NATURALS OFF-SEASON UPDATE
SPRINGDALE, Ark. - Plenty of current and former Northwest Arkansas Naturals have made news during the 2015-2016 off-season ranging from producing strong numbers in the prestigious Arizona Fall League or in various Latin American Winter Leagues. While the parent club, the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals, have added plenty of Naturals on to the big league club's 40-man roster - a coveted place.
Below is a brief and highlighted run-down of some of the more newsworthy notes from the off-season thus far:
Arizona Fall League:
The Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League had a total of six representatives from the Kansas City Royals, with five of the players having donned a Naturals' uniform during the 2015 season.
Outfielder Bubba Starling appeared in 22 games for Surprised batting .274 with four home runs - tied for fourth in the league - with 10 RBI. Starling was joined by infielder Ramon Torres who hit .262 in in 17 games with a long ball and six runs driven in. The nifty gloveman was named an Arizona Fall League mid-season all-star, as well.
Right-hander Brooks Pounders shined bright under the Arizona sun making three starts for Surprise working in 12.0 without allowing a single run. The 6-foot-5 hurler racked up 14 strikeouts and did not walk a sole. Pounders was removed from the fall league roster when he was selected to participate for the United States on the Premier12 Team that competed against Mexico, Canada, Venezuela and in the far East in Taiwan.
Catcher Parker Morin along with former Naturals' Brett Eibner and right-hander Casey Coleman accompanied Pounders on the Premier12 Roster.
Liga Mexicana del Pacifico:
Naturals' utility man, Alex Liddi has been shredding the Mexican Pacific League playing for Charros del Jalisco this off-season. The Italian-born player currently ranks in the top four of four major offensive categories including average (.333, tied-3rd), doubles (14, tied-1st), slugging percentage (.517, 3rd) and RBI (29, 4th). Liddi has appeared in 44 games thus far playing primarily third base.
Named a mid-season Texas League all-star this past season for the Naturals, Liddi hit .287 with 13 homers and 56 RBI in 128 games while leading the circuit in doubles with 39.
Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional:
Outfielder Lane Adams participated in the Venezuelan Winter League playing for Aguilas de Zulia. The Red Oak, Okla. native batted . 273 in 24 games with three homers, 16 RBI with eight doubles and a pair of triples.
Adams played in 97 games for the Naturals in 2015 batting .298 with 12 home runs and 49 runs driven in. He also swiped 29 bags in 35 attempts.
Liga de Beisbol Dominicano:
Jorge Bonifacio and Raul Mondesi are both playing in the Dominican Winter League this off-season and for the same team: the Tigres del Licey. Licey is one of the most prestigious teams in circuit with the franchise's existences for 108 seasons.
Mondesi is currently 2-for-12 with an RBI in five games while Bonifacio is 0-for-2 in three games for Licey.
Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente:
Left-handed reliever, Daniel Stumpf, is the lone Naturals' representative in the Puerto Rican winter league playing for Cangrejeros de Santurce. The Humble, Texas native has working in 10 games for los Cangrejeros posting a 1.29 ERA with five punch outs.
Stumpf recorded a 3.57 ERA, second lowest on the team, in 42 appearances for the Naturals in 2015.
40-Man Roster Additions:
The Kansas City Royals, along with the rest of the Major League Baseball, made the final 40-man roster additions prior to the 2015 Winter Meetings. The latest roster is littered with former Naturals while the newest inclusions including many 2015 Naturals.
Right-hander Kyle Zimmer along with Starling and Torres are the three 2015 Naturals Kansas City added to the 40-man prior to the November deadline. While Eibner finally received his recognition with his addition.
Future Naturals right-hander Alec Mills and left-hander Matthew Strahm along with outfielder Jose Martinez rounded out the newest additions to the roster.
Both Mills and Strahm pitched for the Royals' Advanced-A affiliate, the Wilmington Blue Rocks, this past season. Martinez has never been a Natural and is expected to continue his role at the Triple-A level with the Omaha Storm Chasers after winning the Pacific Coast League batting crown with a .384 average in just under 400 plate appearances.
Top Prospect Update:
MLB.com recently released the newest Top-30 prospects for each Major League organization. The big league website included many familiar faces in the Royals' top-30, but moved around a few names.
Five of the top six prospects on the list played for Northwest Arkansas during the 2015 season including first overall prospect, Raul Mondesi. Right-hander Kyle Zimmer dropped from second to third making room for 2015 First Round draft selection, Ashe Russell. Right-hander Miguel Almonte moved up from five to fourth on the current ranking system while Bubba Starling leaped 10 slots from number 15 to number 5. Jorge Bonifacio rounds out the top six appearing the Top 20 for the third consecutive year.
A welcomed newcomer to the list is first baseman/designated hitter, Balbino Fuenmayor. The Venezuelan slugger signed as a free agent prior to the 2015 season and re-signed for the 2016 campaign midway through the year. Fuenmayor played in 73 games for Northwest Arkansas prior to his promotion and eventual season-ending knee injury in mid-July.
The big bopper blasted 15 home runs, drove in 51 runs with 22 doubles and scoring 50 runs of his own all while hitting .354. Fuenmayor still found his name in the top-25 on many offensive lists in the Texas League despite playing just half of a season including home runs (tied-8th), runs scored, RBI, doubles and total bases.
The full list is below:
1. Raul Mondesi - SS
2. Ashe Russell - RHP
3. Kyle Zimmer - RHP
4. Miguel Almonte - RHP
5. Bubba Starling - RHP
6. Jorge Bonifacio - OF
7. Scott Blewett - RHP
8. Foster Griffin - LHP
9. Chase Vallot - C
10. Nolan Watson - RHP
11. Cheslor Cuthbert - 3B/1B
12. Hunter Dozier - 3B
13. Elier Hernandez - OF
14. Ryan O'Hearn - 1B
15. Alec Mills - RHP
16. Josh Staumont - RHP
17. Marten Gasparini - SS
18. Pedro Fernandez - RHP
19. Alfredo Excalera-Maldonado - OF
20. Reymond Fuentes - OF
21. Christian Binford - RHP
22. Eric Skoglund - LHP
23. Orlando Calixte - INF
24. Garrett Davila - LHP
25. Matthew Strahm - LHP
26. Brandon Downes - OF
27. Sam Selman - LHP
28. Balbino Fuenmayor - 1B/DH
29. Lane Adams - OF
30. Anderson Miller - OF
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals will return to action on Thursday, April 7 of 2016 when they host the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A Affiliate of the Texas Rangers, to begin Season Nine of Naturals Baseball at Arvest Ballpark.
Follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @nwanaturals all throughout the year by using the hashtag #NaturalPastime for all of our up-to-date information on the Season Nine of Naturals Baseball, tickets, groups, promotions, roster, and off-season information.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.
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