Kansas City Royals: Rule 5 Draft Targets for 2020

HONORABLE MENTIONS – CONTINUED

Ljay Newsome, Pitcher (SEA)

Ljay Newsome is a 23-year-old starting pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. Newsome has climbed the farm system quickly and produced good numbers along the way.

Newsome utilizes excellent command to generate a majority of his outs in his starts. The right hander features an 88-92 mph fastball, 77-79 mph slider, and 83-84 mph change-up. Newsome’s peripheral numbers are interesting with his FIP (fielding independent pitching) hovering around the 3.00 mark.

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Newsome doesn’t feature fantastic stuff, but his command makes him an intriguing option. Newsome could be steal in the Rule 5 draft if he continues to generate weak contact and limit home runs.

Buddy Reed, Outfielder (SD)

Buddy Reed is a 24-year-old defense/speed/arm first outfielder, who struggles to make consistent contact in AA for 2019, but had a stellar 2017 in A+. If you believe his bat will play in the MLB, he could be an excellent fourth outfielder type with a chance to be an MLB regular if he finds his way at the plate.

Moises Gomez, Outfielder (TB)

Moises Gomez is a 21-year-old outfielder with a ton of potential at the plate. Gomez is an average runner and fielder with a slightly above average arm. He is a corner outfielder with the potential with plus hitting ability and plus power.

The Royals could stash Gomez on the roster with the expansion up to 26 players. Gomez has a chance to hit .260 with 20+ home runs in the future if the Royals are patient, but since Gomez hasn’t played any affiliated ball above A+, taking him in the Rule 5 draft would be very risky.

Conclusion

I believe the Kansas City Royals will select Andy Ibáñez and Jordan Sheffield in the Rule 5 draft. Both players project to have the best ability to not only make the roster in 2020, but to stick on the roster for the next several years as able contributors. Radke, Finnegan, and Rojas all feature the ability to be low-risk selections, but don’t offer as much upside as Ibáñez and Sheffield.

Each of the players I listed in the honorable mention list have high risk attached to them featuring several plus tools, but lacking elsewhere at the current moment. The Royals are in the position to select a high risk player to see if they are a potentially capable MLB regular.