Kansas City Royals designate Miguel Almonte for assignment
By David Hill
The Kansas City Royals are cutting bait with another one of their former top prospects, having designated Miguel Almonte for assignment.
To say that the Kansas City Royals top prospects have not developed as hoped would be an understatement. Players like Kyle Zimmer and Bubba Starling, drafted in the hopes that they would be future stars, have been a disappointment. Cheslor Cuthbert has been unable to force his way into the starting lineup, while Hunter Dozier may have already seen his chance disappear.
The same may be true for Miguel Almonte. Once considered one of the Royals best pitching prospects, Almonte never had a real chance to crack the rotation this year, even with the Royals essentially holding open auditions for starters. That point was driven home on Monday, when he was designated for assignment to make room for Abraham Almonte.
The Royals have DFAd Miguel Almonte, claim Abraham Almonte.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) April 2, 2018
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It is a potentially disappointing end for Almonte with the Royals. He was once ranked as the 46th best prospect in baseball by Baseball Prospectus, with his high octane arm and above average changeup giving hope that he would emerge as a weapon, either as a starter or a part of the Royals next formidable bullpen.
That promise did not appear during his brief trial in the majors. In his two stints with Kansas City, Almonte has posted a 7.59 ERA and a 1.969 WHiP. He has displayed his strikeout potential, with ten strikeouts in his 10.2 innings, but also showed his command problems, as he walked nine batters. Almonte also struggled in the minors over the past two years, having a disastrous 2016 campaign, and was plagued by injuries in 2017. He was already dealing with shoulder soreness, and was likely to begin the season on the disabled list.
By designating Almonte for assignment, he has become the second former high profile prospect to be let go. Last week, the Royals also designated Kyle Zimmer for assignment, making the talented, but oft-injured prospect available. The Royals, as they search for their future core, have determined that these players may not be a part of it.
The Kansas City Royals have designated Miguel Almonte for assignment. The former top prospect has become another casualty as the Royals look to build their future.