KC Royals: Four players who have most to gain in 2020 spring training
By Cody Rickman
The KC Royals start spring training games on Friday, here are some players who have a lot to gain with good performances this spring.
Professional baseball is about to begin again and it’s a fresh start for the Kansas City Royals, who are coming off back-to-back 100 loss seasons. Hope springs eternal is a good way to start evaluating the current Royals roster and their chances at a successful season.
The Royals currently have 68 players in spring training camp and there are only 26 MLB roster spots available when the team leaves Arizona to start the regular season. Players who are non-roster invitees obviously have the most to gain with good performances this spring and I’ve identified a few who I expect to take advantage of their opportunity.
I’ve also identified a promising player on the roster who is out of minor league options with a chance to finally click and take over his position for regular playing time.
Trevor Rosenthal – RHP Reliever
Trevor Rosenthal was one of the most dominant relievers in the National League for four seasons between 2012 and 2015, racking up 303 Ks in 237 innings. The following two seasons of 2016 and 2017 saw Rosenthal lose his closer role due to inconsistency then suffer an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery.
Rosenthal spent all of the 2018 season rehabbing and recovering from Tommy John surgery and made his way back to the MLB in 2019 making appearances with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals.
He struggled a great deal on the mound in 2019 pitching 15.1 innings between Detroit and Washington of 13.50 ERA, 2.413 WHIP, and 17 Ks. Rosenthal struggled because he couldn’t find his control, allowing 26 walks (30.6% walk rate). A common, lasting side effect of Tommy John surgery is the lack of feel for your pitches and your inability to command them.
The bright spot for Rosenthal in a rough 2019 season came in the return of his velocity. The reliever saw the return of his dominant fastball velocity (avg. 98.0 mph), slider (avg. 88.1 mph), and his change-up returned to the pre-injury velocity of avg. 87.8 mph. The movement and velocity are still there on Rosenthal’s stuff to make him dominant once again.
Trevor Rosenthal needs to show a consistent ability to throw strikes this spring training and if he does, he will have an excellent chance of turning his minor league contract (non-roster spring training invite) into a major league contract. If Rosenthal finds his feel for his pitches he could return to his pre-injury dominance and become one of the best free agent signings during the Dayton Moore era.