Nicky Lopez Promoted to Omaha

The Kansas City Royals have promoted infielder and former Creighton Bluejays player Nicky Lopez to Omaha from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

At the time of his promotion, Lopez leads the Texas League in hits while ranking second in batting average. In 73 games with the Naturals, the 23-year-old has hit .331 (93-281) along with 42 runs, eight doubles, five triples, two homers and 27 RBI en route to being named a Texas League Mid-Season All-Star. On June 21 he hit for the cycle as part of a five-hit game agaisnt the Tulsa Drillers.

Lopez, rated the seventh-best prospect in the Royals system prior to this season by Baseball America, was selected by the Royals in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Creighton University. He was the highest drafted player out of Creighton since 1999 when Ryan Gripp was selected in the third round by the Chicago Cubs. Lopez attended Creighton from 2014-16.
Omaha begins a five-game homestand versus the Nashville Sounds this evening at Werner Park, with first pitch of the series opener is set for 7:05 p.m. CT. RHP Trevor Oaks is anticipated to get the nod for the Storm Chasers, while the Sounds are slated to send RHP James Naile to the hill.
Tickets are still available for that game and all remaining Storm Chasers home dates in 2018, and may be purchased at www.omahastormchasers.com/tickets as well as by calling the Werner Park Ticket Office at (402) 738-5100. To view Ticket Office hours, please click here.