Kansas City Royals: Every top five draft pick in Royals history

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 7: Yamaico Navarro #24, Alcides Escobar #2, Brayan Pena #27, Eric Hosmer #35 and Mike Moustakas #8 of the Kansas City Royals joke around in the dugout prior to the game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 7, 2011 in Oakland, California. The Athletics defeated the Royals 7-0. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /

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Pitcher Jeff Austin #51 of the Cincinnati Reds (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

ROYALS TOP FIVE PICKS IN MLB DRAFT

1998 – JEFF AUSTIN (FOURTH OVERALL)

After a pitiful year in 1997, the Kansas City Royals owned the fourth overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft and selected Jeff Austin out of Stanford.

Austin made it to the big leagues three years later and only made relief appearances during his Royals career. In 2001, he threw 26 innings with an ERA of 5.54 and a WHIP of 1.57. In 2002, he threw 11 innings and had a 4.91 ERA and 1.81 WHIP.

Austin spent his final major league season with the Cincinnati Reds, where they tried to use him as a starter. He made seven starts for Cincinnati and had an ERA over eight in 28.1 innings, and that was his final big league season.

After another two years in the minor leagues, Austin was out of baseball after 2005.

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