Royals Predicted To Bring 6-Foot-8 Flamethrower To Kansas City
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The Kansas City Royals have become something of a pitching factory over the last few seasons.
Cole Ragans developed into an ace after arriving via trade. Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha were brilliant veteran free agent signings who found rejuvenation in KC. And in 2025, Kris Bubic has enjoed a true breakout, likely resulting in his first All-Star appearance.
So whoever becomes the Royals' first pitcher taken in the upcoming Major League Baseball Draft is likely in for a smooth transition to the professional ranks. Who will that be, and when will the Royals call his name?
In a recent mock draft, Carlos Collazo of Baseball America predicted that the Royals would take that first hurler--Oregon high schooler Kruz Schoolcraft--with the 28th overall pick, their second scheduled selection (after the 23rd pick).
"If the Royals don’t grab Schoolcraft with their first pick they could still find a way to grab him here," Collazo wrote. "Kansas City could also be interested in other prep arms like Briggs McKenzie or Aaron Watson, both of whom might be better fits as overpays a bit later. I’ll reiterate the Josh Owens connection here, as well. He’s one of the most interesting dark horse candidates in the draft."
Schoolcraft, 18, was Oregon's Gatorade Player of the Year in high school last season, and for good reason. He threw two no-hitters and struck out over two batters per inning pitched. At 6-foot-8, with a mid-to-high-nineties fastball, it's not hard to see why hitters would struggle to make contact.
Meanwhile, MLB Pipeline currently has Schoolcraft ranked as the 19th-best prospect in the draft class, so some might see this pick, if it happens, as a nice value proposition.
The draft begins on Jul. 13 in Atlanta, Ga.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
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