Royals trade for former Yankees pitching prospect Chance Adams

The Royals added to their pitching staff Monday, trading for former Yankees prospect Chance Adams.

Adams, 25, is a right-hander who has made 16 major-league appearances, including 13 in relief for the Yankees last season, when he compiled a 8.53 ERA. He gave up 39 hits, struck out 23 and walked 11 in 25 1/3 innings, going 1-1 with a save. He also pitched at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, going 4-4 with a 4.63 ERA in 15 starts and three relief stints.

To acquire Adams, the Yankees’ fifth-round pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, the Royals traded 21-year old Class A Wilmington infielder Cristian Perez, who hit .252 with 11 doubles and 42 RBIs in 117 games last season.

Adams also made three appearances for the Yankees, including his only major-league start, in 2018. He was a Baseball America minor league All-Star and MiLB.com organization All-Star in 2016 and 2017.

Previously this offseason, the Royals signed 27-year-old former first-round pick and right-hander Braden Shipley on a minor-league contract. They also brought back right-hander Jesse Hahn, who returned from reconstructive surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow last season.

Prior to the winter meetings they signed former St. Louis Cardinals reliever Trevor Rosenthal, who is in his second year coming back from Tommy John surgery, and added right-handed pitcher Stephen Woods Jr. from the Tampa Bay Rays organization in last week’s Rule 5 Draft.

The Royals have 39 players on their 40-man major league roster following the trade. That leaves a spot for third baseman Maikel Franco, who hasn’t officially signed wtih the Royals.

This story was originally published December 23, 2019 at 1:36 PM.