Almonte (shoulder) ended 2017 minor-league season with a 1.72 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 16 games (47 innings) with Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha.
The prospect appeared in two games for the Royals before his season ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury. During his time at Double-A, Almonte managed a career-high 10.9 K/9 while displaying much better control (1.9 BB/9) than in previous years. The sample size was small, though, and the 24-year-old's numbers regressed upon reaching Triple-A, suggesting Almonte might need more polishing than once thought.