Kansas City Royals: When is the next dominant bullpen coming?
By Cody Rickman
Middle Relief: Josh Staumont RHP (ETA: 2020)
Staumont features two of the best pitches in the Royals system in a fastball that reaches 99+ mph regularly and a nasty curveball when coupled with the high heat leaves batters “jelly-legged” in the box. If Staumont can find the command of his excellent stuff the sky is the limit for him (something that’s been said for awhile now).
During spring training, Staumont showed consistency in filling up the strike-zone and hopefully we aren’t overacting that this might be his new normal. If Staumont consistently finds his command, he could project to put up around 1.5 WAR in his peak season.
Middle Relief: Carlos Hernandez RHP (ETA: 2022)
Hernandez is another arm in the Royals system that can regularly throw his fastball above 98-mph. His plus fastball is paired well with an above-average curveball that typically sits in the low 80s mph.
Hernandez hasn’t found the touch for his change-up or slider yet as a starter and this is the reason he will best be suited for a reliever role. Hernandez could project to put up around 1.0 WAR in his peak season.
Middle Relief: Daniel Tillo LHP (ETA: 2021)
Tillo is an incredible athlete who starred in multiple sports in college. He has taken a little time to get his footing as a starter and the Royals shifted his focus to the bullpen for the 2019 Arizona Fall League campaign. His fastball dialed up a tick to 97-mph during his relief appearances in Arizona.
The fastball projects to be plus offering with his ability to throw it with heavy-sink, run, and cutting action. His slider is another potential plus pitch when he has his command (sharp break). His mechanics are still a work in progress, but he’s athletic enough to make rapid changes.
Tillo could project to put up 0.5 WAR in his peak season with a chance for more if he finds consistent command.
Long Relief/Swing-man: Jakob Junis RHP (ETA: 2020)
Junis is a for-sure lock to make the 2020 roster as a starting pitcher, however, in the near future the Royals could be best suited utilizing Junis out of the bullpen as a slider heavy long reliever.
When reviewing his pitch values his slider stands out as a plus pitch generating 15.0 value. The pitch value for Junis’ fastball is quite scary at -23.1. Moving Junis to the pen might add some velocity to his fastball and allow him to throw a plethora of sliders in his outings.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics have found success in recent years utilizing pitchers in such a fashion. Junis could project to provide 1.0 WAR in his peak season out of the bullpen.