***Official 2022 Royals Season Repository Thread***
For all things Royals in 2022. #3 minor league system according to Baseball America. The Bobby Witt era should begin this year. Will Salvy still be the homerun king? How does the glut of infield players work out? Will the young pitchers take the next step?
Free Agents/Trades Acquisitions
Zack Greinke, P
Amir Garrett, P
Taylor Clarke, P
Top 10 Prospects from Baseball America
1. Bobby Witt, SS
2. Asa Lacy, P
3. MJ Melendez, C
4. Nick Pratto, 1B
5. Jackson Kowar, P
6. Kyle Isabel, OF
7. Frank Mozzicato, P
8. Ben Kudrna, P
9. Jonathan Bowlan, P
10. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
Duncan's Top Royals Prospects
Spoiler!
1. Bobby Witt, Jr., SS. MLB.
This status lasts about another 4 weeks, but let’s take a moment to appreciate having the top guy in the minor league prospects lists for at least a little while longer. Witt has prodigious ability and the question is really just IF he can meet it. They have not had a prospect like this in my lifetime, and really probably ever. Combine insane raw physical skills (right there with Adalberto Mondesi and Willie Wilson in the ranks right behind Bo Jackson) with unbelievable work ethic, a humble-but-confident nature, and already having shown he can struggle and overcome to achieve big success, and you have the tools for a show-stopping centerpiece. Oh, and throw in the former-player’s kid aspect on it on top of things, and there is every reason to believe he’s going to succeed and succeed big.
2. M.J. Melendez, C, AAA Omaha.
I was early on putting him in this slot last year, and I don’t regret it. The power, the ability to be a good defender behind the dish as well as having the athletic ability to play 3B or LF, too, and you have a really valuable overall piece and FANTASTIC understudy for Salvador Perez.
3. Asa Lacy, LHP. AA Northwest Arkansas
Whoa, let’s get crazy again. Lacy has outstanding stuff. Top of the system. He got hurt and lost his command during COVID times, but appears to be back on track so far this spring. If his command sticks, this is a guy who can move quickly. And his ceiling is really second to nobody in the minor league pitching ranks.
4. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B. AA Northwest Arkansas
Vinnie starts the season back at AA due to the guy who follows him on the list here. He just hits, folks. I love his combination of contact, loud contact, plate discipline, and lack of strikeouts. The Billy Butler comparisons are annoying (in that I will NEVER refer to this man as Italian Breakfast except in the instance that just occurred), but the Billy Butler comparisons are also fairly apt… if you made Butler a lefthanded hitter, AND improved his body/athleticism from a 20 to a 40, AND if you added that little extra touch of power we all wished Butler could consistently find.
5. Nick Pratto, 1B, AAA Omaha.
Hey, let’s stay at 1B. Pratto has flashy power and I love his batting eye AND his hand-eye coordination. The hair he’s been rocking this spring is also pretty sweet. I slot him just behind Pasquantino simply because I think his bat profile is more volatile. The glove and arm are sweet/plus for 1B, though.
6. Jonathan Bowlan, RHP, AAA Omaha
Bowlan is coming back from Tommy John surgery, and this ranking is assuming that recovering is successful. If it his, you’re talking about a big, consistent SP who throws hard enough and has enough of a repertoire to really make things happen. If the recovery goes well, he may be shuttling to the majors in July to reinforce the rotation.
7. Nick Loftin, CF, AA Omaha.
Loftin is a guy who has really grown on me. I saw him as a quasi super-utility guy when the Royals drafted him, The full-time shift to CF (which means they think he has the speed and the overall defensive ability to handle CF in Kansas City) adds a lot of value here. The ultimate positive offensive upside is similar to peak Whit Merrifield, maybe with a touch more early power.
8. Michael Massey, 2B, AA Northwest Arkansas.
Massey was an absolute revelation last year, hitting for power and average and keeping his K rate down while playing a really strong 2B. He has a very sweet, short lefthanded stroke. This is another aggressive rating, but Massey has proven himself through a tough minor league assignment already, and the arrow is pointed up.
9. Ben Kudrna, RHP, Rookie Ball
Kudrna is a big, physical specimen with a lot of upside and potential. The fastball and slider are already nearly MLB-level in terms of velocity and movement (command needs work). Kudrna is a guy who, with luck, and health, and good development, could ascend to the top of a rotation.
10. Frank Mozzicato, LHP, Rookie Ball.
Mozzicato has a curveball that suggests he has a feel for spin. If you want to dream, you hope that the next 2-3 years turn the 175 he weighed when drafted into a rock-solid 220/225 and carries with it an increase in fastball velocity from 90-91, sitting 87-88, to 96-97, sitting 93-94. You pair his ability to spin the ball (which also suggests he should be able to easily master a sweeper slider) with that type of fastball velo and a changeup he already has a feel for, and it’s an exciting profile.
He has a little more to go in terms of growing into that projectability than Kudrna, which is why he slots right behind him.
11. Alec Marsh, RHP, AA Northwest Arkansas
Marsh missed a lot of 2021 to injury, but the hard-throwing righthander is another guy who could move quickly once the minor league season starts. He’s undeniably got the stuff of a quality major-league pitcher. The question is if he can master enough command to cash it in. This guy is a great example of TINSTAAPP.
