Kansas City Royals minor league players

Jonathan Bowlan (born December 1, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Bowlan attended Bartlett High School in Bartlett, Tennessee and played college baseball at the University of Memphis. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[1][2]

Bowlan made his professional debut with the Idaho Falls Chukars. He started 2019 with the Lexington Legends and was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks during the season.[3] Pitching for Wilmington in July, he threw a no-hitter against the Carolina Mudcats.[4][5]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Austin Cox (born March 28, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Cox attended First Presbyterian Day School in Macon, Georgia, where he played baseball and football. For his high school career, he went 15–6 with a 2.19 ERA.[6] Undrafted in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, he fulfilled his commitment to play college baseball at Mercer University.[7]

In 2016, Cox's freshman year at Mercer, he pitched 24 innings, compiling a 2–2 record and a 10.13 ERA. As a sophomore in 2016, he started 15 games, going 4–2 with a 5.69 ERA.[8] In 2018, his junior season, he was named Mercer's Friday night starter.[9] Over 17 starts, Cox pitched to a 7–4 record with a 4.52 ERA, striking out 124 batters over 87+2⁄3 innings.[10] After the season, he was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the fifth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[11][12]

Cox signed with the Royals and made his professional debut with the Burlington Royals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, pitching to a 1–1 record and a 3.78 ERA over nine starts.[13] In 2019, he began the year with the Lexington Legends of the Class A South Atlantic League, with whom he was named an All-Star alongside earning Pitcher of the Week honors in early June.[14][15] He was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League in June, and finished the season there.[16] Over 24 games (23 starts) between the two teams, he went 8–6 with a 2.76 ERA, compiling 129 strikeouts and 38 walks over 130+2⁄3 innings.[17] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Central, and was promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Triple-A East in late September.[19] Over 17 games (16 starts) between the two clubs, Cox went 4-1 with a 4.10 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 63 innings.[20][21]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Maikel García (born March 3, 2000) is a Venezuelan professional baseball infielder in the Kansas City Royals organization.

García signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent in July 2016. The Royals added him to their 40-man roster after the 2021 season.[22]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Benjamin Michael Kudrna (born January 30, 2003) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Kudrna grew up in Overland Park, Kansas and attended Blue Valley Southwest High School. As a senior, Kudrna was named the Gatorade Kansas Baseball Player of the Year and the Class 5A Pitcher of the Year after he went 9-1 on the mound with a 0.99 ERA and 100 strikeouts and 11 walks in 57+1⁄3 innings pitched.[23] Kudrna committed to play college baseball at Louisiana State prior to signing with the Royals.[24]

Kudrna was selected in the 2nd round of the 2021 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals.[25] He signed with the team on July 19, 2021, and received a $3 million signing bonus.[26]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Alec Marsh (born May 14, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Marsh was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended Ronald Wilson Reagan College Preparatory High School.[27]

Marsh played college baseball for the Arizona State Sun Devils for three seasons. As a freshman, he appeared in 11 games with one start and had an 8.14 ERA. In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[28] Marsh became a starter during his sophomore season and went 3-3 with a 3.89 ERA.[29] He was named first team All-Pac-12 Conference after going 9-4 over 17 starts with a 3.46 ERA on the mound and 99 strikeouts in 101.1 innings pitched.[30]

Marsh was selected in the Competitive Balance section of 2nd round of the 2019 MLB draft by the Kansas City Royals.[31] He signed with the team he was assigned to the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League, where he started 13 games and posted a 4.05 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched.[32] After the 2020 minor league season was canceled, Marsh played in the temporary independent Constellation Energy League for the Eastern Reyes del Tigre.[33][34] Marsh was named to the Royals' 2021 Spring Training roster as a non-roster invitee.[35]

