HLD IP BF H ER HR BB HBP SO ERA 2026 — Minors 22 3 1 14 5 1 1 49.0 203 37 18 4 18 4 66 3.31 2026 KC A+ 22 0 1 5 1 0 1 14.0 67 18 11 2 7 1 12 7.07 2026 KC A 22 3 0 9 4 1 0 35.0 136 19 7 2 11 3 54 1.80 Woods is an intriguing prospect. The Oakville Ontario native struck out 54 batters in 35 innings at Columbia and earned himself a promotion to Quad Cities. He has had a more pedestrian 12 strike outs in 14 innings pitched for the River Bandits. We will want to keep an eye on how he adjusts to high A in the second half of 2026. A strong finish could put Woods on bullpen watch for needy teams. Decision: Do not add to the 40 man roster. The Royals are a year away from their first Brian Bridges draft needing Rule 5 protection. I believe fall 2027 will provide many interesting decisions for the Kansas City Royals. Until those draft choices mature and advance the upper minor league rosters are full of journeymen and retreads. The Royals continue to sign players to eat innings and just get through the season. Unless some of the aforementioned players really start to shine after the All Star break, or a trade is made adding players to the organization, I don’t see any other glaring, have to add to the 40 man roster players. There are two players I could see getting an opportunity if the trade deadline clears some space at the MLB level. Adding Arronde to give him a shot in the bullpen and Squires to see if his power translates to the MLB. 2026 is a lost season, let’s see if we can glean useful pieces for the future in the second half.

Kendry Chourio I LOVE Chourio. He looks the part of an Ace. He doesn't walk anyone, strikes out more than his innings pitched, has amazing control, and hit 97 in spring training. I want to see him promoted yesterday. Not sure why he didn't pitch 4/15-4/30 but happy he is back.David Shields Shields numbers look solid. Nothing to change my thoughts on his status.Josh Hammond Shows real power and the ability to to stick at SS or 3B.Asbel Gonzalez Making lots of contact and getting on base. Flashing some power.Carson Roccaforte He has really been playing well at AA. Can't wait to see him get promoted. Covers a lot of ground and the bat looks legit. SO high but everything else looks legit. Should be a September call up as I believe he needs added to the 40 man roster this winter.Ramon Ramirez Solid. Nothing to either way to change my opinion from last year.Sean Gamble Looks great in the field. Bat still needs some work. If bat doesn't improve over the course of the season, he falls out of the top 10.Drew Beam First taste of AA. Just want to see progress in the second half of the season.Luinder Avila Currently looks like a dominant one inning leverage reliever. I am OK with him taking the Bubic route. Relieve and stretch out in the winter and spring training.Warren Colcano Off to a hot start. Will he get promoted to the complex leagye? I hope so. Looks for real. Could jump to top 5 like Chourio if he keeps advancing this season.Yandel Ricardo Upside is high. I want to see him start to excel in the second half of the season.Felix Arronde First year in AA at 22. Just get used to the league, acclimate, and reevaluate. Michael Lombardi Lots of K's. Would like to see some command improvement. Daniel Vazquez Repeating AA. Would like to see some domination at this level.Blake Mitchell This is the weirdest batting stat line I have seen. Almost no contact, lots of walks, and lots of power. I have thought for a while he will struggle to get out of AA/AAA with his high strike out rate. I am sticking to that.Blake Wolters 3rd year at the same level he needs to look dominant and he does. Time for a promotion to AA.Steven Zobac Injured. No update.Ben Kudrna Injured. Was not pitching well at AAA. Really hoped for more from the local product.Frank Mozzicato No velocity and struggling.Shane Panzini Back in AAA and struggling. My opinion is only what I read and see on X via video clips. I saw several of these players in spring training in person and think Austin Charles may be moving himself back into the 15-20 conversation.

When Roman Anthony was signed to a long term contract I started looking at proven commodities in the Red Sox arsenal. Wilyer Abreu is the name I kept coming back to. He is 26 years old - 3 years younger than Durran, and his stats are remarkably similar in 2024 and 2025. I like consistency and I think Abreu would givethe Royals a steady, every day player that his age fits in with our core of BWJ, Garcia, and Vinnie. I also love that we have a strong Venezuelan presence in Salvy and Garcia. I know that doesn't mean much but I would like anyone we aquire to feel comfortable when they rrive in KC. The Red Sox have been linked recently to needing pitching and catching - the two areas we have an abundance of talent. I think it makes too much sense to work with the Red Sox. I could be wrong on the player, but I think I'm right on the team to target.