KC Royals News: Bobby Witt Jr., farm club openers, ex-players helping rivals

The Kansas City Royals played under the lights for the first time this season Tuesday night. Unfortunately, the Milwaukee Brewers, winless in four attempts before hosting KC for the second game of the teams' three-contest series, made the Royals their first victims of the season, shutting them out 5-0.

But that's not the only news the organization is making. Here are a few midweek Royal tidbits.

The Bobby Witt Jr. jersey market is doing well

Thinking about grabbing a Bobby Witt Jr. jersey and wondering how sales are going? Well, wonder no more. Major League Baseball and MLB Players, Inc. recently disclosed sales rankings for the Nike-brand major league jerseys sold by MLBShop.com and the other Fanatics sites since the World Series concluded, and Witt jerseys made the top 20.

To be precise, Witt sales rank 18th. Some might consider that surprisingly low after Witt's peers recently named him the second-best player in the game, but given the players finishing ahead of him in jersey sales and the markets they play in, Witt placing 18th isn't shocking.

The superstar-studded World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers set the pace, placing four players — Shohei Ohtani (whose sales led everyone), Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto — in the top 10. The jerseys of three players from New York clubs — the Yankees' Aaron Judge and the Mets' Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor — were also among the 10 most popular.

Also finishing ahead of Witt, among others, were Dodgers Clayton Kershaw and Kiké Hernández, Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper, Houston's Jose Altuve, San Diego's Fernando Tatis, Jr., and Pittsburgh pitching sensation Paul Skenes.

Former KC Royals help fuel American League rivals

Several players who used to make Kauffman Stadium the center of their baseball universes have had early-season success with other major league teams. Brady Singer's strikingly good debut with the Reds made Cincinnati history, and Andrew Benintendi, Michael A. Taylor, Aroldis Chapman, Tim Hill, Luke Weaver, and Matt Strahm all helped their teams to Opening Day wins.

Fortunately for the Chicago White Sox, who are 2-3 so far this season after losing an astonishing 121 games last year, Benintendi and Taylor are still faring well. Benintendi hit his second homer of the campaign against Minnesota Sunday, then went 3-for-4 in Tuesday night's series finale loss to the Twins. He's slashing .353/.421/.706 and has six RBI to go with his pair of home runs.

Although Taylor had a hitless pinch-hit appearance Tuesday, he's slashing .333/.333/.667 with a homer and two RBI in five games.

Brent Rooker, a slugging outfielder whose Kansas City career didn't last long enough — he played only 14 times for the Royals in 2022 — is off to a good start with the Athletics, who, after Tuesday night's 7-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs, are 2-4. Owner of three multiple-hit games through Monday, he just missed a fourth by going 1-for-3 against the Cubs. But his one hit, a two-run homer off Justin Steele in the first inning, was his second round-tripper of the year and accounted for half the Athletics' runs.

Rooker, winner of a Silver Slugger and an American League All-Star nod with the A's, also has five RBI and is hitting .269 in six games.

Kansas City farm teams getting set for season openers

Triple-A Omaha is 1-2 after losing to Louisville 7-3 Tuesday, but the Storm Chasers are the only Royals minor league affiliate to see action this season. That changes this Friday, though, when Double-A Northwest Arkansas, High-A Quad Cities, and Single-A Columbia all open their seasons on the road.

Manager Brooks Conrad's Northwest Arkansas Naturals, presumably featuring top KC prospect Jac Caglianone in his first professional action above High-A, visit Tulsa for a 7 p.m. CDT contest at ONEOK Field. The Drillers, managed by former big league manager and player and former Wichita State All-American Eric Wedge, are the Dodgers' Double-A affiliate.

Quad Cities also begins 2025 play Friday evening. Led by skipper Jesus Azuaje, the River Bandits visit Peoria, St. Louis' High-A club, in a 7:05 p.m. CDT contest at Dozer Park.

Columbia travels to Augusta to open its season. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m. CDT at SRP Park. David Noworyta is managing the Fireflies this year.

There's plenty more baseball in store for 2025. What a joy.