The Kansas City Royals, in preparation for the start of 2020 season workouts this Friday at Kauffman Stadium, have submitted their 60-man player pool. Unlike a handful of other squads across the big leagues, Kansas City is not planning on having a secondary camp at a second site apart from “The K”.
The organization’s top pick in the 2019 Draft, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was added to the 60-man pool, despite not being invited to Spring Training in February. Also added to the 60-man were young pitching prospects Brady Singer, Daniel Lynch, and Kyle Zimmer. This year’s top pick, Texas A&M lefty Asa Lacy, was not in the player pool, with General Manager Dayton Moore saying that Lacy has “a good workout spot in College Station” and “there wasn’t a clear pathway to develop with the Royals” this year. However, Former Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal, having the most impressive spring for the Royals staff prior to the cancellation of training on March 12th, had already been added to the 40-man roster in late March. Former closer Greg Holland is expected to be on the roster, as are Randy Rosario and Jesse Hahn, who both are out of options heading into the 2020 season.
Also out of options, meaning that if they do not stay with the Royals roster, they would be free to sign elsewhere, are outfielders Brett Phillips and Bubba Starling, both on the 60-man list.
The season, with the schedule expected to be released soon by Major League Baseball, is expected to begin on either July 23rd or July 24th, with a 60-game campaign rolling through the regular season’s normal stopping point of late September.
Here is the 60-man player pool submitted by the Royals from over the weekend (players on the 40-man roster in BOLD):
Pitchers (32) : Chance Adams (RHP), Scott Barlow (RHP), Scott Blewett (RHP), Kris Bubic (LHP), Austin Cox (LHP), Danny Duffy (LHP), Heath Fillmyer (RHP), Foster Griffin (LHP), Jesse Hahn (RHP), Tim Hill (LHP), Greg Holland (RHP), Jakob Junis (RHP), Brad Keller (RHP), Ian Kennedy (RHP), Jackson Kowar (RHP), Jorge López (RHP), Richard Lovelady (LHP), Daniel Lynch (LHP), Kevin McCarthy (RHP), Mike Montgomery (LHP), Jake Newberry (RHP), Randy Rosario (LHP), Trevor Rosenthal (RHP), Braden Shipley (RHP), Brady Singer (RHP), Glenn Sparkman (RHP), Gabe Speier (LHP), Josh Staumont (RHP), Daniel Tillo (LHP), Stephen Woods Jr. (RHP), Kyle Zimmer (RHP), Tyler Zuber (RHP)
Catchers (6) : Nick Dini, Cam Gallagher, MJ Melendez, Salvador Perez, Sebastian Rivero, Meibrys Viloria
Infielders (11) : Humberto Arteaga, Maikel Franco, Kelvin Gutierrez, Jeison Guzmán, Nicky Lopez, Ryan McBroom, Adalberto Mondesi, Ryan O’Hearn, Nick Pratto, Matt Reynolds, Bobby Witt Jr.
Outfielders (11) : Hunter Dozier, Alex Gordon, Nick Heath, Kyle Isbel, Khalil Lee, Seuly Matias, Erick Mejia, Whit Merrifield, Brett Phillips, Jorge Soler, Bubba Starling