The answer is yes. The pitchers I’ve seen this season and in the last couple seasons have everything a pitcher would need to develop into a competent pro. Whether it’s a two-seam fastball, slider instead of a curve or working with a Driveline-type organization or a long-toss routine the organization is open to development and evolving. There is no reason that a pitcher can’t find success while working in the Royals organization. With that knowledge, the Royals don’t quite have the depth in pitching that they had in the 2010-2011 years, but it’s not far off.

Star of the Show – Yohanse Morel – This is as easy as it gets for me. Tossing on Wednesday against a Mexican League squad, Morel was completely dominant for his two perfect innings of work. The fastball had life in the 92-94 mph range with the arm speed and power that the 18-year-old is likely to gain velocity in the coming years. Next to the four-seam fastball was a two-seam with good late diving movement at 87-88 mph that mirrored with a couple of changeups that he threw at a similar pace that a little arm-side fade. All four pitches Morel threw came with extension in the 6’4 range slightly above his listed height.

For any 18 year old, who doesn’t turn 19 until August those three pitches would be a great introduction and preview a positive future to build from, but I’ve still yet to mention the devastating slider that he was throwing. The slider was an 82-85 mph smoking hot pitch with late sink and sweeping movement. The spin ranged between 2650-2775 RPM which would be in the top 50 of a major league scale. Hitters had no chance and Morel knew it as they flailed prior to him walking off the mound upon release of his final slide piece prior to it landing in the catcher’s mitt as he froze the final hitter he faced. That pitch has the appearance of a 60 pitch to go with an above average future fastball. It was six up, six down versus older more seasoned hitters and the 18-year-old showed dominance, a swagger and an arsenal that surely would have placed him in some teams first round had he done it as an American at the same age prior to the upcoming draft.

Elvis Luciano - He has a strong body that should physically stand up to the longterm role as a starter. On this day, the fastball was 94-95 mph with the ability to drive and repeat it to the bottom of the zone. He flashed a tight, late moving slider in the mid-80s that flashed the better of the two breaking balls that he threw and could become an above average pitch over time. The curveball that he tossed was an upper-70s get over pitch that probably could use a little more shape and less pace to become more of a bat misser. The combination of fastball/slider mixed with a usable curve should present a backend starter should the changeup which wasn’t highlighted on this day present itself as an average offering.

Rylan Kaufman - Kaufman featured a 90-92 mph fastball with lots of arm side run. If he can learn to control it then it’s a plus pitch even at present velocity as it has the movement that allows it to miss bats and difficulty to barrel it. In addition to the fastball, Kaufman tosses a plus future curveball that had 2700-2823 revolutions which is an above average rate. The lefty presented an ability to backdoor the curve with 12-6 shape from his 3/4 arm position.

Anderson Paulino - His velocity sat in the mid to upper 90s and he was able to get to the bottom of the zone with regularity and life. I saw him both Tuesday and Friday and it was the same thing both days, 95-96 mph at the bottom of the zone. Showed a flash of an 85 mph cutter/slider that was a below average pitch. The late movement and plane on the fastball will make for a groundball machine.

Noah Bryant - Bryant showed an easy mid-90s fastball that hit 95-97 mph regularly in both outings. He flashed a usable slider in warmups on Tuesday but was unable to repeat it during live action. On Friday, the slider was showing similar plane to the fastball and short, late motion appearing similar to a cutter. That slider is workable at the lower levels but will need to increase the break at the higher levels.

Marlin Willis - It was a rough season for Willis in Burlington, but he looked interesting on Thursday. Throwing from a lower than 3/4 arm slot, Willis was 88-90 mph with his fastball to go with a sweeping slurvy offering in the mid-70s. Physically Willis should get stronger as he ages but the intriguing part of his game was his elite extension, releasing his pitches at 6’8 to as high as 7’2 in distance. The pitches don’t make for a starter but some refinement and ability to repeat the quality breaking pitch he tossed a couple of times on this day could lead him into a specialty relief role.

Zach Haake - The big rub on the former Wildcats pitcher was his health and he appears to be fully healthy showing a 92-94 mph fastball. It was a bit straight on this day, but he was able to generate some groundball contact with it.

Malcolm Van Buren - He showed lots of power with the fastball on Tuesday working low to mid-90s and little idea where it was going. Came back on Friday working with more a two-seam look that allowed him to stay in the zone at 89-90 mph next to his curveball. There’s a long way to go in terms of command/control.

Heribert Garcia - Garcia flashed an above-average changeup with his 90 mph fastball. That fastball will have to come forward as a 6’0 right-hander but physically he’s sturdy, gets above average extension (6’4) for his height and repeats well. Add some velocity and he has a chance to get deep into the minor leagues. Could be a repeat of Arnaldo Hernandez as a pitcher with good control and feel for three different pitches.

Juan Carlos Negret - The Cuban outfielder acquired in the Braves international mess looks physically like Jose Guillen. In the field, the physical appearance mirrors Guillen’s play as he’s a step slow and will have to remain in right field while the speed down the line matches with 4.5 times down the line. The arm is average and won’t be taking the spot from Matias or Lee should he move there. At the dish, Negret has some pull-side power that can turn a fastball which he did on Wednesday for an absolute bomb and another line drive out to third that was 104 mph off the bat. Hitting fastball velocity shouldn’t be a problem and he appeared to recognize spin. The swing path may need some altering to be able to drive the ball the opposite way as opposed to just his pull approach that he’s working with currently. His effort down the line and in the field seemed to be lacking.

Nick Heath - 80 speed and an improved hitting ability that presents line drive contact defines Heath. He has a feel for running the bases and attacking pitchers. Has a chance to become a similar story to Jarrod Dyson as a late developing speedster/4th outfielder. Much like a younger Dyson, this outfielders glove can wander with his concentration level making mistakes on balls that he gets to. The arm is average and shouldn’t be any problem in center field or left.

Dennicher Carrasco - Carrasco has a good feel for hit with average to a tick above average power. Will have to move to first base where the bat will come into question.

Travis Jones - Jones has long limbs and average bat speed that is long though it stays in the zone. He will continue to struggle to pull pitches that cause damage.

Most position players appear to be worn down after long seasons.

Rounds 1-5
Rounds 6-10

11th Rd Pick #332 Overall
Michael Emodi C Creighton University
6’4 225 lbs
DOB 4/18/96
Slot Value  $125,000

A big guy behind the dish and at the plate, Emodi showed off his big power this season with nine home runs despite playing half his games in one of the most difficult college parks in the country to hit home runs in. The swing by Emodi is a tad long though fast, but it still has left him vulnerable to breaking stuff that he tends to chase out of the zone. It’s a swing path and frame that is built to generate power which he did this past season and should go forward shall he improve his pitch recognition skills.

On the defensive side one would think that he would have difficulties behind the dish as such a large catcher but Emodi, a quiet receiver, calls his own game which is a rarity in college and has a strong arm. His mechanics to release aren’t bad and the strength in the throws are good enough to generate pop times in the 1.9 range.

Analysis – I don’t like comps to former Royals, but John Buck stands out as a very apt comparable here for Emodi as a big-bodied catcher with a strong arm and long swing. Should he end up with a similar career as Buck, the Royals and he should be extremely happy.

12th Rd Pick #362 Overall
Rylan Kaufman LHP San Jacinto JUCO
6’4 190 lbs
DOB 6/23/99
Slot Value  $125,000

This is a piece that is still in the development stages of his career, it seems, working from the high 80s last year when he was drafted from high school by the Brewers until this year where he was working 91-93 mph with a feel for a changeup late in the year during their JUCO World Series run. The San Jacinto program is a cream of the crop JUCO program that has seen Daniel Stumpf and Anthony Banda come through the program recently as well as former Cy Young award winner Roger Clemens. Still just 18 years of age, the Royals would be getting a prospect here with his best days ahead as one would assume he should continue to add muscle to his tall and lean frame while refining his stuff the feel for his three-pitch arsenal.

Analysis – The type of clay that is best for molding.

13th Rd Pick #392 Overall
Jon Heasley RHP Oklahoma State University
6’3 215 lbs
DOB 1/27/97
Slot Value  $125,000

Heasley is an exciting prospect along the lines of Zach Haake who isn’t achieving the results he likely should, given the stuff that comes from his hand. Pitching primarily from the low to mid 90s with his fastball and low 80s slider may improve the results for the right-hander whose other two offerings in a slower curve and changeup lag behind. It’s a lively fastball which leads to control/command issues and has limited the length in which he’s pitched in games this season. Despite the control issues at times, Heasley took the ball with the Oklahoma State season on the line last week and tossed a complete game, one run (0 ER) effort against South Florida that was his season gem. There is stuff to refine here but it’s there to become a backend starter or more likely a reliever.

Via Perfect Game – Heasley, a draft-eligible sophomore, has earned a disparity of reviews among scouts in the area this spring. He’s a live-armed, good-sized righthander with good stuff, including a mid-90s fastball and a swing-and-miss slider that potentially projects as plus, but the effort in his delivery and the inconsistencies in terms of command lead to questions about his future role. 

Analysis – A difficult sign as a draft eligible sophomore who will likely have a weekend spot at Okie State to build on draft stock.

14th Rd Pick #422 Overall
Christian Cosby RHP Chapman University
6’5 215 lbs
DOB 12/21/96
Slot Value  $125,000

After playing outfield for a couple of years and pitching sporadically for Chapman, the coaching staff and Christian decided prior to last summer to make that transition to a full-time pitcher due to his upside at the position. According to his coach, he is still learning to hone his mechanics and body, but despite that he was showing 90-94 mph in longer outings and 94-97 mph when they would use him from the bullpen. Coach Laverty said that he’s working with a fastball, split-change and a slider.  He has developed that change from a low 80s more easily recognizable pitch to the better mid 80s version that he is currently working with. The slider is the pitch that he’s trying to develop currently trying to transform it from the cut version that he was using early into more of a regular large breaking slider. All of the pitches come from an over the top delivery from his large frame. Still learning the nuances of the game Cosby’s former outfield days help him with fielding the position while his athleticism makes for a quick move to first.

He’s just a fantastic kid, the best is still ahead of him and Kansas City got themselves something here. – Coach Laverty

Via Baseball America – Cosby is in his first year as a full-time pitcher and already touches 95-96 mph with a split-changeup that flashes average. He is physically imposing at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, with some scouts believing he could one day touch 100 mph. Cosby’s control is inconsistent and he doesn’t really have command yet because he is so new to pitching. His size, arm strength, and room for development make him an appealing high-upside pick for the draft’s third day.

Analysis – A nice piece of clay to mold from here.

15th Rd Pick #452 Overall
Milan Walla CF Tivy High School
6’4 175 lbs
DOB 7/4/00
Slot Value  $125,000

This is a very Royals pick as a 6’5 lanky centerfielder who stole 62 bases this high school season in his attempt to break the state record of 65 thefts. An Oklahoma commitment could make him a difficult to sign considering their success of putting outfielders into the draft with Steele Walker and Kyler Murray each getting taken in the first 46 selections during this draft. A multiple tool outfield with speed and a strong arm Wall should add plenty of muscle as he gets older leaning one to believe that he could become an offensive force. The load in the swing is a larger separation from hands and body than one may want but he gets decent carry off the bat currently for someone of his age and speed skillset, not just a slap hitter in the future Walla could become a five-tool player with some tweaks in the swing. One note in the Royals favor is that Walla’s brother Cohl passed on signing with the Washington Nationals after being drafted in 2009, instead choosing to attend the University of Texas where struggled after a good freshman season before being dismissed from the team and never getting a second opportunity with a professional team. Will he decide to take the path his brother didn’t in order to further his baseball career?

Via Daily Times – “He’s a very intriguing athlete,” Russ said. “You look at him — he’s 6 foot, 5 inches, and 200 pounds. This guy can run unbelievably fast for a guy his size, and he has unbelievable quickness for a guy his size. You don’t see that very often. … When you grade him out on a major league scale, he checks off the size. He checks off the speed. He checks off the arm.

Via Prep Baseball Report – athletic, fast-twitch and wiry frame. His speed is a plus tool that plays in center field and on the bases.

Analysis – An outstanding prep product to develop, one of the best products the Royals chose in this draft.

16th Rd Pick #482 Overall
Kyle Hinton RHP University of Delaware
6’2 210 lbs
DOB 12/12/97
Slot Value  $125,000

Coach Sherman described Kyle as having a bulldog mentality on the mound. A highly aggressive competitor on the field and off it with his teammates Hinton performed as Delaware’s Friday starter this past season. The right-hander can be wild at times with 41 walks in 90.2 innings and some wild pitches, but he was reliable start to start and showed a good two-pitch mix with his fastball in the low 90s and a biting breaking ball, helping him earn over a K per inning and four games in the double digits. A good sized frame with the athleticism to play positionally in his first couple of seasons at Delaware Hinton does everything well defensively and in controlling the running game.

Via Perfect Game – Hinton has received looks this spring from pro scouts and his transition into the weekend rotation has made it easier to be seen after spending the majority of his first two seasons working out of the bullpen. And while there’s some thought that Hinton could move back to the ‘pen at the next level, he’s shown no qualms with an increased workload this season, amassing 20 more innings in 2018 than in his first two seasons combined. With broad shoulders and a physical 6-foot-2, 210-pound build, Hinton looks the part of a hard-throwing righthander and he’s proven himself in a starting role this spring for the Blue Hens while missing a fair share of bats. His 15 starts and 90 2/3 innings through the regular season are both team bests and he’s managed to strike out 94 off the strength of his heater that will work anywhere in the 88-93 mph range and a slider that shows average on the pro scouting scale. The stuff could play up for Hinton in shorter roles but there’s no doubting the success he’s found this year in the rotation for Delaware.

Analysis – Org starter that you may move to the pen in hopes he adds velocity and tightness to the slider thanks to his athletic frame.

17th Rd Pick #512 Overall
Noah Bryant RHP Georgia Highlands College
6’3 200 lbs
DOB 10/15/98
Slot Value  $125,000

Originally recruited as a catcher to a different school, Bryant’s coaches at Georgia Highlands convinced him to attend their school and use his arm strength in a different manner. Since he was new to pitching they took it slow but the arm strength flashed for the right-hander who works in between a 3/4 and low 3/4 angle, running the fastball as high as 97 mph while regularly working in the 94 mph range with a hard late moving slider.

Via Perfect Game - Turning a lot of heads during his one inning stint on the mound was freshman righthander Noah Bryant from Georgia Highlands. Bryant proceeded to strike out the side during his performance all the while sitting 94-97 mph with his fastball. The fastball had significant arm side run to the pitch with some sink too. The arm stroke isn’t pristine, but it’s very fast and allows him to whip the fastball into the zone in the upper-90s. The slider is a pitch that he has been developing for most of the spring and the hard offspeed pitch sat in the 84-86 mph range and flashed some hard bite down and out of the strike zone against right-handed hitters. The numbers weren’t great on the season for Bryant, however, the raw stuff is very appealing in a professional bullpen. 

Analysis – Fresh with a strong arm, perhaps a future reliever.

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18th Rd Pick #542 Overall
R.J. Dabovich RHP Central Arizona College
6’3 190 lbs
DOB 1/11/99
Slot Value  $125,000

Despite gaining velocity, the right-hander didn’t earn what most would think in terms of strikeouts, getting less than a K per inning for his Central Arizona club. According to Coach Gillich, the slider is the second-best pitch in the arsenal for Dabovich which may have led to the lower strikeout numbers, when on in that low 80s range he had little problem putting hitters away but when he didn’t quite have the feeling he’d attack with the fastball on a downward plane. In addition to the fastball/slider, Gillich describes the changeup as an average pitch for the former Pueblo product. The gains on the velocity are due to an outstanding work ethic that the freshman employed working his velocity from 87-91 mph on arrival to school up to the regular 92-94 mph range it currently sits at while touching as high as 98 mph. It’s that mature approach and work ethic along with a big arm that gives Dabovich big upside in Gillich’s opinion.

“It feels surreal,” Dabovich said. “It’s been a dream my entire life to make it to that point. Now that it’s happened, it’s hard to believe right now. It’s an amazing feeling.” – The Pueblo West View

Via Perfect Game – A power-armed freshman junior college righthander, Dabovich had quite the ascension this year in terms of pretty much every quantifiable metric. He gained significant velocity and is now touching 97-98 mph after being more 90-93 mph in the fall, and his off-speed stuff has taken strides forward as well. He ended up with a 1.81 ERA across a second-on-the-team innings count, after starting the season in a bit of an unsettled role. He still has big upside, and while he’s also still raw, he has intrigued teams to the point of where he may go well before his ranking may suggest.

Analysis – If you can bring him into the fold, you may have a fast moving reliever due to the increased velocity.

19th Rd Pick #572 Overall
Hunter Wolfe SS Walters State
5’11 185 lbs
DOB 7/5/96
Slot Value  $125,000

Drafted in the 12th round last year, Wolfe decided to attend Walters State in hopes of building on the bonus offer he received from the Pirates. Despite an outstanding season that saw him help lead his squad to a 56-6 record on the way to a JUCO World Series bid his draft number fell but not due to production after hitting over .400 while totaling nine home runs, stealing 40+ bases and playing a solid defensive game up the middle. One of the older prospects drafted by the Royals, they will contend with a TCU program for Wolfe services.

Via UT Baseball – Thomas on Wolfe: “Hunter is a plus defending shortstop who complements his defense with a good offensive skill set. He will be able to impact the game both offensively and defensively. He is a sure-handed defender with great range and a very strong arm. Offensively, he has gap strength with the ability to hit the ball out of the park at times and has the speed to be a frontline base stealer.”

Via Baseball America – Wolfe turned down decent money from the Pirates as a 12th-round pick last year. He hit .429/.536/.679 for Walters State (Tenn.) JC this year with more walks than strikeouts and 39 steals in 43 attempts. He’s a toolsy shortstop with plus speed, a plus–if sometimes scattershot–arm and his swing work relatively well. His hands may not fit at shortstop long-term, but there are enough tools to be a useful second or third baseman in pro ball.

Analysis – TCU commitment likely makes for an org utility infielder.
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20th Rd Pick #602 Overall
Josh Hendrickson LHP Barton County CC
6’5 210 lbs
DOB 9/18/97
Slot Value  $125,000

After transferring from Ranger Junior College in Texas, the tall left-hander from Australia came to Barton and pitched the program to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction. The teams #1 starter, Hendrickson is somewhat of a late bloomer according to Coach McBride, seeing his velocity hold more stability this season in the working 87-89 mph while topping in the 91-92 mph range. In addition to the fastball, the lefty tosses a curveball in the 75-78 mph range, a swing and miss curve that helped him earn 120 strikeouts in 96.1 innings from his high 3/4 arm slot. The lefty does drop down somewhat to toss a slider in the lower 80s range. Josh came in with a plan and idea of what he wanted to get out of our program and he executed it. His work ethic, intangibles, and composure are top notch and everything a coach would want.

He was great for our program despite having a future in pro ball when we asked him to take the ball and on short rest to pitch us to the JUCO World Series he did just that and I’ll always be thankful for that. – Coach McBride

As an Australian who never took the ACT, Hendrickson had to fulfill his commitment of two years of junior college baseball prior to attending a D1 program, something he did while committing to the University of San Diego. Coach McBride believes he has some extra velocity to find once in pro ball if he commits to letting it fly and develop the changeup which he used four or five times a game but as in most college pitchers he’ll need to continue to work on developing it.

Analysis – Likely an org lefty but one you hope can find extra juice for a relief role.

Feature Image: Michael Emodi, Creighton Athletics