We’ve nearly finished the month of May, and so far, it’s been a solid, though unspectacular, season for Royals Minor League affiliates.
Here’s how their records are looking through May 29th, according to Baseball Reference.
- Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA): 21-30
- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA): 24-22
- Quad Cities River Bandits (High-A): 30-17
- Columbia Fireflies (Low-A): 25-22
- Surprise Royals (ACL): 9-10
As Royals fans can see, three of the Royals’ five affiliates have winning records, with Omaha being the lone full-season club with a losing record. That is a positive sign that the system has improved in JJ Picollo’s third season as head of Royals baseball operations.
The Storm Chasers have scored plenty of runs (5.9 R/G), but they have the worst ERA of any Royals Minor League club (5.49), and that includes the Surprise Royals (4.73). Those Storm Chaser pitching struggles can primarily be attributed to the fact that most of their top pitching prospects are currently in High-A and Double-A, and they’re mainly relying on veterans who are unlikely to make it to the Majors this season.
In addition to Royals affiliates being nearly 50 games into their seasons (except Surprise, who are almost 20 games in), Fangraphs released their Kansas City Royals Top 35 Prospects list and writeup today, which puts even more of a spotlight on players in the Royals farm system.
With the Royals having an off day on Thursday, I likely will be watching some Royals affiliate baseball on MLB TV (which is included without blackouts). The recent focus on the Royals’ system, along with news about Royals prospects, has prompted me to reflect on some recent moves and developments for certain Royals players in the Minor Leagues.
Thus, here are four thoughts I have about movements in the Royals’ farm system, ranging from promotions, player releases, and prospects sticking out early in the season.
Royals Promote Reliever Andrew Hoffmann
The Royals optioned left-hander Evan Sisk after pitching in back-to-back days to make room for Hoffmann, fresh from Omaha, who was added to the 40-man roster in the process.
Hoffmann was an interesting choice, especially since it took away a lefty from the Royals’ bullpen, and they likely didn’t have Daniel Lynch IV available after he opened Tuesday’s game against the Reds. However, according to MLB.com writer Anne Rogers, Lucas Erceg wasn’t available on Wednesday, as he was dealing with a stomach virus.
With Erceg out, it made more sense why the Royals would opt for the right-handed Hoffmann, even though he didn’t pitch on Wednesday in the series finale against Cincinnati.
Hoffmann has been lights out in Omaha as a reliever after a mediocre campaign in 2024.
Last year, in 29 outings and 77 innings as a hybrid starter/reliever, he posted a 6.08 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 2.20 K/BB ratio, and 4.80 FIP. While the FIP was a bit better, Hoffmann didn’t do anything to warrant a spot on the 40-man roster this offseason, and he was overlooked mainly in Spring Training by most Royals fans in Surprise.
However, Hoffmann has been the Storm Chasers’ most dependable pitcher this season.
In 19 outings (all in relief), he is posting a 2.84 ERA, 1.81 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, and 4.11 K/BB ratio in 25.1 IP. The 25-year-old former Braves prospect (acquired in the Drew Waters and CJ Alexander deal) has improved his strikeout ability in Omaha, as evidenced by his 33% strikeout rate, and strong stuff and whiff metrics via TJ Stats.
Rogers discussed Hoffmann’s adjustments this offseason, which have contributed to his breakout this season. She mentioned his offseason pitching in the Dominican Republic and his addition of a “kick change” as two factors contributing to his success in Omaha.
Here’s what she says about both those items in her most recent piece.
“He’s been through a lot in his young career, but he’s been a different pitcher so far in 2025. There’s a multitude of reasons for that, including his trip to the Dominican Winter League last offseason that allowed him to “restart” as a pitcher, going to a place where he didn’t know “anything about anything,” he said. A mechanical cue he picked up there — making his delivery simpler — has helped this year.
But the biggest difference is his new changeup. Specifically, a kick-change…
Hoffmann worked with Driveline Baseball in the winter and decided to try the pitch during one of his throwing sessions. He quickly realized that it could elevate his game.”
Hoffman has been an intriguing arm who has experienced some peaks and valleys in the Royals’ system since joining the organization in 2022. That said, his stuff is legitimate, with his new “kick change” (which he throws 47% of the time) producing a TJ Stuff+ of 115, a 77 grade, a whiff rate of 36.8%, and an xwOBACON of 0.263.
His new changeup is a significant reason why his TJ Stuff+ is 107, and it has helped him produce an overall whiff rate of 35.5% and an xwOBACON of 0.275. It will be exciting to see Hoffmann make his MLB debut and utilize that pitch in front of the Kauffman faithful, hopefully this weekend in a key series against the Detroit Tigers.
Outfielder Nelson Velazquez Released From Omaha
With the news of Hoffmann’s promotion, the Royals also announced a slew of corresponding moves in Omaha. Unfortunately, one of the reports was that they released Velazquez from his contract with Omaha.
