Kansas City Royals: Five prospects to watch in September
By Cody Rickman
The Arizona Fall League is scheduled to get started September 18th – October 26th and the Kansas City Royals are currently sending six prospects to play for the Surprise Saguaros.
The Kansas City Royals are sending Daniel Lynch LHP, Kyle Isbel OF, Brewer Hicklen OF, Gabriel Cancel IF, Tad Ratliff RHP, and Daniel Tillo LHP to the Arizona Fall League to play for the Surprise Saguaros when league play commences September 18th.
Daniel Lynch and Kyle Isbel are two of the Royals top prospects currently in the Royal’s minor league system and are expected to make up for lost playing time in Arizona due to injuries this season.
I’ve already done a write up on Daniel Lynch and what we should expect from him in the future which you can read here. Here’s what we can expect from the other players being sent to Arizona to compete against some of the best mid-level minor league prospects in the game.
Kyle Isbel – Outfielder (22-years-old)
- 2018 Stats (2 levels – Rookie Idaho Falls and A Lexington)
- .326/.389/.504, 22 2Bs, 2 3Bs, 7 HRs, 26 BB, 60 K, 24/30 SBs in 264 at-bats
- 2019 Stats (2 levels – A+ Wilmington and Rookie Arizona (Rehab))
- .233/.296/.397, 9 2Bs, 3 3Bs, 7 HRs, 17 BB, 49 K, 11/15 SBs in 219 at-bats
Drafted in the third round out of UNLV in 2018, Isbel has hit the ball hard in the low minors for the Royals. Isbel has slightly above average tools (hit, power, base-running, arm, and fielding) with his strongest tool being his ability to make consistent good contact.
He has displayed a consistent eye at the plate with walk rate above 7% and strikeout rate around 20%. Isbel has plus speed to beat out infield hits and solid gap power to generate extra base hits. He is above average defensively and may find a home in center field.
Expectations: Isbel’s dip in production during the 2019 campaign can be contributed to the tough hitting conditions at the ballpark in Wilmington and dealing with injuries.
He has played well in the playoffs for the Wilmington Blue Rocks and a strong showing for the Surprise Saguaros will go a long way in reaching his projection of being an above average major league outfielder. Isbel projects to be a .270 hitter with about 15 homeruns and 20 stolen bases per year.