KC Royals: Minor Leaguers Most Likely to Shine in 2017

The KC Royals’ two trips to the World Series was made possible because of the guys the team had drafted in the late 2000s. Those guys spent time in the minors and then came up to the big leagues and helped the Royals win. Who has the ability to do that in 2017?

When Dayton Moore took over as the Kansas City Royals general manager, he had a vision. That vision was to let the young talent develop in the minor leagues and then eventually those guys would be ready to help the boys in blue compete at the highest possible level.

Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer, and Mike Moustakas were just a few of those aforementioned guys who helped the Royals get over the hump and to back-to-back World Series. Without those guys, a World Series title wouldn’t have been possible.

So who are the guys in the minor leagues (or who have spent most of their time in the minor leagues) ready to help the Royals contribute in 2017? The first is not a shocker at all.

MATT STRAHM

To the surprise of no one, Matt Strahm leads this list. Strahm spent the 2016 season with both the Royals and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. He skipped AAA and joined Kansas City in the summer months.

This season will be his true rookie season and Strahm will more than likely start off in the bullpen as a reliever.

Strahm was a lights out pitcher out of the pen for the Royals, proving to be one of the most reliable relievers on the team. He posted a sparkling 1.23 ERA in 22 innings of work and only allowed three earned runs.

Strahm was held back a bit in 2016 due to having Tommy John surgery in the past, so his production was limited for sure. This season will be his true rookie season and Strahm will more than likely start off in the bullpen as a reliever.

Now if injuries occur, Ned Yost could decide to move the youngster into the rotation, but it’d be smart to have him in the pen to start the season off.

I see good things for Matt Strahm in 2017 and he’ll be the most impactful minor leaguer next season.