The Royals made their first round of cuts assigning 17 players to minor league camp including outfielders Brett Eibner and Jose Martinez and pitcher Kyle Zimmer. Eibner and Martinez had been battling to make the Opening Night roster as a reserve outfielder after the injury to Jarrod Dyson created an opportunity. Eibner was 2-for-14 with six walks and five strikeouts and a misplay in the first spring training game. Martinez was 5-for-18 with a double. The move leaves Travis Snider, Reymond Fuentes, and Whit Merrifield to play for what may be one or two roster spots in the outfield behind Paulo Orlando, who will likely be the starter in right field.
The Royals also assigned top pitching prospect Kyle Zimmer to minor league camp. Zimmer was a darkhorse to make the rotation, but the Royals will let him build up his endurance in the minor leagues after serving as a reliever most of last season. Zimmer gave up just one run in six innings with five strikeouts, but had a significant decline in velocity in his outing on Sunday.
The Royals also assigned the following players to minor league camp - catchers Zane Evans and Cam Gallagher, infielders Hunter Dozier, Balbino Fuenmayor, and Ramon Torres, outfielders Jorge Bonifacio and Bubba Starling, and pitchers Miguel Almonte, Christian Binford, Jonathan Dziedzic, Alec Mills, Aroni Nina, Brooks Pounders, and Sam Selman.