The most recent edition of the RFR Podcast is up.
Yesterday we ran a piece in collaboration with Down on the Farm regarding swing rates in MiLB.
The reason we’ve talked about Michael Massey’s plate discipline in the past is pretty clear in the graph. He swings a LOT. This isn’t inherently negative. There are a lot of really good big league hitters who swing a lot. Salvy Perez, Javy Baez…those guys also have double-plus raw power. Michael Massey has legitimately good power, but it’s nothing like that.
Is Nick Loftin the Royals CF of the future?
The bat will, without question, play. If Loftin can make the quick adjustment to center field, the Royals may have solved their problems. So far, in 21 games for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, he has two assists and two errors with 53 putouts in center field. Loftin more than has the athletic capability of making the transition, and Royals fans might not have to wait too long until we see him in center field at the K.
AAA Omaha (18-19): W 8-7
Vinnie Pasquantino doubled twice and finished 3-4 for the Storm Chasers yesterday before Gabriel Cancel walked it off in the bottom of the 10th inning. Austin Cox had another decent start despite getting hit around a little bit, escaping with just two runs allowed in four innings. Dairon Blanco was pulled after two trips to the plate and appears to be headed to the big leagues to fill in for Michael A. Taylor while Taylor is on the COVID-IL. The Cuban outfielder is hitting .263 with an .823 OPS in AAA this year. Omaha will look to get back to .500 tonight with Jackson Kowar on the mound.
Box Score:
– Dairon Blanco: 1-1, BB
– Nick Pratto: 1-5, 2B, 2 K
– Gabriel Cancel: 1-4, BB, 2 K
– Vinnie Pasquantino: 3-4, 2 2B
– Brewer Hicklen: 1-2, HR, 2 BB, K
– Clay Dungan: 1-4, 2 K
– Austin Cox: 4 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 ER
AA Northwest Arkansas (16-18): L 4-5
Angel Zerpa was pretty good again, but he seems to have lost something that got him a big league start last year. Maybe he dealt with a minor injury this offseason and just isn’t up to speed yet…maybe he’s just a little behind where I thought he was…he just hasn’t been the pitcher I expected him to be this spring. Maikel Garcia hit his org leading 11th double, pushing his season OPS to .825. Alec Marsh is on the bump for NWA tonight.
Box Score:
– Maikel Garcia: 2-4, 2B
– Nick Loftin: 0-3
– Michael Massey: 0-4, K
– Seuly Matias: 0-4, 2 K
– Nate Eaton: 1-4, SB, 2 K
– John Rave: 1-3, BB, 2 K
– Angel Zerpa: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 3 ER
A+ Quad Cities (13-21): PPD
Quad Cities was rained out last night and will play a double header today starting at 4:35 pm.
A- Columbia (11-24): L 2-13
Frank Mozzicato was brilliant in his professional debut yesterday, and then everything went south from there. The Royals 7th overall pick in the 2021 draft fired three shutout innings and exited the game with a 2-0 lead. Luckily for the Fireflies they get to try again tonight.
Box Score:
– River Town: 1-4, K
– Carter Jensen: 1-4, 2B, 2 K
– Darryl Collins: 2-3, 3B, BB
– Omar Hernandez: 1-4, K
– Omar Florentino: 0-3, BB, K
– Frank Mozzicato: 3 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 0 R
– John McMillon: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 5 BB, 1 K, 3 ER
Royals Farm Report 