Royals Rumblings - News for January 30, 2025
Not to be confused with the actor better known as Charlie Sheen.
Anne Rogers and Paul Casella on last night’s Carlos Estévez signing:
Estévez has been one of the more reliable closers in the Majors over the past couple seasons. He averaged a career-best 11.3 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023 en route to earning his first All-Star selection. And while his strikeout numbers dipped in ‘24, he also cut his walk rate by more than half while recording a career-best 0.91 WHIP.
Estévez relies on a 97 mph fastball, slider and changeup, the latter of which registered a 37% whiff rate last season. Hitters batted just .192 against him in 2024.
Kiley McDaniel released his top 100 prospects list at ESPN, with Jac Caglianone at #29 and Blake Mitchell at #42 ($):
Mitchell was the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft out of a Texas high school but was seen as comparable to prep players going in the middle-to-late stages of the round. After a strong 2024 full-season debut, Mitchell stands basically where the Royals took him among a group of prep players from that draft who have been excellent so far.
Mitchell’s defense, plus-plus arm and overall tool set have always stood out with scouts who are somewhat split on his overall offensive upside. As a 19-year-old in Low-A last year, Mitchell answered those questions, posting a 17% walk rate, with 18 homers and 26 stolen bases. There’s some swing-and-miss inherent to his late-count, power-focused approach and that’s the main risk factor. But there could be a new starting catcher with big power headed to Kauffman Stadium right as another one’s storied career is winding down.
Jordan Schusterman reviews the offseasons so far of last year’s AL Central postseason teams:
And so, with India as the only notable alteration to last year’s roster, does this winter feel like a meaningful step forward for the Royals? It was clear by the end of last season that even with a spectacular headliner in Bobby Witt Jr., the offense badly needed another established bat. India definitely brings that, though his defensive fit remains curious at best. The lineup still looks concerningly thin beyond the top four, and unless last year’s first-round pick, Jac Caglianone, rockets through the minors, there doesn’t appear to be much help coming from the Royals’ shallow farm system.
The team came to contract terms for the 2025 season with numerous pre-arb players.
Tickets for select regular season games go on sale tomorrow.
Eno Sarris compares the level of parity in MLB versus the NFL and NBA. ($)
Asked about the Dodgers’ spending, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner responded like a small market owner.
Rays prospect Junior Caminero took his time rounding the bases after hitting a go-ahead ninth-inning homer that proved to be the winning run, giving Leones del Escogido the LIDOM title.
Meet Jack Kochanowicz, the pitcher with a 99 mph heater that can’t miss bats.
A flurry of transactions in the past day and change:
- Tampa Bay is signing shortstop Ha-Seong Kim to a two-year deal.
- Detroit is signing right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle to a one-year deal.
- The Mets are signing right-handed pitcher Ryne Stanek to a one-year deal.
- San Diego is signing catcher Elias Díaz to a one-year deal.
- The Dodgers are signing right-handed pitcher Kirby Yates to a one-year deal.
- Cincinnati is acquiring left-handed pitcher Taylor Rogers from San Francisco.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver floated the idea of shortening quarters to 10 minutes.
How 3-and-D wings came to dominate the NBA.
Everything to know about the upstart Athletes Unlimited Softball League the morning after their inaugural player draft.
OpenAI is very upset that DeepSeek, a Chinese AI startup, seemingly plagiarized the former’s plagiarism machine.
Waymo is planning to test its vehicles in ten new cities this year.
Your song of the day is Moments by MitiS and Adara.