As most of you know, we have a partial season ticket plan to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals games.  I try to go as often as I can but coaching in the spring makes it tough so I usually don’t get to go until summer.  That’s the only reason we don’t have a full season package.  With minor league ball being canceled this year, I started thinking about some of the guys I might not get to watch.  It is incredibly disappointing to say the least.

The first guy is LHP Daniel Lynch.  Lynch would have started the season in NWA and been gone by the all star break.  I doubt that he ever comes to NWA unless it is on a rehab assignment at some point.  I bet he starts 2021 in Omaha.  I’ve got a mental Rolodex of guys I’ve seen pitch and I like comparing them to previous prospects that have come through the Texas League.  You can’t really do that until you sit down behind home plate and watch the ball come out of a guys hand.  Anyway, I won’t get to do that with Lynch and I’m extremely disappointed by that.

The second guy is LHP Kris Bubic.  I saw both Singer and Kowar last summer.  I expected both to move up and Lynch and Bubic to replace them on the roster.  The Royals liked Bubic in MLB camp this summer and there is also a chance he may never come to NWA.  Again, this is very disappointing to me.  He would have stayed in NWA possibly all year and I would have seen him make multiple starts.

The third guy is Kyle Isbel.  The Royals seem to be fast-tracking him and he will more than likely start 2021 in Omaha as well skipping his time in NWA.  I really wanted to see how he compared to Hosmer, Moustakas, and others.  I don’t expect to ever get to watch Isbel live in Springdale either.

Those are the three guys I don’t think I’ll ever get to watch live in Double-A.  There are a few guys I was hoping to watch this year that I expect to open in NWA next spring.  MJ Melendez, Nick Pratto, Jonathan Bowlan, Austin Cox, Seuly Matias, Brewer Hicklen, Zack Haake, Jon Heasley, Yefri Del Rosario, and Michael Gigliotti to name a few.  I think Brady McConnell will be here in the second half next season as well.  I was looking forward to watching those guys take the Naturals to the Texas League Championship this summer but I think I’ll get that opportunity next season.  Some of those guys may not be here long, but I think I’ll get to see them.

I expect Witt to be in NWA at some point next year and I don’t think he would have made it here this year.  I guess if he hit this year like he hit off Danny Duffy in Summer Camp, he would have been here.

I love living near minor league teams and getting a chance to see these guys before they make it to the bigs.  Thanks for following Royals Farm and I hope you enjoy this shortened MLB season!