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01-05-2020 10:59 AM |
2020 Royals Official Offseason/Season Repository
https://theathletic.com/1357102/2020...hers-to-watch/
State of the Royals Farm System:
Top 30 prospects, plus others to watch.
By
Alec Lewis
Quote:
Earlier this week, Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore discussed the Chicago White Sox, an American League Central divisional foe that has made many headlines this 2019-20 offseason. Not only have the Chicago South-Siders signed free agents Yasmani Grandal and Dallas Keuchel, but it also has extended contracts of talented young players such as Luis Robert.
“The timing of their rebuild has put them in a position to take advantage of the market,” Moore said. “They have a lot of terrific young players in their system and potentially on their 26-man roster.”
Moore’s comments ring true. For a team such as the White Sox — or the Royals, for that matter — to take advantage of a free-agent market, it must first have a lot of terrific young players in its system. The Royals would know; they’re working their way back toward that point after taking advantage the last time they had a lot of terrific young players. And the past couple of drafts have helped immensely.
Scouting and player development remain the pinnacles of Moore’s master plan. This means prospects. Lots of them.
With the arrival of 2020, we thought it would be valuable to put together a list of 30 prospects (to keep it minimal, knowing we could go much deeper) that is compiled from conversations with team officials, scouts, fellow players and, of course, our own observations. Think of the list as a foundational resource, beginning with players who have the highest ceilings at the top. A number of these players are in line to earn opportunities for the 2020 Royals, meaning the list is ever-evolving. Players develop, improve and grow, which is the beauty of baseball, which is why this list certainly won’t be the last.
Without further ado, here are the selections (in cases where I’ve already profiled a player, I simply included the profile):
1. Bobby Witt Jr., SS
It’s almost uncomfortable to put such high expectations on a 19-year-old player because this is life, and life is unpredictable. That said, when you are a No. 2 pick in the draft (as Witt Jr. was in 2019), when you possess every tool necessary to succeed in professional baseball, and when you provide energy and an element of fun to an entire Arizona Rookie League team comprised of players from numerous countries, expectations are nothing but a compliment.
Witt Jr. competed in the rookie league last fall, fresh off a summer season in high school. His hard statistics won’t blow anyone away but he batted .280/.329/.400 with a homer and 16 RBIs in the month of August, completing his best month of the season. This offseason in Surprise, Ariz., Witt Jr. put on 10-plus pounds and continued to acclimate himself with the organization. The Royals are confident enough in his ability that he appears in line for a spot at Low-A Lexington next season. They’re also confident he’ll not only be contributing at Kauffman Stadium but also exceeding expectations because that’s what No. 2 picks have the potential to do.
2. Daniel Lynch, LHP
3. Erick Peña, OF
While Witt Jr.’s popularity provides perspective on how fans view prospects in the 21st century thanks to the consumption of lists such as these, the rather behind-the-scenes nature of Peña’s presence in the organization provides perspective on how international signings go down. Each year, small-market teams such as the Royals have a healthy amount of international signing money to spend ($6,481,200 during the previous period). The Royals allocated a reported $3.8 million for what they believe Peña can provide.
He’s only 16 years old, but Peña possesses a sweet lefty swing that’s hard to not drool over. He also has an infectious attitude that even Witt Jr. appreciated this fall when the two were roommates. Similar to Witt Jr., Peña has put on pounds this offseason. He is in line for plate appearances in the Arizona Rookie League in 2020.
4. Brady Singer, RHP
Two-seam fastball. Four-seam fastball. Slider. Changeup. That’s Singer’s repertoire, something you should keep in mind because you’ll probably see the 6-foot-5 right-hander sooner rather than later.
Like, 2020 soon.
Singer, 23, was a three-year starter at the University of Florida. He excelled last year at Double-A. He has strong physical tools and mental makeup, which includes a competitiveness on the mound that few pitchers match. Because he’s a pitcher, health is of the utmost importance here. Excusing a minor hamstring issue in 2018, Singer has — here’s where you knock on wood — remained healthy over the course of his career. Of all the starting pitching prospects on this list, he’s probably the most major league-ready, and he has one of the highest floors and ceilings.
5. Jackson Kowar, RHP
The difference between Singer and Kowar lies in Kowar’s changeup. The pitch is arguably the 23-year-old’s best pitch, and that’s saying something because his fastball has consistently reached the high-90s. Similar to Singer, Kowar, a 6-foot-5 righty from the University of Florida, is a pitcher you should know. He, too, has a chance to rep the Royals blue in 2020.
6. Kris Bubic, LHP
By now you’re likely noticing a trend. The pitching the Royals selected in the 2018 MLB Draft has shaped their farm system. Bubic is the fourth pitcher on this list from that draft, and some could argue he has been the most impressive.
The Royals selected him with their competitive-balance pick (No. 40), and he has since torched every level. His changeup, which could be the best pitch among all prospects in the system, is largely to thank for his dominance. He’s likely a lock for the Double-A Northwest Arkansas rotation this season at age 22.