12. Angel Zerpa, LHP, AAA Omaha
Zerpa might quickly outperform this slot. His stuff ticked up in 21 and he ended the season making a start in the majors. He’s nice depth to have, and honestly, I’m a big fan of just throwing numbers at pitching. Zerpa definitely helps create the depth you need to generate a top-notch and reliable home-grown rotation.
13. Maikel Garcia, SS, AA Northwest Arkansas
Garcia is a really intriguing hitter, a righthanded hitter who has a nice combination of contact skills and control of the strike zone (this cousin of Alcides Escobar is less savvy with the glove and more savvy at the plate). The Royals protected him for a reason (he’s on the 40-man).
14. Carter Jensen, C, A ??
Jensen is a local product whose bat will probably push him off C (as well as the Royals depth at that spot throughout the organization). This is a future 1B profile, and a nice one. He makes a lot of loud contact and shows an ability to lift the ball. Should be fun to watch this year.
15. Ben Hernandez, RHP, A+ Quad Rivers
Hernandez missed a good part of 2021 but still has that butterfly changeup and a classic pitcher’s profile. He’ll need to find a reliable swing-and-miss secondary to make it in the bigs, but if not, the fastball velocity and changeup should make him a quality high-leverage reliver.
16. Dylan Coleman, RHP, AAA Omaha
Speaking of relievers, Coleman is a hard-throwing righthander who probably spends most of 22 in the Royals’ pen. ½ of the compensation for the Rosenthal trade a few years back, Coleman has a big fastball and nasty breaking ball.
17. Will Klein, RHP, AA Northwest Arkansas
Speaking of relivers, everything I just said about Coleman? Yeah, you can say it about Klein, too. Klein regularly toyed with hitters at high A last year, striking out 121 hitters in just 70 1/3 innings pitched. For those counting at home, that’s a 15.5 K/9 rate. Yep. That’ll play.
18. Anthony Veneziano, LHP, AA Northwest Arkansas
Here’s another big, power arm. Veneziano hasn’t been relegated to bullpen only yet, though. His fastball bumped into the high 90s last year on a starter’s workload. He’s still looking for a changeup, but if he doesn’t find it, you’re looking at a really promising future bullpen fireballer.
19. Erick Pena, OF, A ?
Pena did… not have a strong 2021 full season debut. His struggles look a lot like those of Pratto and Melendez in 2019. Pena has the same type of raw toolkit to work from as those two, with great hands and natural power. He needs to fix a hitch in his swing and calm it down, but so did Melendez. Of this second ten grouping, Pena has the highest upside and could jump right into the top 5 of the org ranks.
20. Darryl Collins, OF, A+
Collins is an international signing out of Europe. I like the hitting package here – good eye and contact skills. He needs to make more loud contact, but if he can, really a nice guy.
Overall takeaways:
This is a system with a lot of depth. We could go another 10-12 deep and still be talking about guys with a good shot to make the majors. The changes to the organization’s approach are bearing fruit, as even less-heralded draftees are stepping forward.
The combination of upside (Witt, Melendez, Lacy), depth, and guys you can dream on is fun. It may not produce quite as much as the 2011 group did, but it does offer a more sustainable system, less reliant on a few big-ticket guys.
Last edited by ChiefsCountry; 04-03-2022 at 01:56 PM..
Well, nothing in that article says there's a no-trade clause. Other than that, I don't know why the decision to be traded would be up to him.
Not that he'd be in great demand with his inconsistent season, but it seems monumentally stupid for the Royals to give him $13M for one year and not retain the ability to trade him.
Because it doesn't like ok good to potential free agents when a team lies to get a guy to sign with them.
This Week in the Minors: Andrés Núñez adds four innings to shutout streak; Robbie Glendinning keeps hitting; Tyler Tolbert still perfect in steals.
Quote:
The scoreless streak of Andrés Núñez is officially in bonkers territory, if it wasn’t already. Núñez made two more shutout appearances this week, each for two innings, and he struck out four in each. The Streak is now up to 24 1⁄3 innings in 20 games, with 31 strikeouts and four walks.
Lefty Josh Dye is cooking up a shutout streak of his own, with 14 1⁄3 shutout frames over his last nine appearances.
Center fielder Drew Waters, who was just acquired in exchange for the 35th draft pick, hit the ground running with his new team. He hit in every game, tallying eight hits that included a double, a triple, and two steals. He did strike out 10 times, though.
Shortstop Iván Castillo went 6-for-20 with two doubles, and drew five walks.
Nick Loftin did a bit of everything at the plate and on the bases, going 8-for-22 with two doubles and a homer, seven (!) walks drawn, and two stolen bases in three attempts. He played center field the whole series, after splitting much of the previous month-ish between CF and 2B.
Logan Porter played five games at catcher this series, and came away with eight hits that included two doubles and two homers. Porter has also played both corner infield positions recently.
Also piling up eight hits this week were outfielder Tyler Gentry and first baseman Robbie Glendinning. Glendinning now leads the Naturals in homers with 15, and has hit .279/.375/.509 on the season.
LHP Dante Biasi had a nice start on Sunday, with five shutout innings. He allowed four hits and two walks, but struck out five. Right-handed reliever Andres Sotillet has a shutout streak going, with no runs crossing the plate in his last seven appearances. In that time, he has struck out 12 and walked four.
