Triple-A Bat Yerzy Joins Monarchs Roster

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LINCOLN, Neb. — Andy Yerzy has already picked up some hardware in his minor league career. He’s looking to help the Kansas City Monarchs do the same.

The American Association club has signed the catcher and first baseman to a contract, the Monarchs announced. He made his Monarchs debut Tuesday night as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning.

Yerzy, who played in Triple-A earlier this season, is a second-round draft pick. The Toronto native won a Northwest League title with the Hillsboro Hops in 2019.

The lefty batter posted a .900 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A in the Reds organization this season, playing 17 games. It was his first Triple-A action after making it as high as Double-A with the Diamondbacks.

Drafted 52nd overall by Arizona in 2016, Yerzy adjusted relatively quickly to the professional ranks. He delivered a .298 batting average and .834 OPS with Rookie-level Missoula in 2017.

He made the jump to the Northwest League the following season and maintained his production, earning midseason and postseason All-Star honors. The York Mills Collegiate Institute grad batted .297 with an .834 OPS and 8 home runs in 63 games over his first year with the Hops.

Yerzy made his Double-A debut in 2021. He posted an .813 OPS between Class A, High-A and Double-A that season.

The Monarchs hold the best record in the American Association entering Tuesday’s action with two weeks left in the regular season. They lead second-place Sioux City by five games in the West Division.

Monarchs Pull Away In Ninth, Top Lincoln

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LINCOLN, Neb. — Chris Herrmann, Micker Adolfo and Jan Hernandez all notched three-hit games as the Kansas City Monarchs ran away from the Lincoln Saltdogs 11-4 Tuesday night at Haymarket Park.

The Monarchs (51-36) scored six runs in the ninth inning to put the game out of reach. The victory puts Kansas City six games ahead of their closest rival in the American Association West.

Herrmann and Hernandez both homered for the Monarchs in the win. Herrmann drove in three in a 3-for-5 performance. He’s second in the American Association with 82 RBIs on the year.

Eight of the Monarchs’ 15 hits were for extra bases, including three doubles from Adolfo.

The Saltdogs opened the scoring when Aaron Takacs hit a solo home run in the third, but that would be their only lead of the game. A Brian O’Grady bases-loaded walk tied the score in the top of the fourth.

The Monarchs plated three in the fifth, including Herrmann’s home run and an RBI double from Adolfo.

Monarchs starter Zach Matson threw five-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked four and struck out five.

Matson ran into trouble in the sixth, loading the bases with none out. Alex Valdez came on to work out of the jam. He induced a double play (which brought in a run) and a flyout to prevent serious damage.

Hernandez’ tape-measure shot in the seventh put Kansas City up 5-3.

A double-play ball pushed across a fourth Lincoln run in the eighth, but that would be as close as the Saltdogs got.

The Monarchs’ first run of the ninth came in on a Cameron Cannon sacrifice fly for the second out of the inning. They followed it up with five straight two-out baserunners.

That included an RBI single from Justin Wylie, who extended his on-base streak to 32 games with the base hit. It’s the longest active on-base streak in the league this season.

UP NEXT

Kansas City looks to clinch a series win Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. Former major leaguer Ashton Goudeau will make his second start as a Monarch against Lincoln’s Zach Keenan.

Adolfo Homers, Monarchs Win Series

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Micker Adolfo’s three-run homer in the first inning paved the way for a 6-1 Kansas City Monarchs victory over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks at Legends Field Monday night.

Monarchs starter Miller Hogan threw six innings allowing only one unearned run. He walked one and struck out eight. Adolfo went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

The Monarchs’ bullpen trio of Jordan Martinson, Trey Jeans, and Bubby Rossman threw three shutout innings allowing only four hits and one walk. They combined for six strikeouts

The RedHawks started the scoring in the top of the first. Dillon Thomas singled and later scored when LJ Hatch dropped a line drive to make it 1-0.

The Monarchs answered in the bottom of the first. Odubel Herrera walked and later made it to third when Chris Herrmann reached on a fielder’s choice. That set up the three-run blast from Adolfo to make it 3-1 Monarchs after one.

KC added onto their total in the bottom of the second. Jacob Robson walked and made it to third on a throwing error by RedHawks pitcher Kelvan Pilot during a sacrifice bunt from Allante Hall.

Robson scored one batter later when LJ Hatch grounded into a double play to make it 4-1 Monarchs.

The Monarchs added their final two runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Robson walked and reached third on a Manny Boscan error. Robson later scored on an RBI grounder from LJ Hatch. Justin Wylie drove in the game’s final run with an RBI single. It was 6-1 Monarchs after six.

The three shutout innings from Martinson, Jeans, and Rossman shut down the RedHawks to secure the win.

Hogan got the win 1-2 and Pilot got the loss (0-4). The Monarchs improve to 50-36 and are now five games ahead of the Sioux City Explorers in the West Division standings.

