A quick perusal of the Royals All-Time Hispanic Heritage Team is enough to realize that the team has not had much of a history in Latin America. The team’s system produced just one true star of Hispanic decent – Carlos Beltran – in its first 42 years.

You would think when they watched Beltran quickly bloom into a dynamic five-tool star that they would have begun searching high and low for other such talents.

But they didn’t. A few good Hispanic players came along, most of them acquired via trades. But the number, documented in a previous article, was shockingly low.

Mining Latin America for young talent just wasn’t a part of the plan. While the percentage of Latin players on major league rosters climbed to 27% last year, the Royals lagged behind.

But under Dayton Moore, that approach has changed. Signing players from Latin America is a way to augment annual draft classes and quickly bulk up a minor league system. The Royals are now one of the primary players in Latin America, competing to sign the top free agents and fill their system with dynamic prospects.

It is significant that two of the brightest hopes for the Royals future were signed in Moore’s first year on the job. Salvador Perez, from Venezuela, and Kelvin Herrera, from the Dominican Republic, shot so fast through the minor leagues that they never even showed up on rankings of top prospects.

Since then, other top Hispanic prospects have joined the organization, and the minor league system is filling up with Hispanics following in the footsteps of Perez and Herrera.

Not all will work out, obviously. The Royals dug deep into their pocketbooks to ink Noel Arguellas at the same time the Reds broke the bank to sign Aroldis Chapman. Sad to say, the Royals have not had the same success with Arguellas.

2006:

Sugar Ray Marimon (23): During the same off-season that KC signed Perez and Herrera, they also added this right-handed starter from Colombia. Shoulder problems have slowed him, but he advanced to Double-A mid-season.

2008:

Robinson Yambati (21): The Dominican righty received a mid-year promotion to High A Wilmington for his solid relief pitching. He may be following in the footsteps of Herrera.

Yordano Ventura (21): This Dominican got the start for the international team in the Futures Game, heralded as one of the hardest throwers in the minor leagues. Boasting a 100 mph heater, Ventura tore up Carolina League hitters (98 Ks in 76 innings), adjusted slowly to Double-A.

2009:

Cheslor Cuthbert (19): A pup who’s been slowly climbing the minor league ladder, Cuthbert gets rave reviews, but has yet to explode on the field. The Nicaraguan remains a top third base prospect, but hit just .240 with 7 homers at High A Wilmington.

Jorge Bonifacio (19): The Dominican outfielder rocketed out of the blocks last spring at Low A Kane County. He slowed over the season, but finished with a .282 average, 10 homers and 61 RBIs in 105 games.

2010:

Orlando Calixte (20): Looks like he has all the skills necessary to play shortstop. Hit well enough at two levels of A-ball to inspire hope for the future.

Noel Arguelles (22): This signing has been disastrous for the pitching-starved Royals. After giving the Cuban defector $7 million, the Royals had to wonder if Arguelles would ever take the field. After about a year on the sidelines nursing arm troubles, Arguelles has been essentially a batting practice pitcher at Wilmington and Northwest Arkansas. Don’t check out his numbers if you have a weak stomach: 4-14, 6.41 ERA, 1.777 WHIP.

Humberto Arteaga (18): Could follow in the footsteps of fellow Venezuelan shortstop Alcides Escobar – a tall, lanky line-drive hitter. He hit .274 for Burlington last season, but struck out a ton.

2011:

Eliar Hernandez (17): Signed for $3 million, expectations are high for the Dominican outfielder. He is tall and athletic, but failed to hit in his first professional season – .208 with no homers at Idaho Falls. The Royals hope he’ll develop into a Wil Myers-type outfielder.

Adalberto Mondesi (17): Yet another shortstop at the low minors, the son of Raul Mondesi doesn’t exactly fit the criteria for this article. Though he was signed out of the Dominican, he was actually born in Los Angeles. Mondesi spent the season at Idaho Falls, even though he didn’t turn 17 until the end of the summer.  He was solid enough considering his age; he hit .290 with 3 homers in 50 games.

