Royals 2016 Full Season Minor League Preview

The 2016 Royals minor league system will feature players such as Kyle Zimmer, Raul Mondesi, and Ashe Russell.

Omaha Storm Chasers (80-64 in 2015, tied for 2nd in PCL American Northern division)

Top prospects on the roster: RH Miguel Almonte, OF Jorge Bonifacio, 3B Cheslor Cuthbert, OF Brett Eibner

Other players to watch: 1B Balbino Fuenmayor, OF Whit Merrifield, OF Jose Martinez, RH Brooks Pounders

The 2015 Storm Chasers finished 16 games over .500, but still managed to finish 6 games back in the division race to Oklahoma City.

Thanks to the steadiness of the Royals roster, the Chasers didn’t even have to funnel much talent up to the champion club, with only IF Christian Colon, OF Paulo Orlando and 3B Cheslor Cuthbert seeing significant time in both Kansas City and Omaha during 2015. Cuthbert returns to start 2016 with the Chasers but is just an injury away from a chance in Kansas City.

The most notable missing person from the Omaha 25-man roster (the team release specifies it’s the preliminary opening day roster, subject to change) is top pitching prospect Kyle Zimmer, who figures to make his AAA debut at some point soon.

He threw only 64 (albeit exceptional) innings in Lexington and North West Arkansas combined in 2015. In AA, he picked up 3 saves and struck out 51 in 48 IP, while posting a 1.17 WHIP. The big question now is whether the Royals will stick with him as a starter or make the shift to the bullpen based on his injury history.

Despite Zimmer’s presence, pitching is a bit of a question mark for the Chasers. The opening day rotation will be led by another top prospect, righty Miguel Almonte, who celebrated his 23rd birthday Monday. He makes his return to Omaha after posting a 5.40 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 36 2/3 IP in his first taste of AAA in 2015.

Lefty Jonathan Dziedzic makes the move up to the Omaha rotation from AA, where he won 10 games in 2015, and put up a 3.12 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 93 K and 35 BB in 26 games (25 starts), over 138 1/3 IP.

Righty Brooks Pounders started at four different levels for the organization in 2015 and ended up with a 2.19 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 32 K/19 BB in 8 starts that spanned 49 1/3 IP in the Texas League.

Filling out the bottom of the rotation, right-hander Luke Ferrell will transition from NW Arkansas, where he started 16 games in 2015. He posted a quality 3.09 ERA over 93 1/3 IP. Alongside him will be journeyman lefty John Lannan, who was brought in to eat innings at the back of the rotation after having a rough 152 IP in Albuquerque in 2015.

The main returnee from an innings-pitched standpoint is soon-to-be 31-year-old righty Clayton Mortensen, who had a 5.40 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in 24 G (17 starts) and 106 2/3 IP in 2015, and starts 2016 in the Omaha bullpen. He’s joined by North Central Kansas native lefty Brian Duensing, who spent his last 7 seasons in the majors with the Twins.

Others notables in the bullpen include lefty Brian Flynn, who is fighting his way back from a lateral muscle injury and lefty Scott Alexander, who was steady for Omaha in 2015 with a 2.56 ERA over 63 1/3 IP and will likely be in Kansas City at some point this summer.

David Huff, 37-year-old Peter Moylan, Malcom Culver, Aroni Nina, Andy Ferguson, and Lester Oliveros will round out the Storm Chaser bullpen.

More from KC Royals News

• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The $25 million man
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Expectations met
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 3 update
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 2 update
• Winter Meetings: Any blockbusters for the KC Royals?

Shifting to the offense, the biggest returning bat for the Storm Chasers is OF Jose Martinez, the reigning Pacific Coast League batting champ, who hit .384 with a 1.024 OPS in 98 games.

However, the most intriguing offensive returnee may be 1B Balbino Fuenmayor, who came out of nowhere in 2015 to hit for 15 HR and a .977 OPS for NWA before continuing to rake for a .951 OPS in 16 games for Omaha. His season was cut short, however, by an ACL injury.

Unfortunately his path to Kansas City would likely involve something going wrong with Eric Hosmer or Kendrys Morales, but with his performance last year, he has become a fringe prospect.

OF Jorge Bonifacio follows up a career best power year in AA (.240 BA, .721 OPS, 17 HR in 2015) with his Omaha debut, while Cuthbert is back after hitting .277 with a .759 OPS in 104 games in AAA in 2015.

The Omaha outfield is filled out, as Brett Eibner (team leading 19 HR and an .878 OPS for the 2015 Chasers) returns as perhaps the most major-league ready prospect in the system.

Whit Merrifield (.681 OPS in 2015) made a run at the major league roster this spring but, was edged by Reymond Fuentes and Terrance Gore for the last position players on the Royals roster. He struggled in 2015, with just a .681 OPS, but is just a season removed from a .319/.371/.470 slash in 2014, splitting time in AA and AAA. He did play seven different positions for the Chasers in 2015, with the most being 2B (57 games) and LF (39 games).

