Daniel Lynch

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #2 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: One of three college pitchers drafted by the Royals in the first round in 2018, Lynch missed time with arm discomfort in his first full season but starred in the Arizona Fall League to finish 2019. He earned an invitation to major league spring training in 2020, continued working with the big leaguers during summer camp and spent the season at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch’s velocity jumped between college and pro ball and he continues to maintain that improved velocity. His fastball explodes on hitters at 94-97 mph and touches 99 with life and sinking action out of his long, lanky frame. Lynch’s best secondary pitch is a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone, and he’s worked to gain confidence in his changeup to throw it to both lefties and righties. He rounds out his arsenal with an average curveball he can locate for strikes. At the alternate site, Lynch improved his mechanics to better repeat his delivery. His three-quarters arm slot features a clean motion, granting him above-average control of his potent stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch should team with Asa Lacy to give the Royals a pair of lefties at the top of their rotation before long. His major league debut is on the horizon in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #2 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Lynch experienced a velocity bump in his draft year, and the Royals took him 34th overall in 2018 out of Virginia. He quickly emerged as a potential steal. Arm discomfort shut Lynch down for part of the 2019 season, but the lanky lefty still showed some of the best stuff in the high Class A Carolina League and touched 98 mph in the Arizona Fall League, where he started both the Fall Stars Game and the AFL championship game.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch comes at hitters with a pair of plus pitches. First is his 92-97 mph fastball with a high spin rate that gets hitters chasing up in the zone. He backs it up with a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone. Those two pitches alone make him an uncomfortable at-bat, but he also has an average curveball he can land on the back foot of righthanded hitters and a mid-80s changeup that has gradually improved and started flashing plus. Lynch's three-quarters delivery features a clean arm action and should yield above-average control, even with the long limbs of his skinny, 6-foot-6 frame.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch's summer shutdown prevented him from reaching Double-A during the season, but he made up for lost time with his outstanding AFL. He is on track for Double-A in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #3 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Lynch shot up draft boards late in the spring of 2018 when he showed improved stuff and control in late-season outings, including an excellent Atlantic Coast Conference tournament start in front of many Royals front office officials. Based on an outstanding pro debut between Rookie-level Burlington and low Class A Lexington, Lynch has solidified the belief that his improvement is sustainable.
  
  Scouting Report: After sitting 88-92 mph for much for his college career, Lynch's velocity bumped up to 93-95 late in his college career. It got even better when he got on the mound as a pro. He continued to sit 93-95 and started touching 97. He commands his plus fastball to both sides of the plate and is able to front-door his two-seamer back over the plate against righthanded hitters. Lynch throws two 83-85 mph breaking balls, and he varies the shape between the two. Both pitches have sharp downward bite and generate swings and misses, with his wipeout slider being the better of the two. His 85 mph changeup flashes above-average potential but is currently his most inconsistent pitch. It's a good pitch when he sells it, but he too often tries to guide it. Lynch has embraced his new power-oriented approach as he has embraced attack hitters with his new-found power.
  
  The Future: Lynch will move up to high Class A Wilmington in 2019, along with fellow first-rounders Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar, forming three-fifths of the Blue Rocks rotation. Lynch's rapid improvement gives him a shot of becoming one of the better lefthanded pitching prospects in the minors, but he needs to prove he can sustain his late-season 2018 form over a full season.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #111 prospect in 2018 draft
  Lynch's stock soared after a standout summer for Orleans in the Cape Cod League that earned him an all-star appearance. But as a three-year starter for Virginia, Lynch has been decidedly average in terms of college performance, posting a 12-12, 4.72 record through 200 college innings. Lynch's greatest assets are his 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame, lefthandedness and his above-average control of a four-pitch mix--all qualities that suggest he could be a starter at the next level. Lynch's stuff is average across the board, with his low-80s changeup flashing above-average at times. He generally works 89-92 mph with his fastball, touching 93, and he throws both a slider and a curveball. Those breaking balls occasionally morph together, but when he's at his best his slider is the more effective pitch at missing bats. Lynch doesn't have one standout tool, but the sum of his parts gives him a chance to be a back-of-the-rotation innings eater.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #6 prospect in 2019
  Lynch, the 34th pick in 2018, needed a seven-week rest this summer because of arm soreness, but he came back as dominant as ever and is ticketed for a trip to the Arizona Fall League. A late riser in his draft year, Lynch built on a strong professional debut with a consistently strong season. Managers said he was one of the most projectable pitchers in the league. "There’s a lot to like about a 6-6 lefty that throws 97 with a wipeout slider,” Wilmington manager Scott Thorman said. "He’s a student of the game and diligent worker. He’s built back up to where he was.” Scouts say Lynch regularly threw 94 mph and touched even higher with his fastball. He also has at least an average curveball. His changeup has a chance to be average as well, but he needs to throw it with the same motion as his fastball.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #25 prospect in 2021
• Ranked Baseball America's #39 prospect in 2020

