NewsBianchi, Wood join 40-man roster
Royals add five; Waechter, Lowery could pick free agency
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
11/21/09 8:10 PM EST
KANSAS CITY -- Five prospects, including up-and-coming middle infielder Jeff Bianchi, were added to the Royals' 40-man winter roster Friday.
Friday marked the deadline for finalizing the roster and protecting players from the Rule 5 Draft of Minor Leaguers on Dec. 10.
To make room, the Royals dropped four players. They outrighted pitchers Doug Waechter and Devon Lowery to Omaha, and both elected to take free agency on Saturday instead of accepting the assignments. The club requested unconditional release waivers on right-handed pitcher Julio Pimentel and designated infielder Tug Hulett for assignment.
The Royals began the day with 39 players on the roster.
Bianchi, 23, was a second-round Draft choice n 2005 but was almost immediately hampered by a back injury and missed most of 2006 because of shoulder surgery. After two full seasons at the Class A level, he really flourished in 2009.
For Class A Wilmington, the right-handed batter hit .300 in 60 games and was promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he hit .315 in 68 games. At the two stops, he had a combined 29 doubles, 70 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 28 tries.
"He's still very young and he had a breakout year," said Royals general manager Dayton Moore.
Named the organization's Frank White Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, Bianchi played 120 games at shortstop and made 14 errors this season. Whether or not that will be his position ultimately is an open question.
"We'll see," Moore said, calling him a very solid defender. "He's an offensive-oriented middle infielder and has the ability to play shortstop."
Parraz, 25, banged out a .358 average with seven homers and 42 RBIs in 64 games for Northwest Arkansas before being stopped on June 22 by a hamstring injury. After rehabbing, he returned long enough to bat .298 in 13 games for Omaha.
"He's a very consistent performer and put up numbers at every level he competed," Moore said. "I think he'll be healthy in Spring Training. He's a right-handed power batter and an above-average outfielder."
Dyson, also 25, is a left-handed hitter who hit .258 for Northwest Arkansas but also stole 37 bases in 43 attempts. He was promoted after posting a .343 average in 17 games with Class A Burlington, Iowa.
"He's a true center fielder with leadoff potential," Moore said. "He performed very well in the [Arizona] Fall League."
Pina, 22, was obtained in a trade on Sept. 3 from the Texas organization. Before the deal, he hit .259 for Double-A Frisco and was named to the Texas League All-Star Game.
"He's recognized as a very good catch-and-throw guy and has potential, developing power," Moore said.
Wood, 24, has good size at 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, but the right-hander was slowed by a forearm strain this year and the Royals handled him cautiously. In 17 games for Northwest Arkansas, including 13 starts, he went 2-8 with a 5.83 ERA. In 2008, he rang up 139 strikeouts in 144 innings.
"He's a guy with a power arm and he performed very well in the fall league," Moore said. "He's got a fastball 95-to-97 [mph] with a slider and an overhand curveball."
All those players, along with 2009 top Draft choice Aaron Crow, are expected to be in the Major League Spring Training came next February. Crow was placed on the 40-man roster when he signed.
Waechter, a veteran right-hander, was signed as a free agent last winter from the Marlins but ran into a slew of injuries and eventually had shoulder surgery. He got into just five games for the Royals with an 8.44 ERA.
Lowery, a right-hander who appeared in five games for the Royals in 2008, missed this entire season because of shoulder surgery.
Pimentel, once a highly regarded right-hander who went 12-4 for Wilmington in 2007, also missed the 2009 season because of elbow surgery.
Hulett, who played in 15 games for the Royals with a .111 average, batted .291 for Omaha. If he clears waivers, he'll remain in the Royals' organization.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