Eight Royals To Compete For Surprise In 2012 Arizona Fall League

KANSAS CITY, MO (August 29, 2012) – The Arizona Fall League and the Kansas City Royals today named seven players from the Royals organization who will compete for the Surprise Saguaros in the 2012 Arizona Fall League.  An eighth player, a pitcher, will be announced at a later date.

The Royals prospects are right-handed pitcher Edwin Carl, left-handed pitchers Jon Keck and Justin Marks, infielder Alex McClure, infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield and outfielder Brian Fletcher.  Infielder Orlando Calixte will be a member of the “taxi squad” and be eligible to play on Wednesdays and Saturdays only.  Fletcher has been designated as the Royals “priority player”, assuring he will be granted maximum playing time.

2012 marks the 21st season of the Arizona Fall League, created by Major League Baseball in 1992 to serve as an off-season league for top prospects.  The season will begin on Tuesday, October 9, with the Rising Stars Game set for November 3 and the Championship Game scheduled for November 17.

So far, 2012 is a disappointing season for the Kansas City Royals. Marred by injuries, a mediocre at best starting rotation and the sophomore slump of first baseman Eric Hosmer, the Royals are 37-47 and 9.5 games behind the Chicago White Sox. In an uphill struggle, the Royals are stuck in neutral and rolling back down the hill.

The Royals are getting outfielder Lorenzo Cain and infielder Chris Getz back from the disabled list. But Cain and Getz will not provide the dramatic turnaround the team needs to contend in a weak American League Central. What the Royals need is to get players via trades. But how the Royals play the next couple of weeks will determine if the Royals are buyers, sellers or window shoppers.

Buyers: If the Royals go 2-8 in the next ten games like they did in the previous ten games, they won’t be buyers until the off-season. And unless General Dayton Moore is willing to give up top prospects for starting pitching, the Royals won’t be buyers. Yes, it would be nice to think the Royals would have a chance with a Matt Garza, Cole Hamels or Zack Greinke. But at 9.5 games out and Moore’s aversion to trading prized prospects, this is a pipe dream. And would Moore trade for a front-line starter even if the Royals were in a tight A.L. Central race? I get the feeling he would say “trust the process,” and stand pat.

If the Royals go on a 8-2 run and play well the rest of the month, they might go for a Shaun Marcum, Jeremy Guthrie or Jason Vargas. But it’s likely the Royals will wait until the off-season to get a starting pitcher through free agency or a trade.

Sellers: This is the likely scenario for the Royals, a path the team has traveled too many times. The trade rumors for closer Jonathan Broxton are warming up and the trade rumors of outfielder Jeff Franceour will intensify as the trade deadline approaches.

In Broxton’s case, teams like the New York Mets need bullpen help and he might fit the bill. I wonder if the Mets would trade starter R.A. Dickey straight up Broxton? It’s doubtful, but it would be cool for the Royals to have a Dickey on the team. If the Mets aren’t interested, perhaps another team will show interest in Broxton.

Another player likely to be traded is Franceour, but don’t underestimate the love Moore has for Frenchy. Franceour’s defense is above average, but his offense has slipped from his numbers last year. And if you think we’re getting top tier prospects for Franceour, keep dreaming. But some low to mid-level prospects or a league replacement level player or two would be a fair trade.

Last month, I wrote an argument for keeping Franceour. But Wil Myers is close to Major League ready and if some other general manager gets the love jones Moore has for Franceour and gives up good players, the Royals have to trade him.

Then there’s outside trade candidates like infielder Yuni Betanourt and starter Bruce Chen. Yes, I said Yuni. Offensively, he had a great June and if Betancourt keeps it up, some team desperate for a utility infielder with some pop might be willing to trade. If that’s the case, Yuni needs to go.