Fuenmayor, Cuthbert and Merrifield will be joined in the infield by SS Clint Barmes (.633 OPS last season in 98 games in San Diego) and 2B Angel Franco, who posted an .837 OPS in the first half of 2015 in NW Arkansas but hit for only a .537 OPS in 32 AAA games.

3B Dusty Coleman was called up to come off the bench in KC for 4 games last season, but hit for a .742 OPS in 73 games in Omaha and makes his return in 2016. 1B Cody Decker comes to the organization at age 29 after hitting 20+ homers  in each of his the last two seasons for the Padres’ AAA team in El Paso, including an .823 OPS in 2015.

Rounding out the 25-man roster is the catching tandem of Tony Cruz (.545 OPS in 69 games as St. Louis’s backup in 2015) and Parker Morin (.836 OPS in 56 AA games in 2015).

Omaha settles into Werner Park to host a 4-game set with the New Orleans Zephyrs (AAA Miami) starting Thursday.

Next: Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (69-70 overall in 2015, 1st half TL North champions, swept in TL Champ. Series)

Top prospects on the roster: SS Raul Mondesi, OF Bubba Starling, LH Matt Strahm,

RH Alec Mills, 3B Hunter Dozier

Other players to watch: RH Christian Binford, LH Eric Skoglund

It was a tale of two halves for the Naturals in 2015.

With Fuenmayor and Franco helping charge the offense they were 10 games over .500 in the first half en route to a Texas League North division title. Post-Balbino, they were 11 games under .500 in the second half.

Despite that, they rolled past the intrastate rival Arkansas Travelers into the Texas League Championship Series, where they were swept by Midland. This year’s crew of Naturals features top organizational prospect SS Raul Mondesi and one-time #5 overall pick OF Bubba Starling.

Mondesi, who turns 21 on July 27, is getting another try at AA after a back injury threw off his 2015 season at the start and he only played in 81 games. He struggled to a .651 OPS (only a .279 OBP) in 304 ABs and committed 15 errors in the field, but did so as the youngest player in the league. Despite the errors, Mondesi’s glove was one positive taken away from 2015, showing off his accelerated range, quick hands, and cannon for an arm.

Meanwhile, Starling raked for an OPS of over 1.000 in a short stint in Wilmington in 2015, before being promoted to NW Arkansas. There, he played 91 games of solid error-less defense in the outfield and hit for a .744 OPS with 10 HR in his first stint in the Texas League. He is arguably the most major-league ready prospect in the Royals system, with his advanced defense, but his bat will need to catch up. This season will be huge for him, as he is already entering his age-23 season.

The other big name in Springdale is 3B Hunter Dozier, who will make his third try at AA after a partial 2014 season and full 2015, where he had only 39 extra-base hits alongside 151 strikeouts in 475 AB (.631 OPS in 128 games).

The NWA position players include five graduates from the 2015 Blue Rocks — 2011 2nd rounder C Cam Gallagher, who spent the last two seasons in high-A ball and is entering his age-23 season. 2B Jack Lopez makes the move from shortstop after hitting for a career-best (although meager) .619 OPS in his 3rd season for the Rocks in 2015. 3B Mauricio Ramos moves to AA after hitting for a .685 OPS in Wilmington in 2015.

OF Logan Moon, a native of Blue Springs, MO, starts his third pro season in the Texas League after also hitting for a .619 OPS last year in Wilmington, while OF Carlos Garcia makes the move from the infield in 2016 after bouncing through two levels in 2015 (.683 OPS in Lexington, .716 OPS in Wilmington).

The rest of the Naturals’ offense includes C Zane Evans (.665 OPS in NWA in 2015), 1B Frank Schwindel (.548 OPS in NWA in 2015), IF Ramon Torres (.740 OPS in NWA in 2015), and AAA demotee UT Orlando Calixte (.626 OPS in Omaha in 2015).

Several promising young pitchers will start 2016 in Arvest Ballpark.

Righty Christian Binford struggled in 2015 between Omaha and NW Arkansas, with a combined 5.22 ERA (5.03 in AA) and 1.57 WHIP (1.54 in AA). Righty Alec Mills stood out in Wilmington in 2015 with 21 starts of 3.02 ERA ball and an outstanding 111 K to only 14 BB in 113 1/3 IP.

6-6 lefty Eric Skoglund was a 3rd round pick in 2014 and had a nice 2015 with a 3.52 ERA over 15 starts and 84 1/3 IP. He comes in as the Royals 28th best prospect, according to MLB.com. Lefty Matt Strahm, who comes in at 10 on that same MLB ranking, split time between low and high class-A ball in 2015. He posted great peripherals with a 0.99 WHIP, .194 BAA, 83 K and 19 BB in 15 games (11 starts). His 2.78 ERA over 68 IP helped to stamp his name as a legitimate prospect, but his advanced age for his league (24-years old) may end up being an issue.

Righty Jake Junis should also be a big part of the NWA rotation after having a solid 2015 in high-A (3.64 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 123 K/29 BB in 155 2/3 IP). Closer Estarlin Cordero went 11-for-13 in save opportunities for the Rocks in 2015 as well as posting a 2.33 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over 54 IP, with a 2/1 K/BB ration.