Right-hander Adrian Alcantara pitched possibly the best game of his pro career on Saturday. In a 7-inning game, Alcantara went the whole way, allowing no runs and just two singles and a walk. He struck out seven, and threw just 83 pitches. It was the first 7-inning outing of his career, and the highest Game Score per Baseball Reference.
The other game of that day’s doubleheader was started by Rylan Kaufman, who got stuck with the Loss despite allowing only one run in five innings, with seven strikeouts and two walks.
The nature of this column is working with small sample sizes. A week is small, no matter what! Sometimes that makes for fun parallels, like how outfielder Juan Carlos Negret and shortstop Tyler Tolbert both had a .462 on-base percentage this week, but they arrived at that number from totally different directions.
Negret went 9-for-23 with two doubles, and drew three walks. Tolbert only managed three hits in 26 plate appearances, but he drew nine (!) walks. And while on base, Tolbert stole three more bags, without getting caught - bringing his season total to 38 steals and a 100% success rate.
Catcher Luca Tresh went 6-for-19 with a homer and a double, and four walks.
A few of the exact same batsmen as last week shined in this series as well. Left fielder River Town went 7-for-21 with five walks and two steals. He homered twice to take the team lead in dingers with 12 on the season. Town overtook the team lead from catcher Carter Jensen, who hit one home run this week to bring him to 10 on the season. Jensen also doubled twice, singled thrice, and walked four times.
Outfielder Jean Ramirez and third baseman Enrique Valdez each hit their first triples of the season this week, and they hit a home run apiece as well.
For the fourth start in a row, righty Luinder Avila turned in a noteworthy performance. This time, Avila struck out eight in five shutout innings, with just two singles and two walks allowed. This four-start string represents an incredible bounceback for Avila, after he got pulled in the second inning in a rough start a month ago.
Right-handed reliever Luis Barrio picked up saves in both the Fireflies wins, allowing just one total baserunner in two inning-long appearances.
Ben Hernandez was good in his start on Sunday, allowing just one unearned runs on a series of miscues in the 6th. Otherwise, his book closed with no earned runs, one hit allowed, three strikeouts, and no walks.
Take a bow, Danny Ontiveros. You played this one beautifully.
Quote:
One of the persistent cries of Royals fans and commentators alike voices a desire to see a coherent plan for roster building by the Royals front office. As outsiders, it’s often difficult to know if the Royals have a good plan (unlikely given the team’s performance over the last six years), a bad plan, or no plan at all.
The same cries persist for a coherent plan as it relates to draft strategy and player development. The Royals have offered explanations as to why they’ve done certain things in particular drafts (focusing heavily on college pitching in 2018 for example), but until the 2022 MLB Draft, there was no discernible identity as a player acquisition and development system.
Danny Ontiveros on the Royals all-college draft so far:
“Well, it wasn’t planned. Sometimes it really depends on availability at the time. ... When you start looking at things, financially things worked out. We really liked these players. I just kind of ended up going with it."
Ontiveros’ comments were clearly more nuanced than this one line, but it’s understandable if this sentiment worries the Royals faithful. In the past, the biggest issues with the Royals’ draft strategy has been an inconsistent targeting of particular traits, especially in pitchers. Recently, the Royals have had success drafting productive college hitters in later rounds and turning their solid hit tools into professional production. On the pitching side, it has looked more like they’re throwing spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks.
In 2021, for example, the Royals selected three pitchers with three of their top five picks who don’t fit any clear profile that might pair well with their pitching development system. Frank Mozzicato is a projectable lefty with good spin but not great velocity. Ben Kudrna is a flame thrower who is pretty tapped out physically but has a feel to pitch. Shane Panzini is a thrower more than a pitcher at this point with decent stuff but a long way to go command-wise.
What’s the thread there?
Teams that are good at developing pitching start by targeting traits they feel they can’t teach. They then help those players grow in the areas they teach well. Cleveland, for example, targets athletic players with projectable or present command and the potential for more velocity. Then, Cleveland helps them gain velocity, lets their bodies develop, and optimizes their pitch mixes. This has produced a stable of good to great pitchers for Cleveland (Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, Triston McKenzie). Bieber is the textbook example. He came out of UC Santa Barbara throwing 88-92; Cleveland got him up to 93-94 in his Cy Young year. And though his velocity has dipped this year, they’ve also added to his arsenal so he’s a five-pitch pitcher with a 3.24 ERA and 2.73 FIP.
So, what about the Royals 2022 draft? Does it hold any signs of hope? Signs that the Royals under Ontiveros will have a coherent draft strategy that fits their development strengths and weaknesses?
Actually, yeah.
If someone showed me a generic organization and said “This is a small-market team with a good track record of developing hitting but a terrible track record developing pitching,” I’d advise that team to do exactly what the Royals did in the 2022 draft. Use their most valuable draft resources to take hitters they can maximize and try to find pitching later. The Royals have actually had some success developing backend starters and bullpen pieces. Jon Heasley looks like he may stick at the back end of their rotation. Jonathan Bowlan looks like he may be an effective starter once he fully recovers from Tommy John. Rounds 3-10 are for finding effective backend and bullpen guys, and that’s exactly what the Royals did in rounds 3-10.
