With most of the big names in the hot stove off the board, mid-December is a time for MLB teams to do the work of tending to the back end of their organization depth charts.

On Tuesday, the Royals announced the release of four of their minor-league prospects:

#Royals release 4 RHP prospects: Ysrael Abreu, Jose Brazoban, Adelso Polanco, Yerinson Tatis. Brazoban was 2010 Dominican Pitcher of Year.

— Bob Dutton (@Royals_Report) December 17, 2012

Brazoban has a career ERA of 2.63, although much of that was accumulated in rookie ball. Polanco and Tatis, meanwhile, have combined for fewer than 60 total innings in their careers. Abreu does not appear to have any statistics with the Kansas City organization.

It's always possible that one of them could eventually become a competent MLB pitcher, as all four are still Dominican teenagers with very little experience in professional baseball.

No one is in a better position to judge their potential than the Royals, however, and the odds are that you will never hear their names again.