*** Official 2018 Royals Repository ***

[duncan_idaho]

The season is upon us, even if spring is not.

2018 MLB Draft Picks
#18
#33 - Compensation (Eric Hosmer)
#34 - Compensation (Lorenzo Cain)
#40 (Competitive Balance Round A)

018 Draft Names to Watch

RHP Kumar Rocker, N Oconnee HS, Georgia.

Spoiler!

Possibly goes top 10 but is a big, physical SP with ace potential. Moore and co. will be all over him if he slips a bit and could offer top 10 money at No. 16

OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI

Spoiler!

Kelenic is the top prep bat, toolsy OF. Royals would be ecstatic to have shot at him.

1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL).

Spoiler!

Tremendous raw power, best in HS bats. Royals typically like HS arms or HS bats with "special" tools. He qualifies.

RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga).

Spoiler!

Another big, physical specimen with huge upside. More likely to be available mid-first than Rocker.

ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida.

Current Prospects to Watch:

OF Seuly Matias - Huge tools. Hit 2 HR in Lexington (A) season opener.

1B Nick Pratto - Top pick in 17 has advanced approach and good glove; needs to start tapping into power in first full year in minors. Also at Lexington.

OF Michael Gigliotti - Good defender in CF, good OBP skills, plus baserunner. Next mainstay in CF for KC, IMO. Advanced college bat also starting at Lexington.

OF Khalil Lee - Probably has highest upside in Royals' system. Could hit 30 HR in majors, could steal 30 bases. Plus defensive ability in RF. Nice test at Wilmington this year.

3B Emmanuel Rivera - Really nice approach and good contact skills. Power is still developing. Also getting a good test at Wilmington.

SP Foster Griffin - Made nice strides in 2017. Needs to continue to progress in 2018. Could be a lefty version of Jakob Junis (good breaking ball that he can really manipulate, OK fastball, good command).

1B Samir Duenez - Duenez still is intriguing, hoping for a step forward in his power production this year at Northwest Arkansas, which would turn him into a legit prospect.

Others to keep an eye on:
SP Gerson Garabito (Wilmington), OF Marten Gasparini (Lexington), C MJ Melendez (Lexington), RP Tyler Zuber (lexington), RP Richard Lovelady (Omaha), SP Dan Tillo (Lexington), SS Nicky Lopez (NWA), SP Scott Blewett (NWA), OF Brewer Hicklen (Idaho Falls),

In general, Lexington and Wilmington are the most interesting spots to watch. Nice depth and a lot of interesting pieces at both.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'm going to be honest here, I get that the royals have a plan with this obviously but not a big fan. I believe in drafting hitters high over pitchers because they are much more likely to make it.

Don’t think that played out quite the way they wanted. I think they badly wanted a few hitters and got sniped.

If they’re going to go pitching heavy, I’d prefer it be college arms at least, vs projectable HS arms, which are the lowest success rate.

[BigCatDaddy]

If they get 2 middle of the rotation guys and a bullpen arm out of that I would be estatic.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'm going to be honest here, I get that the royals have a plan with this obviously but not a big fan. I believe in drafting hitters high over pitchers because they are much more likely to make it.

What's your evidence?

Market efficiencies teach us that once everyone starts thinking asyou do, the value shifts the other way.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

What's your evidence?

Market efficiencies teach us that once everyone starts thinking asyou do, the value shifts the other way.

High end hitting prospects have a much better rate of making it than pitchers do, the Cubs are an example of a team that has used basically every high pick they've had to draft hitters over pitchers.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Mecca

High end hitting prospects have a much better rate of making it than pitchers do, the Cubs are an example of a team that has used basically every high pick they've had to draft hitters over pitchers.

In the history of the draft post 1965. From there, let's determine the percentage of hitters and pitchers who went from first-round picks to the major leagues. That table looks like this:

A tie!

If we're not rounding, though, position players have a slight edge at 59.3 percent, compared to 58.7 percent for pitchers. So maybe hurlers aren't that much riskier after all, at least when it comes to turning a first-round selection into a big leaguer.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...-round-targets

[cmh6476]

Originally Posted by Mecca

High end hitting prospects have a much better rate of making it than pitchers do, the Cubs are an example of a team that has used basically every high pick they've had to draft hitters over pitchers.

I think it's more of a statement on the minor system. We've traded off a lot of arms recently to acquire players, and now they are trying to restock a position which has been depleted. Sean Maneaa, Mike Montgomery, Brandon Finnegan, Matt Strahm...

You can't just offload a bunch of talent at one position and not figure out a way to replace the talent you gave up.

[OKchiefs]

Plus we still have the rest of the draft, trades, and international signings. I imagine we'll have added quite a few hitting prospects by the end of July.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Mecca

High end hitting prospects have a much better rate of making it than pitchers do, the Cubs are an example of a team that has used basically every high pick they've had to draft hitters over pitchers.

If you’re drafting at the top end, I like that philosophy. When you’re lower - middle to end of the draft - you just kind of have to see it play out and take the best guys on your board.

the Cubs were 6th, 7th, 2nd, 2nd, and 8th to get Baez, Almora, Bryant, Schwarber and Happ.

I could have seen Groshans or Adams had they made it to Kc, but they didn’t, so...

