SPRINGDALE -- Northwest Arkansas general manager Justin Cole is excited for the 10th season of Naturals baseball this season, but manager Vance Wilson said the roster is as uncertain as it's ever been heading into spring training.
Cole and Wilson, along with Kansas City Royals assistant general manager Scott Sharp, visited with fans as part of the Naturals Hot Stove luncheon on Monday at the Springdale Holiday Inn.
Key Dates
Feb. 14 — Pitchers and catchers report to spring training.
April 6 — NWA Naturals’ season- and home-opener against San Antoio.
June 27 — Texas League All-Star game in Frisco.
Sept. 4 — End of the regular season at Arkansas..
Sept. 6 — Texas League Dvisional playoffs beign.
The Naturals open the season by host San Antonio on April 6 and Cole said they will commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the franchise in many ways, such as a top 10 moments in club history and even involve fans in choosing an all-time Naturals team.
The Naturals went the Texas League Championship Series for the second straight year last season, but came up short against Midland.
Wilson isn't sure how many of the players off that team could return to Northwest Arkansas. Players like second baseman Corey Toups, who was named the Naturals' Player of the Year, along with power-hitting first baseman Ryan O'Hearn and hard-throwing right-hander Josh Staumont all showed some signs they could be ready for a promotion to Triple-A.
However, it's a complicated puzzle with the Royals bringing in several free agents to spring training to audition for the big league club or possibly end up in Triple-A Omaha as insurance. All that has a domino effect throughout the Royals' minor league system.
"There's a lot of questions whether they can go to Triple-A. Do they need to come back here?" Wilson said. "You pull for guys to move up, no question."
Two that are likely to return are outfielder Alfredo Escalera and OF/DH Samir Duenez. The 20-year-old Duenez, who the Royals added to the 40-man roster in the offseason, played just the last 14 regular-season games and the playoffs for the Naturals, while Escalera played 50 games.
Duenez put together an outstanding offensive season with a combined .284 batting average with 13 home runs and 100 RBIs over three levels a year ago.
On the pitching side, Staumont appeared to harness his control after he came to the Naturals in the middle of last season and is now rated as the Royals No. 1 prospect by Baseball America. He struggled with command in Wilmington, going 2-10 with a 5.05 ERA and walking 67 in 73 innings.. But he went 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in 11 regular-season starts and also won two games in the playoffs. The 23-year-old struck out 73 in 50.1 innings, but more importantly walked just 37.
Sharp said he's anxious to see what Staumont can do this season, but isn't sure where he will start the season.
"He has probably the best arm in our system, but he's only a second-year pro," Sharp said. "It's really up in the air. We just don't want to rush him. If you would have projected Josh a year out of the draft to be in Double-A and going to the Arizona Fall League, that's a pretty impressive jump. Everything we saw out of him, we were thrilled with."
Sports on 01/17/2017