Kansas City Royals: Top 12 prospects heading into 2020
By Cody Rickman
2020 amateur Draft:
The 2020 amateur draft predictions can be viewed here.
4th overall pick – Nick Gonzales, Second Base (ETA: 2023/2024)
Nick Gonzales is a 21-year-old, 5’10”, 190 lb., right-handed hitting second baseman out New Mexico State University. He’s been labeled a “pure hitter” and has the offensive potential to hit for a .280 average with 40 doubles and nearly 20 home runs on an annual basis at his peak. Gonzales is at least an average runner and average defender, so the bat won’t be the only tool doing the heavy lifting in his progression.
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Gonzales offers tremendous value at the number four pick and he is capable of being a fast moving prospect in any team’s system. He is an advanced enough hitter to be placed at the Royals A ball club in Lexington where he could meet up with his future double play partner Bobby Witt Jr. Gonzales would is a likely addition to most top 100 prospect lists in 2021.
32nd overall pick – Ryan Hagenow, Starting Pitcher (ETA: 2024)
Ryan Hagenow is an 18-year-old, 6’5”, 195 pound, right-handed starting pitcher out of Farragut High School in Tennessee. Hagenow is one of the more projectable pitchers in the 2020 draft class. He already shows an ability to control his mechanics and his delivery allows him to access his velocity with relative ease.
Hagenow flashes command of his four-pitch mix (fastball, slider, curveball, change-up), hitting locations low in the zone as well as on the corners. With his projectable frame, there is a chance for each of his pitch offerings to reach plus grade levels.
The movement and velocity on his pitches will increase as he matures. Hagenow could have the potential to be a dominant pitcher with velocity to overpower hitters and induce weak contact.
If he is able to maintain his flexibility and low effort mechanics along the way in his physical maturation, he should be able to avoid injury. For a high school pitching prospect, this is as good as it gets. Whether or not he’s still available at the 32nd overall draft choice and can be signed out of his college commitment is another question entirely.
Next. Way Too Early 2020 MLB Draft Predictions. dark
Outlook
The future is bright for the Kansas City Royals and only time will tell if this wave of prospect talent is able to capture the magic the wave of prospect talent in 2011 was able to accomplish with back-to-back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015.
There is enough projectable talent in the 2020 Royals farm system to potentially have a top-five farm system entering the 2021 season. The Royals top amateur draft choices from 2020 will only add to this exciting system.