3 KC Royals pitchers who've taken full advantage of spring training opportunities

The Kansas City Royals' spring training games are dwindling in number, as are the players remaining in camp. Several top prospects have been reassigned to minor league camp after spending time as non-roster invitees, with some making very positive impressions before their exit.

All of these players are no longer in major league camp, but made plenty of noise down in Surprise. Who are these pitchers, how did they get here, and specifically, how did they help their case as future Royals contributors?

Luinder Avila, RHP

A big fastball will always give a player a longer runway — just look at Kansas City reliever Carlos Hernández. Right-hander Luinder Avila earned a 40-man roster spot this past offseason, in part because of that same trait. The Venezuelan righty has steadily climbed through Kansas City's farm system since signing as an international free agent in 2018, and at every level, he’s done what’s been asked of him. He continued that trend in his first big-league camp.

Avila spent most of last season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, making 19 starts for the Naturals. He had a rocky start, posting a 7.40 ERA through his first six outings, but turned things around with a 2.61 ERA over his final 13 starts, including six scoreless appearances. A rib injury in July temporarily derailed his season, but he returned to Northwest Arkansas before making his Triple-A debut on September 21 against Louisville. His lone outing wasn’t anything special, but he redeemed himself in the Arizona Fall League.

Avila earned Fall Star honors after posting a 3.07 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 14⅔ innings for the Surprise Saguaros. He showcased his high-velocity four-seam fastball, averaging 94-96 mph and topping out at 98 mph. To cap off his strong performance, he threw two scoreless innings in the league’s championship game, putting a cherry on top of his fall campaign.

Avila is currently ranked as Kansas City’s 19th-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, earning average grades on his slider, fastball, and curveball. However, he may have scrapped the slider this spring, instead debuting a new sinker in his Cactus League outings. That pitch, along with his changeup, is still a work in progress, but his velocity and ability to limit home runs (0.5 HR/9 in 418 career innings) give him room to develop and refine his arsenal.

The pitcher impressed coaches enough this fall that they "see Avila as being able to help them in a variety of roles, which includes the bullpen," according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers.

The possibility of Avila reaching the big leagues as either a back-end starter or a reliever is intriguing, as his arsenal could play up in shorter outings, with his fastball and curveball serving as primary weapons. For now, he’ll begin the season in Triple-A as a starter, continuing his development. However, it sounds like the organization wants him to see more action after spring training, as he left a strong impression in Arizona.