Where the Royals' top 30 prospects are starting the season
With the 2015 season officially under way, here's a look at where the Royals' top 30 prospects starting the season:
1. Raul Adalberto Mondesi -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
2. Sean Manaea -- Extended spring training
3. Kyle Zimmer -- Extended spring training
4. Brandon Finnegan -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
5. Miguel Almonte -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
6. Hunter Dozier -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
7. Foster Griffin -- Extended spring training
8. Scott Blewett -- Extended spring training
9. Jorge Bonifacio -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
10. Chase Vallot -- Extended spring training
11. Christian Binford -- Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
12. Orlando Calixte -- Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
13. Bubba Starling -- Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Adv)
14. Brandon Downes -- Lexington Legends (A)
15. Cheslor Cuthbert -- Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
16. Dominique Taylor -- Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Adv)
17. Colin Rodgers -- Lexington Legends (A)
18. Brian Flynn -- Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
19. Ramon Torres -- Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Adv)
20. Reymond Fuentes -- Omaha Storm Chasers (AAA)
21. Lane Adams -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
22. Elier Hernandez -- Lexington Legends (A)
23. Marten Gasparini -- Extended spring training
24. Eric Skoglund -- Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Adv)
25. Sam Selman -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
26. Cody Reed -- Wilmington Blue Rocks (A Adv)
27. Glenn Sparkman -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
28. Reid Redman -- Northwest Arkansas Naturals (AA)
29. Niklas Stephenson -- Lexington Legends (A)
30. Wander Franco -- Lexington Legends (A)
Team to watch
The Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals have three of MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects in shortstop Raul Adalberto Mondesi, left-hander Brandon Finnegan and right-hander Miguel Almonte and could add two more once lefty Sean Manaea and righty Kyle Zimmer are ready to leave extended spring training. Third baseman Hunter Dozier and outfielder Jorge Bonifacio were on last year's Top 100.
Teams on MiLB.TV
Omaha Storm Chasers
Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Idaho Falls Chukars
Lexington Legends
New faces
Three of the Royals' best prospects arrived in November trades, left-hander Brian Flynn and right-hander Reid Redman from the Marlins for Aaron Crow, and outfielder Reymond Fuentes from the Padres for Kyle Bartsch.
On the shelf
Manaea is coming back slowly after straining his oblique in February, while Zimmer is recovering from arthroscopic shoulder surgery in October. Both should be ready to pitch in minor league games by May. They're part of an extremely talented extended spring training group that also includes three picks from the top two rounds of the 2014 Draft (left-hander Foster Griffin, right-hander Scott Blewett, catcher Chase Vallot) and the holder of the European bonus record ($1.3 million), Italian shortstop Marten Gasparini.