Kansas City Royals sign right-hander Vizcaíno, announce minor-league coordinators
The Kansas City Royals signed experienced right-handed relief pitcher Arodys Vizcaíno to a minor-league contract, adding another potential bullpen option to a unit that is being reconfigured this offseason.
Vizcaíno’s deal will pay him $1 million plus $500,000 if he makes the Royals major-league roster. The 31-year-old native of the Dominican Republic last pitched in the majors in 2019 for the Atlanta Braves.
He signed with the New York Mets last November, but he appeared in seven Triple-A games. An elbow injury hampered him last year during spring training.
His 2019 season with the Braves was cut short by season-ending shoulder surgery in April after he’d appeared in just four games.
In 206 career appearances in the majors (all in relief) dating back to his debut in 2011 at the age of 20, Vizcaíno he has posted a 3.01 ERA with 218 strikeouts in 194 1/3 innings with 90 walks and a 1.286 WHIP. He’s logged a 10.1 strikeout/per 9 innings during his big-league outings.
Vizcaíno’s sinker averaged 97.6 mph in 2018 and 97.7 mph in 2017. He was just shy of 97 mph in his few appearances prior to his shoulder surgery in 2019.
Ahead of the major-league transaction freeze as a result of the MLB lockout, the Royals signed right-hander Taylor Clarke to provide bullpen options.
Following last season, veteran relief pitcher Wade Davis announced his retirement. The Royals released former top draft pick Kyle Zimmer. Greg Holland, Jesse Hahn, Jakob Junis and Ervin Santana, who were part of the bullpen this past season, also remain free agents.
Royals minor-league staff
The Royals also announced more than 30 staffing assignments, promotions and/or hires in their player-development system, primarily coaches and support staff that work with the organization’s minor-league players and affiliates.
The club’s player-development staff had seen minimal turnover in recent years. On Thursday, the Royals announced Nic Jackson will be their assistant hitting coordinator, filling the spot vacated by Keoni De Renne’s promotion to the major-league staff as assistant hitting coach.
Jackson, who served as a High-A hitting coach for the New York Mets in 2021, has a background in scouting (with the Chicago Cubs organization) and played 15 years of professional baseball, including seven in affiliated minor leagues.
Derrick Robinson will take over as outfield, base running and bunting instructor. He was an assistant under Damon Hollins in 2021. Hollins has been promoted to the major-league staff as first base coach. Robinson was a fourth-round pick by the Royals in 2006. He spent nine seasons as an outfielder in the minors with the Royals, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, and had one season in the majors with Cincinnati in 2013.
Pitching coordinator Jason Simontacchi returns in the same role, and Drew Saylor enters his third season as the club’s hitting coordinator.
The minor-league staff will continue to include a quartet of longtime baseball officials who’ve spent decades in pro ball as players, coaches, managers and front office officials. Special assistant to president of baseball operations/GM Rafael Belliard, senior coordinator/player development Chino Cadahia, special assistant/player development Harry Spilman and special assistant/player development John Wathan all return.
Belliard is entering his 44th season in baseball and ninth with the organization, which included a year as the major-league infield coach in 2020. Cadahia is in his 46th season in professional baseball and his 12th with the Royals. Spilman enters his 50th season in baseball and eighth with the Royals, while Wathan is in his 51st season in baseball and 47th with the Royals.
This story was originally published January 13, 2022 at 12:50 PM.
