Kansas City Royals should consider signing Jharel Cotton

Jharel Cotton was part of the designated for assignment purge across the MLB Wednesday, becoming a casualty of the Oakland A’s protect roster moves. The Kansas City Royals should jump at his availability and sign him this offseason.

There is no doubt following the 2019 season that the Kansas City Royals are in dire need of pitching. With the approval vote of owners on Thursday the Royals have a new owner in John Sherman and reporting earlier from this offseason indicates the Royals won’t be big spenders.

Since the Royals aren’t going to empty the piggy bank for free agent upgrades this offseason, they are forced to look for high reward/low risk signings. Insert the recently designated for assignment Jharel Cotton of the Oakland A’s.

Out of all of the pitchers designated for assignment yesterday becoming roster casualties, Jharel Cotton in my opinion is the most intriguing. Cotton reached as high as #74 on the top 100 prospect list for Baseball America in 2017.

Also, there may be some national reports that the Royals will be limited financially under the new ownership. But sources indicate the Royals will not be handicapped in terms of potential long-term deals with players such as Jorge Soler, Hunter Dozier, Adalberto Mondesi, etc.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) November 15, 2019

Cotton, who will be 28 in January, joined the Oakland A’s in 2016 via trade that involved Josh Reddick and Rich Hill going to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Frankie Montas, Grant Holmes, and Cotton.

Cotton put together a very nice 2016, which included excellent numbers for the A’s and Dodgers AAA affiliates and a September call-up run in the majors of 29.1 innings of 2.15 ERA, 0.818 WHIP, and 23 Ks.

Cotton wasn’t able to replicate his fine 2016 season in 2017 and struggled at the MLB level for the Oakland A’s. He pitched 129.0 innings of 5.58 ERA, 1.442 WHIP, with 105 Ks at the MLB level for the A’s in 2017. He did, however, show dominance in 21.1 innings of 2.95 ERA, 0.891 WHIP, with 28 Ks at AAA Nashville in 2017 for the A’s.

Much of Cotton’s struggles in 2017 at the MLB level could be attributed to the A’s desire have him throw his fastball low in the zone which was feasted on in the midst of the launch angle revolution.

Cotton hasn’t pitched in the MLB for the past two seasons after he was beset by injuries beginning during spring training prior to the beginning of the 2018 season. During the spring training in 2018, Cotton strained his UCL and flexor tendon resulting in Tommy John surgery.

He began his rehabilitation campaign to return to MLB play in May 2019 unfortunately suffering a hamstring injury in June 2019 requiring right hamstring debridement surgery.

Prior to Jharel Cotton being hampered by injury, he featured pitching arsenal that included four above average pitches including one of the nastiest change-ups I’ve witnessed (true Bugs Bunny swing and miss pitch).

Cotton was regularly throwing his fastball at 93.0 mph, cutter at 88.4 mph, curveball at 77.3 mph, and change-up at 77.7 mph. I personally witnessed Cotton’s devastating change-up tear up the Texas Rangers AAA affiliate in 2016 shortly after Cotton was traded to the Oakland A’s.