The Omaha Storm Chasers are off to a mixed bag of a start to their season. The Storm Chasers currently have a 2-2 record and split their series against the Indianapolis Indians. Many Kansas City Royals fans have their eyes on the team as some of the highly touted prospects are playing in Omaha. One, in particular, is first baseman Nick Pratto.
Pratto currently is the No. 62 ranked prospect in baseball and is No. 2 inside the Royals organization. The No. 14 overall pick in 2017 struggled as a minor-leaguer in his first full season, hitting .191/.278/.310 with 164 strikeouts.
The 2020 season was dramatically different for everyone. MLB hosted a season of 60 games with zero fans in attendance, and the minor leagues participated in an alternate site. The alternate site allowed players to stay game-ready, and it was treated as an extended spring training.
Pratto took full advantage of the alternate site, working to change his overall batting mindset. Per Bill Mitchell of Baseball America, "The 22-year-old went right to work in the fall of 2019. Royals hitting instructors helped him develop a new approach and mindset at the plate, creating a more efficient bat path to allow his bat to get into the zone sooner."
Pratto's new-and-improved approach at the plate was on full display in 2021. He started at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, where he would play in 61 games with a .271/.404/.570 line, 15 home runs and 43 RBIs. Pratto added 46 walks as well. He was impressive, and this performance would earn him a promotion to Triple-A Omaha.
Across 63 games in Omaha last year, Pratto hit .259/.367/.634 with 21 home runs, 15 doubles, 55 RBIs and 37 walks. Not only did he terrorize minor league pitching, but he provided some of the best defensive play at first base. Pratto is a highly-regarded defender at first and some even believe he can contend for a Gold Glove award there at some point during his career. According to MLB.com:
"Nick Pratto was the recipient of the Frank White Award, which recognizes the organization's top defensive player. Pratto, 23, split the season between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha and appeared in 113 combined games (112 starts) at first base and three in right field.
"He recorded 813 putouts and 64 assists in 879 total chances at first base and committed just two errors in 955.2 innings for a .998 fielding percentage, the highest among players to earn a Minor League Rawlings Gold Glove Award in 2021. This marks Pratto's second time earning the Frank White Award, as he also did so in 2018 after posting a .987 fielding percentage at first base."
After all the hard work and commitment to becoming a better baseball player, Pratto and teammate Bobby Witt Jr. were asked to represent the Royals at the MLB Futures Game during the 2021 All-Star break.
In 2022, Pratto enjoyed quite the spring training slate. In 15 plate appearances, the slugging prospect hit .333 with a .667 SLG and 1.212 OPS. He also walked six times. With Carlos Santana, Hunter Dozier, and Ryan O'Hearn at the major league level, Pratto is starting his season campaign in Omaha. After a rough outing on Friday night that featured three strikeouts, Pratto is hitting .188 this season but boasts a SLG of .563 and a wRC+ of 113. The sample size is too small to be concerned about his overall level of play.
The idea of Pratto starting in Omaha makes some sense. It gives him consistent playing time in the field and at-bats at the plate. If he continues to produce as he did last year and in the spring, he will force the Royals' hand and earn a call-up. The culture is changing inside the Royals' clubhouse, and the youth movement is coming. Witt made his Opening Day appearance and significantly impacted winning the game. With Pratto anxiously waiting in Omaha, his time will come sooner rather than later.
More must-reads: