Pitcher Yordano Ventura promoted to Class AA Northwest Arkansas

KANSAS CITY, MO (June 21, 2012) — The Kansas City Royals have announced that right-handed pitching prospect Yordano Ventura has been promoted to Class AA Northwest Arkansas.  Ventura started yesterday for the World Team in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Kauffman Stadium, tossing a scoreless first inning. 

Ventura, 21, was 3-5 with a 3.30 ERA in 16 starts for High-A Wilmington, allowing 66 hits and striking out a league-leading 98 against 28 walks in 76.1 innings.  He tossed a scoreless inning with a walk and a strikeout at the Carolina-California League All-Star Game on June 19.  The 5-foot-11, 167-pound right-hander, who was born and raised in Samana, Dominican Republic, was signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on October 8, 2008.