Kansas City Royals announce spring training invites, including top prospects and vets
Highly-rated prospects Bobby Witt Jr. and Asa Lacy have had limited experience in professional baseball, but both will be among the non-roster invitees to the Kansas City Royals’ spring training camp later this month.
The Royals announced their initial 67-player spring training roster for big-league camp on Friday morning. The group includes 29 non-roster invitations, including 25 players who were in the organization last year.
Veteran pitchers Ervin Santana and Wade Davis, a member of the Royals’ World Series championship team in 2015, signed minor-league contracts this offseason as did infielder Hanser Alberto. The Royals claimed pitcher Carlos Sanabria off waivers at the end of October, designated him for assignment in December and then signed him to a minor-league contract later that month. All four will be in big-league camp.
The first workout for pitchers and catchers is scheduled for February 17, in Surprise, Arizona.
Eight of the Royals’ top 10 prospects as ranked by Baseball America will participate in camp, including left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch, right-hander Jackson Kowar, left-hander Kris Bubic, outfielder Kyle Isbel, outfielder Khalil Lee, right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, Witt and Lacy.
Witt, a 20-year-old shortstop and former No. 2 overall draft pick out of Colleyville Heritage High School in Texas, has been ranked the top prospect in the Royals farm system by Baseball America and MLBPipeline.com.
Witt was not part of big-league camp last spring training prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. However, he did participate in spring training 2.0 in Kansas City, and he spent last season at the club’s alternate training site. He has played just 37 professional games since being drafted in 2019.
Lacy, a left-handed pitcher and the fourth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, made just four starts in a pandemic-shorted college season at Texas A&M. He participated in the Royals’ fall camp in Kansas City, though an eye ailment briefly interrupted his throwing progression. He has not pitched in a professional game.
Outfielder Bubba Starling, infielder/outfielder Erick Mejia, left-handed pitchers Eric Skoglund and Gabe Speier and catcher Nick Dini are all non-roster invitees who’ve previously played in the majors for the Royals.
Royals’ non-roster spring training invitations
Pitchers: Jonathan Bowlan (RHP), Jake Brentz (LHP), Austin Cox (LHP), Wade Davis (RHP), Jon Heasley (RHP), Jake Kalish (LHP), Jackson Kowar (RHP), Asa Lacy (LHP), Daniel Lynch (LHP), Alec Marsh (RHP), Carlos Sanabria (RHP), Ervin Santana (RHP), Eric Skoglund (LHP), Gabe Speier (LHP).
Catchers: Nick Dini, Felix Fermin and M.J. Melendez.
Infielders: Hanser Alberto, Gabriel Cancel, Clay Dungan, Jeison Guzmán, Erick Mejia, Nick Pratto, Emmanuel Rivera, Bobby Witt Jr.
Outfielders: Kyle Isbel, Seuly Matias, Anderson Miller, Bubba Starling.
