FOX Sports’ strength ranking 26 years old and under is a new spin on the classic lead leaderboard. Yes, prospects are important, but with all the game-changing young talent already in the big companies, the farm system alone can’t tell the whole story. So we are diving into each MLB clubs, ranking them all according to players in an organization entering the season aged 26 and under – from the big boys to the farmers. Every weekday until March 24, we’ll be counting down from last to first.
No.17 Kansas City Royals
Total score from 26 years old and under: 16 (out of 30)
Shortly after American Baseball rated the Royals’ ranch system as the worst sport in August last year, new general manager JJ Picollo asked the front office staff where their internal estimates were. club measurement.
On the 21st, they told him.
“So maybe we’re not as bad as people think,” Picollo said last month. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”
That’s not something you want to hear from a group that hasn’t been in dispute since the Obama administration. Team Royal have not finished more than 0.500 since they won the World Series eight years ago, and they are not expected to finish that record in 2023.
But their collection of young talent is, at least, a little better than it all sounds. They come in at 17th in our 26 and under ranking despite ranking lower on most public ranch system rankings as some of their prospects have graduated from the leagues. big last season. That is usually a good thing.
first sentinel Vinnie Pasquantino25, and catcher/midfielder MJ Melendez, 24 years old, self-identified as competent or better. outsider sprint,24; Nate Eaton, 26; and the second sentry Michael Massey, 24, suggests the same thing in smaller samples. But Kyle Isbel26 on Friday, demonstrated the impermanence of such a stature by retiring to play at an alternative level after a brief, encouraging debut in 2021. And, of course, there is Stop point Bobby Witt Jr., a top prospect who parted ways with Kansas City last season but needs time to find his footing in his regular season. He’s still only 22.
In terms of pitching, the young Royals are a bit more experienced, but, with one exception, a bit less talented. left-handed Kris Bubic25, right-handed Singer Brady, 26 years old, both participated in the arbitration. They held the same fruitful 2021 seasons, but Singer took a significant step forward in 2022, while Bubic regressed in a bad year. right-handed Carlos Hernandeztoo, increased from 3.68 ERA in 2021 to 7.39 in 2022. Left-handed people Daniel Lynch26 years old, also struggling with a 5.13 ERA.
Witt is the big hope to propel this franchise forward, but Singer may not be left behind. The previous first-round picker limited his walks last season to the point where he ranked among the league’s top 30 starters in terms of WHIP. With a repeat season, he can become the best player.
There are other talents who have not yet spent significant time in the major. Gavin Cross, the 22-year-old central midfielder, has impressed professional scouts. shortcut Maikel Garcia, who turns 23 this week, looks like he can hit. Outside prospect Tyler Gentry, 24, has been successful on every level. Nick Loftin, 24, can play in many positions and he has been successful in every position except Triple-A.
The Royals’ top promising pitchers all struggled last season, but the club are confident they will bounce back.
“We didn’t perform well in the minor leagues last year,” Picollo said. “There has been a lot of discussion among our people that this should be an aberration.”
Left-hander Asa Lacy, the fourth overall selection in 2020, is a prime example. He has dropped from the prospect rankings after consecutive disappointing seasons, especially in 2022, when he walked more people than he hit in more than 28 innings. Lacy is still only 23. It’s not yet time to give him up, especially considering his promising pedigree.
“It’s not just us,” Picollo said of appreciating Lacy as an amateur.
right-handed Jonathan Bowlan26 years old, briefly dominated at Double-A in 2021 but struggled to reach the same level in 2022. Right-handed Alec swamp24-year-old, beat a lot of Double-A players but was too prone to run home so he scored a 7.32 ERA – and an ugly 1-15 record.
The royal family has just undergone a regime change. Longtime general manager Dayton Moore is gone, soon followed by manager Mike Matheny. Picollo, Moore’s longtime lieutenant, soon replaced him, and bystander Matt Quatraro replaced Matheny. They understand that developing an interesting farm is essential, not only in the field but also outside.
“It’s definitely going to change fans in one way or another,” Picollo said. “It’s something we talk about.”
But, Picollo says, that’s not the only thing. He joined the Royals in 2011, when they had nine players who set records in American Baseball’s top 100 and were #1 in the overall system. Many of the farmers of that era who ultimately contributed the most to the Royal’s mid-2010s success weren’t their best in 2011: Salvador PerezGreg Holland and Kelvin Herrera among them.
“We learned a good lesson there,” Picollo said. “We may not be the top farm system. But it’s really more important in terms of depth.”
Royals today have some promising depth. To go up, they need more top talent to emerge.
Score analysis
Players in major league position: 6 (out of 10)
Major League pitchers: 5 (out of 10)
Promising players: 3 (out of 5)
Promising pitchers: 2 (out of 5)
Pedro Moura is the national baseball writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the Dodgers for The Athletic, Angels and Dodgers for the Orange County Register and LA Times, and his alma mater, USC, for ESPN Los Angeles. He is the author of “How to Beat a Broken Game.” Follow him on Twitter at @pedromoura.
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