[DJ's left nut]

Y'all murdered that first round.

Singer and Kowar...shite. That's impressive as hell. There are medical concerns with Singer and just funky mechanics concerns with Kowar but the Royals got both of them when all appearances were that they could potentially get neither.

Gorman would've been a great pick for them as well but Singer has genuine ace potential so I can definitely see why they went that route instead. I wonder if they'd have taken Gorman if they knew that Kowar would fall. But either way, nothing to complain about here for you fellas - those are outstanding picks.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Y'all murdered that first round.

Singer and Kowar...shite. That's impressive as hell. There are medical concerns with Singer and just funky mechanics concerns with Kowar but the Royals got both of them when all appearances were that they could potentially get neither.

Gorman would've been a great pick for them as well but Singer has genuine ace potential so I can definitely see why they went that route instead. I wonder if they'd have taken Gorman if they knew that Kowar would fall. But either way, nothing to complain about here for you fellas - those are outstanding picks.

I’m pleased with it. Not sure Singer’s quite a 1 - will need to really refine the changeup - but I can see a good #2 or really good #3 type.

Kowar has higher upside if he can pick up a consistent feel for his curveball. Very-Wacha like, though I think his velocity is a little better coming out of college.

Only quibble is that I would have loved to nab Nick Schnell in the comp round, too. Damn Devil Rays!

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

I think it's more of a statement on the minor system. We've traded off a lot of arms recently to acquire players, and now they are trying to restock a position which has been depleted. Sean Maneaa, Mike Montgomery, Brandon Finnegan, Matt Strahm...

You can't just offload a bunch of talent at one position and not figure out a way to replace the talent you gave up.

No, it's not. DM himself admitted there's a run on position players which proves there's a market shift. We just found the inefficiency, whether DM knows it.

[OKchiefs]

I'm fine with being relatively conservative and doing what we did. The next 2-3 years with top 5-10 picks is hopefully when we can add some elite high ceiling talent.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I’m not opposed to trading Perez, just know what type of offer it would take.

They don’t move him just to get “A” pick unless it’s a legitimate top 5-10 prospect in all of baseball.

I would listen. But the price would be high.

Spit-balling in the Cardinals thread and thought about you fellas.

Victor Robles, Luis Garcia (super young, super toolsy infielder with a development curve that slots him in perfectly around Mondesi and as a Whit replacement) and Raudy Reed (solid defensive C presently suspended for PEDs but appears to have solid offensive potential) for Perez and Herrera.

The nats have a handful of pretty interchangeable C prospects with Read, Severino, Gushue and Reetz so I don't think the 'who' on that 3rd piece matters much.

Would it take Robles and Kieboom? I stumbled onto Kieboom while I was watching Soto rocket through the system and am pretty sold on him as a long-term asset. With Turner already in Washington, he may be blocked.

If you can get Robles and Kieboom, you have to do that, right? I'd honestly be a little surprised if the Nats gave up that much but they might be desperate to capitalize on Harper's potentially last ride.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Spit-balling in the Cardinals thread and thought about you fellas.

Victor Robles, Luis Garcia (super young, super toolsy infielder with a development curve that slots him in perfectly around Mondesi and as a Whit replacement) and Raudy Reed (solid defensive C presently suspended for PEDs but appears to have solid offensive potential) for Perez and Herrera.

The nats have a handful of pretty interchangeable C prospects with Read, Severino, Gushue and Reetz so I don't think the 'who' on that 3rd piece matters much.

Would it take Robles and Kieboom? I stumbled onto Kieboom while I was watching Soto rocket through the system and am pretty sold on him as a long-term asset. With Turner already in Washington, he may be blocked.

If you can get Robles and Kieboom, you have to do that, right? I'd honestly be a little surprised if the Nats gave up that much but they might be desperate to capitalize on Harper's potentially last ride.

I’d gladly do it for Robles and Garcia. If they want Merrifield, would throw him in and ask for Kieboom, too.

Kieboom was frequently mentioned as a trade target in last year’s Royals thread (by me).

It’s worth mentioning that they have talked with the Nats about Robles before. Almost had a deal for him in 2016.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I’d gladly do it for Robles and Garcia. If they want Merrifield, would throw him in and ask for Kieboom, too.

Kieboom was frequently mentioned as a trade target in last year’s Royals thread (by me).

Yeah, Kieboom wasn't on my radar at all (Soto was though). And as I was watching Soto and mostly just laughing at how badly he was wrecking everyone, I noticed this Kieboom guy also playing really well.

It would be a balls or bust move for the Nationals, man. I mean they could theoretically lose Harper and STILL have one of the top 5 OFs in baseball by 2020 with Robles, Eaton and Soto out there. With Scherzer, Strasburg and Turner still having gas in the tank, maybe Rendon goes back to 2b and Kieboom makes his way to 3b. That's still a team that could contend.

But that Braves system has to get teams with a 'win now' window pretty damn nervous. Do you try to 'out-youth' the Braves via a re-load or push in, get your ring and let Ted Lerner die in peace?

But hey, if we know anything, it's that Rizzo will do the wrong thing and then get extended for it. That guy is the Mike Matheny of general managers. That's a Teflon sumbitch to be sure.