Royals Predicted To Acquire Standout Infielder With 23rd Overall Draft Pick

Offense is a need now, next year, and for many years to come

Jul 7, 2018; Kansas City, MO, USA; A genera view of a Kansas City Royals cap on the field, prior to a game against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken/Imagn Images | Peter G. Aiken

If we had to guess what the Kansas City Royals' draft strategy looks like in 2025, we'd bet it reads something like this:

Offense. Offense. And once we've taken car of that, let's get some offense.

The Royals' lineup has been one of the worst in Major League Baseball this season, causing the team to hover around .500 despite stellar pitching. In the upcoming July draft, the Royals have a chance to grab some talented hitters and even out the balance in the coming seasons.

If the Royals are going with a hitter in the first round, the real question is, high school or college? One baseball writer sees them going back to the prep well, as they did with superstar Bobby Witt Jr., to secure a talented bat.

On Tuesday, Gabe Lacques of USA Today predicted that the Royals would draft Great Oak, Calif. high schooler Gavin Fien with the 23rd overall selection.

"A Texas commit whose future position is subject to change, Fien’s bat stands up against the prep shortstops projected to go ahead of him," Lacques wrote.

Fien, 18, is a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder with a chance to develop into a huge power threat. He's got a rocket arm as well, and if we're betting on his future position, third base is the safest pick. That could work out well for the Royals if Witt sticks around well into his thirties.

A lot can change in a month, and there's no telling if Fien will even be on the board when the Royals select. But the youngster would be an exciting addition to the Kansas City talent pool.

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