KC Royals: 2020 Northwest Arkansas Naturals roster will be loaded
By Cody Rickman
The last time the KC Royals had this many impressive prospects potentially headed to the Texas League was in 2010, when the Naturals won the championship and 15 players on their roster made an impact on MLB rosters.
Here is why the 2020 Northwest Arkansas Naturals roster may surpass the 2010 team.
2010 Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The Kansas City Royals loaded the 2010 Northwest Arkansas Naturals roster with prospects who would comprise the best farm system in the MLB. The 2010 Naturals roster won the 2010 Texas League championship and consisted of 15 future MLB players:
- Mike Moustakas
- Eric Hosmer
- Clint Robinson
- Johnny Giavotella
- Paulo Orlando
- Manny Pina
- Jarrod Dyson
- Blaine Hardy
- Louis Coleman
- Danny Duffy
- Chris Dwyer
- Everett Teaford
- Mike Montgomery
- John Lamb
- Aaron Crow
The 2010 Naturals roster produced key contributors to the Royals back to back World Series appearances with Moustakas, Hosmer, and Crow all becoming All-Stars in the process.
Success followed many of the players on the 2010 Northwest Arkansas Naturals roster as players on the roster won minor league and major league championships in 2007 (Rookie – Idaho Falls), 2008 (Rookie – Burlington Bees), 2010 (AA – Northwest Arkansas Naturals), 2011 (AAA – Omaha Storm Chasers), 2014 (AL Pennant), and 2015 (World Series).
2020 Northwest Arkansas Naturals
The current Royals farm system isn’t receiving as much hype as the 2011 system, but it is only a matter of time before the system’s continued success (four championships and one runner-up in 2019) no longer goes unnoticed.