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MLB.com\u2019s Anne Rogers talks with new Royals assistant hitting coach Connor Dawson<\/a>.<\/p>\n A 2012 graduate of Olathe North High School in Kansas, Dawson grew up about 25 miles southwest of Kauffman Stadium. He played collegiately at Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas, but he set his sights on coaching early. He coached the Kansas City Bullets college prep baseball program \u2014 a team that included Royals catcher Carter Jensen \u2014 and was the hitting coach and strength coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park, Kansas.<\/p>\n \u201cCoaching is just such a different side of things,\u201d Dawson said. \u201cThe one thing I knew I wanted was for players to feel confident at all times. I wanted them to know that I thought they could take on the world. \u2026 As a player, I probably didn\u2019t necessarily think like that. There\u2019s a ton of value in having fun and knowing that you can win, and that\u2019s kind of what I want to instill in players.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n David Lesky looks at the lack of strikeouts from Lucas Erceg in 2025<\/a>.<\/p>\n He was fine after he came back, but not even remotely dominant. He gave up 40 hits in 38.1 innings. He struck out just 30 batters and he walked 15. Nobody is complaining about a guy with a 3.05 ERA, but he also wasn\u2019t the pitcher he showed he could be at the end of 2024 or the pitcher the Royals needed him to be. He went on the IL again on September 19 to end his season. This time, he had right shoulder impingement syndrome. He and the Royals both said at the time that had they been in the playoff race still that he would have continued on. It\u2019s easy to say that, so who knows if it\u2019s really true? Regardless, he\u2019s healthy now.<\/p>\n But I just want to know why he struck out 19.3 percent of batters in 2025 after striking out 27.1 percent in his rookie year and 28.5 percent in his second year.<\/p>\n As I\u2019m writing this right now, I don\u2019t know the answer. I always like to write the first part of newsletters like this before I dig into the details. If I had to guess, I\u2019d say the injuries didn\u2019t help, but he only had 15 strikeouts in 20.2 innings in those first 21 games when he put up video game ERA numbers. He also only gave up nine hits and two walks, so there simply weren\u2019t runners on. Maybe he was less concerned about contact with nobody on base. But still, while the Royals staff looks to be good once again, the bullpen was badly missing strikeouts. I think there\u2019s a good argument for Estevez to bounce back a bit in his numbers, but the real difference-maker likely comes from Erceg getting back to those punchouts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n Kansas City Star\u2019s Jaylon Thompson wrote about Adam Frazier landing with\u2026 another team?<\/a><\/p>\n Former Kansas City Royals utilityman Adam Frazier has found a new home. On Monday, Frazier joined the Los Angeles Angels on a minor-league deal. Frazier, 34, was a key piece for the Royals. He spent two stints with the organization and fueled their 2024 postseason run. The Royals reacquired Frazier last season as they looked for more veteran leadership in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n Thompson also sat down with Royals reliever Carlos Est\u00e9vez <\/a>on his first year with the team.<\/p>\n He analyzed his performance. The self-report highlighted ways to perform efficiently while maintaining daily availability. It\u2019s a formula that has worked in the past \u2014 most notably when Est\u00e9vez pitched seven times in a 10-day stretch. \u201cJust taking notes on what I did good, you know, attacking the (strike) zone and being available a lot,\u201d Est\u00e9vez said. \u201cIt\u2019s just being able to keep my team in the game and that kind of stuff. I think that\u2019s what I\u2019ve got to focus on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n Kevin O\u2019Brien graded Kansas City\u2019s offseason moves, and only one trade earned an \u201cA\u201d grade this winter.<\/a><\/p>\n In return, the Royals got an on-base machine in Collins, who posted a .368 OBP and 0.61 BB\/K ratio in 441 plate appearances. Collins did lose some playing time at the end of the season, but he\u2019s the kind of multi-positional outfielder who gives the Royals the plate discipline and versatility that they\u2019ve desperately needed. Collins doesn\u2019t hit the ball all that hard or barrel balls that much, but he doesn\u2019t chase, and he pulls the ball effectively, two qualities that the Royals were looking for this offseason.<\/p>\n As for Mears, he had an interesting season, especially when compared to 2024. That season, he sported a 5.93 ERA in 57,2 IP. However, his FIP was 3.39, and his K rate was 29.3%. Last year, his ERA was better at 3.49 (in 56.2 IP). Conversely, his FIP was higher at 3.86, and his K rate dropped to 20.8%. Mears had trouble finishing batters off last year in his first full season with the Brewers. That said, he still showed solid TJ Stuff+ metrics and an ability to make batters chase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n Est\u00e9vez recounted his experience at a Pittsburgh Pirates tryout<\/a>. It was interesting, in hindsight.