UP NEXT: The Monarchs begin a three-game road series versus the Lincoln Saltdogs. Game one is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at Haymarket Park.

Monarchs Held Scoreless By RedHawks

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks jumped out to a big lead in the first two innings and never looked back in their 9-0 win over the Monarchs at Legends Field Sunday afternoon.

RedHawks rookie starting pitcher Colten Davis threw six shutout innings allowing three hits, two walks, and struck out four.

Alec Olund led the way for Fargo going 3-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Monarchs starter Brandon Finnegan threw three innings allowing seven runs on eight hits, two walks and struck out three.

Cody Deason threw well in relief for Kansas City. Deason threw four innings with one unearned run on one hit, three walks, and struck out three.

The RedHawks started the scoring in the top of the first. Singles from Olund and Leo Piña set up an RBI double from Correlle Prime to make it 2-0. Manny Boscan later hit an RBI single that made it 3-0 RedHawks.

An RBI double from Dillon Thomas made it 4-0 Fargo in the second. A wild pitch, Piña RBI single and Scott Schreiber RBI double made it 7-0 RedHawks after two innings.

The scoring went quiet from Fargo until the eighth inning. Thomas hit another RBI single that made it 8-0 through eight.

Olund hit another RBI single in the ninth to make it the final score of 9-0 RedHawks.

Finnegan got the loss (6-5) and Davis got the win (5-0). The Monarchs fall to 49-36 but maintain a 4.5 game lead over the Sioux City Explorers in the West Division standings.

UP NEXT: The Monarchs conclude a four-game series versus the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Game four is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday. Miller Hogan will be on the mound for the Monarchs versus Fargo-Moorhead’s Kelvan Pilot.

Maple Hammer Leads Monarchs To Win

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Jacob Robson subbed in for Odubel Herrera in the fourth and hit two homers to help lead the Monarchs in their 10-5 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Saturday night at Legends Field.

Robson went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and three runs scored on his two homers to lead the way for KC.

Jan Hernandez stayed hot at the plate. He went 3-for-4 with two RBI’s including a two-run homer in the bottom of the third that put the Monarchs in the lead.

Jalen Miller earned his ninth win of the season which is tied for the league’s best. Miller threw six innings allowing three runs on eight hits, two walks, and struck out two.

The RedHawks started the scoring in the second inning. Singles from Correlle Prime, Evan Alexander, and Sam Dexter loaded the bases. Those singles set up an RBI sac fly from Nick Novak that scored Prime to make it 1-0 Fargo-Moorhead through two.

Fargo added onto their total in the third inning. Scott Schreiber hit a solo home run that made it 2-0 RedHawks.

The Monarchs answered in the bottom of the third. Justin Wylie hit his 15th homer of the year to make it 2-1. Chris Herrmann walked one batter later to set up the two-run blast from Hernandez to jump ahead 3-2 after three innings.

The Monarchs pulled away in the fifth inning. LJ Hatch singled to set up a two-run shot from Robson that made it 5-2. RBI knocks from Micker Adolfo and Brian O’Grady later made it 7-2 KC after five.

Fargo answered in the sixth with an RBI single from Alec Olund to make it 7-3 Monarchs.

The Monarchs added more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Wylie hit an RBI single that made it 8-3 and loaded the bases. Adolfo walked to bring in another run making it 9-3 KC after six.

Prime hit an RBI double to make it 9-4 Monarchs in the seventh.

Robson hit his second home run of the night in the bottom of the eighth to put the Monarchs up 10-4.

Patrick Weigel entered in the ninth to try and shut down the game before Schreiber’s second homer of the night made 10-5 in the top of the ninth. Fargo would put a runner on third before Weigel struck out the final two batters to end the game.

Miller got the win (9-2) and RedHawks starting pitcher Trey Cumbie got the loss (2-8).

The Monarchs improve to 49-35 and remain 4.5 games ahead of Sioux City in the West Division standings.

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue a four-game series versus the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Game three is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday. Brandon Finnegan will be on the mound for the Monarchs.

Timely Insurance Runs Secure Win Over RedHawks

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — An eighth-inning homer from Monarchs right fielder Micker Adolfo proved to be key insurance in the Monarchs’ 4-3 win over the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Friday night at Legends Field.

Monarchs starting pitcher Ashton Goudeau shined in his Kansas City debut on the mound. The former major leaguer threw six innings allowing only one run on six hits and struck out four.

Adolfo was hot at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBI’s including the two-run homer in the eighth.

Cam Cannon also had a productive Monarchs debut. Cannon finished 2-for-3 with a run scored including a triple in the bottom of the third in his first at-bat as a Monarch.

RedHawks starting pitcher Kevin McGovern threw seven innings allowing two runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out seven.

