KC Royals: Five under the radar prospects to follow in 2020

CLEVELAND, OH - AUGUST 24: A glove and baseballs sit on the field before a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on August 24, 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. Teams are wearing special color schemed uniforms with players choosing nicknames to display for Players' Weekend. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images) /

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Tad Ratliff #37 of the Surprise Saguaros (Photo by Buck Davidson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Tad Ratliff RHP Reliever (24-years-old in April)

2018 Stats (A Lexington)
1.68 ERA, 1.138 WHIP, 53 Ks, 10 BBs, 2 HRs allowed in 48.1 Innings (10 saves)
2019 Stats (A+ Wilmington)
2.81 ERA, 1.188 WHIP, 55 Ks, 19 BBs, 3 HRs allowed in 51.1 Innings (23 saves)
2019 Stats (Arizona Fall League – Surprise Saguaros)
1.08 ERA, 0.720 WHIP, 10 Ks, 0 BB, 0 HR allowed in 8.1 Innings (2 saves)

Signed as an undrafted reliever out of Lenoir-Rhyne College (Hickory, NC) in 2017, Tad Ratliff has steadily climbed the Royals farm system as a steady late-inning reliever. Ratliff has utilized an arsenal of 92-94 mph fastballs, 82-84 mph sliders, and 82 mph change-ups to rack up 35 saves between 2018 – 2019.

Watching video on Ratliff, he has solid command of his pitches. He utilizes his off-speed offerings as out pitches when properly located and isn’t afraid of late inning pressure.

Ratliff has effective command of his breaking pitch using it as a front door slider on right-handed hitters and a back-door slider against left-handed hitters. When he couples the breaking ball with his fastball with two-seam/sinker movement, he is absolutely devastating.

At the :53 and again at 1:03 mark of the video, you can see Ratliff use his two-seam/sinker on the inside part of the plate to set up his slider at the 1:20 mark of the video. This is what good pitch sequencing looks like, the pitcher sets up the batter and completely fools him by executing his locations.

Ratliff has been the late game relief option for Royals’ A Lexington and A+ Wilmington championship teams in 2018 and 2019. He was also a late inning relief option for the Surprise Saguaros in their Arizona Fall League championship game (runners-up).

Expectation: Ratliff should start out the 2020 season with the AA Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He has the arsenal, command, and make-up to be a major league middle innings reliever if he continues to develop. If he continues to put together statistically consistent years like 2018 and 2019, then the Royals won’t be able to keep him off the major league roster.

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