2017 Kansas City Royals Midseason Top 10 Prospects
As the trade deadline nears, the process Dayton Moore set into action a decade ago is giving one last finishing kick.
| Royals Midseason Top 10 |
| 1. Nick Pratto, 1B |
| 2. Khalil Lee, OF |
| 3. Josh Staumont, RHP |
| 4. Hunter Dozier, 3B |
| 5. Eric Skoglund, LHP |
| 6. Scott Blewett, RHP |
| 7. Foster Griffin, LHP |
| 8. M.J. Melendez, C |
| 9. Samir Duenez, 1B |
| 10. Nicky Lopez, SS |
A nine-game losing streak in April seemed to indicate that the Royals would need to start dismantling the team by July. Kansas City was nine games under .500 by early May. But a 17-9 June and an equally hot start to July has the Royals back in the playoff hunt, turning one-time sellers into potential buyers.
With Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Jason Vargas all headed to free agency at the end of the season, this is the last run for the 2014 American League champs and 2015 World Series champions. And with a depleted farm system, trading to shore up the 2017 team will likely lengthen the rebuilding process.
But 2018-2019 was going to be a slow rebuild for the Royals no matter what happens at the trade deadline. With the team in playoff contention, the Royals might as well work to improve around the periphery.
On the farm, the emergence of Khalil Lee, Nicky Lopez and the resurgence of Foster Griffin has been encouraging, but the most notable accomplishment is one that isn’t reflected in the prospect rankings. Shortstop Raul Mondesi is no longer prospect-eligible, but the 21-year-old is younger than many of the top prospects in the Royals’ organization. He’s hitting .316/.346/.544 for Triple-A Omaha in 237 at-bats.
With Whit Merrifield capably handling second base in Kansas City, the Royals have been able to let Mondesi have his first extended run of success in a league. Mondesi, who is only slightly older than a number of 2017 first-round picks, is the Royals best young talent and his development is a key part of the team’s long-term future.
In much less encouraging news, Ashe Russell, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, has left the Royals, at least for now, as he stepped away from the game. The Royals have had a pair of very notable pitchers–Zack Greinke and Danny Duffy–step away before returning, but Russell has thrown just one inning in the past two years as he’s struggled with losing his delivery, release point and stuff.
1. Nick Pratto, 1B
Rookie-level AZL Royals
Age: 18
Pratto had one of the longest track records of hitting against top-level competition of any high school postition player in the 2017 draft class. The Royals drafted him No. 14 overall and signed him for $3.45 million. While Pratto is a first baseman, he’s a premium athlete who was well-regarded as a lefthanded pitcher and is capable of playing the outfield. He has the potential to hit for both average and power and was considered one the best prep defensive first baseman in many years. Regardless of his defensive acumen, Pratto’s value will be tied to his bat, which he is well-suited to handle.
2. Khalil Lee, OF
Low Class A Lexington
Age: 19
There’s been a lot for the Royals and scouts to like about Lee’s first full pro season. He’s shown speed, power and a solid batting eye as one of the younger players in the South Atlantic League. Even away from his hitter-friendly home park in Lexington, Lee has posted an .852 OPS.
3. Josh Staumont, RHP
Double-A Northwest Arkansas
Age: 23
Staumont is never going to be a pitcher who paints on the black of the plate, but he can’t be a shotgun firing fastballs in a scatter pattern either. The Royals sent him back to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to work on repeating his release point more consistently. He still gets his fastball to the high 90s easily, paired with a power curveball, but it won’t matter as long as he falls behind in the count.
4. Hunter Dozier, 3B
Triple-A Omaha
Age: 25
It’s been a lost year for Dozier. He was sidelined early in the year with an oblique injury and just a week after he returned to action, he broke the hamate bone in his wrist. He is likely to miss another month or so, making this largely a lost season.
5. Eric Skoglund, LHP
Triple-A Omaha
Age: 24
Skoglund made his major league debut in May and has been up and down for three starts with the Royals, foreshadowing a likely much larger role next year. He battled through a lat issue early in the spring, but has shown no ill effects and is continuing to perform well in Omaha.
6. Scott Blewett, RHP
High Class A Wilmington
Age: 21
Blewett has dominated at times this year. He has added a little bit to his fastball, which now is 90-94 mph on most nights. That and a slightly sharper curveball have helped him take a step forward and put him on pace for the lowest WHIP and opponent average in his career.
7. Foster Griffin, LHP
Double-A Northwest Arkansas
Age: 21
Griffin’s career turned around this year as he gained a tick of velocity, sharpened his curveball and did a better job of locating his fastball. He’s sitting 88-92 mph now but more than anything the ball comes out of his hand better, generating more swings and misses.
8. M.J. Melendez, C
Rookie-level AZL Royals
Age: 18
As the son of a college coach, Melendez has been around the game his whole life and it shows. He’s hit the ground running as a pro, with four multi-hit games in his first six games with the AZL Royals. He’s a two-way catcher who has the potential to hit and be a solid defender.
9. Samir Duenez, 1B
Double-A Northwest Arkansas
Age: 21
The Royals have a pair of first basemen in the high minors who could end up competing to be Eric Hosmer’s replacement if he departs in free agency. Duenez is the better hitter while Ryan O’Hearn has more present power. Duenez gets the nod because he’s younger and his power may develop as he matures.
10. Nicky Lopez, SS
Double-A Northwest Arkansas
Age: 22
A Carolina League all-star, Lopez has mastered the high-OBP, low-power approach that he developed at Creighton. As a reliable defender at shortstop, Lopez has a high floor of a utility infielder with a chance to be an everyday shortstop.
RISING
• LHP Richard Lovelady was a low-slot touch and feel lefty just a year and a half ago. But he’s steadily added more velocity while refining his already excellent control. Now he has dominated high Class A Carolina League hitters and is handling a jump to Double-A with no problem thanks to a 91-95 mph fastball that he works to both sides of the plate.
• RHP Miguel Almonte has shown improved command of his slider and curveball, which has helped him avoid the trap of relying too much on his changeup.
• RHP Jake Junis has struggled in his first taste of the big leagues, but he’s shown enough in Triple-A to work into the Royals’ 2018 rotation plans.
FALLING
• RHP Ashe Russell, the team’s first pick in the 2015 draft, has voluntarily stepped away from the Royals to try to rebuild his delivery. After a rough start in the Appalachian League in 2015, Russell gained weight and lost his release point, delivery and nearly 10 mph off his fastball. He has thrown only two innings in the past two seasons.
• RHP Nolan Watson, the other Royals’ 2015 first-round pick, now has a 6.98 career ERA with 225 hits allowed in 165 innings and has missed time this season with a shoulder injury.
HURTING
• Dozier missed time early in the season with an oblique pull. Now he’s expected to be out until August with a hamate injury. He’ll likely head to winter ball to try to make up for last at-bats.
• Watson is rehabbing in the Arizona League as he tries to return from a sore shoulder.
GRADUATING
• LHP Matt Strahm is on the disabled list now with a sore knee, but after a terrible start, he was serving as an effective reliever for the big league club.
• OF Jorge Bonifacio has played well enough that Jorge Soler was sent back to Triple-A.
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