Predicting 2023 Royals Spring Training Non-Roster Invitees: Pitchers
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Things have been fairly quiet on the Kansas City Royals front lately. Several front office and coaching changes have caused that, but business should pick up soon. After rounding out the major-league coaching staff for pitching, hopefully the Royals will focus on filling their starting rotation and bullpen. Whether that be one huge signing or several smaller ones, fans should not discount some of the arms in Kansas City's farm system.
The Royals' farm system is not held in high regard around the league. Outfielder Gavin Cross (No. 75) and first baseman Nick Pratto (No. 84), are the only Royals representatives in MLB's Top 100 prospects, and that should not be surprising. The Royals have struggled to develop pitching prospects for years, with top-tier prospects like Brady Singer, Daniel Lynch, and Jackson Kowar being prime examples. Singer could be the club's top starter entering 2023, but his improvement is an exception and not the rule in Kansas City.
With new faces in the minor- and major-league pitching coaching staffs, the Royals' pitching prospects could improve on all levels. That improvement starts this winter, but fans will certainly see players emerge during spring training in 2023. What intrigues me the most is the Royals' non-roster invitees for spring training. Last year was a star-studded group with the likes of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Jose Cuas being just three of the team's 21 non-roster invitees.
If last year's group is any indicator, non-roster invitees in the spring will likely contribute later in the 2023 season. Assuming pitchers are the focus, who are some prospects who fit these criteria?
RHP Andrew Hoffmann
If fans look at struggling pitching prospects as a systemic issue, a great example is Andrew Hoffmann. He came to the Royals organization after the Atlanta Braves traded him and two other prospects for the 35th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. While center fielder Drew Waters was the headline prospect, Hoffmann was a promising prospect coming from High-A.
He has a good three-pitch mix with his fastball, slider and changeup. His fastball isn't overpowering but can touch 95-96 mph, and it sets up a well-controlled slider and deceptive changeup. He even showed a developing curveball earlier in the 2022 season:
Hoffmann's transition to Double-A was rough, to say the least. He allowed 29 earned runs through 39.1 innings of action. His walks also spiked, with 20 in Northwest Arkansas. None of those are close to his shutdown performances in Low-A and High-A. If there were more successful pitchers coming out of Kansas City's Double-A team, his numbers would be more concerning. However, Hoffmann's pitches themselves look good. His issues may be in how to deploy them and pace each at-bat.
Hoffmann is currently Kansas City's 14th-best prospect, according to MLB. The 22-year-old is trending the right way up prospect lists and will hopefully benefit from new coaches and a full season in the Kansas City organization. If the Royals want to pick high-ceiling prospects ahead of spring training, Hoffmann would be a great option.
RHP Yefri Del Rosario
Speaking of high-ceiling prospects, Yefri Del Rosario should be in the conversation. He was an underrated performer in 2022, reaching Triple-A at 23 years old. The Royals have not developed many international prospects, but Del Rosario could be a sign of change in 2023.
As a reliever, Del Rosario did better in Omaha than in Northwest Arkansas. His 2.70 ERA and 1.30 WHIP both showed that the Dominican Republic native belonged in Omaha. His admiration of late Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura makes for a great minor-league story.
Kansas City could certainly use some help in the bullpen, and Del Rosario's career timeline matches with the Royals' next competitive window. He may not make his MLB debut in 2023, but a great full season in Omaha would set him up for future success. These new Royals pitching coaches might want to get a closer look at the bullpen prospect this spring training.
LHP Austin Cox
Austin Cox was a non-roster invitee in 2022. After a mediocre 2022 season, he could be an innings-eating answer for the Royals in 2023. When Cox joined the Royals in spring training, he was the team's 12th-best prospect. He is a part of Kansas City's pitcher-heavy 2018 draft class, and the Royals spent a fifth-round pick on him. Depsite that, Cox is farther behind than his draft class peers.
Like Hoffmann, Cox looks much better than his stats suggest. He closed out the 2022 season with a strong September, recording a 2.90 ERA and 31 strikeouts and only five walks. That's the performance Kansas City expected Cox to have all season, but rough May, July, and August splits ballooned his stats. Still, Cox's 95-plus MPH fastball pairs great with a 12-6 curveball and slider.
Still, the 25-year-old Cox needs to rebound for longer stretches in 2023. The organization obviously saw something from him ahead of the 2022 spring training. His issues may be similar to Hoffmann's — good stuff, but struggles with pacing and deployment of those pitches. At worst, Cox should be in line for a spot promotion or two in 2023. If the Royals want to see how seriously they should consider him this season, he will be with the team in the spring.