<\/p>\n I went to this Pirates showcase. They told everyone you had to be there by 10 a.m. to sign in, and I was like, no problem, we\u2019re out early. I rolled up way before that, ended up second on the list. Perfect spot, right?\u201d Estevez recounted. They put me in super late. I threw maybe six pitches total to two Cubans. Got a strikeout and a fly ball to left. Solid stuff. I felt good. I saw the big dawg, the legendary scout who\u2019d signed tons of ballplayers, walking over, and I thought, here it comes. Some real feedback. He\u2019s gonna see what I got.<\/p>\n Instead, in front of everybody, \u2018Who brought this piece of shit here?\u2019 In front of everybody! My heart dropped. Then he kept going: \u2018Get this piece of shit out of here\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n Bleacher Report\u2019s Joel Reuter named Jac Caglianone as Kansas City\u2019s biggest breakout hitter candidate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Following back-to-back 30-homer seasons at the University of Florida, Caglianone was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 draft. He hit .337\/.408\/.617 with 20 home runs and 72 RBI in 66 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year to force his way into the MLB picture. After taking his lumps at the plate while learning to play right field on the fly, he has the offensive tools to take a massive step forward in 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n The Royals traded pitching prospect A.J. Causey to the Athletics this offseason, and he recounted how the process went down to Sports Illustrated.<\/p>\n And then I was getting ready to throw my live BP, and I was in the training room, and our manager came in and was like, \u2018hey, AJ, can you come here?\u2019 I was like, \u2018What could this be about? We already talked. I guess it\u2019s about my live. BP, and then I walked into the office and just the GM and him, no pitching guys.<\/p>\n I knew it immediately. I was like, I just got traded. I just didn\u2019t know to who. But yeah, I was kind of excited when I heard he was the Athletics. [laughing] Yeah, I guess I\u2019m not throwing my live BP anymore.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n Front Office Sports\u2019 Eric Fisher added more context to Royals owner John Sherman\u2019s comments <\/a>regarding the stadium home search in Kansas City.<\/p>\n While local politics and the ongoing rivalry between Missouri and Kansas play a significant role in the Royals\u2019 consideration, the club remains intent on surrounding a new ballpark with a large mixed-use development. That concept, popularized to a significant degree by the Braves, has been embraced by many other teams, most recently the Rays.<\/p>\n Sherman also professed a preference for an urban setting, if possible, which lends further weight to the possibility of the downtown site. \u201cI still have a bias for baseball being in the heart of the city, in the cultural center of our city, and to have the ability to make it better,\u201d Sherman said. \u201cIf that happens, that\u2019s going to be best for the community and the city at large, but we have to make sure we make the right long-term decision for the club as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n What goes into Scout Day at Kauffman Stadium?<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The Texas Rangers will start Nathan Eovaldi in their Cactus League opener against the Royals<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Royals are hosting a hiring fair this coming Sunday for seasonal positions.<\/a><\/p>\n Billy Heyen says the pressure is on the Royals<\/a> after doubling down on Jonathan India.<\/p>\n Brian Sparks looks at the battle for the final spot in Kansas City\u2019s rotation<\/a> ahead of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n What is the fantasy impact if the Royals traded Kris Bubic to the New York Yankees<\/a>?<\/p>\n Britney Gore talked more about the sudden passing<\/a> of former Royals speedster Terrance Gore.<\/p>\n Is Bo Jackson not a fan of batters selling out for power<\/a>?<\/p>\n Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo Lopez could miss the season after suffering a UCL tear.<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n I don\u2019t think anyone missed MLBPA executive Tony Clark resigning on Tuesday<\/a>. Family reunions are going to be quite awkward now.<\/p>\n ESPN\u2019s Buster Olney ranks baseball\u2019s best relievers.<\/a><\/p>\n Under the Knife looks at injuries around MLB and the \u201chamate epidemic\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n Pitcher Walker Buehler lands with the San Diego Padres on a minor-league deal<\/a>.<\/p>\n There is one thing missing<\/a> from Giancarlo Stanton\u2019s time in pinstripes.<\/p>\n After the Seattle Seahawks\u2019 Super Bowl win, are they the system to copy or an outlier?<\/a><\/p>\n Is Adam Silver going to fine tanking away?<\/a><\/p>\n Miami (Ohio) remains men\u2019s basketball lone undefeated team with a 26-game winning streak<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Manny Pacquiao is returning for an exhibition match in<\/a> April.<\/p>\n Learn about the Lunar New Year celebrations in China<\/a>, from robots to incense.<\/p>\n\n
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