The Omaha Storm Chasers Are Poised for a Huge 2022 Season
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Major League Baseball is preparing to take the stage, as Opening Day kicks the regular season off this week. The Kansas City Royals are slated to receive a massive boost from the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, Bobby Witt Jr., when he makes his major league debut. The Royals are not the only exciting club inside the organization, though.
The Omaha Storm Chasers open their season on April 5, as they head on the road to take on the Indianapolis Indians. The Storm Chasers have a talented roster loaded with Royals top 30 prospects. Big-league spring training is winding down, and the overall rosters are shaping up for Kansas City and its affiliates. Omaha will trot out a talented lineup and could be poised for big things over the course of the year.
Infield
Jul 7, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, United States; Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi (27) is safe getting back to first base as first baseman Nick Pratto (88) attempts the tag during workouts at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Catchers: Freddy Fermin, William Hancock, MJ Melendez
Around the diamond: Nick Pratto, Vinnie Pasquantino, Gabriel Cancel, Angelo Castellano, Ivan Castillo, Clay Dungan, Jimmy Govern
The catchers will be led by the Royals' No. 4 overall prospect, Melendez. Melendez was absolutely on fire during spring training, in which he played in 10 games, recording 19 plate appearances. He hit an impressive .412/.474/.647 a double, a home run, five RBIs and a pair of walks. Melendez is projected to catch most of the time while also logging some time at third base and even the outfield.
Pratto, the Royals' No. 2 overall prospect, showed his capabilities in the minor leagues last year and carried it over into spring training this year. In 10 spring training games, he hit .333/.546/.667 with a triple, a home run, three RBIs, six walks and a stolen base. Pratto is also known for his defensive prowess.
Pasquantino is currently the No. 17 prospect in the Royals organization. He played excellent baseball last year, working up from High-A Quad Cities to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. He was invited to participate in spring training this year as well, and he did not disappoint. Pasquantino played in 13 games, hitting .391/.440/.739.
Dungan attended spring training and caught the eyes of fans with his performance. He spent his 2021 season at Northwest Arkansas, hitting .288/.357/.405 and played 2B, SS, and 3B. In spring training, he played in 10 and hit .318/.318/.546. There is a log jam of players at the major league level, so giving Dungan a season at Triple-A would suit his development.
Outfield
Main pieces: Darion Blanco, Brewer Hicklen, JaCoby Jones
Of this group, the player to watch is outfielder Hicklen, the Royals' seventh-round pick from 2017. In four minor league seasons with the Royals, Hicklen has performed well. In 375 games played, he has hit .272/.362/.464 with 61 doubles, 18 triples, 52 home runs, 199 RBIs, 130 stolen bases and 153 walks.
Hicklen is a well-rounded outfielder, which earned him an opportunity to showcase his talents in spring training. During that time, he played in 11 games and hit .308/.400/.692. Depending on how things play out on the major league roster, Hicklen could make his major league debut this season.
Pitching staff
The pieces: Brandon Barker, Ronald Bolanos, Colten Brewer, Austin Cox, Jose Cuas, Josh Dye, Sam Freeman, Foster Griffin, Marcelo Martinez, Daniel Mengden, Andres Nunez, Brad Peacock, Jace Vines, Arodys Vizcaino, Jonathan Heasley
This pitching staff is comprised of some very talented prospects mixed in with veteran arms. The first pitcher of discussion is Cox, the No. 12 overall Royals prospect. In three seasons with the Royals farm system, Cox has posted impressive numbers. He has pitched 232 innings allowing 204 hits and 101 runs while striking out 240. He also has a 13-8 record. Many believed there was a chance that Cox would be selected in the Rule 5 draft, but that was canceled this year. He did make an appearance in spring training, throwing two innings in which he faced six batters, striking out three.
Another pitcher to watch is the Royals' No. 23 overall prospect, Ronald Bolanos. Bolanos was a part of the trade that sent Tim Hill to the Padres in 2020. In 2021, he looked good coming out of the bullpen but would suffer an injury, causing him to miss the remainder of the season. Bolanos has pitched in ten games in two years with the Royals, logging 29.2 innings. If injuries to others occur, he is someone the Royals might turn to for a bullpen arm.
The veterans in the bullpen are Freeman, Mengden, Peacock and Vizcaino. Each of these veterans pitched in spring training and was able to hang on with the ball club and will be starting at Triple-A. At the end of the day, the Royals are chock-full of talent in their minor league system. Their roster in Omaha is a perfect example of that. Keep an eye on the Storm Chasers in 2022.
