The Royals’ Initial Draft Haul Wisely Bets on College Talent
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Heading into the 2022 MLB Draft, many expected the Kansas City Royals to go with a high school prep bat or — for those with pessimistic views — a pitcher from either the high school or college ranks. They hadn't selected a college position player in the opening round in nearly a decade, after all. There was no way that president of baseball operations Dayton Moore, general manager J.J. Picollo, assistant GM Lonnie Goldberg and director of scouting Danny Ontiveros would break tendency, right?
Wrong.
With their first pick, No. 9 overall, Kansas City welcomed Virginia Tech outfielder Gavin Cross to the organization. Cross, a 21-year-old lefty bat from Tennessee, slashed a video game-like .328./.411/.660 in 57 games with the Hokies this season and posted an amazing 1.071 OPS. Cross boasts a mature approach at the plate, walking 30 times with 41 strikeouts, and also has impressive raw power (17 home runs). From an offensive standpoint, the newly-selected Royal should rise through the club's minor league system relatively quickly.
Due to trading the 35th overall pick to the Atlanta Braves for a prospect package of Drew Waters, Andrew Hoffmann and CJ Alexander, the Royals had a bit of a wait until their next selection rolled around. The board saw plenty of über-talented players fall off it, much to the letdown of those anxiously awaiting Kansas City's second addition of Sunday night. At No. 49, however, another premier talent fell into the club's lap: Arkansas third baseman Cayden Wallace.
Wallace, who will turn 21 next month, is a Little Rock native who stuck around to play for the Razorbacks. In 67 games this year, the righty slashed .298/.387/.553 with a .940 OPS, 16 home runs and 60 RBIs in a tough Southeastern Conference. His exit velocities are among the best in this year's class, suggesting that he has an immensely high ceiling if he taps all the way into his power potential. There are some questions about Wallace's hit tool but with the Royals currently developing seemingly every toolsy prospect into a productive player, betting on Drew Saylor and company to get the best out of the second-round pick is far from a huge risk.
From an offensive standpoint, both Cross and Wallace fit quite well into what the Royals want and need. They project as middle-of-the-order bats who can drive the ball into the gaps of Kauffman Stadium and even get a decent amount of them out of the ballpark. Cross's all-around profile is impressive at the plate, and Wallace is a fix or two away from being a legitimate threat with his bat. Kansas City needed an injection of both power and upside in its minor league ranks as it attempts to construct a contending big-league team in due time, and these additions serve as just that.
Speaking of that, the Royals' current theme in regards to its youth movement seems to be positional versatility. Catcher MJ Melendez has spent time in the outfield, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has played plenty of third base and even first base prospect Nick Pratto could possibly be a corner outfield piece if the infield logjam continues to develop. In the outfield, the likes of Edward Olivares and Kyle Isbel have logged reps at various positions. Simply put: There aren't many positions on the MLB club that are set in stone.
It isn't difficult to tie that back to the selections of Cross and Wallace. Cross, a center fielder at Virginia Tech, told the media via Zoom on Sunday night that he's comfortable there but is more than willing to play in right field or even first base if the club asks for it. Wallace played third base in his final year at Arkansas, but he has corner outfield experience and is a good athlete with a strong arm. Neither prospect has to be confined to one specific position. That's a major plus, all things considered.
As the Royals' future big-league lineup sorts itself out both in the batting order and in the field, both Cross and Wallace should be seamless fits if they reach their respective ceilings. They're heady prospects with legitimate promise at the plate, and their defensive profiles allow for some wiggle room and experimentation over the next couple of years. With pressing needs in the outfield and at third base, the club scratched both itches and left days two and three of the draft wide open for just about anything else. That's a great spot to be in, and the Royals' bets on college talent early on should prove to be wise down the road.