As for Chen, he’s a dependable pitcher who can help out a contending team. The Royals shouldn’t give Chen away, but if the team can get some value, he needs to be traded. Chen’s exit would make way for Jake Odorizzi to join the Royals rotation and get a jump on 2013.

Window shoppers: This is an unlikely scenario, but it’s possible. The Royals wouldn’t get anyone in a trade and keep Broxton, Franceour, Chen and Betancourt. The team would shuttle starters like Nathan Adcock and Everett Teaford back and forth between Kansas City and Omaha. They might call up Myers and Odorizzi and whomever they replace will go to the bench, to AAA Omaha or be designated for assignment.

This scenario could happen if the Royals keep playing like they are or if the team doesn’t get the players they want via trades. They would play out the season and wait for 2013.

The reality is the second half of the 2012 season is shaping up like the second half of previous seasons. Middling to mediocre baseball, young players finding or losing their way in the Majors and a few bright spots in an otherwise dull campaign.

Will this ever change? I hope it does. I was heartened by the cheers fans gave Billy Butler during the All-Star Game. And when fans booed Yankees infielder Robinson Cano for not including Butler in the Home Run Derby, it showed fans still care for the Royals and they desperately want the team to win. Let’s hope the enthusiasm the fans had for Butler will carry over to the rest of the team. But the Royals have to play better baseball if they want to salvage the 2012 season.

Minor League baseball is truly a joy.  Seeing a combination of players that may or may not be the next best thing in your organization can carry a feeling of something special on any given night.

Last night in Omaha, the AAA affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, the stars aligned in a way that happens very seldom.  A combination of rehabbing major leaguers, top prospects, and an ace level starting pitcher just starting his 2012 conditioning converged on Werner Park to put on a show for a sell-out crowd.

Roy Oswalt would toe the mound for the visiting Round Rock Express, finding Royals prospect Jake Odorizzi opposing him in relief of another rehabbing major leaguer, Everett Teaford.  The Storm Chasers’ lineup would feature Chris Getz and Salvador Perez beginning their rehab assignments for the parent club as well as one of the top professional hitters at any level, Wil Myers.  The game would not disappoint in any way, especially for the home crowd.

After Teaford got his work in over two innings, Odorizzi would throw six and two-thirds innings of one run baseball to ensure a win for the home team.  Odorizzi would string together 10 strikeouts over only two walks on his way to a victory over the opposing ace.  Roy Oswalt?  He did not fare so well.

The third inning would be the downfall of Oswalt as he would give up a lead-off double to Anthony Seratelli he would get one out before surrendering three consecutive base hits loading the bases.  With bases juiced full of Storm Chasers, Wil Myers stepped to the plate.  In just 18 AAA games, he has already hit five home runs, adding to his 13 home runs in 35 AA games this season.  His 19th homer of the season would come on a 2-0 count as a grand slam off one of the most successful major league pitchers in recent memory.

The Storm Chasers would put a win on the board with a final score of 7-2 over the Round Rock Express.

Our favorite Royals photographer, Minda Haas, was on hand last night in Omaha to catch all the action and fun.  Below you will find a photo gallery of 50 pictures from Minda, with everyone from Teaford and Myers to Sal Perez and Roy Oswalt featured.  Enjoy the look at a truly special night through a very talented eye.

Feel free to use the buttons below to scroll through all the photos.

Anthony Seratelli Double Down The Line

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 49

All rights reserved by Minda Haas

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
He is the host of I-70 Radio, hosted every week on BlogTalkRadio.
Follow him on Twitter here.

The greatest indictment of “the process” stood center stage on Monday and Tuesday in Cleveland. When the Royals took on the top team in their division, with a chance to gain some ground and cut into the Indians’ lead, the turned to the aces of their pitching staff… Nate Adcock and Will Smith.

You can hate Adcock and Smith for not being Tom Seaver if you want to, but they are what they are. They are second-tier prospects who are trying to learn under extreme pressure to get big league hitters out.

