The Royals are 6-3 in Cactus League play after a Friday win against the Oakland Athletics. That record puts them in a tie with four other teams at the top of the standings.
As Royals fans know, Spring Training standings must always be taken with a grain of salt. The Royals have plenty of “Cactus League” titles, only for that success to disappear once the regular season begins.
Nonetheless, spring training can be a great time to recognize some performing players who weren’t expected to do so before players reported to camp in mid-February. Does that mean they will impact the Major League club once the games count? Maybe. Maybe not. However, they are still players who should be discussed, even for only a few weeks.
In this post, I will look at four Royals players (two pitchers and two hitters) who have gotten off to promising starts this spring and should be paid close attention to, even if the odds of them making the MLB roster on Opening Day may be low.
Walter Pennington, LHP
Pennington has been one of the hottest Royals stories this spring, thanks to his dominating performances on the mound.
In three games and three innings pitched, the former undrafted pitcher from the 2020 MLB Draft has struck out 8 batters, walked zero, given up only two hits, and two runs (none of them earned) thus far in Cactus League play. Pennington also is coming off a solid 2023 in Omaha, as he posted a 3.69 ERA in 41 outings and 61 IP with the Storm Chasers. That also included a K% of 24.7% and a K-BB% of 12.7%.
The Royals are thin when it comes to left-handed bullpen options. Christian Chamberlain will probably be out for an extended time (likely the year) after suffering a UCL injury after only one outing. Furthermore, Jake Brentz is showing serious command and control issues.
Hence, it’s possible that Pennington could steal a spot in the Royals bullpen if he continues this strong pitching performance for the remainder of the spring, especially with the lack of proven lefty relievers currently on the 40-man roster.
Pennington is not an elite prospect by any means. That will work against him, especially as a soon-to-be 26-year-old reliever who hasn’t made his MLB debut yet. Sure, Pennington is good now. However, can he continue to be effective at the Major League level where his stuff and profile doesn’t stand out as much as in the Minors or Cactus League play?
I guess Royals fans will have to wait, see, and pay attention more this spring to see if Pennington will get his shot to prove himself at the Major League level or if the Royals simply view him as a depth in the upper minors of the Royal system.
CJ Alexander, 1B
Alexander got some buzz last spring when George Brett identified Alexander as one of the most impressive hitters in camp. The former Atlanta draft pick showed flashes in Cactus League play a year ago, such as this bomb he hit against the White Sox on March 8th.
Unfortunately, the 2018 20th-round pick couldn’t parlay that strong spring into a productive Triple-A campaign in Omaha. In 86 games and 314 plate appearances, Alexander only hit .220 with a 68 wRC+. He did hit 13 home runs, but he also struck out 29.9% of the time and posted a BB/K ratio of 0.26, both concerning marks.
The Royals did send Alexander to the Arizona Fall League to play for the Surprise Saguaros. Hitting for average proved challenging again, as he hit .213 in 55 plate appearances. However, he did post a slugging of .553 and hit three home runs. He also finished the AFL campaign strong, as evidenced by this double in the AFL Championship game.
This spring, Alexander is off to a stellar start.
In five games and nine at-bats, Alexander is hitting .333 with a home run and an OPS of 1.000. He has struck out two times and hasn’t drawn a walk yet. Still, the former Braves prospect has showcased that trademark power and ability to hit for average that made him such an intriguing sleeper prospect after 2022 when he hit .272 in Northwest Arkansas.
It’s unlikely that Alexander makes the Opening Day roster, especially with Maikel Garcia and Nick Loftin probably ahead of him at third base and Nick Pratto ahead of him at first base in the organizational depth chart. However, a strong spring and perhaps a strong start in Omaha could help him be a midseason call-up, especially if the Royals decide to get creative at the Trade Deadline.
Sam Long, LHP
An 18th-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 out of Sacramento State, Long is a non-roster invitee with a good amount of Major League experience. Between the Giants and A’s, Long has made 80 appearances and accumulated 128 innings pitched. Over that sample, he’s produced a 4.92 ERA, 4.69 FIP, and a 2.06 K/BB ratio.
Based on those numbers, it’s not surprising that Long has accumulated a career fWAR of -0.2. Therefore, Long may be on the “outside-looking-in” when capturing a spot on the Opening Day roster.
Like Pennington, though, injury to Christian Chamberlain, the rough early performance of Brentz, and the general lack of left-handed relief options could give Long a fighting chance. Additionally, Long has been working with Sweeney and the Royals pitching coaches on refining his slider, his second most-thrown breaking pitch a year ago, as Jaylon Thompson of the KC Star reported earlier in camp.
The early results have been encouraging so far for Long.
In two outings and three innings of work, Long hasn’t given up a run or hit, has only walked one, and struck out five. That’s the kind of control and command the Royals bullpen could use in low-leverage situations.
There are still plenty of games to be played this spring in Arizona. With the Carlos Hernandez injury likely keeping him on the IL on Opening Day, one of the final spots in the bullpen will likely come down between Long, Pennington, Brentz, and perhaps Angel Zerpa, with the latter sporting some hybrid flexibility out of the bullpen (i.e., can spot start if needed).
If Pennington cools down a bit, don’t be surprised to see Long steal that last spot in the Royals bullpen as their primary left-handed middle-innings reliever.
Diego Hernandez, OF
Hernandez has been a bit forgotten as a Royals prospect over the past year.
Last spring, Hernandez suffered a devastating shoulder injury that kept him out for the beginning of the season. When he returned, he struggled to return to the form that prompted the Royals to add him to the 40-man roster before the 2023 season.
In 60 games and 269 plate appearances in Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Hernandez hit .245 with a 61 wRC+. The 23-year-old outfielder showed a tremendous lack of power, as he not only hit zero home runs but also only posted a .046 ISO. There was hope that Hernandez could develop some power in 2023, so the Royals decided to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Unfortunately, that didn’t materialize, and the Royals released him from the 40-man roster this past offseason.
The Royals did bring back Hernandez on a Minor League deal and so far the results this spring have been promising, especially at the plate.
Hernandez is hitting .333 with three hits in 9 at-bats in Cactus League play, and he has scored two runs as well. The power still isn’t there, as his OPS is only .666. That said, as Preston Farr of “Farm to Fountains” alluded to on X, it’s possible that Hernandez could end up being a Mallex Smith type who can not just hit for average but also provide solid defense and baserunning at the MLB level.
The Royals got some surprising production from outfielder Dairon Blanco a season ago, who has a very similar profile to Hernandez, albeit a bit older (30 years old). The Royals could likely utilize Blanco as a bench outfielder and pinch runner in 2024, which makes sense considering his age and where he’s at in his career.
After 2024, though?
Especially if Hernandez can have a good season in Triple-A Omaha this year?
It’s possible that Hernandez could slide into that Blanco role down the stretch this season or perhaps on Opening Day in 2025.
Photo Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
The Royals Reporter 
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