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: One of three college pitchers drafted by the Royals in the first round in 2018, Lynch missed time with arm discomfort in his first full season but starred in the Arizona Fall League to finish 2019. He earned an invitation to major league spring training in 2020, continued working with the big leaguers during summer camp and spent the season at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch's velocity jumped between college and pro ball and he continues to maintain that improved velocity. His fastball explodes on hitters at 94-97 mph and touches 99 with life and sinking action out of his long, lanky frame. Lynch's best secondary pitch is a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone, and he's worked to gain confidence in his changeup to throw it to both lefties and righties. He rounds out his arsenal with an average curveball he can locate for strikes. At the alternate site, Lynch improved his mechanics to better repeat his delivery. His three-quarters arm slot features a clean motion, granting him above-average control of his potent stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch should team with Asa Lacy to give the Royals a pair of lefties at the top of their rotation before long. His major league debut is on the horizon in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: One of three college pitchers drafted by the Royals in the first round in 2018, Lynch missed time with arm discomfort in his first full season but starred in the Arizona Fall League to finish 2019. He earned an invitation to major league spring training in 2020, continued working with the big leaguers during summer camp and spent the season at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch’s velocity jumped between college and pro ball and he continues to maintain that improved velocity. His fastball explodes on hitters at 94-97 mph and touches 99 with life and sinking action out of his long, lanky frame. Lynch’s best secondary pitch is a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone, and he’s worked to gain confidence in his changeup to throw it to both lefties and righties. He rounds out his arsenal with an average curveball he can locate for strikes. At the alternate site, Lynch improved his mechanics to better repeat his delivery. His three-quarters arm slot features a clean motion, granting him above-average control of his potent stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch should team with Asa Lacy to give the Royals a pair of lefties at the top of their rotation before long. His major league debut is on the horizon in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 70. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Curveball: 50. Control: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: One of three college pitchers drafted by the Royals in the first round in 2018, Lynch missed time with arm discomfort in his first full season but starred in the Arizona Fall League to finish 2019. He earned an invitation to major league spring training in 2020, continued working with the big leaguers during summer camp and spent the season at the alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch’s velocity jumped between college and pro ball and he continues to maintain that improved velocity. His fastball explodes on hitters at 94-97 mph and touches 99 with life and sinking action out of his long, lanky frame. Lynch’s best secondary pitch is a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone, and he’s worked to gain confidence in his changeup to throw it to both lefties and righties. He rounds out his arsenal with an average curveball he can locate for strikes. At the alternate site, Lynch improved his mechanics to better repeat his delivery. His three-quarters arm slot features a clean motion, granting him above-average control of his potent stuff.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch should team with Asa Lacy to give the Royals a pair of lefties at the top of their rotation before long. His major league debut is on the horizon in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Lynch experienced a velocity bump in his draft year, and the Royals took him 34th overall in 2018 out of Virginia. He quickly emerged as a potential steal. Arm discomfort shut Lynch down for part of the 2019 season, but the lanky lefty still showed some of the best stuff in the high Class A Carolina League and touched 98 mph in the Arizona Fall League, where he started both the Fall Stars Game and the AFL championship game.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch comes at hitters with a pair of plus pitches. First is his 92-97 mph fastball with a high spin rate that gets hitters chasing up in the zone. He backs it up with a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone. Those two pitches alone make him an uncomfortable at-bat, but he also has an average curveball he can land on the back foot of righthanded hitters and a mid-80s changeup that has gradually improved and started flashing plus. Lynch’s three-quarters delivery features a clean arm action and should yield above-average control, even with the long limbs of his skinny, 6-foot-6 frame.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch’s summer shutdown prevented him from reaching Double-A during the season, but he made up for lost time with his outstanding AFL. He is on track for Double-A in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Lynch experienced a velocity bump in his draft year, and the Royals took him 34th overall in 2018 out of Virginia. He quickly emerged as a potential steal. Arm discomfort shut Lynch down for part of the 2019 season, but the lanky lefty still showed some of the best stuff in the high Class A Carolina League and touched 98 mph in the Arizona Fall League, where he started both the Fall Stars Game and the AFL championship game.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Lynch comes at hitters with a pair of plus pitches. First is his 92-97 mph fastball with a high spin rate that gets hitters chasing up in the zone. He backs it up with a hard, mid-80s slider with late bite and depth at the bottom of the zone. Those two pitches alone make him an uncomfortable at-bat, but he also has an average curveball he can land on the back foot of righthanded hitters and a mid-80s changeup that has gradually improved and started flashing plus. Lynch's three-quarters delivery features a clean arm action and should yield above-average control, even with the long limbs of his skinny, 6-foot-6 frame.
  
  THE FUTURE: Lynch's summer shutdown prevented him from reaching Double-A during the season, but he made up for lost time with his outstanding AFL. He is on track for Double-A in 2020.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Lynch, the 34th pick in 2018, needed a seven-week rest this summer because of arm soreness, but he came back as dominant as ever and is ticketed for a trip to the Arizona Fall League. A late riser in his draft year, Lynch built on a strong professional debut with a consistently strong season. Managers said he was one of the most projectable pitchers in the league. "There’s a lot to like about a 6-6 lefty that throws 97 with a wipeout slider,” Wilmington manager Scott Thorman said. "He’s a student of the game and diligent worker. He’s built back up to where he was.” Scouts say Lynch regularly threw 94 mph and touched even higher with his fastball. He also has at least an average curveball. His changeup has a chance to be average as well, but he needs to throw it with the same motion as his fastball.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  The Royals continued their run on college arms at the top of the 2018 draft, selecting Lynch one pick after Kowar. The Virginia product has average stuff across the board a four-pitch repertoire, with the stuff playing up because of his intelligence and above-average control. He drops to his backside in his delivery, but it’s not as noticeable because of his height. He projects as an effective back-of-the-rotation innings-burner.