KC Royals: What Miguel Almonte Could Bring To Royals
By Alec Tilson
Rumor has it KC Royals pitching prospect Miguel Almonte is already in Kansas City ahead of today’s roster expansions. All we know for sure is the Royals are going to be ‘selective’ in who they call up, according to MLB.com‘s Jeffrey Flanagan.
But let’s just assume it’s true that Almonte is in town for a promotion. What could the 22-year-old pitcher bring to the Royals this season?
First, Almonte’s role is likely to be small. This is his first taste of life in the Majors, so things are going be moving pretty fast for him. The Royals are 80-50 and there’s not an immediate need anywhere on the pitching staff for what Almonte is prepared to do.
He profiles similar to pitcher Yordano Ventura, and not just because they’re flame throwers from the Dominican Republic and they’re both nasty. Well, that’s part of it, but they’re different in other ways.
If nothing else, you’re giving a guy you’re counting on for years down the road a first-hand glimpse of how a championship-caliber team prepares and works every day.
At 6-feet-2, Almonte is a little taller than Ventura. He’s got a live arm and, obviously, some really good upside.
He was discussed in the Ben Zobrist trade, according to Yahoo!‘s Jeff Passan, so there’s presumably some level of intrigue in Almonte around the MLB:
Miguel Almonte and Sean Manaea were two names being discussed. Would imagine one of them is the main piece going back to A's for Zobrist.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2015
Baseball America ranked Almonte as the Royals’ number six prospect entering 2015. Baseball Prospectus ranked Almonte as its number 56 overall prospect entering 2015, according to Baseball-Reference.
He’s got a mid-upper 90’s fastball and, like Ventura, an emerging changeup. He also uses a breaking ball, and will need to if he ever wants to stick as more than a relief pitcher in the Majors.
The Royals signed him as an 18-year-old out of the Dominican Republic.
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Since then, he’s struck out 412 batters in 433 innings and posted a 1.19 WHIP and 2.7 BB/9 combined across basically every level of the minors. (Stats via Baseball-Reference)
This season, Almonte started 17 games for the Naturals at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, finishing with a 4-4 record in 67 innings before his promotion.
At Triple-A Omaha, Almonte both started games and pitched out of the bullpen. In 36 2/3 innings, he posted a 10.06 K/9, but an unsightly 5.40 ERA.
All that said, he’s clearly a work in progress.
The Royals will give him this month to taste the Major League Baseball life, get himself acquainted with traveling, hotels, workouts, meetings, large crowds, bright lights and so on. And hopefully get the chance to throw a few innings in the Show.
If nothing else, you’re giving a guy you’re counting on for years down the road a first-hand glimpse of how a championship-caliber team prepares and works every day.
He’ll get a preview of the high-life and, hopefully, a ridiculous ride these final two months. With fellow Dominican pitchers Johnny Cueto and Ventura, he certainly shouldn’t have trouble finding friends in the lockerroom.