They took guys like Hunter Patteson, Steven Zobac, and David Sandlin—guys who may be long shots but who have upside if you can develop them. Patteson looked lights out before he needed Tommy John this spring. That’s a great pick in round five. Zobac was a two-way player who became a starting pitcher this year. Full time pitching may see him develop better stuff. Sandlin is the gem of the pitchers taken, as he has mid-rotation potential with two good secondaries and a projectable fastball.
All of a sudden, a little pattern may be emerging in terms of the types of arms the Royals are interested in taking. Many of the pitchers they took are good athletes who are in some way still projectable. Maybe they’re recovering from TJ; maybe they were recently converted into a full time pitcher. Or maybe, like Sandlin, they just emerged with potential many saw in them previously. The Royals still need a better pitching development program to get the most out of these guys, but the 2022 draft has a chance to be a significant step toward creating a more cohesive pitching development system.
***Official 2022 Royals Season Repository Thread***
Looking ahead at our midseason top-50 list
Spoiler!
Alex Duvall
Quote:
The Kansas City Royals entered the 2022 season with a bona fide top-5 farm system in all of baseball. Headlined by Bobby Witt Jr., the system was loaded at the top with MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino, Nick Pratto, and the hope for a healthy Asa Lacy. As we enter the All-Star Break, eight of the Royals top-20 prospects from our preseason rankings have seen big league time and there’s a slim chance none of them will be on our midseason list. Needless to say there will be a massive shake up on our midseason list compared to preseason, so I wanted to take a quick look at some guys who will be moving up or down compared to where they were in January. The beginnings of our midseason top-50 will begin after the trade deadline.
Risers
Tyler Gentry, OF
Josh tried to tell us all on the podcast that Gentry would be a top-20 prospect by the end of the year, but I don’t think even he maybe realized that Gentry would be a lock for the top-10 by midseason. Gentry has been without a doubt the best hitter in the organization all year and in a system that is about to graduate a bunch of its best prospects, it’s fantastic to have guys like Gentry filling in. The weird thing about Gentry is how remarkably better he’s been at AA compared to High-A, but I’m not going to get too much into that just yet. For now, just be aware that Gentry is a legitimate big league prospect and perhaps the right fielder of the future.
River Town, OF
My dumb ass accidentally left Town off of our “Honorable Mention” list this preseason and boy has he made me look bad for that. Town has been one of the Royals most productive hitters in the first half of the minor league season and has carried the Columbia Fireflies offense. His 144 wRC+ landed him on our “First Half All-Star” team in LF and, assuming he makes his way to High-A at some point this week, Town has a chance to crack our top-30 by the offseason.
Michael Massey, 2B
If Massey is still with the big league club on Friday we’ll probably leave him off of our midseason list, unfortunately I just don’t think it’ll happen for him that quickly. It’s hard for someone that we ranked at #16 preseason to be considered a riser by midseason, but that’s exactly what Massey has accomplished. I’d guess he’s top-5 but Pratto being in Omaha, the addition of Cross…it’s not a guarantee just yet.
Gavin Cross, OF
Yeah this is cheating but this is supposed to be more of an inventory than anything else, so…
Cayden Wallace, 3B
See above…
Luca Tresh, C
We had Tresh at #43 preseason and he has quietly been one of the best hitters in the system at High-A this year. He’s still striking out more than you’d like to see, but he’s taking walks, hitting for power, and he’s still really good behind home plate. I wouldn’t be shocked if some of the guys voted him top-20.
Nate Eaton, UTIL
Eaton cracked our top-30 for the first time this offseason and he’s now got an outside chance at our top-10. I doubt he gets that far, but he looked pretty good in CF in Toronto and his bat just keeps improving.
Carter Jensen, C
Jensen came in at #26 on our preseason top-50 and has a chance to wind up in our top-10 at midseason. He’s still a 19-year old catcher in Low-A, so there’s a way to go yet, but he’s been pretty damn good this year.
Diego Hernandez, CF
Diego Hernandez has a chance to go from our preseason Honorable Mentions to midseason top-15. He’s a legitimately plus defender in CF, he runs like a bat out of hell, and he’s starting to hit the ball with more authority than we’ve ever seen from him. He needs to continue to gain weight and muscle, but he’s got a shot to be a semi-impactful big leaguer if he keeps developing like this.
Noah Cameron, LHP
Another guy I just forgot to add to the Honorable Mentions list, Cameron, who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery and has missed some time on the IL this season, has looked incredible when he’s been on the mound. He struck out 12 batters in four innings in his High-A debut and looks like a legitimate big league starting pitching prospect.
Tumblers
Erick Pena, OF
Pena has had a disastrous 2022 campaign and looks like a long shot to regain his top prospect status at the moment. The tools are still very evident. He plays a decent CF, he runs well, and his raw power is great for a 19-year old. He just looks to have no kind of approach at the plate at times and his hit tool is suspect at best. Still, the tools are worth dreaming on and he won’t tumble all the way out of our top-30…yet…but Drew Saylor is gonna have to work some magic here.
