KANSAS CITY -- While the Royals are wrapping up the season at the Major League level, down in the Minor Leagues -- the party is just getting started.
The Royals hosted their annual Futures Night on Friday prior to the opener against the Guardians at Kauffman Stadium, where an impressive bunch from the High-A Quad Cities club, which took home the Midwest League Championship, was heavily represented in the pregame ceremony that included Hall of Famer George Brett handing out the hardware.
Starter David Shields (No. 4 Royals prospect) was named the Paul Splittorff Award winner, given to the top pitcher in the Royals organization. He’s the first two-time winner in club history after compiling an 11-6 record with a 4.06 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 10.7 K/9 -- all Midwest League bests. He made 25 starts and tossed a career-high 116 2/3 innings, striking out 139 batters and walking only 28.
“That was by far the most I have ever thrown in my life, so as we started to get through the season I pulled back on things a little bit, maybe not throwing as much between starts. But I had a very consistent routine throughout the whole year, which I think helps me immensely,” said Shields, who also took home the Midwest League Pitcher of the Year Award. “Learning that about myself was huge, I don’t want to have to figure that out two, three years down the road.”
He made two postseason starts, including a six-inning scoreless gem to help the River Bandits claim the Midwest League title.
“I think pitching in big games like that, whether you do good or bad, it’s good for your development because there’s something on the line and you have pressure,” Shields said. “... Some people think you might not care too much about Minor League playoffs, but it was a blast. It was electric. We got to play in some cool places. It was a ton of fun for us.”
COMPLETE ROYALS PROSPECT COVERAGE
L.P. Langevin (Royals' No. 30 prospect) sealed the title with a scoreless ninth, striking out the side. And for the first time ever, the Royals created the Dan Quisenberry Reliever of the Year, which went to Langevin. The right-hander registered a 3.42 ERA to go with 106 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings. His 17.2 K/9 was the best mark among full-season Minor Leaguers and the highest in the Minors since 2006. He notched two or more strikeouts in 80% of his outings this season, notching eight strikeouts over four postseason appearances with the River Bandits.
“... That was the first time I had that college atmosphere back, which I love,” Langevin said about the playoff run. “ … I told them right away, I was like, ‘They ain’t scoring.’ … That’s what I love to do in those situations. It was just amazing.”
Asbel Gonzalez (Royals' No. 15 prospect) took home the Willie Wilson Baserunner of the Year after stealing 67 bases in 110 games in High-A. This comes after the 20-year-old swiped 78 bases a year ago, becoming the only Minor Leaguer with 60+ stolen bases the past two seasons.
But there was a lot of success outside of Quad-Cities as well, starting with infielder Brett Squires. The 26-year-old was recognized as both the George Brett Hitter of the Year and Mike Sweeney Community Impact Award.
Between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha, Squires slashed .277/.351/.549 with 31 homers, 103 RBIs, 34 doubles and 78 runs scored in 132 games across both levels. He’s the first Royals Minor Leaguer to hit 30+ homers and drive in 100+ RBIs since MJ Melendez in 2021.
Squires is also a regular at “Baseball Bingo” with patients at Children’s Nebraska Hospital as well as a volunteer with the Miracle League.
“It’s a crazy level, and people have told me about it before, but it really is a different monster,” Squires said of Triple-A. “You’re up there and you see names that you’ve been watching on TV for 10+ years, guys who have 10 years of service time, and you’re facing them like it’s another Wednesday night. It makes you wonder, like, ‘OK, if they’re here, and if I can do it against them, who says I can’t do it up there?’”
Outfielder Carson Roccaforte (Royals' No. 17 prospect) was named the Frank White Defensive Player of the Year after notching a career-high 13 assists. But he also hit 35 home runs and stole 32 bases, becoming the first Royals Minor Leaguer to have a 30-30 season.
Joelvis Gonzalez took home the Art Stewart Scout of the Year Award after completing his 19th season with the Royals organization but first in his new role as coordinator of South American scouting.
Josh Hammond, the Royals’ No. 2 prospect and No. 67 overall, earned the Alex Gordan Heart and Hustle Award after completing his first professional season with Single-A Columbia. The former first-round Draft pick ranked in the Top 10 in hits (125, third), batting average (.286, fifth), total bases (170, tied for seventh) and doubles (24, tied for eighth) in the Carolina League.
“I know it means a lot to me and it means a lot to this organization, to these fans, so I don’t take it lightly,” Hammond said of taking home an award named after the Royals’ Hall of Famer. “Obviously growing up and watching the kind of player he was, it’s really, really special and meeting him the other day, figuring out he’s an even better person, is all that I needed to know. I don’t take it lightly, it’s like a dream come true to me to be associated with him. It’s awesome.”