The Monarchs got on the board first in the bottom of the third. Cannon tripled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from LJ Hatch to make it 1-0 Monarchs.

The Monarchs added onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. Chris Herrmann singled and moved to second on a single from Jan Hernandez. The two singles set up an RBI double from Adolfo that made it 2-0 KC.

Fargo-Moorhead answered in the top of the fifth on a solo shot from Sam Dexter that made it 2-1 after five innings.

Both teams would go quiet until the bottom of the eighth. Another Hernandez single set up the two-run shot from Adolfo to make it 4-1 Monarchs.

The RedHawks showed life in the top of the ninth off Monarchs reliever Grant Gavin. Correlle Prime and Alec Olund singled to put two runners on. Nick Novak hit an RBI double one batter later to make it 4-3.

Gavin retired the next two hitters to strand Novak and finish the Monarchs’ win.

Goudeau (1-0) got the win and McGovern (8-8) got the loss. The Monarchs improve to 48-35 and hold a 4.5-game lead over the Sioux City Explorers in the West Division standings.

UP NEXT: The Monarchs continue a four-game series versus the RedHawks. Game two is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday night. Jalen Miller will be on the mound for the Monarchs.

Cannon Can Ball: Infielder Cannon Signs With Monarchs

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Kansas City Monarchs are welcoming a key new member of their infield.

Former Red Sox second-round pick Cameron Cannon has signed with Kansas City, the American Association club announced Friday.

Cannon joins the Monarchs from Double-A Reading in the Phillies organization, where he played 46 games and hit 11 doubles earlier this year.

The 25-year-old has played as high as Triple-A with the Red Sox organization. Boston picked him 43rd overall in 2019 out of the University of Arizona.

Cannon was a Baseball America first-team All-American with the Wildcats his junior year in 2019, when he was teammates with fellow Monarchs infielder Justin Wylie.

The righty hitter earned Pac-12 All-Conference honors that year, hitting .397 with a 1.129 OPS, 29 doubles, eight home runs and 56 RBIs in 56 games.

The Glendale, Arizona native also teamed up with current Monarch Cody Deason with the Wildcats in 2017 and 2018.

Cannon’s breakout year at the pros came in 2021, when he produced an .808 OPS in 74 games with High-A Greeville and earned a promotion to Double-A. He hit 30 doubles over 98 games between the two levels.

Cannon made his Triple-A debut with Worcester in 2022. The Phillies claimed him in the Rule 5 Draft the following offseason.

The Monarchs enter Friday with the best record in the American Association at 47-35. They face the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks Friday at 7 p.m., with additional games Saturday at 6 p.m., Sunday at 1 p.m. and Monday at 7 p.m.

Monarchs Drop Rubber Match To Canaries

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In a strange rubber match, walks and timely hits gave the Sioux Falls Canaries the series victory by a score of 8-4 over the Monarchs at Legends Field Thursday night.

Monarchs first baseman Chris Herrmann retook the American Association RBI lead. Herrmann knocked in his 77th and 78th RBI in his 3-for-4 effort at the plate.

The Monarchs fall to 47-35 but remain 3.5 games ahead of second-place Sioux City in the West Division standings.

The Canaries started the scoring in the second inning. Logan Eickhoff, Spencer Sarringar, and Wyatt Ulrich loaded the bases with walks. Ozzie Martinez walked to make it 1-0 Sioux Falls.

Sarringar would later score on a passed ball to make it 2-0 Canaries after the top of the second.

The Monarchs answered in the bottom of the second. Micker Adolfo singled, Taylor Snyder doubled, and Adolfo later scored on a wild pitch that made it 2-1 and put Snyder on third. Snyder then scored on an RBI sac fly from Jacob Robson to tie the game 2-2 after two innings.

The Canaries jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the top of the third. Hunter Clanin walked, Eickhoff doubled and both scored on Sarringar’s RBI double one batter later.

Jabari Henry hit a solo shot to make it 5-2 Canaries in the fourth inning.

Sarringar knocked in another run on a sac fly to make it 6-2 Canaries. Ulrich singled and made it to second on a throwing error from Trey Jeans. Martinez hit an RBI single that scored Ulrich and it was 7-2 Canaries after five innings.

Herrmann homered in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-3 Canaries.

A Darnell Sweeney RBI single made it 8-3 Canaries in the top of the eighth.

The Monarchs final sign of life was an RBI double from Herrmann that scored Odubel Herrera to make it 8-4 for the final score.

Canaries starter Neil Lang got the win (4-7) and Monarchs starter Zach Matson got the loss (4-3).

UP NEXT: The Monarchs begin a four-game series versus the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks. Game one is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night. Ashton Goudeau will make his Monarchs debut start versus Fargo-Moorhead.