Darryl Collins, OF
Darryl Collins’ BB/K ratio is somehow even better than it was last season, but he’s now a 20-year old in Low-A who is actually on the development list at the moment. We know the raw power is in there somewhere. Collins has flashed excellent max exit velocities in the past and has hit some mammoth home runs. He just does not get to it consistently at all and had zero home runs in 45 games in Columbia to start the season. He also probably won’t fall out of our top-30 just yet, but it would be hard to justify him being in our top-15 like he was preseason. I could not have been higher on this kid and I feel kind of bad for selling Royals fans a bag of false goods. I still love him and I still think the ceiling on the kid is sky-high…he just doesn’t have Erick Pena’s tools to fall back on and he’s not even playing right now.
Omar Hernandez, C
Sebastian Rivero Jr. is hitting .215 in his second round at Low-A this season, and although he’s a wizard behind home plate, he also has zero home runs in 56 games with Columbia. We had him #29 preseason and while I think the defense justifies it, he has shown zero signs of ever being able to hit enough to be a big leaguer just yet.
Zach Haake, RHP
Haake just hasn’t been able to put anything together in the Royals system and may never reach the big leagues at this point. He’s a 25-year old reliever in AA with a 5.93 ERA. He needs some help with his command and refining his fastball shape, and I just don’t know if he’s going to get that in this system. We had him #39 preseason, so it’s not like he had far to tumble, but he’s looking like a guy that may not even crack the top-50 at this rate.
Royals try to balance floor and ceiling with a college-heavy 2022 draft
The class is highlighted by two college hitters
Quote:
A year after a risky draft class headlined by gambles on projectable prep pitchers, the Royals went the opposite direction in the 2022 draft.
The first 17 selections of the draft were all college players, with the headliners being ninth overall pick Gavin Cross and 49th overall pick Cayden Wallace.
This is a notable departure from how the Royals typically draft at the top. The Royals had not used their first-round pick on a college hitter since drafting Hunter Dozier in 2013. The only other time in the Dayton Moore era they drafted a college hitter first was also the only time they’ve used their first two picks on college bats: 2010, when they drafted Christian Colon and Brett Eibner.
Perhaps this has something to do with personnel. This is the first draft for new Royals scouting director Danny Ontiveros. He spoke highly of Cross’s and Wallace’s ability on both sides of the ball:
“We think they’re both going to be potential middle-of-the-order bats, and the good thing is that they’re both plus defenders. We just feel like we got really well-rounded players that fit with what we’re doing right now.”
Kansas City was originally slated to have three day one draft picks, but traded the 35th pick to Atlanta for prospects. Lonnie Goldberg, now vice president of player personnel, views those prospects as part of their day one haul and highlights their versatility:
“It was important we walked out of today with baseball players that were versatile, that could do a lot of what you see in the Major League team now, what went on in [the weekend series in Toronto], with a lot of versatile players that could play multiple positions. When that pick was traded, we also look at those three players as part of our Draft. If you think about what we added in that trade and what we added today, pretty good haul for the first day of the Draft.”
Day two of the draft demonstrated a clear focus on college players, with the six pitchers and two position players taken all hailing from the college ranks. According to Ontiveros, this was not necessarily Kansas City’s plan entering day two of the draft:
“Well, it wasn’t planned. Sometimes it just really depends on availability at the time. There’s signability questions that come up with some of the high school players. We like these players. So when you start looking at things, financially things worked out, and we really liked these players. I just kind of ended up going with it.”
This may have been done in part due to the aforementioned trade with Atlanta that shrunk the Royals’ draft pool money and thereby limited their flexibility. It also could have been a maneuver to set aside money for an overslot pick later in the draft. Regardless, the decision to lean heavily into college arms in rounds 3-10 looks a little odd juxtaposed against some of Dayton Moore’s statements after last year’s draft concerning the limited ceilings of college arms. Ontiveros sees the day two haul as a solid mix of starters, relievers, and position players with ceiling:
“I started looking at it like, ‘OK, we got some starter ceiling, bullpen ceiling, really solid catcher… and then you got Levi Usher, who’s going to be plus anywhere in the outfield.’ You always want to get some youth and bigger ceiling to hit on, but sometimes when it’s not there, I think some people have a tendency to force it at times, and I didn’t want to do that.”
The college trend continued on day three with a steady diet of college players before three prep players were selected with the last three picks. While day two saw a group of players with decent floors but perhaps limited ceilings, day three featured some higher upside players, some of whom may require overslot bonuses.
Through the first seven picks, Kansas City did the same as in day two: two college bats, the rest position players.
Finally, with their last three picks, the Royals selected prep players, including one fairly highly ranked player that will be tough to sign.
In all, the Royals selected six college position players, 11 college pitchers, one prep position player, one prep pitcher, and one prep two-way player.
Round 1, Pick 9: OF Gavin Cross, Virginia Tech
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise as Cross had frequently been linked to the Royals this spring, including recently in a mock draft by our friends over at Royals Farm Report. Cross is coming off a strong season for the Hokies in which he hit .328/.411/.660 with 17 homers, 14 doubles, and 12 stolen bases without being caught. He walked 10.7% of the time with a tidy 14.6% strikeout rate. Cross has above-average skills across the board with potential to unlock even more power than he’s already shown. The Royals are going to try him in center, but he should be an above-average defensive right fielder if he can’t stick up the middle. While he might lack the ceiling of some other top ten picks, Cross seems like a safe bet to be a regular in the big leagues in the near future.
