Kansas City Royals: Is Luke Hochevar considered a bust

The Kansas City Royals drafted Luke Hochevar with the first overall pick in the 2006 MLB Draft. Hochevar had an up and down career with the boys in blue, but could he qualify as a “bust” for the team?

In 2006, the Kansas City Royals were coming off a 56-106 season and had the first overall pick in the draft that year. They decided to go with Luke Hochevar, a starting pitcher out of the University of Tennessee.

Hochevar had been drafted twice before the 2006 season, showing he did have talent. He was a 39th round pick by the Dodgers in 2002 and was selected by the Dodgers again in 2005. Contract discussions didn’t go well between the two sides and Hochevar entered the draft again the following year where the Royals scooped him up first overall.

Luke Hochevar was drafted with the idea of him being a starter in the league and the Royals tried their hardest to make that a reality. The fact of the matter was that Hochevar just wasn’t good in that role.

Hochevar was the first overall pick and was intended to be a dominant starting pitcher in the MLB. Instead, he was an awful starter, was moved to the bullpen, and had way too many injuries.

During his five seasons as a full-time starter for the KC Royals, Hochevar’s lowest ERA was 4.68. He just wasn’t cut out for that role, so the Royals moved him to the bullpen beginning in the 2013 season.

Just like the Royals have seen oh so many times, Hochevar excelled tremendously out of the pen. In that 2013 season he threw 70.1 innings and had an ERA of 1.92. He also recorded two saves that season.

Hochevar missed all of 2014 due to needing Tommy John surgery, but returned for the 2015 and 2016 seasons where he played a pivotal role as a reliever. He was actually the winning pitcher in Game 5 of the 2015 World Series, which will surely be a fun trivia question in the coming years.

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While a lot of the newer wave of Kansas City Royals fans would say, “NO WAY!” to Luke Hochevar being a bust, what does everyone else think? I’m actually tempted to lean towards yes honestly, which pains me.

Hochevar was the first overall pick and was intended to be a dominant starting pitcher in the MLB. Instead, he was an awful starter, was moved to the bullpen, and had way too many injuries throughout his nine-year career. He’s no longer with the Royals and currently not with any MLB team.

Also, because I’m cruel, you have to make note of the guys the Royals passed on when selecting Hochevar. Pitching wise, they missed out on Clayton Kershaw, Andrew Miller, Tim Lincecum, and Max Scherzer. Fielding wise, Evan Longoria is the biggest name the Royals could have had, who was taken two picks later.

Look at those pitchers the Royals could have had! Sure, what Hochevar did in the playoffs in 2015 was great, but Clayton Kershaw as a Royal? Max Scherzer pitching at the K? These are things that could have happened, but instead, the Royals went with Luke Hochevar, a bad starter turned injured-all-the-time reliever.

What do you think, Royals fans? Would you consider Luke Hochevar to be a bust?

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