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With a 62-86 record this season, the Omaha Storm Chasers didn’t have a season for the ages by any stretch.<\/p>\n
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From once notable prospects disappointing to a myriad of midseason veteran additions not nearly providing the production the Royals had hoped for<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However amidst it all, they were not without their standout performers. In fact, there were a few in particular who will surely force the Royals to take a long-hard look at them this winter and whether or not they can fill an organizational need for them in 2026 – perhaps at the major league level.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n While he’s not under the same category as other veteran names on this list – considering he wasn’t a minor league free agent signing – Melendez’s performance was just as head-turning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now, it seems like we’ve been in this position before with Melendez, grasping on to something in hopes of finally getting the hitter many forecasted he would be coming up through the system. However, there’s no denying that his performance has earned a second look in spring training next year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Apart from capturing International League Player of the Week honors<\/a> towards the end of the year, Melendez crafted a more than serviceable body of work in Omaha this season between disappointing MLB stints.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n MJ MELENDEZ JUST HIT FOR THE CYCLE! pic.twitter.com\/3uNYZgcGOV<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Omaha Storm Chasers (@OMAStormChasers) September 12, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n In 107 Triple-A games this season, Melendez slashed .261\/.323\/.490 with 20 HR, 64 RBI, 20 SB and a 107 wRC+. Certainly a significant difference from the -14 wRC+ hitter he was with the Royals in 2025.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He may be a confusing player<\/a> and again, it seems like Kansas City has been down this road before with him, but that doesn’t dismiss the fact that he’s seemingly done enough to really earn a second-look from the Royals’ brass in the coming months.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now, while Melendez may be arbitration eligible and under team controll next season, Dalbec will hit the open market again this winter – much like he did at multiple points this season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That being said, despite his bouncing around, Dalbec had an excellent season across all three stops in Triple-A, highlighted by some formidable power.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A BOBBY BOMB TO TIE THE GAME pic.twitter.com\/Kmaokngqu6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Omaha Storm Chasers (@OMAStormChasers) September 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n In 455 plate appearances across 105 games, he slashed .269\/.349\/.525 with 24 homers, 82 RBI and a 127 wRC+. This included a .252\/.336\/.512 slash line with eight home runs, 25 RBI and a 116 wRC+ with Omaha after joining in early August.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While he his 34.1% Triple-A strikeout rate may be alarming, the fact he was tied for sixth in the International League in homers<\/a> will help counteract some of the doubt of his swing-and-miss tendencies. And given the Royals’ current 26th overall league ranking in team home runs this season, Dalbec could very well be a welcome utility spark off the bench.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Whether it’s with the Royals or elsewhere, Dalbec’s stops in both their Triple-A ranks as well as Milwaukee’s could very well have secured him another major league look in 2026.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Finally, we round off with Castro, who after signing with the Royals this past winter, spent the entirety of the year in Omaha and thrived.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Having not played in affiliated baseball since 2023, Castro was a run production machine for the Storm Chasers this season, leading the team in homers and RBI with 21 and 65 respectively. He’s paired that with an excellent .307\/.354\/.538 slash line with a 129 wRC+.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This resulted in the utility man taking home some high organizational praise, as he was named Omaha’s Hitter of the Year<\/a> earlier this month.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \ud835\udc13\ud835\udc21\ud835\udc1e \ud835\udfd0\ud835\udfce\ud835\udfd0\ud835\udfd3 \ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc26\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc21\ud835\udc1a \ud835\udc00\ud835\udc30\ud835\udc1a\ud835\udc2b\ud835\udc1d \ud835\udc16\ud835\udc22\ud835\udc27\ud835\udc27\ud835\udc1e\ud835\udc2b\ud835\udc2c<\/p>\n Hitter of the Year \u27a1\ufe0f Harold Castro <\/p>\n Pitcher of the Year \u27a1\ufe0f Jonathan Bowlan<\/p>\n Steve Pivovar Prospect of the Year \u27a1\ufe0f Carter Jensen<\/p>\n Fan Favorite \u27a1\ufe0f MJ Melendez <\/p>\n Community Hero \u27a1\ufe0f Brandon Johnson<\/p>\n3 former MLB veterans who deserve a second-look from Royals this offseason<\/h2>\n
OF MJ Melendez<\/h3>\n
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INF Bobby Dalbec<\/h3>\n
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UTIL Harold Castro<\/h3>\n
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