MLB Pipeline: 10
Prospects Live: 8
Baseball America ($): 10
Keith Law ($): 10
Kiley McDaniel ($): 10
D1Baseball (college player ranking only)($): 4
Royals Farm Report Draft Guide ($): 11
Round 2, Pick 49: 3B Cayden Wallace, Arkansas
Wallace is not as polished as Cross, but offers interesting upside. As a draft-eligible sophomore, he is one of the younger college bats available. He’s coming off a season where he slashed .298/.387/.553 with 20 doubles, 16 homers, and 12 stolen bases while being caught just once. He posted a solid 11.8% walk rate and struck out 17.3% of the time. Wallace has above-average raw power and makes frequent hard contact, though that power is currently mostly pull-side. The physical tools are there; his development will be a matter of refining his approach. He mostly played the outfield as a freshman but moved to third base this year, where he has a good chance to stick.
Round 3, Pick 87: RHP Mason Barnett, Auburn
While a 4.69 ERA over three seasons at Auburn isn’t super impressive, Barnett has shown the ability to punch dudes out with a 28.6% strikeout rate in college ball and 26.4% in his summer in the Cape Cod League. He walked 11.3% of batters, which is playable but has room for improvement. Though he stands 6’ even, he’s got velo with a fastball that sits 93-96, but the shape leaves something to be desired. The slider is the money pitch, hitting 87 with wipeout break. Barnett also throws a changeup and curveball that could be plus. The secondaries are the strength here, and Barnett could carve out a role as a starter with improvements to his fastball.
Round 4, Pick 115: RHP Steven Zobac, Cal
Zobac was a two-way player his first two years in Berkeley. In the truncated 2020 season, he played in 11 games as an outfielder and five as a reliever, posting uninspiring numbers in both roles. He found much more success in both roles as a sophomore, posting a .703 OPS in 52 games in the field and a 4.66 ERA in 14 pitching appearances. Zobac transitioned into full-time pitching in 2022. He began the season in the weekend rotation, moved to the bullpen after early struggles, and returned to the rotation down the stretch. The highlight was consecutive starts against New Mexico and Utah in which he totaled 13 scoreless innings with 23 punchouts. In 61.2 innings in 2022, Zobac threw to a 4.09 ERA, striking out 27.9% of batters faced with a tidy 7.8% walk rate and just four homers allowed. He fills the strike zone with heavy use of a low-90s fastball that tops out at 96. His secondaries include a low-80s slider with solid bite that missed bats and a scarcely-used changeup that he showed decent feel for. Zobac is a pitchability-type arm with a chance to start long-term.
Round 5, Pick 145: LHP Hunter Patteson, Central Florida
Patteson had a ton of projection as a prep arm and was drafted in the 35th round in 2019 by the Cubs but elected not to sign. He had middling results early on in college but was in the midst of a breakout 2022 campaign before going down with Tommy John in April. In his seven starts he struck out 34.2% of batters and walked just 4.2% while pitching to a 1.82 ERA. Patteson has the build to start, standing 6’5” and 200 lb. His fastball sits mid-90s with good shape. He shows a plus changeup and a slider that could be plus with some refinement. This is an arm you can dream on and, given he’ll be 23 by the time he pitches again, should be an easy sign for the Royals.
Prospects Live: 239
Baseball America: 195
Round 6, Pick 175: C Hayden Dunhurst, Ole Miss
Dunhurst was a highly regarded prep prospect in the 2019 draft but fell to the 37th round due to a strong commitment to Ole Miss. Entering the 2022 season, Dunhurst was expected to be one of the best backstops in the country. D1Baseball ranked him fourth among catchers in the preseason. But his offensive numbers took a considerable step back compared to 2021, with his OPS dropping from .821 to .754 and his strikeout rate spiking from 16.0% to 32.7%. His struggles may be in part due to a hamstring injury he dealt with throughout the spring as scouts still generally like his tools at the plate. He won’t need to hit a ton to carve out a role as a big league catcher as his defense behind the dish is elite. He has perhaps the best throwing arm of any catcher in the draft and is an above-average receiver. Dunhurst looks like a defense-first, power-over-hit catcher with the chance to be more if he can improve the hit tool.
Round 7, Pick 205: RHP Mack Anglin, Clemson
Anglin had a strong sophomore season split between the rotation and bullpen in 2021 and dominated in three Cape Cod League outings, striking out 16 and walking just three batters in 12.2 innings without an earned run. He was a draft-eligible sophomore but dropped to the 13th round due to signability concerns. He returned to Clemson and spent all of 2022 in the weekend rotation. He had a 4.48 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 22.6% of batters but walking 15.1%. When it comes to Anglin, it’s all about the stuff. He throws a fastball that sits 92-95 with run and tops out at 98, complemented by a mid-80s slider, a low-80s curveball, and a low-80s changeup. He generates elite spin rates and both breaking balls have a chance to be plus-plus, while the change is a fringe offering. He’s most likely a bullpen arm with a chance to throw high-leverage innings if he can improve his command.
Round 8, Pick 235: RHP Wesley Scott, Walters State C.C.
Scott bounced around in his collegiate career, struggling to find playing time in his first two years. He got just three innings for Arizona in 2020 and just two for San Jacinto College in 2021. He finally found a role in the rotation at Walters State and threw the ball well with a 3.60 ERA in 75 innings. He struck out 118 batters and walked just 24, but he also plunked 26. He offers a low-90s fastball that tops out at 94 and a big, sweeping slider in the high 70s. Destined for relief pitching.
