Minor League News
Denaburg uses a strong lower half and great levers to create effortless velocity on his fastball. Every now and then he’ll get some great sink out of it too with that high 3/4 delivery. Denaburg’s breaking ball comes out of the same 3/4 arm slot, giving hit a nice sweeping motion to go along with the depth. The changeup is still developing but could become a + pitch with some more work.
I also interviewed Royals Rule 5 trade acquisition Brad Keller a while back.
Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com broke down the projections for each team’s top prospects in 2018.
But Steamer seems to think the Royals nabbed themselves a 2018 gem in Oaks. The only starting pitching prospect to receive a higher WAR projection among this year’s crop was Braves lefty Luiz Gohara, featured in last week’s Prospect Projection piece on the NL East. As with Bieber, that’s because Steamer is a big believer in pitchers with special control, and Oaks earns bonus points for showing that skill over two separate seasons at Triple-A. Between 2016 and 2017, the 24-year-old righty walked only 27 over 147 innings. He also posted a 3.37 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 120 strikeouts over that span while playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com wants to know, “Who’s on first?”
Another option at first base, Moore said, would be prospect Hunter Dozier, who was drafted as a shortstop in 2013, then moved to third base. Dozier also has played corner outfield. Dozier, ranked as the club’s No. 3 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has played 12 games in the Minors at first base.
Major League News
There’s also this: The Cubs might not have to keep paying Darvish until he’s 37. According to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, they might not have to pay him for more than two seasons, if Crasnick’s report of a potential opt-out clause after two years proves to be accurate.
Jordan Foote of Kings of Kauffman previews Alex Gordon.
Could a former Royals prospect being the next SP to be traded?
According to The Boston Globe, the Yankees, Cubs, Brewers, Orioles and Twins are among clubs interested in the 27-year-old Odorizzi. Among elite free-agent starters, Jake Arrieta is still on the market. The next tier of arms includes free agents Alex Cobb and Lance Lynn plus Odorizzi, who would be a good fit for teams looking to cement an already powerful rotation.
The Yankees are in the market for a SP.
Other Stuff
A Russian plane crash prompted some to consider which are the safest airlines.
Winter Olympics medal tracker.
Royals Farm Report 