Kansas City Royals add Cueto, Zobrist without gutting farm system
In a matter of days, the Kansas City Royals have gone from favorites in the American League Central to the odds-on favorites to win the Fall Classic. The additions of Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto filled voids that could’ve undone the Royals’ title hopes; Zobrist gives the Royals an outfield bat to fill in for the injured Alex Gordon and can also spell Alcides Escobar and Omar Infante in the middle infield; and Cueto gives the team a legitimate ace for the last two months of the season to bolster a rotation that was 21st in earned run average entering play Tuesday. Cueto is already feeling comfortable in Kansas City due to his friendship with Edinson Volquez and will likely benefit from the home run gobbling outfield of Kauffman Stadium, so the immediate future looks very bright.
The Royals have made the loudest splash in an already busy offseason. And even though the moves they made were impressive for the impact they’ll have now, they’re also impressive because of the impact they’ll have further down the road.
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The acquisitions of Cueto and Zobrist are impressive because the Royals didn’t butcher aspirations of contending in 2016 or 2017. In all, the Royals gave away a combined five prospects in the two trades, all of them pitchers; Sean Manaea and Aaron Brooks were sent to Oakland for Zobrist; while the Royals sent Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed to the Reds for Cueto.
It may seem like the Royals are gutting their future staff, but they aren’t. The core of the Royals’ bullpen, which leads the majors in ERA, will remain intact through at least next season; Greg Holland and Tim Collins are free agents after 2016; Luke Hochevar and Kelvin Herrera don’t become free agents until after 2017 (mutual option) and 2018, respectively; and though Wade Davis is a free agent after this season, the Royals have team options for 2016 and 2017. In the rotation, Yordano Ventura (2019), Kris Medlen (2017, mutual option), Danny Duffy (2017) and Volquez (2017) all will be in KC for multiple seasons.
Yes, Manaea and Finnegan were two well-regarded arms, and Lamb, Brooks and Reed could potentially fill in the back of a big league rotation, but the Royals still have plenty of arms in the minors:
- Kyle Zimmer is pitching very well out of the bullpen in the minors with a combined 1.39 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 32 1/3 innings between Single- and Double-A. Zimmer has a litany of injuries in his past, which is why the Royals are easing him back into pitching, but he has the tools to either become a starter or join the army of high-velocity arms in the ‘pen.
- Miguel Almonte threw five innings of one-hit ball yesterday in his second start for the Omaha Storm Chasers, bringing his 2015 line to 3.62 ERA/1.26 WHIP/71 Ks in 82 innings between Double- and Triple-A. Almonte could be a middle-of-the-rotation starter if he tightens his command—he walked a combined 2.54 hitters per nine innings from 2013-14, but walked 3.6 in 17 starts in Double-A in 2015.
- The Royals spent four of their first five draft picks in 2015 on pitchers, including Ashe Russell (First Round) and Josh Staumont (Second), who struck out 109 batters in 68 2/3 innings at Azusa Pacific University in 2015. His electric right arm is a bit unruly, but with his velocity, he could be the centerpiece of the Royals’ future bullpen—maybe even the closer.
- The team also spent four of its first five picks in 2014 on pitchers, including the aforementioned Finnegan, Foster Griffin, Scott Blewett and Eric Skoglund, all of whom have the potential to contribute on a big league mound in some fashion.
Another key point is the Royals kept their position players. Shortstop Raul Mondesi, outfielders Bubba Starling and Jorge Bonifacio, catcher Chase Vallot and third basemen Cheslor Cuthbert and Hunter Dozier are all still controlled by the Royals.
All stats from MiLB.com, Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs.com