The problem lies deeper than Adcock and Smith. If you want to point fingers, you can start with the draft class of 2008, then 2009, and finally one curious Latin American signing.

About a year and a half ago, I interviewed player-turned-broadcaster Jeff Montgomery on the topic of Royals pitching prospects. This was just after the team’s farm system had been decorated tops in baseball.

Montgomery admitted that not all blue-chip prospects pan out. But he said at the time that the Royals had so many top arms stockpiled that he didn’t see how at least some wouldn’t reach their potential. The percentages were in KC’s favor.

Much of that stockpiling took place in June of 2008. After nabbing Eric Hosmer in the first round of the draft, the Royals used four of their next five selections on pitchers. They were heralded for using those picks on pitchers with “signability issues” – guys who would have gone much higher, but who demanded an unusual amount of cash to sign – particularly Mike Montgomery and Tim Melville.

This was a watershed moment, if you believed some draft analysts. KC was finally willing to open up the wallet to get top prospects. To Montgomery and Melville, the Royals added Tyler Sample and John Lamb.

A year later, KC risked taking a pitcher who refused to sign a big-league deal the year before – Aaron Crow. Then they took Chris Dwyer a few rounds later.

And finally in that off-season came another watershed moment. KC dug even deeper into its pocket to sign a Cuban prospect, outbidding the usual big spenders for Noel Arguelles.

By January of 2010 they looked like geniuses. The prospect rankings came out, with Montgomery, Lamb, Dwyer and Danny Duffy all in the top 100 of baseball’s prospects.

Jeff Montgomery said there was no way they could all miss.

Yet here we are, running Adcock and Smith to the mound in a crucial series, and cussing them for not succeeding.

If you want to place blame, some can be directed at health issues. Hardly underachievers, Lamb and Duffy had their success curtailed by injury.

But that leaves plenty of room for criticism.

The biggest disappointment would have to be Montgomery. A year ago he was one managerial decision away from a spot in the Royals’ rotation. Now he’s following up a miserable 2010 with a 5.17 ERA and 1.617 WHIP thus far in 2012 at Omaha.

Not far behind, however, would be Arguelles. Mysterious arm-troubles kept the Cuban in the shadows for more than a year, making his signing look like a huge mistake. With a $6.9 million signing bonus in his pocket, Arguelles sits on 7.27 ERA and a 2-5 record in Double-A.

And then there’s Melville. Heralded coming out of high school as a first-round talent, KC took a risk by offering him top dollar as a fourth rounder. It took him two years to get out Wilmington, and now he’s showing Arguelles new ways to get shelled in Double-A. His ERA is a robust 7.71 and his WHIP is 1.800.

Compared to his Northwest Arkansas mates, Dwyer looks like Cy Young. At least he has a sub-7 ERA of 5.51. But he’s now 24 years old and looks less like a top-100 prospect all the time.

And in case you are wondering about Sample, consider this “Sample-size:” 1-6 record, 5.29 ERA at Wilmington.

Crow is the only one left, and he’s not yet been turned into a starter at the big-league level, making him a pretty pricey middle reliever.

Every time Nate Adcock and Will Smith take the hill in a KC uniform, fate proves Jeff Montgomery wrong. The Royals played the percentages, believing even with their luck that not ALL their pitching prospects could turn into busts. But thus far, Adcock and Smith are the best they can come up with.

In the movie Elizabethtown, Orlando Bloom’s character – athletic shoe designer Drew Baylor – runs into a heap of trouble in the fast-paced, high-pressure environment of the big city. On the verge of suicide, he finds love and acceptance in simple, wholesome Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Now real-life Elizabethtown native Nathan Adcock is finding some time away from the big-city spotlight to his liking as well.

As a Rule 5 pick in 2011, Adcock struggled through a season at the end of Royals’ bullpen bench. Though he was in over his head, the Royals had to keep Adcock on the roster, or risk losing him.

