Royals Reveal Spring Training Invitees

31 of 57 current Spring Training invitees have played for Omaha

By Andrew Green

January 19, 2016

The Kansas City Royals announced on Tuesday that the club has invited 17 players to Major League Spring Training in Surprise, Arizona. Among the former Storm Chasers players revealed as non-roster invitees are pitchers Christian Binford, Jonathan Dziedzic, and Sam Selman, catcher Parker Morin, as well as infielders Whit Merrifield, Dusty Coleman and Orlando Calixte.

Below is the full list of players who received Big League camp invites (Storm Chasers alums are highlight in bold):

Pitchers:
RHP Christian Binford
LHP Jonathan Dziedzic
RHP Dillon Gee
LHP David Huff
LHP John Lannan
RHP Aroni Nina
RHP Brooks Pounders
LHP Sam Selman
RHP Chien-Ming Wang

Catchers:
Zane Evans
Cam Gallagher
Parker Morin

Infielders:
Orlando Calixte
Dusty Coleman
Cody Decker
Hunter Dozier
Whit Merrifield

Merrifield has played the most games in a Storm Chasers uniform in that group, combining for a .292 batting average (253-865) over 211 contests, adding 140 runs, 57 doubles, eight triples, eight homers and 67 RBI, in addition to 43 steals over the last two years. The 26-year-old was the Omaha Player of the Year in 2014, as awarded by the Royals, after compiling a .340 clip (109-321) in 76 games, falling 65 at bats shy of winning the Pacific Coast League's batting title. This will mark the ninth round pick of the Royals back in 2010's first Big League Spring camp.

Calixte participated in 107 games for Omaha last season, tallying a .229 mark (81-354) along with 38 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, eight homers and 27 RBI with 22 stolen bases. The 23-year-old infielder made his Major League debut with the Royals last year on April 19 and became a free agent following the 2015 campaign before quickly re-signing with Kansas City. The infielder was originally signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on August 28, 2010.

Coleman accumulated a .275 average (69-251) with the Storm Chasers last season, adding 31 runs, 11 doubles, two triples, seven longballs and 27 RBI in 73 games. One of the infielder's biggest highlights in an Omaha uniform was his diving catch over the tarp in foul territory that landed him on SportsCenter's Top Ten Plays that evening. The 28-year-old was originally selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 28th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Wichita State University, and re-signed with the Royals as a minor league free agent this past offseason after first joining the club as a minor league free agent signee on January 16, 2015.

Binford has pitched in ten games with Omaha over the past two seasons, combining for a 1-5 record and 5.73 ERA (24 ER/37.2 IP). The right-hander made six starts for the Storm Chasers in 2015, tallying a 1-4 mark and 5.86 ERA (18 ER/27.2 IP), adding nine punchouts. Rated the Royals' No. 16 prospect prior to the 2015 campaign, the 23-year-old was named the Royals organization's Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year Award winner, given to the top Royals minor league pitcher, after a strong 2014 campaign. Binford was selected by the Royals in the 30th round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Mercersburg Academy (Pa.).

Dziedzic and Selman have combined to appear in six Storm Chasers contests, which includes five appearances from Selman, while Morin played in one game for Omaha in 2014. Other notable names among those revealed by the Royals on Tuesday were a trio of pitchers with solid Major League experience in back-to-back 19-game winner Chien-Ming Wang, southpaw John Lannan, and righty Dillon Gee. Infielder Cody Decker, who was signed by the Royals as minor league free agent and played in the First National Bank Triple-A All-Star Game at Werner Park last season, also earned an invitation.

A total of 57 players as of Tuesday have been invited to Royals Major League Spring Training camp, which includes the 17 non-roster invitees and all members of Kansas City's 40-Man Roster, which features 24 former Storm Chasers including catcher Salvador Perez, infielders Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas, and outfielders Lorenzo Cain, Jose Martinez and Brett Eibner. In total, 31 of those 57 invitees have worn an Omaha Storm Chasers uniform in their professional careers.

Pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Surprise, Arizona on Thursday, February 19, while the rest of the squad is set to report on Monday, February 22.