Round 9, Pick 265: RHP Brandon Johnson, Ole Miss
This dude can punch guys out. Johnson began his collegiate career with two seasons at Columbia State College in 2019 and 2020. He threw 80.2 innings over the two years with 109 strikeouts to 32 walks with a 3.01 ERA. He transferred to Ole Miss in 2021 and slotted into the Rebel bullpen. He took over as the closer for 2022 and racked up the whiffs with a 39.4% strikeout rate and a manageable 11.7% walk rate, though he was prone to the long ball with eight homers allowed in 41.2 innings. He closed out the final game of the College World Series against Oklahoma, striking out the side on 14 pitches. Though Johnson stands just six-foot even, he is a high-energy mound presence and attacks hitters with a mid-90s heater with ride. He’s also shown the ability to miss bats with both a changeup and a slider. Having turned 23 last month, Johnson could rise quickly as a bullpen arm.
Round 10, Pick 295: OF Levi Usher, Louisville
Usher is a toolsy outfielder that began his collegiate career at Kirkwood Community College and had a huge season that led to a 37th-round selection by the Angels in the 2019 draft. He opted instead to transfer to Louisville and in the shortened 2020 season, he posted a 1.056 OPS in 16 games. He followed that up with a very disappointing season that led to him going undrafted in 2021. Usher bounced back in 2022 with a .818 OPS and 36 stolen bases while only being caught thrice, though the plate discipline numbers were unremarkable with a 23.9% K rate and an 8.9% walk rate. Usher was a huge part of Louisville’s victory in the Regionals, going 10-21 with two doubles. He’s also played four seasons of summer ball with mixed results. Usher is a great athlete with elite bat speed but an approach that needs work. He’s shown above-average defensive chops in center field with plus speed and a strong arm. He could carve out a role as a glove-first fourth outfielder.
Round 11, Pick 325: RHP David Sandlin, Oklahoma
This could be the guy the Royals were saving money for earlier in the draft. Sandlin pitched for Eastern Oklahoma State College in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to Oklahoma for his third season. He served as the Saturday guy in the Sooners’ weekend rotation and threw 95 innings with a 5.59 ERA, striking out 24.2% of batters faced and walking 7.4%. He saved his best for last, throwing seven innings of one-run ball with 12 strikeouts against Texas A&M to send Oklahoma to the College World Series Finals. Sandlin’s arsenal begins with a fastball that sits 91-93 and tops out at 96 with arm-side run but has been rather hittable in college. His breaking stuff is the high point of the arsenal with a slider that sits 82-85 with nice lateral movement and a plus-flashing curveball at 78-80. He mixes in changeups as well that have been unexceptional. At 6’4” and 215 lb, he has starter traits, but will need to improve his pitch shape to be a future rotation piece.
Round 12, Pick 355: SS Jack Pineda, Baylor
Like several of the above picks, Pineda started off on the JUCO scene, playing ball at College of Southern Nevada for two seasons before transferring to Baylor. He was a regular starter for the Bears over the past two seasons, splitting time between shortstop and second base in 2021 before taking over as the full-time shortstop in 2022. He did nothing but hit over those two seasons, slashing .313/.410/.498 in 105 games with a 15.8% K rate and 11.8% walk rate. If it hasn’t happened already, it’s only a matter of time before somebody in the organization describes him as “gritty.” Royals Farm Report already has. This guy is just a very solid college ballplayer that does all the little things well. He puts the bat on the ball consistently, runs the bases well, and plays excellent defense up the middle. There’s no real standout tool here but he hasn’t been especially bad at anything either. He could have a future as a super-utility player, but will probably need to hit for more power to hold down an everyday role. Of note: Pineda planned on transferring to LSU for 2023, so it’s no guarantee that he will sign.
Prospects Live: 344
Round 13, Pick 385: LHP Ryan Ramsey, Maryland
Ramsey spent three years pitching for the Terps in the Big Ten. He pitched sparingly in 2020 before getting more regular bullpen appearances in 2021, often working multiple innings in relief. He followed that up with an outstanding summer ball showing in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. He pitched 24 innings with a 1.88 ERA, striking out 42.7% of batters faced and walking just 7.9%. Ramsey slotted into the Maryland rotation for the 2022 season and had an excellent season, pitching 92.1 innings with a 3.22 ERA. The peripherals took a bit of a step back compared to his previous bullpen and summer ball work as he struck out 23.6% and walked 10.7%. The highlight of his season came on April 29 when he threw a perfect game against Northwestern with ten strikeouts. The fastball sits just 88-90, but has good shape that makes it an effective pitch at the top of the zone. He also throws a changeup around 80 that was solid at generating swings and misses this spring and a breaking ball that blends between a slider and curveball. The fastball and changeup is a solid foundation, but he’ll need to refine his command and sharpen his breaking ball to have a future as a starter.
Prospects Live: 379
Baseball America: 337
Round 14, Pick 415: RHP Ben Sears, Houston
Sears is a 6’5” hurler that first pitched collegiately at Community College of Rhode Island. He put up two strong seasons there before transferring to Houston for the 2021 season. He spent most of the season as a starter but put up mediocre numbers with a low strikeout rate. He pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen in 2022 and was much more effective with a 3.11 ERA in 66.2 innings. He only struck out 18.1% of batters but walked a minuscule 3.0%. His peripherals suggest a pitchability guy, but the arsenal reads like that of a power pitcher: a sinker sitting 92-95 paired with a wipeout slider at 82-84. He could find a role out of the bullpen if he can generate more whiffs.
