SPORTS
Text and photos courtesy of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals
Royals Top Prospects and Game-Changing Promotions in NWA Naturals 2025 Season
With a new wave of up-and-coming talent and memorable promotions, the season promises action-packed fun
Baseball season is here, and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, the Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, are ready for another thrilling year. The team will kick off its 17th season with a road game April 4 before returning to Arvest Ballpark for its home opener April 8 against the Frisco RoughRiders, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers.
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A New Manager and Familiar Staff
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When the Naturals take the field, the team will be led by a new manager as Brooks Conrad has been tabbed by Kansas City to take the reins of the club in 2025. Conrad, the eighth manager in Naturals history, is joined on the coaching staff by newcomer Chris Corbett, who is the team’s assistant hitting coach. Joining the newcomers in the Naturals dugout are returnees pitching coach Larry Carter, hitting coach Andy LaRoche, coach Kevin Kuntz, assistant pitching performance/strategy coach Sam Eades, athletic trainer Brad Groleau, and strength and conditioning coach Ted Elsner.
Photo by Tommy Raymond
Conrad, 44, has plenty of experience to offer the club as he is heading into his eighth season as a manager in the Kansas City Royals minor league system. Prior to joining Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Conrad was the manager for the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits for the last three seasons and held the same position with the Single-A Columbia Fireflies in 2021. He also skippered the Low-A Lexington Legends to a 2019 South Atlantic League championship. During his professional career, Conrad played in more than 300 MLB games as a player in 2008-2014 with the highlight of his career being a walk-off grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds in 2010 when he was with the Atlanta Braves.
Big Names on the Horizon
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The Naturals are in line to have a strong roster of highly touted Kansas City Royals prospects for fans to keep an eye on this season. After finishing last season with the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits, Kansas City’s No. 1 prospect and first round draft pick (No. 6 overall) in the 2024 draft, Jac Caglianone, may soon be calling Arvest Ballpark home. Caglianone, a towering 6-5 first baseman with incredible power, hit 68 homers during his last two seasons at the University of Florida. Also, a top-ranked left-handed pitcher in college, Caglianone will focus on the bat during the 2025 season in hopes of helping the Royals in the near future. He’s one of the most exciting young players to watch in all of professional baseball.
Photo by Jared Sullivan
Photo by Tommy Raymond
Other top-10 prospects in the system, such as pitcher Ben Kudrna (No. 3), catcher Carter Jensen (No. 5) and Gavin Cross (No. 6), all played in Northwest Arkansas in 2024 and could return this season. In addition to those names, top-30 prospects such as pitcher Frank Mozzicato (No. 11), pitcher Hunter Owen (No. 19), outfielder Carson Roccaforte (No. 28) and outfielder Spencer Nivens (No. 30) could potentially find themselves on the diamond at Arvest Ballpark this summer. Mozzicato was a first-round pick in 2021 (No. 7 overall). The Royals’ No. 2 prospect, catcher Blake Mitchell, also closed out 2024 with the Quad Cities River Bandits and could find his way to Northwest Arkansas by the end of 2025.
The combination of the Naturals’ prospect-laden roster and the talent-rich Texas League will give fans a chance to see some of the future stars of Major League Baseball right here at home. The Texas League will feature some of the top up-and-coming prospects from the following clubs: Kansas City Royals (Naturals); Seattle Mariners (Arkansas Travelers); St. Louis Cardinals (Springfield Cardinals); Los Angeles Dodgers (Tulsa Drillers); Minnesota Twins (Wichita Wind Surge); Arizona Diamondbacks (Amarillo Sod Poodles); Houston Astros (Corpus Christi Hooks); Texas Rangers (Frisco RoughRiders); Athletics (Midland RockHounds); and the San Diego Padres (San Antonio Missions).
Photo by Jared Sullivan
Naturals Fun for the Whole Family
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As always, the Naturals are bringing plenty of excitement to Arvest Ballpark with a packed season of promotions, giveaways and themed nights. Fans can look forward to fan-favorite giveaways such as a Wiffle Bat and Ball Set (April 8), a Bobby Witt Jr. Bobblehead (Aug. 23), and more throughout the season.
In addition to the giveaways, the Naturals are also hosting 18 post-game fireworks shows, including special displays for holidays such as Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July. These fireworks shows will light up the sky after Friday night games and select Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer, including the largest fireworks spectacular in all of Northwest Arkansas on July 4.
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Entertaining and Affordable Baseball
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This season, you’ll also find tons of exciting theme nights. Be sure to mark your calendar for Peanuts Night (May 24), Harry Potter Night (Aug. 2) and the ever-popular Star Wars Night (June 7). Favorites such as Growlin’ Chickens Weekend and Faith & Family Night will also be back!
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“We have a lot of promotions planned throughout the season for families to enjoy,” said Justin Cole, Naturals vice president and general manager. “This year, we have added some new theme nights to our promotional schedule, like Peanuts Night and Harry Potter Night, among others that we’re really excited about and think fans will love.”
Family Sundays are back with fun activities such as Kids Run the Bases and a FREE Kids Snack Giveaway. The Kids Zone area will have everything from inflatables to a mini-golf course to a speed pitch to a wiffle ball field and even a train that loops around the stadium — perfect for little ones looking for more excitement between innings!
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Of course, there’s also plenty of value to enjoy at the ballpark. Tickets for most games range from $10 to $17, and fans can save more with options such as Season Tickets, Mini Packs, Flex Packs and Family Packs. There’s also a variety of group packages, party areas, and suite rentals available for special events and outings throughout the summer.
Photo by Jared Sullivan
Photo by Tommy Raymond
Daily Deals and Discounts
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Don’t miss out on the daily promotions that make attending a Naturals game even sweeter. Get a great deal on Tuesday nights with the Buck-A-Brat promotion, grab $1 hot dogs every Wednesday night, and enjoy $2 16 oz. drafts and peanuts on Thirsty Thursdays. For the adults, the Bullpen Party offers happy hour specials before every Friday and Saturday game.
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Get Your Tickets Now!
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It’s shaping up to be another unforgettable season at Arvest Ballpark, filled with affordable, family-friendly fun. Single-game tickets are already on sale, and you can check out the full promotional schedule and get your tickets online. Don’t miss out on the action as the Naturals are excited for another great season that will be full of young talent, exciting moments, and plenty of entertainment and memories for fans of all ages.
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See you at the ballpark. Go Naturals!
