Naturals Roster Moves
Betancourt to begin rehab assignment

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Naturals’ parent club, the Kansas City Royals announced several transactions on Thursday affecting the Northwest Arkansas roster infielder Yuniesky Betancourt will begin his rehab assignment with the Naturals today.  Left-hander Andrew Dobies was reinstated from the seven-day disabled list and released.  Left-handed reliever Jon Keck was transferred from Class-A Advanced Wilmington to Northwest Arkansas.

Betancourt last appeared in a game for the Royals on May 1 against Detroit.  In 15 games this season, Betancourt has posted a .280 batting average with one home run and three RBI.

Yuniesky was resigned by the Royals as a free agent on December 20, 2011.  He has appeared in the major leagues with the Royals, Seattle Mariners, and Milwaukee Brewers in his eight major league seasons.  Betancourt is a career .269 hitter in the major leagues over 977 career games.

Dobies had appeared in two games for the Naturals this season allowing four hits and three runs over five innings of work.  The left-hander was signed as a free agent last season by the Royals.

Keck was promoted to Double-A for the first time after splitting last season between Class-A Kane County and Wilmington.  The Luray, Tennessee native, has gone 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in 11 appearances for the Blue Rocks.  He has worked 22.1 innings and surrendered 15 hits and 12 walks, while striking out 15.  Keck was originally selected in the 42nd round of the 2009 draft out of Bethel College.

KANSAS CITY, MO – Baseball America reported this weekend that the Kansas City Royals have signed two left-handed pitchers, Marlon Arias andTommy Hottovy, to minor league contracts for the 2012 season.

Arias, a 27-year old from Bani, Dominican Republic, hasn’t appeared professionally in the United States since becoming a free agent after the 2009 season. He played his first five professional seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization but has made just five appearances above the Double-A level. Signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Dodgers in 2003, his career minor league record stands at 31-19 with a 5.19 ERA in 100 career appearances, including 75 starts. This off-season, Arias is pitching for Estrellas de Oriente in the Dominican Winter League, allowing one run in three innings over five appearances. Arias pitched a nine-inning no-hitter in 2007 with the Advanced Class-A Inland Empire 66ers.

Hottovy is a 30-year old southpaw from the Kansas City area that, up until last season was primarily a Double-A veteran. A former starter coverted to a relief role, the sidewinding lefty posted a 1.93 ERA in eight Double-A relief outings with Portland (ME), then was called up to the Boston Red Sox after posting a 2.75 ERA in 24 outings with Triple-A Pawtucket. He made his big league debut on June 3^rd and appeared eight times out of the Red Sox bullpen. The former Wichita State product was the Red Sox’ fourth-round selection in the 2004 draft. He has been a teammate of current Naturals’ lefty Andrew Dobies during their time in the Red Sox’ system. Like Arias, Hottovy has been pitching winter ball, posting a 3.52 ERA in 12 outings for Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Winter League.

Hottovy will be among the Royals’ invites to spring training and will have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the Royals’ bullpen, while Arias could be a candidate to see time in the Texas League next season.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.

Royals Re-sign Seven Players To Minor League Contracts For 2012

KANSAS CITY, MO (October 27, 2010) — The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has re-signed seven players to minor league contracts for the 2012 season.

Left-handed pitcher Andrew Dobies, 28, was signed by the Royals on July 22, 2011 from the Somerset Patriots of the Independent Atlantic League. Dobies was 1-1 with a 5.89 ERA in 12 relief appearances for Northwest Arkansas (AA).

24-year-old left-handed pitcher Edgar Osuna spent the entire 2011 campaign with Northwest Arkansas, posting a 6-4 record and 7.89 ERA in 14 games, including 11 starts, missing over two months with a shoulder injury. The native of Mazatlan, Mexico, was the Royals’ Rule 5 selection in 2009.

Right-handed pitcher Mario Santiago, 26, split 2011 between Northwest Arkansas and Omaha (AAA), combining for an 8-4 record with a 3.70 ERA in 35 games (11 starts). Santiago is currently pitching for Tigres del Licey in the Dominican Winter League, where he has a 2.70 ERA in two starts.

Catcher Cody Clark, 30, played in 51 regular season games for the Pacific Coast League champion Omaha Storm Chasers, batting .233 with 12 doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI.

28-year-old infielder Irving Falu hit .301 with 10 doubles, nine triples, two home runs, 47 RBI, 50 runs and 21 stolen bases in 111 games for Omaha in 2011. The versatile switch hitter played second, third, short and right field for the Storm Chasers.

Infielder John Whittleman, 24, was acquired by the Royals from the Texas Rangers on March 25, 2011 for a player to be named or cash. The right-handed hitter batted .234 with 20 home runs and 68 RBI for Wilmington (Class A Advanced) in 2011, ranking tied for third in the Carolina League in homers and seventh in RBI.

26-year-old outfielder Paulo Orlando spent time at both Omaha and Northwest Arkansas this season, combining to hit .268 with 15 doubles, 12 triples, five home runs, 51 RBI and 54 runs scored. The native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on August 9, 2008 in for Horacio Ramirez.