Just 23 years old at the time and having never pitched above A ball, he managed to keep his ERA a respectable 4.62 over 60 innings, but the Royals protected him from pressure situations.

Now out of the pressure cooker, Adcock is breathing a little easier in Omaha. Converted to a starter, Adcock was lights out in his first two outings as a Storm Chaser. Adcock didn’t allow an earned run in either of his first two starts, picking up wins in both.

He did take a loss in his third outing, but still gave up just eight hits and three runs over seven innings.

After three starts, Adcock stands at 2-1 with a 1.47 ERA and a WHIP of just 0.98.

Adcock’s name doesn’t show up on any lists of top prospects, probably primarily because his big league “rookie” year is now behind him. But just because he’s off the radar doesn’t mean he isn’t developing into a useful piece of the Royals’ future.

He’s certainly Omaha’s best starter so far this season, overshadowing “prospects” Mike Montgomery and Will Smith. To illustrate the point, Adcock is the only starter in Omaha with an ERA below 4.97.

Most likely, Adcock is benefiting from the experience in KC. He probably finds it a breeze pitching to minor leaguers after facing the best baseball has to offer last season.

But perhaps he also learned a bit about getting people out as well. He’s a year older, a year wiser, and obviously thriving outside of the white-hot spotlight.

His name might not show up on any prospect lists, but he’s on his way to showing up on the Royals’ roster again at some point. At the rate he’s going, he’ll be in KC before Montgomery, Smith or just about any other Royals “prospect” you care to name.

The Elizabethtown native may make it in the big city after all.

The Royals’ minor league clubs moved quickly into action as soon as the big league club broke camp. No sooner were the minors rosters set than they were on the field, starting games on April 5.

The Royals had the top rated farm system in all of baseball just over a year ago. But much has changed since then, and most of those top prospects are now doing battle in KC.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the cupboard is now bare. The minor league rosters are peppered with another crop of elite prospects. And though the games going on in KC should actually mean something this year, the minor leagues bear watching as the next wave of prospects matures.

Take a look at the Royals top pitching prospects

Photo Courtesy of Minda Haas

With Eric Hosmer, and Mike Moustakas entrenched in the corners of the Royals infield, most of the Royals’ top rated prospects are pitchers.  Only three position players were ranked in the top 100 by Baseball America this off-season, and only those three were rated among the Royals’ top 10 prospects.

Wil Myers has been touted as one of baseball’s top prospects for a couple of years now, and he headlines the Royals farm system. Myers was rated the #10 prospect by Baseball America a year ago, and even after an injury-plagued, mildly disappointing 2011, he still is rated #28. Myers will start this season in Double-A Northwest Arkansas, but will look to move up mid-season.

Without having done anything on the field yet, outfielder Bubba Starling is Baseball America’s #24 prospect. Starling has every tool known to man, but will take time converting to baseball full-time after devoting little time to low-level Kansas high school competition.

Rising star Cheslor Cuthbert, a third baseman who will begin the season in Wilmington, is rated #84.

It’s time for some new position prospects to move to the fore.

Three of the Royals’ most prime prospects are not on rosters as of the beginning of the season. Starling, Brett Eibner and Elier Hernandez have yet to find their home for the start of 2012.

Hernandez signed the largest contract ever given to a Latin American amateur in KC history, and he will be brought along slowly. Eibner has been a frustrating talent since being drafted out of college. His days as an elite prospect are about up.

Omaha:
The Omaha roster is full of mid-to-late-20s players who aren’t exactly prospects anymore, minus the exception of second baseman Johnny Giavotella. Giavotella will turn 25 mid-season, and has a good chance of returning to KC sometime this season.

Minor league veterans Kevin Kouzmanoff, Clint Robinson and Jarrod Dyson will provide insurance, should any injuries occur in KC. Outfielders David Lough (26) and Derrick Robinson (24) are talented, but see their windows of opportunity closing.

