Starling & Adam Among Trio Signed by Royals to MiLB Deals
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they have signed outfielder Bubba Starling , right-handed pitcher Jason Adam and first baseman Samir Dueñez to minor league contracts. The trio had previously not had been tendered Major League contracts for the 2019 season on November 30.
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they have signed outfielder
Starling has played in 138 games with the Storm Chasers over the past three seasons, posting a .225 average (108-479) along with 54 runs, 24 doubles, one triple, nine homers and 40 RBI. He was limited to just 20 games during the 2018 season due to injury, including 11 with the Storm Chasers, combining for a .296 mark (16-54) with 13 runs, five doubles, four homers and 11 RBI.
The 26-year-old in his seven seasons in the Royals organization has accumulated a .236 clip (524-2223), adding 300 runs, 117 doubles, 16 triples, 62 homers and 266 RBI. He was selected by Kansas City as the fifth overall pick of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Gardner-Edgerton High School in Gardner, Kansas.
Adam split the 2018 campaign between Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Omaha and Kansas City, making his Major League debut with the Royals on May 5 versus Detroit. In 31 appearances with Kansas City, the righty tallied an 0-3 record and 6.12 ERA (22 ER/32.1 IP) with 37 strikeouts. In 11 outings with the Storm Chasers, Adam accrued a 2-0 mark and 1.42 ERA (2 ER/12.2 IP) along with four saves and 15 punchouts.
In addition to the 2018 season, Adam also pitched in eight games with the Storm Chasers in 2014, posting a 1-1 clip and 2.35 ERA (4 ER/15.1 IP) with 11 strikeouts. He has combined for a 3-1 mark and 1.93 ERA (6 ER/28.0 IP) with four saves and 26 strikeouts in 19 appearances with Omaha. Adam was originally selected by Kansas City in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB Draft out of Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas.
In 80 contests with Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2018, Dueñez batted .282 (81-287) with 44 runs, 18 doubles, two triples, ten homers and 60 RBI, as well as a .357 on-base percentage. He was rated the 18th-best prospect in the Royals organization prior to the 2018 season by Baseball America.
In six minor league seasons, Dueñez has recorded a .271 average (594-2188) along with 275 runs, 117 doubles, 18 triples, 43 homers and 331 RBI. The Venezuela native was signed by the Royals as a non-drafted free agent on July 7, 2012.
The Storm Chasers will host the Kansas City Royals in an exhibition game presented by Cobalt Credit Union at Werner Park on March 25, 2019 before beginning their regular season slate at Werner Park on April 9, 2018 against the Oklahoma City Dodgers.