Round 15, Pick 445: OF Javier Vaz, Vanderbilt
The 5’9” Vaz started out at LSU Eunice in the 2019 and 2020 seasons where he hit well with a 1.042 OPS in 77 games and a remarkable 75-21 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He transferred to Vanderbilt for the 2021 season and played sparingly for most of the season on a stacked Commodores squad. He got more playing time down the stretch and ended up playing a key role in Vanderbilt’s run to the College World Series Finals, getting on base in key moments and playing outstanding outfield defense. He got much more playing time in 2022 and made the most of it, slashing .280/.402/.490 in 51 games, walking 14.5% of the time and striking out in just 8.5% of plate appearances. From a subjective standpoint, Vaz is an exciting player. He runs well, plays outstanding corner outfield defense, and exhibits a mature approach at the plate with very little swing-and-miss. He’s played all over the diamond in his collegiate career, but was mostly limited to left field with Enrique Bradfield Jr and Spencer Jones entrenched in center and right, respectively. With his defense and approach at the plate, Vaz might be able to carve out a role as a super-utility guy.
Round 16, Pick 475: LHP Cooper McKeehan, BYU
McKeehan has pitched exclusively as a one-inning reliever in his three seasons at BYU. He put together a very solid 2022 campaign, tossing 23 innings with a 1.57 ERA, a 41.8% strikeout rate, and a 14.3% walk rate. He’s been excellent at the Cape Cod League this summer, throwing 9.2 shutout innings with 13 punchouts and just one walk. The fastball is unremarkable, sitting 88-92, but he pairs it with a hard 12-6 curveball that hitters had no answer for this spring. He’s a potential bullpen piece but will have to throw more strikes.
Baseball America: 414
Round 17, Pick 505: LHP Chazz Martinez, Oklahoma
Martinez was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 12th round of last year’s draft after a strong two-way season at Orange County College, but he did not sign and transferred to Oklahoma for the 2022 season. D1Baseball wrote this about Martinez preseason:
Scouts still want to see the talented two-way standout do it when the lights are on this spring, but the upside here is astronomical. Martinez will provide some definite lefthanded power to the OU offensive lineup, while his greatest asset is on the mound, where he sat 92-95 and up to 96 mph with his fastball in the fall, along with a slider, curveball and changeup mix. He’s slated to be in the weekend rotation, and could be the league’s top prospect before it’s all said and done.
Unfortunately, Martinez did not have the season he or the Sooners had been hoping for. He only received ten plate appearances and did not hit at all. The focus on pitching did little to help his mound performance. He began the season in the rotation, moved to the bullpen, and only tossed four innings in Oklahoma’s long tournament run. When it was all said and done, he threw 64.1 innings with a 5.32 ERA, striking out 23.1% and walking 11.0%. Martinez is 6’3” and 210 lbs with a delivery that scouts love, and the arsenal offers starter potential: a mid-90s fastball that’s been up to 99 with good ride, a mid-80s slider that’s devastating against lefties, and a changeup that’s flashed nice diving fade. He demonstrated little consistency this spring and will need considerable refinement to succeed in pro ball, but the upside is substantial.
Baseball America: 273
D1Baseball: 129
Round 18, Pick 535: OF Milo Rushford, Walden Grove HS (AZ)
The first prep player drafted by Kansas City, Rushford pitched in high school with a four-pitch mix, but the Royals drafted him as an outfielder. He has demonstrated consistent timing and barrel control in the left-handed batters box with more power likely to come as his 6’2” frame fills out. He’s a plus athlete that shows fluid actions and good arm strength in the pasture. Committed to New Mexico State.
Round 19, Pick 565: RHP Tommy Szczepanski, Garber HS (MI)
Szczepanski (2:15 in this video if you’d like to know how it’s pronounced) is a projectable 6’5” hurler that’s already shown solid velo with a low-to-mid 90s heater paired with two distinct breaking balls. While the stuff is nice, the command is scattershot and his delivery signals reliever risk. Committed to Michigan.
Baseball America: 256
Round 20, Pick 595: SS/RHP Austin Charles, Stockdale HS (CA)
This is a classic case of a well-regarded prep player falling likely due to bonus demands. Charles has expressed a preference to be a position player, while scouts believe he has a more promising future on the mound. In the box, Charles has plus-plus raw power and a ton of bat speed, but also funky swing mechanics that may give him hit tool problems at the next level. He is very athletic with a good arm but likely won’t stick at shortstop, and perhaps not in the infield at all. He does have the physical tools to be an above-average outfield defender. On the mound, Charles has been up to 95 with his fastball with more velo likely as he fills out his 6’7” frame. He’s shown good feel for an upper 70s breaking ball, while the changeup remains a work in progress. Given how little he’s pitched in high school, his delivery is inconsistent and will need refinement. Committed to UC Santa Barbara, Charles will be a tough signing, but the upside here is immense.
01-01-2022, 11:07 AM
***Official 2022 Royals Season Repository Thread***
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