No catcher in the Omaha roster is truly big-league caliber, which is why the Royals were forced to trade for Humberto Quintero after Salvador Perez went down. Minor leaguer Manny Pina may go to Omaha after he returns from the disabled list.

Northwest Arkansas:
In Christian Colon and Rey Navarro, Northwest Arkansas has two top prospects in its middle infield. Former number one draft pick Colon (23 years old) is still struggling to put it all together at shortstop. Last season he batted just .257 with eight homers at Northwest Arkansas.

Colon has been given some chances at second base, but that’s also Navarro’s territory. Navarro (22) put up a .280 average with nine homers and 11 stolen bases between Wilmington and Northwest Arkansas.

Myers will hope to improve on his .254 average and eight homers posted in Double-A last season. He looks to be just a year away from a shot at the big league roster.

Wilmington:
Third baseman Cuthbert will start the year in Wilmington, and he won’t be rushed. After all, he is just 19. He’s two years younger than any other position player on the Wilmington roster. Cuthbert’s numbers don’t wow anyone, but his physical talents and maturity have impressed ever since he was signed as a 16-year-old.

Kane County:
Outfielder Jorge Bonifacio is considered an elite prospect out of the Dominican Republic. Just 18 years old, and like Hernandez, he has lots of tools, but just needs to grow into them.

2010 Third-rounder Michael Antonio gives the Royals a shortstop to watch for down the road. He hit well in the rookie leagues last year.

Idaho Falls:
Salvador Perez is the Royals catcher of the future, but catcher of the future-future might be big 19-year-old Cameron Gallagher, a second-round pick who got in 28 games of rookie ball last season. There aren’t many catching prospects in the farm system, so Gallagher will be watched closely.

The Royals’ minor league clubs moved quickly into action as soon as the big league club broke camp. No sooner were the minors rosters set than they were on the field, starting games on April 5.

The Royals had the top rated farm system in all of baseball just over a year ago. But much has changed since then, and most of those top prospects are now doing battle in KC.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the cupboard is now bare. The minor league rosters are peppered with another crop of elite prospects. And though the games going on in KC should actually mean something this year, the minor leagues bear watching as the next wave of prospects matures.

Noticeably absent from the minor league rosters is John Lamb, Baseball America’s #18 prospect in 2011. Lamb is still rehabbing his surgically repaired elbow in Surprise. Still, Baseball America thought enough of Lamb to rank him sixth among Royals prospects.

Pitching prospects in the system ranked by Baseball America in 2012 are Mike Montgomery, #23, and Jake Odorizzi, #68.

Omaha:
Triple-A rosters are usually stocked at least in part with veterans who are ready to jump to the big leagues in a moment’s notice. KC’s Omaha farm team has a handful of starters who have already failed once (or more times) at the big league level.

Zach Miner fits that description. The 30-year-old who owns a 25-20 record in the bigs is still trying to work his way back from an injury that knocked him out of the entire 2010 season.

Also on Omaha’s staff will be Vin Mazzaro and Sean O’Sullivan, two who failed miserably in their chances in KC. No longer considered prospects, Mazzaro, O’Sullivan and particularly Miner will need to seize this as possibly their last opportunity.

Brandon Sisk, a 26-year-old who has received very little attention to this point, had a very good season split between NW and Omaha in 2011. Ryan Verdugo, 25, came over in the Melky Cabrera trade from San Francisco.

In the Omaha bullpen are three familiar faces to KC – Louis Coleman, Nathan Adcock and Jeremy Jeffress. Coleman has to be the most disappointed to not be on the big league roster. Coleman pitched well for the Royals last season, posting a 2.87 ERA and a 1.173 WHIP in 48 games.

Adcock was overmatched last year, but he has a chance now to prove who he truly is as a prospecT. Jeffress spiraled from KC all the way down to Double-A, struggling at every level. But his enviable physical ability keeps him in the “top-prospect” category.

