Kansas City Royals: Five prospects who can help team in 2020
By Cody Rickman
Khalil Lee – Outfielder
(21-years-old), needs to be added to 40-man roster (Rule 5 eligible this off-season)
- 2019 Stats (led AA Texas League in Stolen Bases, Walks, and Strikeouts)
- .264/.363/.372, 21 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 8 HRs, 65 BB, 154 K, 53/65 stolen bases in 470 at bats
For the 2019 season, Khalil Lee led the Texas league in stolen bases, walks, and strikeouts. At the age of 21-years-old, Lee is about 2.7 years younger than his peers at AA.
Lee projects to be a .250 average hitter, with about 15 – 18 home runs, and solid extra base hit numbers. He really needs to start showing some development in lower his K% which for his career has hovered around 28%.
His walk rate has been around or above 10%, so there is a good chance for him to be able to reach base at a respectable clip. Lee is a plus runner with above average defense and a plus arm in the outfield.
Expectations – Lee needs to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason. Lee should start the year in AAA Omaha and he could get a call up to the Royals in mid-summer. If injury were to happen to any of the Royals outfielders prior to mid-summer, Lee would be the first player in the system to receive the call.
Lee has the chance to be an above average outfielder with the Royals bringing speed and on-base potential. He’s not yet a finished product with more development in store on the horizon. It would be best to get his as many at-bats as he can get in AAA before the Royals move him up to the MLB roster for good.