Jake Odorizzi, Others Called Up From Omaha

After a disappointing loss in the Pacific Coast League Championship last night, the Royals wasted no time, calling up pitchers Jake Odorizzi, Nathan Adcock, Tommy Hottovy, catcher Adam Moore and infielder Irving Falu from Omaha.

Jake Odorizzi and Adam Moore (Photo: Minda Haas)

All but Odorizzi had previously been added to the 40 man roster. The Royals purchased Odorizzi’s contract in order to promote him. He was required to be added at some point this winter anyway in order to avoid the Rule 5 draft.

Absent on this list is Wil Myers, the Minor League Player of the Year. This was expected. Myers doesn’t need to be protected to avoid selection by other teams in the Rule 5 draft and the Royals have multiple players they want to add in the offseason to protect. Robert Ford reported that the Royals have told him they want to protect 10-12 players but have only 3-5 spots with which to do it. Sam Mellinger predicts he’ll be called up in April next year after he’s waited long enough to gain the Royals an extra year of service time. That’s usually about a two week wait.

The plan with Odorizzi is to use him out of the bullpen for now, but there’s an idea to start him against Cleveland next weekend.

In 25 starts (and a 26th game where he’d thrown 6.2 innings after a two inning start by Everett Teaford) between Omaha and Northwest Arkansas, Odorizzi threw 145.1 innings, striking out 135 batters and walking 50 with an ERA of 3.03. He’d also pitched twice in the PCL playoffs, accumulating another 10.2 innings and 10 strikeouts, though he had an awful game in Reno, giving up eight earned runs and four homers.

The Royals have already seen Adcock, Hottovy and Falu. The new guy in town is Adam Moore, who made his major league debut with the Mariners in 2009 and has a career .526 OPS. They’ll play him here and there to get a look at him. Manny Pina is already up and has yet to make it into a game. Adcock had 30.1 innings in ten games in Kansas City for a 2.67 ERA. He made two starts. Hottovy worked out of the bullpen, getting in 6.2 innings and giving up three earned runs. Falu was impressive in his time in the big leagues. The longtime organizational soldier hit .321/.333/.434 in 56 plate appearances with most coming in May.

Four players on the 40 man roster who could be called up, but weren’t today, are Clint Robinson and Ryan Verdugo, who had brief stints in the big leagues earlier this year and Derrick Robinson and Noel Arguelles who haven’t made major league debuts yet. Verdugo and the Robinsons could still make their way up, but Arguelles had a 6.41 ERA in Double A so he would be a shocker to see any time this year. He’s on the 40 man due to signing a major league contract when he defected from Cuba.

The Odorizzi promotion leaves the Royals with 39 spots on their 40 man roster.