Much to Ned Yost’s dismay, Montgomery solidified his spot in Omaha quite early in the spring. KC hoped to give the big righthander every opportunity to crack the big league rotation. But Montgomery failed miserably in spring training and took himself out of the running. Still ranked #1 among Royals prospects by Baseball America, Montgomery needs to improve on an awful 2011 in Omaha (5-11, 5.32 ERA), or he’ll be in danger of becoming a bust.

NW Arkansas:
Double-A tends to be the “proving ground” for prospects. Therefore it shouldn’t be surprising that most of the Royals’ premier pitching talents (aside from Montgomery) will start the season in Northwest Arkansas, even though many of them ended 2011 there.

Probably the team’s top pitching prospect at this point is 22-year-old lefty Odorizzi, the Royals’ #4 prospect according to Baseball America.  A key piece in the Zack Greinke trade, Odorizzi has moved slowly but steadily through the ranks. Odorizzi’s performances were spotty at Northwest Arkansas after dominating at Wilmington in the first half of 2011. He will probably get a promotion if he pitches well at Double-A.

The Royals’ #9 rated prospect, Chris Dwyer, will also start the same place he finished 2011. Dwyer was marginally successful last season, going 8-10 with 5.60 ERA. He will also be gunning for a mid-season promotion.

Northwest Arkansas will have an abundance of starting pitchers, and the most intriguing prospect is Noel Arguelles. The Cuban signee finally made his appearance in Wilmington last year after hiding in the shadows of a huge contract and mysterious arm troubles. Opinions of his ability vary greatly, but Arguelles had a 3.20 ERA and a 1.125 WHIP in his first professional season.

Other marginal prospects Tim Melville (22-years-old), Justin Marks (24) and Kendal Volz (24) will have a chance to prove themselves as prospects or just warm bodies against the tough Texas League competition.

Wilmington:
The Royals #8 prospect, Jason Adam and #10 prospect, Yordano Ventura, will begin the season in Wilmington. Both 20-year-olds had losing records and high ERAs at Kane County last year, but both have highly-regarded talent.

Keep an eye on 21-year-old Greg Billo. He went 9-5 with a 1.93 ERA and a 1.022 WHIP at Kane County. Billo struck out 7.9 batters per nine innings.

I attended the Futures Game at Kauffman stadium last year, hoping to catch a glimpse of the prospects that earned a #1 ranking for the Kansas City Royals by Baseball America.

Photo Courtesy of Minda Haas

Let me tell you, from that one exhibition, I came away with a new twist on an old phrase:

“I have seen the future, and it is Mike Montgomery.”

On that April 4 afternoon, all the top prospects were on display. Danny Duffy and John Lamb looked good, Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Wil Myers looked ok, and Christian Colon looked awful.

But Mike Montgomery stood head and shoulders above them all.

No one was surprised. After all, he lit up spring training in Arizona and was only sent to Omaha for a little more seasoning.

Fast-forward one year, and Montgomery now not only isn’t ready for the big leagues, he seems headed in the wrong direction.

While all the news in Surprise this month swirled around contract extensions and injuries, Montgomery was quietly demoted to the minor league camp as the Royals trimmed their roster. This time around, he was one of the first to be cut.

That he didn’t make the roster isn’t shocking. But his downward spiral is. The big left-hander got blasted in his two trips to the mound in the Cactus League – 2 2/3 innings, six runs, six hits, three walks.

That disappointment comes when we all hoped for a bounce-back from the dismal 5-11 record and combustible 5.32 ERA he posted in Omaha last year.

“It was a struggle for him this year,” manager Ned Yost told reporters in Surprise. “He didn’t command the ball.”

Reading between the lines, Yost seems pretty frustrated with Montgomery’s showing.

“We wanted to see him come in and… compete for one of these spots, and it just never developed. We want him to go back and get his innings. He’s a guy that we think can come help us sometime over the course of the year, but that’s up to his performance.”

