Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for January 16, 2023

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Jan 16, 2023, 8:00am EST

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Jesse Sanchez writes the Royals have signed pitcher Marwys Jorge, ranked #49 in this year’s international free agent class.

Jorge throws a fastball in the 88-90 mph range with good command. His curveball is emerging, and he also throws a changeup. He shows an easy and fluid delivery and uses his lower half well, as he continues to improve his balance and timing. If all goes according to plan, the Dominican Republic native projects to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter. The 16-year-old has also been praised for his work ethic and makeup.

Baseball America writes they have also signed outfielders Enmanuel Santos and Darvin Cruz, and pitcher Damian Jimenez.

The Athletic compiles the best international signings for each team in the last decade.

Kansas City Royals: Esteury Ruiz

The Royals won the World Series in 2015 with Salvador Perez, Yordano Ventura and Kelvin Herrera playing major roles, but the club hasn’t turned an international signing into a regular player in more than a decade. The oft-injured Adalberto Mondesi, for instance, was signed in 2011. The best signing is probably Dominican infielder turned outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who was signed in 2015. Ruiz was traded to the Padres in 2017 and was on the move a lot in the last year, eventually ending up in Oakland. One other name to watch: 22-year-old Venezuelan shortstop Maikel García. — Rustin Dodd

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter looks at some Royals prospects.

Mozzicato on the other hand actually finished the year much stronger than Kudrna, as he allowed only two runs, struck out 21 batters, and walked eight, in three of his final starts from August 17th to August 31st, according to Fangraphs. He had a rough final outing of the year where he failed to get out of the first, and three of his first four starts in Columbia were ugly, which contributed to his 4.30 ERA and 1.75 K/BB ratio in 69 IP.

That said, Mozzicato’s fastball (30), slider (20), and changeup (30) have been rated as much “rawer” pitches than Kudrna’s offerings, according to Fangraphs. So some growing pains were to be expected with Mozzicato in his first full MiLB season.

Mike Gillespie wonders if Brady Singer did not come to terms with the Royals because they are working on a long-term deal.

And there’s franchise precedence for an arbitration-period extension. The five-year, $65 million contract the Royals gave Danny Duffy just before the 2017 campaign began not only rewarded him for his spiffy 12-3, 3.51 2016 performance, but also avoided arbitration and Duffy’s first venture into free agency. Hunter Dozier received similar, but not as lucrative, treatment when, after sidestepping arbitration by giving him a new one-year deal, the club turned around three months later and extended him for four years at $25 million per season.

Ted Savage, an outfielder who played nine years in MLB including with the 1971 Royals, dies at the age of 85.

Jon Morosi mentions the Royals as a possibility for free agent catcher Gary Sanchez.

Here are all the top international signings.

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