Middle relievers will include righty Kevin McCarthy, righty Yender Caramo, righty Andrew Edwards, righty Mark Peterson, righty Benino Pruneda Jr., and lefty Eric Stout, who hit four levels in 2015.

The Naturals take their promising rotation to the field Thursday with the first of 3 home games against Frisco (AA Texas).

Next: Wilmington Blue Rocks

Wilmington Blue Rocks (62-77 overall in 2015, 1st half Carolina League Northern champs, lost in CL Champ. Series)

Top prospects on the roster: OF Elier Hernandez, RH Pedro Fernandez, 1B Ryan O’Hearn,

OF Alfredo Escalera, LH Josh Staumont

Other players to watch: OF Brandon Downes, SS Corey Toups, IF Humberto Arteaga

Like their big brothers in AA, it was a first-to-worst 2015 for the Blue Rocks.

A 6-game-over-.500 record earned them the first half Carolina League Northern title, but then they limped to a 21-games-under-.500 second half. Staying in line with their AA brethren, they regrouped in the playoffs to get past Lynchburg, only to get swept by Myrtle Beach in the Mills Cup Championship Series.

The Rocks do start 2016, however, with their share of the organization’s top prospects as they try to earn another playoff trip, or individually, a promotion to the Texas League. They also start the season with a new manager, former Royals backup C Jamie Quirk, who was a member of the 1985 championship team.

The main returnees for the Rocks are OF Elier Hernandez and 1B Ryan O’Hearn.

O’Hearn (who turns 23 in July) posted a .762 OPS  in partial service at Wilmington after slugging 19 homers in the Sally League. He is the Royals 13th best prospect, according to MLB.com, and is arguably their best power prospect.

Hernandez was also promising in Lexington to start 2015, but struggled to a .591 OPS in 177 Carolina League ABs. OF Alfredo Escalera shared Hernandez’s struggles in moving to high-A ball in 2015, as he posted an .833 OPS in 64 games in Lexington but hit for only a .577 OPS in 57 games for the Rocks.

Other position players for the Rocks will include OF Brandon Downes, who hit 29 doubles and 19 HR for a .760 OPS but struck out 115 times in 391 ABs for Lexington last season. Returnee SS Humberto Arteaga is one of the most touted defensive prospects in the system, but had issues at the plate for Wilmington with a .561 OPS over 48 games.

IF Corey Toups makes his Wilmington debut in his third pro season after killing the Pioneer League for a .960 OPS in 2014 and then slapping together an .809 OPS at Lexington last season thanks to 39 XBH in 388 ABs. He also swiped 31 bases for the Legends.

Others in the offensive mix: the promising tandem of catchers Luis Villegas (.854 OPS in 26 low-A games in 2015) and Chad Johnson (.802 OPS including .401 OBP for Lexington in 2015); infielders Robert Pehl (.626 OPS for the Rocks in 2015), Austin Bailey (.318 BA, .914 OPS for Lexington in 2015), and Wander Franco (10 HR, .712 OPS for Lexington in 2015); and 2015 5th round outfielder Roman Collins, who is skipping low-A ball after hitting for an .809 OPS and 36 BB with only 34 K’s for Idaho Falls in 2015.

The Rocks’ rotation will be led by righty Pedro Fernandez, who held Sally League batters to a .191 average before moving up to Wilmington in 2015. He met his match in Wilmington, as Carolina League hitters hit .376 off him in 32 2/3 IP.

Righty Josh Staumont, the 2nd round pick for KC in 2015, worked mostly out of the bullpen for Idaho Falls in his first pro season but posted solid numbers of a 3.16 ERA and 1.34 WHIP with 51 K’s and 24 BB in 31 1/3 IP. He is touted as the Royals 18th best prospect.

Righthander Zach Lovvorn returns to the rotation after 12 games (11 starts) of  3.93 ERA ball over 66 1/3 IP. The pitcher out of the pen with the most 2015 saves is lefty Tim Hill, who hurled for a stellar 1.26 ERA, with 8 saves in a short 14 1/3 IP stint in Lexington.

The pitching staff also includes righthander Evan Beal, who saved 5 games for Lexington before ending 2015 with the Rocks, righty Ashton Goudeau (3.26 ERA, 1.14 WHIP,61K/10 BB in 69 IP for Wilmington in 2015), righty Matt Alvarez, righty Derek Gordon (Alex’s brother, as if he probably hasn’t heard that enough already) who struck out 65 batters in 13 Pioneer League starts in 2015, lefty Brennan Henry, lefty Mark McCoy ( 2.17 ERA in 29 IP for rookie-level Burlington in 2015), lefty Colin Rodgers, lefty Matt Tenuta and lefty Ian Tompkins.

The Blue Rocks start their 2016 season at home Thursday with the first of 4 games with the Potomac Nationals (A-Advanced Washington).

Next: Lexington Legends