Kansas City Royals: Top 12 prospects heading into 2020

Honorable Mentions

Daniel Tillo – LHP Starting Pitcher/Reliever (ETA: 2021)

Daniel Tillo made a move to the bullpen for the 2019 Arizona Fall League campaign and saw his velocity spike up to the high 90s. He was an outstanding multi-sport athlete in college and is capable of handling a starting role with more experience.

The Royals may have been convinced by his velocity increase and effectiveness of his two plus pitches (fastball and slider) in a relief role to keep him in the bullpen for 2020. If Tillo stays in the bullpen, he should climb the system rapidly. He is a non-roster spring training invitee and should start out the 2020 season at AA Northwest Arkansas.

MJ Melendez – Catcher (ETA: 2022)

MJ Melendez has Gold Glove defensive potential behind the dish for the Royals. He threw out an eye-popping 60% of would-be base stealers at A+ Wilmington in 2019.

Melendez had a horrible season at the plate in 2019 and looked like he didn’t have a plan in his plate approach (much better in 2019 A+ postseason hitting .300/.447/.500). Hopefully working with Drew Saylor (new Royals hitting coordinator) will improve his approach and help him become a reasonable .250 hitter with 15-18 home run power.

He’s a non-roster invitee to Spring Training this year and he should be the backstop for the wave of pitching prospects headed to AA Northwest Arkansas to start the 2020 season.

Of note: Melendez was the starting catcher for Royals minor league champions A Lexington (2018) and A+ Wilmington (2019).

Michael Gigliotti – Outfielder (ETA: 2022)

Michael Gigliotti is a plus runner, plus defender, and plus contact outfielder capable of handling Center Field duties. Gigliotti should start out the 2020 season at A+ Wilmington with a chance for promotion to AA Northwest Arkansas by midseason.

Gigliotti is a top of the order type hitter with a chance to produce high on-base numbers and 30+ stolen bases per year. His ability to make consistent contact should keep him at the top of the order and he has the speed/range to handle the massive center field at Kauffman Stadium.

Brewer Hicklen – Outfielder (ETA: 2022)

Brewer Hicklen is an exceptional athlete who played both football and baseball at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. If Hicklen is able to refine his approach at the plate, there is a possibility for him to be a 20 home run, 30 stolen base player at the major league level.

Hicklen has a high ceiling with his athleticism (plus fielder, plus power, plus baserunning) and as he gains more experience against advanced pitching, he will be very intriguing to monitor. Hicklen is a dark horse to be an everyday MLB contributor if he progresses enough with his plate approach in the next couple of seasons.

Emmanuel Rivera – Third Base (ETA: 2021)

Emmanuel Rivera is a non-roster invitee to Spring Training this year at the age of 23. He’s put up consistent numbers at the plate during his minor league career possessing a solid hit tool, gap power, and reliable defense at third base.

His numbers in the Puerto Rican winter league (.309/.353/.439) could project him well when he starts the 2020 season at AAA. Rivera has a decent floor as a prospect, but his ceiling is limited if he doesn’t develop better power numbers.

Michael Massey – Second Base (ETA: 2023)

Michael Massey was drafted in the fourth round of the 2019 amateur draft out of the University of Illinois and went on to put together a respectable first season with the Royals rookie level club in Burlington.

Massey is a high floor type of prospect as he has solid tools across the board with the chance to be a plus hitter and defender. He has a smooth compact swing, with good gap power potential, and outstanding strike-zone recognition.

Sleeper

Seuly Matias – Outfielder (ETA: 2021)

Seuly Matias missed all of 2020 and, as a result, was not added to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Matias has struggled with an inability to make consistent contact and his injuries sustained in 2019 scared off teams from making him a Rule 5 selection for the 2020 season.

Matias, at age 21, still possesses incredible talent with plus power, a plus-plus arm, above average baserunning, and above average fielding.

The hiring of Drew Saylor as the new Royals hitting coordinator could help Matias figure out his swing and miss issues. Saylor’s interview with David Laurila at fangraphs.com was incredibly illuminating on what he will bring to the table for Royals hitters and specifically Matias.

With a healthy season and refined plate approach, Matias could climb back into the picture as being a power hitting, big-armed corner outfielder for the Royals.