KC Royals: Two Prospects Ranked In Top 100

The KC Royals don’t have as strong a farm system as they used to, but fans will settle for being competitive for a while.

MLB.com released their rankings of the top 100 prospects in baseball recently and Raul Adalberto Mondesi and Kyle Zimmer cracked the list. The two highly touted Royals prospects are well known among Royals’ fans, but the presence of only two players leaves some cause for concern.

While the  KC Royals don’t have a lot of prospects on this list, fans should be happy that the Royals are contenders and not still trying to sell the promise of next year. All teams have ‘windows of opportunity’ to compete and the Royals are in theirs right now.

The Royals traded away some prospects last season that also landed on this list. Those players are: Cody Reed and Sean Manaea. Again, while those trades seemed to gut the Royals’ minor league talent, there are still plenty players left to help the Royals stay competitive. Those trades helped net them a championship, so the result was worth it.

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Mondesi was ranked 37th on the list of prospects. Mondesi’s claim to fame so far is his World Series appearance. He became the first player in history to make his Major League Debut in the World Series.

Mondesi’s best tools so far appear to be his defensive prowess and his speed, but everyone is still optimistic that his bat will come around. His batting numbers have underwhelmed, but he’s also been the youngest player in his league for much of the past three seasons. See what MLB.com has to say about Mondesi:

"Mondesi has some of the best all-around tools among shortstop prospects but has batted .225/.266/.361 the last two seasons because the Royals have pushed him very aggressively since signing him for $2 million in 2011. The son of former National League Rookie of the Year and All-Star Raul Mondesi, he made his U.S. debut at age 16 and was the only 19-year-old regular last year in the Double-A Texas League."

Just how fast is Mondesi? Watch him turn heads and confuse the defense in last year’s Future’s game.

Kyle Zimmer is ranked 65th on the list of prospects, but could be the first to make a big impact for the Royals.

Zimmer was supposed to have been called up in 2015 but his injury history kept him in the minors. Royals fans have heard about Zimmer’s stats and all the promise he has but will he ever be healthy enough to play for a full season?

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Zimmer is still just 24 years old so he’s not too old to be considered a bust. He has the the strikeout ability to throw up some crazy numbers at the big league level and Royals’ fans hope to see him make his debut this season.

Zimmer’s numbers in the minor have been very impressive when he has been able to pitch. He averages 10.8 Ks/9 and owns a 3.28 ERA in the minors. With a strong spring training, Zimmer has a shot to make the rotation out of camp. Here’s what MLB.com has to say about him:

"That said, Zimmer still has the stuff to be a frontline starter if he can stay healthy. His fastball usually sits at 92-95 mph and reaches 97 as a starter, and he has hit triple digits in the past. His hammer curveball can make hitters look absolutely silly, and he has flashed a solid slider and changeup."

Check out Zimmer’s strikeout ability. (specifically the nasty curve ball around the 39 second mark)

The future remains bright for the Royals in spite of the fact that the system may be a little depleted right now. There is no reason to fret just yet.

The Royals should remain competitive for at least another couple of seasons. Dayton Moore has proven to be a mastermind and should keep the Royals focused on winning as long as he’s around.

Next: Will Zimmer Ever Make This List?

So what do you think Royals’ fans? Do you like these prospects to make an impact? What prospects do you feel should have cracked the top 100? When will Zimmer make his debut? Let me know in the comments section below.