The news isn’t necessarily surprising, as Nelly was designated for assignment at the end of Spring Training after failing to make the club roster. He agreed to an assignment in Triple-A Omaha, but he failed to do much with the Storm Chasers at the plate.
In 33 games and 131 plate appearances with the Storm Chasers this year, Nelly slashed .202/.298/.377 with six home runs, 14 RBI, four stolen bases, and a wRC+ of 78. His wOBA was pretty subpar (.298). However, his xwOBA was much better, and he was still producing some excellent hard-hit metrics, as seen in his TJ Stats summary card below.
It will be interesting to see if Nelly’s release means that he will find another MLB organization or if he will perhaps take his talents to Japan or Korea, where his home run power (but lackluster contact ability) may be better utilized. I suppose it may be the latter, as an MLB team would likely have shown interest after he was initially designated for assignment back in March.
Acquired for reliever Jose Cuas at the 2023 Trade Deadline, Velazquez hit 14 home runs in 40 games with the Royals (he hit three earlier in the year with the Cubs). His power and penchant for big hits that season made him a quick Royals fan favorite.
Nelly was never able to replicate that 2023 stretch again in a Royals uniform. He hit eight home runs in 64 games last year, and my wife and I were able to see him hit two of those in Minneapolis just a couple of days after we got married during our “mini-moon”.
Unfortunately, his wRC+ went from 132 in 2023 between Chicago and Kansas City to 76 with the Royals in 2024. It seems like the Royals lost faith in Nelly after he was demoted as they didn’t bring him up at all for the remainder of the season, even after Vinnie Pasquantino went to the IL with a thumb injury late in the year (though I indeed advocated for him to get called up at the time).
Best of luck, Nelly. You will certainly be missed by this Royals blogger (and his significant other).
Pitcher Rich Hill Called Up to Omaha
While the Velazquez move stuck out the most from the string of Omaha transactions on Wednesday, another one caught my eye on the pitching end.
After a “warmup” stint in the Complex League, the Royals transferred the veteran Hill to the Storm Chasers roster.
Hill looked sharp during his time in Arizona, though it was amusing to see a 45-year-old pitcher thoroughly outpitch a group of teenagers in the Complex League (including many who weren’t born yet when the Cubs drafted Hill).
Hill’s performance in Arizona was not elite according to the TJ Stuff+ metrics. However, he still showed solid control, and he could be a crafty starter who could give the Storm Chasers more than just some innings. He could also help mentor some key young arms, like Chandler Champlain and Luinder Avila (who, unfortunately, is on the 7-Day IL and may be out for an extended period due to right shoulder impingement).
If Hill does earn a call-up to Kansas City, he will play for his 14th MLB team, which will tie Edwin Jackson‘s MLB record. It’s a long shot, but it could be a fun record to see, even if Hill may only make a start or two with the Royals (and that’s the best-case scenario).
Infielder Yandel Ricardo Sticking Out in ACL
Ricardo was the prize of the Royals’ International Signing class in 2024. Kansas City signed the teenage Cuban shortstop for $2.4 million last January.
Ricardo primarily played in the Dominican Summer League last year as a 17-year-old and performed well. In 45 games and 196 plate appearances, he slashed .213/.330/.366 with a .696 OPS. He also hit two home runs, scored 27 runs, collected 23 RBI, and stole 14 bases (on 19 attempts).
The average didn’t pop out, but he didn’t see many strikes in the DSL, which is pretty typical since pitchers are so raw. Despite a low average, he had a high OBP, and his BB/K ratio was solid 0.74.
The strong DSL campaign prompted a transition to the United States this season, and Ricardo has been one of the best Royals players in the Complex League, as highlighted by Raising Royals, the Royals’ Player Development account.
In addition to those gaudy stats, Ricardo has also produced a 0.63 BB/K ratio, which isn’t too much of a regression despite the step up in competition. He is also seeing a lot more strikes than he did a season ago, but he’s been much better with his plate discipline metrics, as illustrated in the Fangraphs table below.
Ricardo is swinging and whiffing less this year while making more contact than he did a season ago (3.1% more to be specific). It’s a subpar contact rate, but he’s still a teenager with considerable development remaining.
Ricardo is still a raw product, and he probably has more time left in the ACL before he gets that promotion to Low-A Columbia. Still, the Cuban shortstop has incredible tools, and it’s easy to dream big about his future, especially when he puts up performances in Arizona like this one below.
Keep an eye on Ricardo in Surprise this year (they broadcast live games on their YouTube feed). If he continues to develop his eye and contact ability at the plate, he could earn a promotion to Columbia later in the season. He’s not quite a Top-10 prospect just yet, but he certainly could develop into one by the conclusion of 2025.
Photo Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports