My goal is to get a better idea of the big picture as to how the systems compare in terms of draft results, as well as how a good or bad draft class affects a system, the overall impact of the draft on the baseball talent pool and the circuitous ways in which draft picks are used to bolster a system for which they may never even play. This project is just a first step. I intend to expand on this information over time (including a later revisit of the 2018 class and the addition of the 2019 class next offseason) and I will share my findings as I do so.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Historical Draft Results from 1998 through 2017 (TO DATE)
Drafted 946 | Signed 611 | Pitchers Signed 317 | Position Players Signed 294
Total WAR 316.7
Total Players to MLB 94
Note: The following players are listed at the position at which they were originally drafted.
1998 | 7 to MLB | WAR 0.9 | High WAR 1.7, SS Norris Hopper, 8th rd
1999 | 9 to MLB | WAR 40.2 | High WAR 33.6, SS Mark Ellis, 9th rd
2000 | 6 to MLB | WAR 21.7 | High WAR 23.2, OF David DeJesus, 4th rd
2001 | 3 to MLB | WAR (1.5) | High WAR 0.0, OF Mel Stocker, 16th rd
2002 | 5 to MLB | WAR 63.6 | High WAR 65.7, RHP Zach Greinke, 1st rd
2003 | 6 to MLB | WAR 6.8 | High WAR 6.0, SS Mike Aviles, 7th rd
2004 | 5 to MLB | WAR 19.8 | High WAR 11.6, 3B Billy Butler, 1st rd
2005 | 2 to MLB | WAR 35.7 | High WAR 35.2, 3B Alex Gordon, 1st rd
2006 | 5 to MLB | WAR 21.5 | High WAR 15.1, OF Jarrod Dyson, 50th rd
2007 | 5 to MLB | WAR 43.1 | High WAR 14.2, LHP Danny Duffy, 3rd rd
2008 | 6 to MLB | WAR 23.8 | High WAR 15.6, 1B Eric Hosmer, 1st rd
2009 | 7 to MLB | WAR 16.4 | High WAR 10.1, C Wil Myers, 3rd rd
2010 | 7 to MLB | WAR 14.4 | High WAR 11.0, OF Whit Merrifield, 9th rd
2011 | 5 to MLB | WAR 0.1 | High WAR 2.6, RHP Jakob Junis, 29th rd
2012 | 5 to MLB | WAR 3.2 | High WAR 2.4, LHP Matt Strahm, 21st rd
2013 | 6 to MLB | WAR 5.0 | High WAR 7.4, LHP Sean Manaea, 1st rd
2014 | 5 to MLB | WAR 2.0 | High WAR 2.3, LHP Brandon Finnegan, 1st rd
2015 | 0 to MLB | WAR 0.0 | High WAR N/A
2016 | 0 to MLB | WAR 0.0 | High WAR N/A
2017 | 0 to MLB | WAR 0.0 | High WAR N/A
The highest WAR to date, both total and individual, is from 2002. The five other players in this group who managed to make it to the MLB combined for a negative 2.1 WAR so this Draft class really belongs to RHP Zach Greinke (1st round, 65.7 WAR). His seven seasons for the Royals (2004 through 2010) were worth 26.3 WAR, one All-Star appearance and an American League Cy Young award. Greinke has gone on to collect four additional All-Star nods, five Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger since being traded away from the Royals. In December 2010, he was traded (along with Yuniesky Betancourt) to Milwaukee for four players, including OF Lorenzo Cain (7 seasons for KC, 25.1 WAR) and SS Alcides Escobar (8 seasons for KC, 9.2 WAR). Greinke is currently with the Diamondbacks.
2018 DRAFT
43 Drafted | 33 Signed | 20 Pitchers | 13 Position Players
29 College | 28 Signed | 18 Pitchers | 10 Position Players
5 JC/CC | 2 Signed | 2 Pitchers | 0 Position Players
9 HS/NS | 3 Signed | 0 Pitchers | 3 Position Players
Notable: The Royals received one additional draft pick for Competitive Balance (Round A) and two additional first round picks as compensation for losing OF Lorenzo Cain and 1B Eric Hosmer to free agency. Kansas City signed 19 of their first 20 picks with the first holdout being 15th round Texas HS OF Milan Walla.
PITCHERS
All but two of the 20 pitchers signed (11 RHP, 9 LHP) logged at least some playing time. Five of these pitchers were promoted beyond the Short Season A* level, three to Full Season A and two to Advanced A. Six of them debuted on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Prospect list for the Royals, four of them as Top 10 prospects.
Top Prospects
🔟 RHP Brady Singer, 1st round, University of Florida, DNP
🔟 RHP Jackson Kowar, 1st round, University of Florida, A
26.1 IP | 9 G / 9 GS | 3.42 ERA | 1.177 WHIP | 12 BB : 22 K
🔟 LHP Daniel Lynch, 1st round, University of Virginia, A
51.1 IP | 12 G / 12 GS | 1.58 ERA | 1.013 WHIP | 8 BB : 61 K
🔟 LHP Kris Bubic, 1st round, Stanford University, Rk
38 IP | 10 G / 10 GS | 4.03 ERA | 1.500 WHIP | 19 BB : 53 K
RHP Jonathan Bowlan, 2nd round, University of Memphis, Rk
35 IP | 9 G / 9 GS | 6.94 ERA | 1.714 WHIP | 9 BB : 23 K
LHP Austin Cox, 5th round, Mercer University, Rk
33.1 IP | 9 G / 9 GS | 3.78 ERA | 1.320 WHIP | 15 BB : 51 K
🔟 Top 10 Prospect
In total, the Kansas City 2018 Draft pitchers combined for a 3.72 ERA and a 1.348 WHIP over 549 innings as compared to the 3.67 ERA and 1.299 WHIP (average of 376.2 innings per affiliate) compiled by the total 2018 Draft class in 2018.
POSITION PLAYERS
All of the 13 position players signed (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 7 OF, 2 C) logged at least some playing time. Three players were promoted beyond the Short Season A* level, two to Full Season A and one to Advanced A. One player debuted on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Prospect list for the Royals.
Top Prospects
OF Kyle Isbel (L/R), 3rd round, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, A
64 G | .326/.389/.504/.893 | 26 BB : 60 K | 24 SB : 6 CS | 22 2B / 2 3B / 7 HR
Noteworthy Debut
OF Nathan Eaton (R/R), 21st round, Virginia Military Institute, Rk
66 G | .354/.427/.581/1.008 | 33 BB : 60 K | 19 SB : 5 CS | 20 2B / 12 3B / 5 HR | 53 RBI
With numbers like these, Eaton should certainly have been challenged to a higher level of competition than the rookie level Pioneer League, but his numbers are eye-popping nonetheless. Out of the entire 2018 Draft class, Eaton was tied for most triples.
In total, the Royals 2018 Draft position players combined to hit .282/.364/.412/.776 as compared to .261/.349/.386/.735 batting line compiled by the total 2018 Draft class in 2018.
*Notes on players include the highest level achieved for the 2018 season using the following abbreviations:
Rk = Rookie
SSA = Short Season A
A = Full Season A
A+ = Full Season A Advanced
KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Historical Draft Results from 1998 through 2017 (TO DATE)
Drafted 946 | Signed 611 | Pitchers Signed 317 | Position Players Signed 294
Total WAR 316.7
Total Players to MLB 94
Note: The following players are listed at the position at which they were originally drafted.
1998 | 7 to MLB | WAR 0.9 | High WAR 1.7, SS Norris Hopper, 8th rd
1999 | 9 to MLB | WAR 40.2 | High WAR 33.6, SS Mark Ellis, 9th rd
2000 | 6 to MLB | WAR 21.7 | High WAR 23.2, OF David DeJesus, 4th rd
2001 | 3 to MLB | WAR (1.5) | High WAR 0.0, OF Mel Stocker, 16th rd
2002 | 5 to MLB | WAR 63.6 | High WAR 65.7, RHP Zach Greinke, 1st rd
2003 | 6 to MLB | WAR 6.8 | High WAR 6.0, SS Mike Aviles, 7th rd
2004 | 5 to MLB | WAR 19.8 | High WAR 11.6, 3B Billy Butler, 1st rd
2005 | 2 to MLB | WAR 35.7 | High WAR 35.2, 3B Alex Gordon, 1st rd
2006 | 5 to MLB | WAR 21.5 | High WAR 15.1, OF Jarrod Dyson, 50th rd
2007 | 5 to MLB | WAR 43.1 | High WAR 14.2, LHP Danny Duffy, 3rd rd
2008 | 6 to MLB | WAR 23.8 | High WAR 15.6, 1B Eric Hosmer, 1st rd
2009 | 7 to MLB | WAR 16.4 | High WAR 10.1, C Wil Myers, 3rd rd
2010 | 7 to MLB | WAR 14.4 | High WAR 11.0, OF Whit Merrifield, 9th rd
2011 | 5 to MLB | WAR 0.1 | High WAR 2.6, RHP Jakob Junis, 29th rd
2012 | 5 to MLB | WAR 3.2 | High WAR 2.4, LHP Matt Strahm, 21st rd
2013 | 6 to MLB | WAR 5.0 | High WAR 7.4, LHP Sean Manaea, 1st rd
2014 | 5 to MLB | WAR 2.0 | High WAR 2.3, LHP Brandon Finnegan, 1st rd
2015 | 0 to MLB | WAR 0.0 | High WAR N/A
2016 | 0 to MLB | WAR 0.0 | High WAR N/A
2017 | 0 to MLB | WAR 0.0 | High WAR N/A
The highest WAR to date, both total and individual, is from 2002. The five other players in this group who managed to make it to the MLB combined for a negative 2.1 WAR so this Draft class really belongs to RHP Zach Greinke (1st round, 65.7 WAR). His seven seasons for the Royals (2004 through 2010) were worth 26.3 WAR, one All-Star appearance and an American League Cy Young award. Greinke has gone on to collect four additional All-Star nods, five Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger since being traded away from the Royals. In December 2010, he was traded (along with Yuniesky Betancourt) to Milwaukee for four players, including OF Lorenzo Cain (7 seasons for KC, 25.1 WAR) and SS Alcides Escobar (8 seasons for KC, 9.2 WAR). Greinke is currently with the Diamondbacks.
