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The Royals signed a number of players to minor league deals this week according to Baseball America, including reuniting with left-handed pitcher Jonathan Sanchez.
Sanchez pitched for the Royals in 2012 after being acquired from the Giants in a trade for Melky Cabrera. He was a disaster in Kansas City, making just 12 starts with a 7.76 ERA before he was shipped to Colorado for Jeremy Guthrie. Sanchez has since bounced around with the Cubs, Pirates, and Dodgers. He spent all of 2015 pitching in Puerto Rico, and last year was released by the Reds in spring training and did not pitch anywhere. Sanchez has a 4.70 ERA in 786 1⁄3 Major League innings and turned 34 last month.
The Royals also signed Bobby Parnell, a veteran of nine Major League seasons, mostly with the Mets. The 32-year old right-handed reliever has a 3.82 ERA in 336 2⁄3 innings with 7.9 strikeouts-per-nine innings. Parnell was a solid reliever for the Mets, saving 22 games in 2013, but he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2014 and has had trouble staying healthy since. He supposedly regained his velocity last spring with the Tigers, but only pitched 5 1⁄3 innings with them before being released in August.
The Royals also signed switch-hitting infielder Brooks Conrad. Conrad has spent parts of six seasons in the Major Leagues with the Athletics, Braves, Brewers, Rays, and Padres. He has hit .200/.271/.389 in 515 plate appearances and has played all over the field in his professional career. He spent last year in the independent Atlantic League. The 36-year old will likely provide positional versatility in Omaha and possibly serve in a mentoring/coaching role.
The Royals also signed left-handed pitcher Braulio Nunez, an undrafted pitcher from Manhattan Community College, and outfielder Ruben Sosa out of the Mexican League. Sosa is a 26-year old switch-hitter who has spent time in the Astros and Angels system and hit .261/.344/.365 with 107 steals over five minor league seasons, reaching as high as AAA.
Sanchez was not well-liked in Kansas City, and it seems a long shot he has much left in the tank. Conrad could very well be a coach by year’s end. Parnell likely is the only one who has a shot at making the club next year, and Dayton Moore has shown he can pluck injured relievers off the scrap heap (Ryan Madson, Peter Moylan) and get some use out of them.