KC Royals: John Lamb Added To Royals Roster

The KC Royals have called up minor league pitching prospect John Lamb from Triple-A Omaha. Lamb, a long-time Royals farmhand, will serve as the team’s 26th man today in its double-header against the Chicago White Sox, according to MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan.

It’s been a long road for the former top prospect – 595 1/3 minor league innings to be exact – so it’s awesome to see this guy get some validation, even if only for a day.

A new MLB rule allows for teams to roster an extra player for double headers, so it’s likely Lamb will return to the farm pronto.

The Kansas City Star’s Andy McCullough confirmed as much via his Twitter account.

Also, John Lamb will only be up here for today, Yost says. He's their best Omaha arm, and team wanted to reward him for his performance.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) July 17, 2015

Lamb has been superb this season in Triple-A and was set to play in the league’s All-Star Game Wednesday before being held out of the game apparently due to his impending promotion.

He’s 9-1 with a 2.68 ERA in 15 starts. He’s struck out 86 batters in 84 innings and hasn’t lost a decision since May 16. He posted marks of 9.21 strikeouts and 2.89 walks per innings.

His nine victories lead the Pacific Coast League, and his 86 strikeouts are good for third, trailing only Steven Matz and Jon Gray.

Lamb has long been a favorite of baseball scouts, ranking in many Top 100 prospect lists. Baseball America ranked Lamb the number 18 prospect in all of baseball prior to the 2011 season. Baseball Prospectus ranked him number 11 the same year, according to BaseballReference.com.

This, of course, will be Lamb’s first taste of the Bigs, but it certainly won’t be his last if he continues to pitch like an ace in Triple-A.

The KC Royals could always use a 6-foot 4-inch, 205-pound lefty with an easy throwing motion and some strikeout potential. Lamb looks to have finally made himself into a big league pitcher and the Royals have to hope that it continues.

The 25-year-old certainly had to work for his first promotion to the Majors. Lamb began pitching in the Royals system at the age of 18. He’s pitched nearly 600 minor-league innings in parts of seven minor league seasons, and has a respectable 3.28 career ERA, according to FanGraphs.

Lamb was selected in the fifth round by the Royals in the 2008 June Amateur Draft. Shortly after he was involved in a car accident that kept him from pitching. In 2011, he underwent Tommy John surgery and pitched only 48 innings in the 2011 and 2012 combined.

It’s all about health with John Lamb. When he’s right, he’s proven to be tough match up. When he’s hurt, well, that’s a different story. He pitched 138.1 innings last season, he’s probably ready for 150 or so this season, but I doubt the KC Royals can count on him for anything more.

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