Alex
Royalty

4/25/18 - Competitive with a lanky frame that has strength present. Average athlete moves well around the mound. Average to below pick move but works to control run game with his change in cadence and working 1.30-1.35 to the plate. Can add in a slide step at 1.15 when he feels necessary. Holds stuff in the stretch. Pitch-ability righty works to get soft, early contact with a solid two pitch mix, and a split-finger that is inconsistent but has a chance to get swing and miss when it works with depth. Has struggled in recent weeks, taking losses in his last three starts.  Unable to stay out of some big innings, Towson jumped on the Royalty in the first for 2 runs, 1 earned. Continuing to work through some trouble in the 3rd, Royalty settled in, throwing more strikes with his sinking fastball at 89-93, retiring 11 of the next 13 batters faced. Working 6.2 innings, Royalty induced 14 ground outs and punched 6. No fly ball outs in the 109 pitch outing, with only 1 walk and 1 HBP. The fastball settled 90-91, but he had the ability to go get 93 with runners in scoring position. Late, hard sink to the arm side ran off the plate for much of the first three innings. When he found control of that pitch, stuff ticked up across the board. The breaking ball worked with inconsistent tilt, ranging 74-77. When thrown to the arm side, it tumbled out of the hand, more downer action, and rarely for a strike. To right handed hitters, he featured a hard 10/4 tilt with length, creating awkward takes and chase out of the zone at times.  Hand speed fluctuates on spin creating some of the inconsistency on the tilt and depth.  Split-finger change sat 83-84 with late depth, tumbling straight down, when starting below the waist. Swing and miss on the splitty when on the plate and down below the zone. A couple were hung and hit hard early, and the pitch was abandoned for most of the outing. Tall throughout the delivery, good head stability. Hand pump and long, straight back rocker create some rhythm disruption out of the wind-up. Long arm action works to an over-the-top delivery with arm speed through release. Some effort, working level and on-line. Soft, square foot strike, gaining extension through the target. Control over command, with a feel for sides of the plate. Missed on several opportunities to expand with elevation. The development of a consistent third pitch may allow him to compete as a starter moving forward, but if stuff ticks up in a relief role, he may project quicker out of the bullpen.