Monarchs Fall Short In Extra-Inning Contest

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By Nolan Brooks

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A pitchers’ duel that turned into an extra-inning contest did not fall the Kansas City Monarchs’ way Wednesday. The Monarchs lost 4-3 to the Sioux Falls Canaries at Legends Field.

The Monarchs rallied from an early deficit to force extras, but Sioux Falls manufactured the winning run in the 10th to even the series.

Monarchs righty Miller Hogan threw four shutout innings allowing two hits, zero walks and struck out three as the “opener”.

Sioux Falls starter Akeem Bostick pitched six innings allowing only one run on four hits and struck out seven.

The Monarchs got on the board first. A solo home run from Jan Hernandez made it 1-0 Monarchs through two innings.

The Canaries came alive in the top of the fifth inning. Darnell Sweeney smashed a solo homer to make it 1-1.

Hunter Clanin walked and made his way to third on a steal and throwing error from Monarchs catcher Chris Herrmann. Clanin’s base running set up an RBI single from Logan Eickhoff to make it 2-1 Canaries.

Eickhoff later scored on an Ozzie Martinez RBI single that made it 3-1 Sioux Falls after five innings.

The Monarchs made it interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Jacob Robson singled and scored on an LJ Hatch RBI double to make it 3-2 Canaries.

The Monarchs tied it in the bottom of the eighth. Justin Wylie doubled and moved to third on a Herrmann single. Wylie scored on a two-out passed ball to tie the game 3-3 through eight innings.

The Canaries pulled ahead in extra innings. Martinez entered as the bonus runner for the Canaries and moved to third on a wild pitch. Martinez later scored on a Jabari Henry groundout to make it 4-3 Sioux Falls in the 10th.

Canaries reliever Cole LaLonde entered in the bottom of the 10th. Monarchs bonus runner Odubel Herrera took third on a dropped third strike, setting the table for Kansas City.

Hernandez hit a hard grounder to third, but Sweeney made a great play to snag the ball and tag Herrera out between third and home, saving a run.

LaLonde struck out the next batter, Brian O’Grady, for the final out. It was LaLonde’s first save of the season. Canaries reliever Charlie Hasty got the win (2-3) and Monarchs closer Patrick Weigel got the loss (1-3)

UP NEXT: The Monarchs conclude the three-game series versus the Canaries at 7 p.m. Thursday night. Zach Matson will start for the Monarchs versus Neil Lang for the Canaries. Thursday is HBCU and Greek Night at Legends Field. The Monarchs will donate 20% of ticket sales to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum’s “Pitch for the Future” expansion campaign.

Big Leaguer Goudeau Joins Monarchs

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Another major leaguer has arrived in the Kansas City Monarchs’ clubhouse.

Former Rockies and Reds pitcher Ashton Goudeau has joined the American Association club, the Monarchs announced Wednesday.

Goudeau has 27 career MLB appearances with the Rockies and Reds in 2020, 2021 and 2022. He owns 40 career strikeouts in 63 MLB innings.

The 31-year-old’s acquisition means the Monarchs have nine former MLB players on their roster, a season high.

In a corresponding move, the Monarchs placed pitcher Dalton Moats on the inactive list with an injury.

Goudeau is the latest former Rockies prospect to join the Monarchs. He, shortstop LJ Hatch and new infielder Taylor Snyder all played for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes for at least part of 2022.

The right-hander was born in Newport, Arkansas and went to high school in Union, Missouri. He played college ball at Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Royals drafted Goudeau in the 27th round in 2012; he made his pro debut with the organization that summer at the age of 19. He was promoted to High-A in 2015 and made his Double-A debut in 2016.

The right-hander was traded to the Mariners ahead of the 2018 season, making his Triple-A debut with Tacoma that year.

Goudeau moved to the Rockies in free agency the following offseason, pitching in Double-A in 2019. He earned a spot in the prestigious Arizona Fall League that year.

Goudeau did not allow a run over 13 fall league innings against some of the game’s top prospects, earning a spot on the AFL’s Rising Stars team.

At 28, Goudeau made his big-league debut on August 19, 2020. He made four appearances with the Rockies that season.

Goudeau bounced between several organizations in the 2020-21 offseason, eventually landing with the Reds. He made five relief appearances for Cincinnati that season. He’d return to the Rockies organization later in 2021 for 11 appearances. That included his lone big-league start, where he held the Arizona Diamondbacks to no runs and one hit over three innings on October 3.

Goudeau made 12 more appearances for the Rockies in 2022. He owns a 5.57 career big-league ERA.

Most recently, Goudeau pitched with Triple-A Toledo in the Tigers organization earlier this year. He’ll make his Partner League debut with the Monarchs.

Kansas City is in the midst of a seven-game homestand. The Monarchs kicked off the stretch with a come-from-behind win over Sioux Falls on Tuesday. Fans can find the club’s schedule and ticket information at MonarchsBaseball.com or on the American Association app.