• Arizona State Sun Devils bio

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Michael Massey (born March 22, 1998) is an American professional baseball second baseman in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Massey attended Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Illinois, and played college baseball at the University of Illinois.[36] As a freshman in 2017, he started 51 games and batted .330 with six home runs and 36 RBIs.[37] That summer, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods League.[38] He started 53 games as a sophomore, hitting .326 with six home runs and 46 RBIs.[39] He spent that summer playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Brewster Whitecaps.[40] As a junior in 2019, Massey dealt with a back injury for part of the season.[41] He still appeared in 55 games in which he hit .317 with five home runs, 28 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases.[42] After the season's end, he was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[43][44]

Massey made his professional debut with the Burlington Royals of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, batting .272 with five home runs and 25 RBIs over 42 games.[45] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[46] Massey spent the 2021 season with the Quad Cities River Bandits of the High-A Central with whom he slashed .289/.351/.531 with 21 home runs, 87 RBIs, and 27 doubles over 99 games.[47][48]

Massey's father, Keith, played college baseball at Illinois in the 1980s.[49] Massey grew up a fan of the Chicago White Sox.[50]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Seuly Matias (born September 4, 1998) is a Dominican professional baseball outfielder in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Matias signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent in July 2015.[51] He spent his first professional season in 2016 with the Dominican Summer League Royals and Arizona League Royals, batting a combined .235/.333/.439 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs in 53 total games between both clubs.

In 2017, Matias played for the Burlington Royals where he hit .243 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs in 57 games,[52] and in 2018 he played with the Lexington Legends[53][54][55] where he batted .231 with 31 home runs and 63 RBIs in 94 games,[56] earning South Atlantic League All-Star honors.[57]

Matias spent 2019 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks,[58] but missed time due to injury; over 54 games, he hit .148 with four home runs and 22 RBIs.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Mervyl S. Melendez (born November 29, 1998) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Melendez attended St. James School in Montgomery, Alabama for three years before transferring to Westminster Christian School in Palmetto Bay, Florida for his senior year. He was a member of the United States national team in 2016.[59] He committed to play college baseball at Florida International University.[60] After his senior year, the Kansas City Royals selected him in the second round, 52nd overall, of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[61] He signed with Kansas City for $2.1 million.[62]

After signing, Melendez made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Arizona League Royals where he posted a .262 batting average with four home runs and thirty RBIs over 47 games.[63] He spent 2018 with the Lexington Legends of the Class A South Atlantic League, slashing .251/.322/.492 with 19 home runs and 73 RBIs in 111 games,[64] earning All-Star honors.[65] Melendez spent 2019 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League and was named an All-Star.[58][66] Over 110 games, he slashed .163/.260/.311 with nine home runs and 54 RBIs.[67] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Central.[68] He earned Double-A Central Player of the Month honors for July after batting .333 with 12 home runs over the course of the month.[69] After slashing .285/.372/.628 with 28 home runs and 65 RBIs over 79 games, he was promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers of the Triple-A East in early August.[70][71] Over 44 games with Omaha, he slashed .293/.413/.620 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs.[72] His total of 41 home runs for the season led the minor leagues, and he became the first ever catcher to win the Joe Bauman Home Run Award.[73][74]

On November 19, 2021, the Royal selected Melendez's contract and added him to the 40-man roster.[75]

Melendez's father, Mervyl Melendez, is the head coach of the Florida International Panthers baseball team.[76]

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Kevin Custer Merrell (born December 14, 1995) is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Merrell was on the Citrus Park team that advanced to the 2008 Little League World Series. He attended Steinbrenner High School. In 2014, as a senior, he hit .462.[77] He was not drafted in the 2014 MLB draft and he then enrolled at the University of South Florida where he played college baseball.[78][79] In 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[80] In 2017, Merrell's junior year, he slashed .384/.464/.569 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs in 52 games. After the season, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[81]

Merrell signed with Oakland and was assigned to the Vermont Lake Monsters where he batted .320 with two home runs, nine RBIs, and a .786 OPS in 31 games.[82] He spent 2018 with the Stockton Ports, with whom he was named a California League All-Star, slashing .267/.308/.326 with 24 RBIs in 62 games.[83] He began 2019 with the Midland RockHounds.[84]

