The Royals system got a little bit of everything this week: power, speed, a combined no-hitter, and the first taste of Zion Rose in Quad Cities.
At Triple-A Omaha, the Storm Chasers took 4 of 6 from Toledo and got another strong turn from Henry Williams. After drawing plenty of attention last week, Williams backed it up with 5.2 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6.
Lucas Braun, the centerpiece in the Lane Thomas trade, made one start and worked 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs with 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. The bullpen did its part too, with Eli Morgan tossing 3.2 scoreless innings across two outings and striking out 3, while Carlos Duran and Connor Thomas each added 2 scoreless innings.
The bats showed up as well. Brett Squires finished 10 for 25 with 2 doubles, 3 homers and 8 RBIs.
Jacob Berry, recently acquired by the Royals from the Marlins, went 4 for 9 with a pair of doubles and a homer. Berry is a 25-year-old first baseman who was taken 6th overall by Miami in 2022 out of LSU and has never reached the majors.
He’s hitting .258/.380/.385 this season with 18 stolen bases. Gavin Cross also chipped in, going 7 for 20 with 2 doubles and a homer.
Omaha stays on the road this week for a Tuesday-through-Sunday set at Columbus.
Northwest Arkansas had a tougher week, dropping 4 of 6 to Wichita, but there were still some standout performances. Spencer Nivens kept piling up extra-base hits, going 9 for 22 with 6 doubles and 3 stolen bases.
Luke Pelzer stayed hot after his promotion, finishing 8 for 22 with 3 runs and 2 steals. Carson Roccaforte added 2 more homers in a 6-for-23 week, and Javi Vaz returned from injury and went 2 for 4 with a double.
On the mound, Steven Zobac made one start, allowing 4 hits and 1 run over 3 innings while striking out 3, though he has since landed back on the IL. Drew Beam went 6 innings in his start, giving up 7 hits and 3 runs with 3 strikeouts.
Brandon Johnson, a 27-year-old right-hander from Mississippi taken by the Royals in the 9th round in 2022, delivered 4 scoreless innings over 3 relief appearances and struck out 8. Augusto Mendieta, a 21-year-old right-hander from Mexico signed at 18, added 4.1 scoreless innings and fanned 7 in two outings.
The Naturals head to Springfield for another Tuesday-through-Sunday series.
Quad Cities had one of the week’s loudest offensive showings, winning 4 of 6 against Peoria, and the debut of Zion Rose was a big part of the conversation. The Royals’ 1st overall pick in 2026 played in 3 games and went 3 for 12 with 5 stolen bases, including 4 in one game, while also drawing 2 walks.
He played left field in all three games. Blake Mitchell kept swinging a hot bat too, going 6 for 19 with 3 homers, a double, 9 walks, 2 steals and 4 RBIs.
Chris Brito went 7 for 22 with 2 doubles and a homer, and Derlin Figueroa added 2 homers and a double in a 6-for-22 week.
The River Bandits also got a dominant start from Blake Wolters, who struck out 11 over 6 innings while allowing just 2 hits and no runs. It was a welcome sign for Wolters, who was promoted earlier this season and has had his share of struggles in Quad Cities.
David Shields also turned in a solid outing, working 5 innings and allowing 6 hits and 4 runs, though only 1 was earned, while striking out 9. After the road trip, Quad Cities returns home to face Fort Wayne.
In Columbia, the Fireflies matched that 4-of-6 result against Myrtle Beach and even threw a combined no-hitter in the second game of a doubleheader. Michael Lombardi handled 4.2 innings, walking 2 and striking out 8, while Jhon Reyes finished it off with 2.1 innings and 2 strikeouts.
Both are 22-year-old right-handers. Lombardi, the Royals’ second-round pick in 2025 out of Tulane, now has a 3.17 ERA in 76.2 innings with 109 strikeouts.
Reyes, from the Dominican Republic, was signed at 19 and has an 8.84 ERA in 38.2 innings with 34 strikeouts.
The offense had plenty going too. Josh Hammond went 11 for 21 with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs and is now hitting .305 on the season.
Sean Gamble finished 4 for 18 with 2 doubles and a triple while driving in 6 runs. Camden Johnson, the Royals’ 9th-round pick last month out of Oklahoma, went 4 for 12 with 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs and 3 stolen bases.
In Other News...
Royals Suddenly Face A Carter Jensen Debate They Didn't Want
The Royals are still sorting out the long view at catcher as the 2026 season moves along, and Carter Jensen has become part of a conversation they probably hoped to avoid. The young backstop is viewed as a good athlete, and he has made real strides defensively, but the position comes with a familiar cost for Kansas City: when the workload behind the plate grows, the offense can start to flatten out.
Salvador Perezs injury pushed Jensen into a bigger role, and the production dip that followed has only sharpened the internal debate about how best to use him. Jeff Passan even raised the possibility of a move to the outfield if catching begins to suppress Jensens bat, a reminder that the Royals may eventually have to choose between preserving his defensive value and keeping his offensive development on track. [Read more 🡒]
John Sherman Just Raised The Stakes On The Royals 2027 Plan
John Sherman has been talking openly about the Royals push to become competitive by 2027, and the broad outline of that plan is hard to miss. Kansas City knows where it needs help, especially in the bullpen, while also making starting pitching a clear priority as it tries to build something more stable around its core and out of the uncertainty of recent seasons.
The timing matters because the rest of the organization is being measured against that same timeline. Bobby Witt Jr. is back from injury, Jac Caglianone is drawing attention with his power, and the front office is still getting judged on whether the spending and management approach can actually support the rebuild. Meanwhile, the farm system gives the Royals a few names to watch in Zion Rose, Angeibel Gomez, and Jacob Berry, but the bigger question is whether all of that adds up quickly enough to make 2027 feel like a real target rather than just another deadline. [Read more 🡒]