7. Khalil Lee, OF
Considering this list is about prospects who have the highest ceilings, one could argue Lee should be higher. At age 21, Lee cemented himself as a consistent hitter at the Double-A level in 2019. After making some adjustments while working with hitting development staffers in October, the Royals expected big things from Lee in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Unfortunately, he broke a bone in his right hand when he was hit by a pitch just a few games into the season.
Lee should be healthy come spring training, though, and while the Royals are fairly set in the outfield and would prefer to give youngsters such as Lee everyday reps in the minors, the outfielder has the opportunity to make waves in spring training and change his timetable.
8. Kyle Isbel, OF
9. Carlos Hernandez, RHP
10. Seuly Matias, OF
The Royals did not protect Matias ahead of the Rule 5 draft, but they still believe in the 21-year-old slugger. Two years ago, Matias hit an opposite-field homer in the Futures Game. In 2019, he did not bat above .200. But don’t let the numbers fool you, as Matias played the majority of the season with a broken hand. Now healthy, having worked at the Royals’ facility for more than a month this winter, he is primed for a bounce-back season.
11. Jonathan Bowlan, RHP
12. Daniel Tillo, LHP
13. Nick Pratto, 1B
14. MJ Melendez, C
Among all Royals prospects who struggled in 2019, Melendez was one of the most surprising; in 2018, he posted an .814 OPS at Low-A Lexington. Offensive-minded catchers are dwindling in baseball in general, but Melendez, son of Florida International baseball coach Mervyl Melendez, has had success at the plate, and there’s still plenty of optimism surrounding him.
Melendez is competitive, perhaps even considered fiery. Although his offensive numbers dipped in 2019, his defensive ability behind the plate impressed Royals personnel at High-A Wilmington. He also worked closely with Singer, Kowar, Lynch, Bubic and Bowlan, which is important considering how much the Royals prioritize chemistry. An offseason filled with analysis and changes could work wonders for Melendez.
15. Austin Cox, LHP
16. Jonathan Heasley, RHP
17. Michael Gigliotti, OF
18. Darryl Collins, OF
19. Tad Ratliff, RHP
20. Wilmin Candelario, SS
21. Brady McConnell, Util.
22. Tyler Zuber, RHP
23. Brewer Hicklen, OF
Among High-A Wilmington outfielders, Hicklen, a 23-year-old from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, is rarely discussed. But the seventh-round pick from the 2017 draft boasts notable tools, including speed. Last year, Hicklen stole 39 bases. Hicklen posted a .900-plus OPS in 2017 and ’18. His numbers dipped at High-A Wilmington in 2019, but he still managed a .790 OPS, which speaks volumes, considering how much of a pitchers park Frawley Stadium is.
24. Grant Gambrell, RHP
25. Kevin Merrell, Util.
26. Nick Heath, OF
27. Foster Griffin, LHP
28. Omar Florentino, SS
29. Brandon Marklund, RHP
30. Yefri Del Rosario, RHP
More notable players selected in the 2018 draft
Josh Dye, LHP
Dye was a 23rd-round pick in the Royals’ college arm-heavy draft after earning second-team All-Atlantic Sun Conference honors his junior year at Florida Gulf Coast University. He pitched 36 innings (25 appearances) at High-A Wilmington in 2019 and posted a 1.25 ERA.
Zach Haake, RHP
Austin Lambright, LHP
Players to watch in 2020
Jeison Guzman, SS
Noah Murdock, RHP
Sebastian Rivero, C
Rivero spent the majority of the 2019 season at High-A Wilmington. Similar to Melendez, his hitting numbers dipped, but he continued to dominate defensively. Rivero took part in the Royals’ offseason hitting camp in Surprise, Ariz., and the Royals think highly of the 21-year-old Venezuelan catcher.
Players who have had too many setbacks to know what to expect
Nolan Watson, RHP
Ashe Russell, RHP
Russell, a former first-round pick, underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019. That he had even been throwing prior to that a notable development, considering he took what has been reported as a “mental break” from baseball in 2017. The Royals drafted Russell out of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis at No. 21 overall, and he signed for $2,190,200. But he has struggled to remain on the diamond. The Royals have said their primary concern with Russell is that he is mentally happy and excited to pitch. Whether or not that will happen in the near future remains to be seen.
Raw, but intriguing
Nate Eaton, IF
In October, Royals pitching prospect Kris Bubic told me about one player he thought deserved more praise: Eaton. Bubic was impressed by the way balls jumped off Eaton’s bat and the confidence with which he carried himself. Eaton, a 21st-round pick from the 2018 draft, posted a 1.08 OPS in his first season at Idaho Falls, but his numbers dipped last year at Low-A Lexington (.233/.305/.336). That his peers have been impressed by his play should say something, though.
Isaiah Henry, OF
Woo-Young Jin, RHP
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2020 Royals Official Offseason/Season Repository
(https://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=327755)