2018 DRAFT
43 Drafted | 33 Signed | 20 Pitchers | 13 Position Players
29 College | 28 Signed | 18 Pitchers | 10 Position Players
5 JC/CC | 2 Signed | 2 Pitchers | 0 Position Players
9 HS/NS | 3 Signed | 0 Pitchers | 3 Position Players
Notable: The Royals received one additional draft pick for Competitive Balance (Round A) and two additional first round picks as compensation for losing OF Lorenzo Cain and 1B Eric Hosmer to free agency. Kansas City signed 19 of their first 20 picks with the first holdout being 15th round Texas HS OF Milan Walla.
PITCHERS
All but two of the 20 pitchers signed (11 RHP, 9 LHP) logged at least some playing time. Five of these pitchers were promoted beyond the Short Season A* level, three to Full Season A and two to Advanced A. Six of them debuted on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Prospect list for the Royals, four of them as Top 10 prospects.
🔟 RHP Brady Singer, 1st round, University of Florida, DNP
🔟 RHP Jackson Kowar, 1st round, University of Florida, A
26.1 IP | 9 G / 9 GS | 3.42 ERA | 1.177 WHIP | 12 BB : 22 K
🔟 LHP Daniel Lynch, 1st round, University of Virginia, A
51.1 IP | 12 G / 12 GS | 1.58 ERA | 1.013 WHIP | 8 BB : 61 K
🔟 LHP Kris Bubic, 1st round, Stanford University, Rk
38 IP | 10 G / 10 GS | 4.03 ERA | 1.500 WHIP | 19 BB : 53 K
RHP Jonathan Bowlan, 2nd round, University of Memphis, Rk
35 IP | 9 G / 9 GS | 6.94 ERA | 1.714 WHIP | 9 BB : 23 K
LHP Austin Cox, 5th round, Mercer University, Rk
33.1 IP | 9 G / 9 GS | 3.78 ERA | 1.320 WHIP | 15 BB : 51 K
🔟 Top 10 Prospect
In total, the Kansas City 2018 Draft pitchers combined for a 3.72 ERA and a 1.348 WHIP over 549 innings as compared to the 3.67 ERA and 1.299 WHIP (average of 376.2 innings per affiliate) compiled by the total 2018 Draft class in 2018.
POSITION PLAYERS
All of the 13 position players signed (1B, 2B, 3B, SS, 7 OF, 2 C) logged at least some playing time. Three players were promoted beyond the Short Season A* level, two to Full Season A and one to Advanced A. One player debuted on MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Prospect list for the Royals.
Top Prospects
OF Kyle Isbel (L/R), 3rd round, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, A
64 G | .326/.389/.504/.893 | 26 BB : 60 K | 24 SB : 6 CS | 22 2B / 2 3B / 7 HR
Noteworthy Debut
OF Nathan Eaton (R/R), 21st round, Virginia Military Institute, Rk
66 G | .354/.427/.581/1.008 | 33 BB : 60 K | 19 SB : 5 CS | 20 2B / 12 3B / 5 HR | 53 RBI
With numbers like these, Eaton should certainly have been challenged to a higher level of competition than the rookie level Pioneer League, but his numbers are eye-popping nonetheless. Out of the entire 2018 Draft class, Eaton was tied for most triples.
In total, the Royals 2018 Draft position players combined to hit .282/.364/.412/.776 as compared to .261/.349/.386/.735 batting line compiled by the total 2018 Draft class in 2018.
Rk = Rookie
SSA = Short Season A
A = Full Season A
A+ = Full Season A Advanced
GENERAL NOTES: Information was obtained from Baseball-Reference and the MLB Draft History site. The occasional discrepancy in historical information was resolved to the best of my ability by delving into the player information available on B-R. On the historical information, the player position in the totals reflects the position at which the player was drafted (and not any subsequent change of position). On the 2018 information, the player position reflects the primary position played in 2018 for all players who were signed and the position at which the player was drafted for those who did not sign. Prospect listings on MLB Pipeline were as of early January and may not reflect any subsequent changes to that site.
PREVIOUSLY
NL EAST
Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals
NL East 2018 Draft Summary
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
NL Central 2018 Draft Summary
NL WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
NL West 2018 Draft Summary
AL EAST
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
AL East 2018 Draft Summary
AL CENTRAL
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
COMING NEXT
Minnesota Twins
PREVIOUSLY
NL EAST
Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals
NL East 2018 Draft Summary
NL CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati Reds
Milwaukee Brewers
Pittsburgh Pirates
St. Louis Cardinals
NL Central 2018 Draft Summary
NL WEST
Arizona Diamondbacks
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Diego Padres
San Francisco Giants
NL West 2018 Draft Summary
AL EAST
Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox
New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays
Toronto Blue Jays
AL East 2018 Draft Summary
AL CENTRAL
Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers
COMING NEXT
Minnesota Twins
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