KC Royals: Starters in 2019 All-Star Game that Royals missed out on
The starters for the 2019 MLB All-Star Game have been announced and the KC Royals had an opportunity to draft several of these guys. Who did they miss out on and who did they take instead?
The starting lineup for the 2019 MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland is set. While Hunter Dozier of the Kansas City Royals was in the election for the AL starting third baseman, he did not win the final vote and Whit Merrifield will be the one representing the boys in blue next week.
Looking at this year’s All-Star Game starters, which of them did the Royals have a chance to land in those players’ respective drafts? Let’s take a look, starting with the players the Royals missed in the 2009 MLB Draft.
2009 MLB DRAFT
In 2009, the Kansas City Royals held the 12th overall selection and went with right-handed pitcher Aaron Crow out of Missouri. The local aspect made Crow an exciting pick, but it just so happens that the Royals missed out on not just one great player, but two great players.
Thirteen selections after Crow was off the board, the Los Angeles Angels landed Mike Trout out of Millville Senior High School in New Jersey. Since that time, Trout has gone on to be the league MVP twice, All-Star Game MVP twice, win six Silver Slugger awards, make it to seven total All-Star games, and be an absolute boss of a player.
Trout doesn’t get the superstar treatment like he should, but there’s no doubt about it that he’s the best player in baseball. Had the Royals drafted him, it’s doubtful they’d have been able to hang onto him for as long as the Angels have, but could you have IMAGINED him with those 2014 and 2015 teams? The Royals would have been even more unstoppable with Trout’s bat in the lineup.
The Royals also missed out on Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, who somehow fell to the second round going 59th overall. Arenado is a stud, winning six Gold Gloves, two Platinum Gloves, and four Silver Slugger awards. He’d have been an incredible addition to the Royals during their prestigious runs.
But… The Royals drafted Aaron Crow, who had an average ERA of 3.43 in 233.2 innings pitched. Crow wasn’t a terrible pick, but he only spent four seasons with the Royals and has been out of the league since 2014. So while he wasn’t the worst pick, the Royals could have had Mike Trout or Nolan Arenado instead and that makes it a pretty bad pick in retrospective.