On July 14, 2019, Merrell was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Homer Bailey.[85] Following the trade, he was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals,[86] with whom he finished the year. Over 124 games between Midland and Northwest Arkansas, Merrell batted .242/.287/.330 with two home runs, 47 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Vinnie Pasquantino (born October 10, 1997) is an American professional baseball first baseman in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Pasquantino attend James River High School in Midlothian, Virginia and played college baseball at Old Dominion University. In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[87] He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 11th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[88]

Pasquantino made his professional debut with the Burlington Royals.[89] He did not play in 2020 because the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[90] He started 2021 with the Quad Cities River Bandits before being promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.[91]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Collin Kenneth Snider (born October 10, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Snider played college baseball at Vanderbilt University. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 12th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft.[92] The Royals added him to their 40-man roster after the 2021 season.[22]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Nathan Webb (born August 20, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.

Webb attended Lee's Summit North High School in Lee's Summit, Missouri. He was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 34th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball Draft.[93] The Royals added him to their 40-man roster after the 2021 season.[22]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)

Peyton Wilson (born November 1, 1999) is an American baseball second baseman in the Kansas City Royals organization. He played college baseball for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Wilson grew up in Hoover, Alabama and attended Hoover High School. He committed to play college baseball at Alabama after his sophomore year.[94] Wilson also played football at Hoover until giving up the sport as a junior to focus on baseball.[95]

Wilson played both catcher and center field as a true freshman for the Alabama Crimson Tide and batted .333 over ten games before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He moved to second base as a sophomore and was named second team All-Southeastern Conference after batting .290 while leading the Crimson Tide with 72 hits and 46 runs scored while also hitting 13 doubles, a triple and nine home runs with 31 RBIs.[96]

Wilson was selected in the second round with the 66th overall pick in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Kansas City Royals.[97] He signed with the team on July 24, 2021, and received a $1,003,300 signing bonus.[98][99]

Wilson's older brother, John Parker Wilson, played quarterback for Alabama and in the National Football League. Another brother, Ross, played baseball at Alabama and in the Chicago Whitesox, Miami Marlins, and Atlanta Braves organizations.[100]

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Alabama Crimson Tide bio

Stephen Hugo Woods Jr. (born June 10, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals organization.

Woods attended Half Hollow Hills East High School in Dix Hills, New York. While pitching for the school's baseball team in 2013, he threw two consecutive no-hitters.[101]

The Tampa Bay Rays selected him in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB draft, but he did not sign with the Rays. He enrolled at State University of New York at Albany, and played college baseball for the Albany Great Danes.[102] In the summer of 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball for the North Fork Ospreys of the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League,[103] and in the summer of 2015 he played for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[104] After his junior year, the San Francisco Giants selected him in the eighth round of the 2016 MLB draft. Woods signed with the Giants rather than return to Albany for his senior year.[102][105] He spent his first professional season with both the AZL Giants and the Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, posting a combined 1–2 record and 3.34 ERA in 35 total innings. In 2017, he played for the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets, going 6–7 with a 2.95 ERA in 110 innings.[106]

On December 20, 2017, the Giants traded Woods, Denard Span, Christian Arroyo, and Matt Krook to the Rays in exchange for Evan Longoria and cash considerations.[107] He did not pitch in 2018 due to injury. Woods returned to pitch in 2019, spending the year with the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs and compiling a 9–3 record with a 1.88 ERA over 18 games (12 starts), striking out 79 over 86+1⁄3 innings.[108]

On December 12, 2019, Woods was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 2019 Rule 5 draft.[108] On July 21, 2020, Woods was returned to the Rays organization, but was traded back to the Royals the same day in exchange for a player to be named later.[109] The Royals sent outfield Michael Gigliotti to Tampa Bay on September 12 as the PTBNL.[110] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[111] He was assigned to the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals to begin the 2021 season.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)