The Royals Single-A affiliate, the Columbia Fireflies finished the season with a record of 64-65. Almost winning the division in the first half of the season. There was plenty of good and bad throughout the season, so let’s dive into it.
The good from the position players:
Josh Hammond, the Royals first round pick in the 2025 draft out of Wesleyan Christian high school in North Carolina, was great in his first season of pro ball. The shortstop, in 437 at bats, slashed .286/.354/.389. He just turned 20, two weeks ago, and hit 24 doubles,
3 triples and 5 homers. He walked 46 times and stole 25 of 30 bases. He moved between shortstop and third base, and had 24 errors on the season, so that’s something he can work on, but again, for a guy that was 19 all season, I think it was a good first step.
In the second half, Sean Gamble, the Royals other first round pick in 2025, was good. He was 19 years old for half the season, a half which was rather brutal for the outfielder. However, Gamble rallied and finished the overall season with just a .203/.315/.310 slash line. However, after May 21st, when he was hitting just .114, Gamble turned it on. His average never got above .209 on the season, but he just dug himself such a big hole, there was only so much he could do. Gamble on the season, hit 17 doubles, 3 triples and 7 homers. He also stole 38 of 45 bases. He was also really good in centerfield defensively.
JC Vanek is a lesser heralded guy, he was a 14th round draft pick in the 2025 draft, out of Chipola junior college. The now 22-year-old first baseman did slash .255/.399/.446 over 298 at bats this season. He blasted 14 homers and stole 20 bases. He mainly played first and a little bit of left field. Vanek is someone who could be a late bloomer throughout the organization and someone to watch, I think.
Yandel Ricardo, a 19-year-old shortstop, who the Royals signed out of Cuba in January of 2024, had a great season. He slashed .266/.351/.398 in his first full season in Columbia. 17 doubles, 7 triples and 7 homers on the season, swiping 27 of 43 bases. He also worked 48 walks in 109 games. He played a good mix of second base and shortstop defensively and was good at both.
2025, 8th round draft pick, Brooks Bryan from Troy college, was phenomenal in 119 at bats. Battling through injuries, Bryan slashed .319/.406/.496, smashing 3 homers. This is another guy I think might be more of a late bloomer to keep an eye on in the organization.
The good from the pitching staff:
Jose Gutierrez is a 23-year-old right-hander from Venezuela. He was probably the most consistent starter for the Fireflies this season. He went 9-4 on the season, with a 3.62 ERA in 114.1 innings pitched. He struck out 98 batters, with a 1.32 WHIP and .256 opponents’ batting average. He grinded through the Royals DSL systems and is coming into his own now. I think he will start in Quad Cities next season.
Michael Lombardi, the Royals second round draft pick in 2025 from Tulane, had a good season. He did just turn 23 but should start next season in Quad Cities as well. This year, Lombardi, threw 88 innings, posting a 3.68 ERA, but striking out 124 hitters. He did walk 52 batters in those 88 innings, but opponents hit just .223 off him.
Randy Ramnarace is a 22-year-old right hander from New York. The Royals took him in the 16th round in 2025. He posted a 3.68 ERA in 44 innings pitched this season. He struck out 41 batters, but did walk 44, so that’s something he will have to work on, but opponents hit just .206 this season.
Darwin Rodriguez is a 23-year-old left-hander, from Venezuela. The Royals signed him when he was just 19. In his first full season, at Columbia, he threw 115 innings, allowing a 3.83 ERA. He struck out 114 hitters. He posted a 1.37 WHIP, opponents did hit .262 off him.
Hiro Wyatt dealt with injuries but was solid when healthy. The Royals 3rd round pick in 2023, now a 22-year-old right-hander, started 7 times, going 28 innings, posting a 3.21 ERA. He struck out 24 hitters, with a 1.46 WHIP and .248 opponents’ batting average. If healthy next year, easily a guy that could be at Quad Cities and Northwest Arkansas.
The pitching list isn’t as long, but a good amount of those guys ended up in Quad Cities, who we will talk about next week, so don’t fret. Overall, the Royals Single-A affiliate, the Columbia Fireflies had a lot of positives.
