Monarchs Land Triple-A Pitcher With Local Ties

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A high-level pitcher born and raised in KC is coming to the Kansas City Monarchs.

The American Association club has signed left-hander Dalton Moats, the club announced Monday.

The 27-year-old Moats is set to make his American Association debut with the Monarchs after six seasons in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The lefty earned a 3.60 ERA in 51 appearances at Triple-A Durham in 2022, a full run below the league average.

Moats attended Park Hill High School in Kansas City, where he played football and basketball as well as baseball. The Royals drafted him in the 33rd round out of high school, but he elected to attend college.

Moats got the call again in 2016, drafted in the 15th round by the Rays. Though he was a starter in college, he was moved to a bullpen role in the minors. He reached High-A in 2017 and was promoted to Double-A Montgomery the following year.

Moats posted a 3.17 ERA in 2019 with Montgomery over 42 appearances, all but two out of the bullpen.

Moats owns a career 3.57 ERA and walked just 2.7 batters per nine innings over six years of affiliated baseball.

About the American Association

The American Association of Professional Baseball played its first season in 2006. It is a professional partner league that is affiliated with Major League Baseball but not specifically with any one team. The league consists of 12 teams located primarily in the Midwest and the South of the United States. Its season runs from May to September and features players who are looking to showcase their talents for a chance to be signed by a major league team. 

About the Kansas City Monarchs

The Kansas City Monarchs are a professional baseball team in the American Association, an MLB Partner League. This year, they are celebrating their 20th year of baseball in Kansas City, Kansas. In 2020, the team partnered with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and changed their name from the T-Bones to the Monarchs in honor of the legendary Negro League franchise that played from 1920 to 1965. The Monarchs won ten Negro American League championships and two Negro League World Series championships in their history. The team featured numerous notable players over the years, including Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, Ernie Banks, and Buck O’Neil.