Royals Like What They See In Extra-Tall Shortstop Austin Charles

California high school shortstop Austin Charles waited—and waited—to hear his name called during the 2022 draft.

A potential top 10 rounds pick, Charles finally was drafted by the Royals in the 20th and final round out of Stockdale High in Bakersfield.

He was close to attending UC Santa Barbara until he agreed to terms just before the Aug. 1 signing deadline for an above-slot $429,500 bonus.

It was a visit to the Royals’ complex in Surprise, Ariz., that convinced the 18-year-old Charles he was for professional baseball.

“That visit just opened my eyes to see what they’re doing,” Charles said. “I knew it was a good organization and a good fit.”

Charles also pitched in high school and was a legitimate two-way prospect. The Royals will develop him as a position player.

Standing at least 6-foot-6, Charles is part of a growing breed of extra-tall shortstops. He will need to continue to prove that he can handle the position, but so far he has displayed the necessary attributes.

“He’s got great feel, great instincts at shortstop, and I love his internal clock,” Royals hitting coordinator said Drew Saylor said. “He does a really good job with his first-step reads and he creates pretty good angles for himself.”

Charles’ long levers pose a challenge at the plate with a long righthanded swing that makes it difficult to adjust to offspeed pitches. That’s why narrowing his zone to specific areas will be key.

The most positive sign that Saylor has seen is Charles’ work ethic and resiliency in completing his daily work. Also: his raw power potential tantalizes.

“Because he has that natural strength,” Saylor said, “he has the potential to be a guy who can possibly mishit balls and still hit them really, really, really far . . . He’s just continuing to know where his swing plays, and just the small adaptations that are needed to get to different shapes in the strike zone.

“The most exciting part for me is just the curiosity and the energy he brings to the ballpark every day. It’s infectious.”

ROYALTIES

— Among the seven players the Royals assigned to the Arizona Fall League were two recent trade deadline acquisitions. Second baseman Samad Taylor came over from the Blue Jays in the deal for Whit Merrifield, while lefthander T.J. Sikkema was acquired from the Yankees as part of the package for Andrew Benintendi.