KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City Monarchs are adding more strength to a solid starting rotation.

The Monarchs announced the addition of right-handed pitcher Grant Gambrell on Thursday afternoon. Gambrell will be eligible to pitch out of the bullpen for the Monarchs in their series finale with the Gary SouthShore RailCats on Thursday night at the U.S. Steel Yard in Gary, Indiana.

Kansas City returns to Legends Field on Friday night to host the Lincoln Saltdogs for the Fourth of July. Gambrell is scheduled to join the rotation during that home stand.

“We feel that Grant can help us tremendously to get back on track,” manager Joe Calfapietra said. “He brings Triple-A experience which makes us very excited.”

The 27-year-old joins a Monarchs team chasing the top spot in the American Association. Kansas City holds a 28-19 record and second place in the AAPB’s west division.

Gambrell inks with the Monarchs following a brief stint in the Mexican League. The 6’4” starting pitcher competed for the triple-A Worcester Red Sox in each of the last two seasons.

 Gambrell’s strong command led him to a career 3.82 ERA in Worcester.

 “He’s got a great sinker that will play well in a lot of places in this league,” Calfapietra said. “He’s used it at a high level in Worcester.”

Gambrell progressed from high-A Greenville to Triple-A in the 2023 season with 134 strikeouts in 126.1 innings. He delivered the second-most strikeouts by any Portland Sea Dog that season, hurling 84 punchouts in Double-A. 

Gambrell held a 4.09 ERA in Worcester last season.

The former Boston Red Sox prospect was originally a third-round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in the 2019 MLB Draft.

The Clovis, California native made waves during his senior year at Buchanan High School. Gambrell was nominated as a National Player of the Year frontrunner by USA Today with a 0.52 ERA. 

He committed to Oregon State and played three seasons with the Beavers. Two of those seasons featured a sub-3.00 ERA. 

The Monarchs close a three-game series with the RailCats on Thursday night. Tune in on The Bet KC 1660 AM and the Audacy app. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 pm.

GARY, In. – Newcomer Micah Pries put together a dominant Kansas City Monarchs debut in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to the Gary SouthShore RailCats at the U.S. Steel Yard.

Pries demolished a two-run home run in the seventh inning. The Monarchs right fielder belted a 385-foot round-tripper off former major leaguer Demarcus Evans.

The former Cleveland Guardians prospect went three RBIs in the loss.

Pries started the scoring in the third inning. The 27-year-old delivered an RBI fielder’s choice to make it 1-0, Kansas City.

Jorge Bonifacio doubled the lead with an RBI single three pitches later.

Julian Garcia was masterful in his ninth start of the season. The right-hander started with four no-hit innings, delivering nine strikeouts.

Garcia posted 11 strikeouts in seven innings. The reigning American Association All-Star has recorded five games with ten or more punchouts this season.

The RailCats (13-34) scratched three runs in the fifth inning to take the lead. Andres Noriega tied the game with a two-run double, Jairus Richards smacked a go-ahead RBI double to make it 3-2.

Pries’ home run restored Kansas City’s (28-18) lead. He smoked a two-out blast to give Kansas City a 4-3 lead.

The RailCats pieced together two eighth-inning runs to steal the win. Ernny Ordoñez’s RBI single with two outs made the difference.

Kansas City put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but Jacob Coats (3) held firm for the save.

UP NEXT

The Monarchs look to even the series on Wednesday night at 6:45 pm. Monarchs fans can listen to the game on The Bet 1660 AM and the Audacy App or watch along on AABaseball.tv.