Royals Rumblings - News for June 12, 2018

Royals Rumblings - News for June 12, 2018

In his mailbox column, Jeffrey Flanagan doesn’t expect Salvador Perez to get traded this summer.

At the Winter Meetings and a couple of other times since then, I talked with Moore about trading Perez and received the same answer: The Royals don’t believe they’d ever get the return for Perez they desire. Virtually everyone in the organization believes Perez will be a Hall of Famer someday if he stays healthy, and perhaps theu want Perez to follow the same career path as George Brett -- as right from Kansas City to Cooperstown. And hey, Drew Butera could be a trade chip as well -- solid backup catcher in the last year of his deal -- and he could be attractive for a possible contender.

Maria Torres profiles top prospect Seuly Matias, who had to deal with questions about his age when he was signed.

“My mom never had anyone to get her registered,” Matias said. “When I was asked if I had a birth certificate, I had to ask what that was. I’d never heard of one before. I was born in 1998 but before I knew for sure, I said I was born in 1997 because, truly, I didn’t know what year I was born.”

Matias said he’d received offers of about $4 million but those disappeared when the discrepancy cropped up. Even after the league cleared up the issue, teams hesitated.

Matias went home, to the pastures and the poor village where his family shared two beds that were soaked every time it rained because of the awful shape the zinc roof was in.

It wasn’t until a month and a half later, in January, that Matias’ buscon bused him back to La Vega to deliver the news that the Royals had agreed to sign him after his final tryout in November.

Matias was also listed at #88 on Fangraphs’ updated list of 131 top prospects, the only Royals player included.

Rustin Dodd talked to J.J. Picollo about top prospects in the system, like former first-round pick Ashe Russell.

“I don’t want to paint the wrong picture, but I don’t want to play it down, either. He has been making progress. He’s been battling command issues, but he has been making progress. He’s deeper into a throwing program than he’s been the last couple of years, and we’ve been encouraged with what we’ve seen.

“We had a chance to watch him yesterday and the velocity looks good. We’re not putting (radar) guns on it, but he’s not holding back. He’s letting the ball go. He’s gaining confidence with each throwing session, but we still think he’s a ways away. This is a small step in a long process for him to get back to where he’s pitching very competitive innings. And it’s still gonna take some time, but we’re encouraged with what we’ve seen.

Baseball America highlights Khalil Lee this week.

The Royals farm system still has a ways to go, but it looks a lot better now than it did coming into the season thanks to minor league home run leader Seuly Matias (20 home runs for low Class A Lexington), catcher M.J. Melendez, shortstop Nicky Lopez and Lee. Lee is a well-rounded outfielder with speed, power, solid center field defense and a steadily improving batting eye. Lee has managed to slash his strikeout rate and up his walk rate this year. Like almost every hitter who plays at Wilmington, he’s seen his stats reduced by his home park, but he’s hitting .326/.455/.517 when the Blue Rocks are on the road.

Looks like we’ll see a transaction today.

Wilmington second baseman D.J. Burt, outfielders Khalil Lee and Kort Peterson, and reliever Bryan Brickhouse were named Carolina League All-Stars.

Royals first-round picks Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar and the Florida Gators are headed to the College World Series thanks to a crazy steal of home and a wild walk-off home run.

Jim Callis at MLB.com ranks the Royals’ draft class as second-best in baseball.

Those draft picks are in Arizona for their first pro workout.

Former Royals Review writer Jeff Zimmerman writes about power hitters who have lost their pop.

Did being a two-way player help contribute to Shohei Ohtani’s UCL injury?

An anoynomous exec calls Bryce Harper a “losing player.”

The competition committee will meet today to discuss changes to the game, with banning or limiting defensive shifts on the agenda.

Jeff Passan gets recommendations to fix baseball from a member of Mensa.

Both rookie New York managers have been under a microscope this year.

The Mets release Adrian Gonzalez.

A high school pitcher strikes out a hitter to win state, immediately hugs him because they are childhood friends.

All the World Cup jerseys, ranked.

What if the Colts never moved from Baltimore?

Microsoft is getting ready for the next Xbox vs. PlayStation console war.

Incredibles 2 will delight fans who have long waited for a sequel.

Fast food competitors trolled IHOP for its name change.

Your song of the day is Daryl Hall and John Oates with You Make My Dreams.