Obviously, Yost saw Montgomery as an integral piece of the youth movement. But as long as the prospects flounder, Yost has to continue to cobble together a rotation of veteran castoffs and stopgaps. (Jonathan Sanchez, Bruce Chen, Felipe Paulino, etc.)

What exactly is Montgomery’s problem?

Much was made last year of his disagreement with the organization over training methods. Montgomery has been a devotee of “long-toss” exercise, which the Royals don’t fully endorse.

Without any inside information, and because Yost gives no hint to Montgomery’s health being an issue, one has to speculate that one the following is occurring:

1) Montgomery is employing his own chosen training techniques, but they aren’t working.
2) Montgomery is being forced to follow the Royals’ prescribed regimen, and it’s not working.
3) Montgomery is allowing his frustration with the organization to affect his performance, and his “coach-ability.”

This is pure speculation, obviously. But something is most definitely wrong.

Back in January, Baseball America rated Montgomery the Royals’ top prospect. But he’s slipping down MLB.com’s list. Last year, Montgomery was rated the #14 prospect by MLB.com. This year, he fills the #31 spot.

That’s not the direction you want your stock heading.

I’m sure the Royals aren’t ready to give up on Montgomery yet. But with the “player to be named later” looming out there after the Humberto Quintero trade, I wouldn’t be surprised it that player turns out to be Montgomery. If Montgomery doesn’t want to train the way the Royals want him to, he may need to be sent elsewhere.

One year ago, the Royals farm system was flush with prospects. Former pitcher and current announcer Jeff Montgomery said at that time that the team was so loaded, it could handle failure from a fraction of those prospects.

But now, with injuries and attrition, each prospect seems like a precious resource. It’s painful to see any of them fail, particularly one of the most highly touted of all.

If 2011 wasn’t exciting enough, 2012 will likely bring the debut of the 21-year-old Miller…at some point.  Shelby Miller is a gem in a talented and improving St. Louis Cardinals’ system.  Cardinal Nation needs to start getting excited.

With a rotation that already features Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter and the emerging Jaime Garcia, the Cardinals are in great shape for years to come. Adding Miller to the mix in or around September will only boost a great pitching staff and make the Cardinals better.

He is unquestionably one of the best pitching prospects in all of baseball. Hype like that calls for future ace status.

Here are three reasons why Shelby Miller won’t disappoint.

Shelby Miller possesses a fastball which always lingers around the mid-90′s. More importantly, Miller has an incredible ability to command the pitch.

His ability to paint the strikezone’s corners make the fastball his best asset.

The Major League is full of sluggers who can drive breaking balls out of the park and, as a result, the fastball is becoming more important than ever.

Shelby Miller doesn’t need to worry about that. If he becomes a true ace, much thanks will go to his fastball.

At just 21, Shelby Miller is showing a lot of discipline and consistency with his entire delivery.

It is that delivery that is helping the righty remain one of the top prospects in all of baseball.

Miller’s delivery is nothing flashy. It is compact and coordinated. Perhaps the best feature is his leg strength.

His leg power allows for an excellent push-off on the mound, giving him the extra momentum on his fastball that can now reach up to 97 mph.

His 6-foot-3 frame certainly helps as well.

If Miller builds on his delivery and progresses, we could be looking at one one of the least hittable young pitchers in baseball.

Right now, Shelby Miller has no reason to complain about his situation.

The Cardinals aren’t rebuilding or a struggling team looking for a face to boost their franchise, and they already have two bona fide aces on their staff in Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter.

But how long will those guys be around?

Wainwright hasn’t pitched in nearly a year due to Tommy John surgery and Carpenter will be a seasoned 37 years old come April.

If the spotlights get dimmer on both Carp and Wainwright, Shelby Miller will be there to pick up where the left off.

He has no other choice.

Jaime Garcia is not a No. 1 pitcher and the other St. Louis prospects will take much longer than Miller to develop.

Shelby Miller must be the ace of the St. Louis Cardinals.