Early Returns: Royals 2009 Draft Picks (Rounds 31-50)

After a couple weeks, we come to the 4th and final post looking at the early returns from the Royals 2009 draft class.  In this edition you can find info on the last 20 rounds, but be warned, there is not much to get excited about.

LHP-Brian Peacock (31st Round/932nd Overall)  Santa Ana College, California
Rookie – Arizona League Royals
Peacock started 9 games and came out of the pen in 2 others.  In 38.1 innings pitched he had a 4.93 ERA, 1.513 WHIP, and 4.25 SO/BB.  He displayed solid control walking only 8 while striking out 34, but he also allowed 50 hits and 6 home runs.  Peacock held his own, but his stuff proved to be awfully hittable in his first year of professional baseball.

C-Louis Voit (32/962)  Lafayette HS, Missouri
Did not sign with the Royals.

LHP-Claudio Bavera (33/992)  Cochise County CC, Arizona
Rookie – Burlington Royals
Bavera started out his professional career pitching for the Arizona League Royals and performed well.  He posted a 0.44 ERA, 1.210 WHIP, and 1.91 SO/BB in 20.2 innings pitched.  He was assigned to Burlington on August 28th and pitched 2.0 innings while giving up 3 hits, 2 runs, and 1 walk while striking out 1 on August 30th.  It surely wasn’t the type of outing he wanted to end his season on.

SS-Justin Trapp (34/1022)  Fairfield Central HS, South Carolina
Rookie – Arizona League Royals
Just 18 years old, Trapp held his own in his first professional season while playing SS in 21 of 32 games.  He hit 0.262/.329/.310 with 11 BB, 36 SO, and 12 SB in 142 PA.  Trapp made 16 errors at SS for a 0.870  FP, but had a perfect 1.000 FP in his 5 games at 2B.

CF-Levi Cartas (35/1052)  Marysville-Pilchuck HS, Washington
Did not sign with the Royals.

RHP-Fabian Roman (36/1082)  Marist HS, New Jersey
Did not sign with the Royals.

RHP-Tanner Poppe (37/1112)  Girard HS, Kansas
Did not sign with the Royals.

SS-Arthur Owens (38/1142)  Sandy Creek HS, Georgia
Did not sign with the Royals.

1B-Arthur Charles (39/1172)  Bakersfield JC, California
Did not sign with the Royals.

RHP-Michael Morin (40/1202)  Shawnee Mission South HS, Kansas
Did not sign with the Royals.

C-Joey Lewis (41/1232)  University of Georgia
Rookie – Idaho Falls Chukars
Lewis was drafted as a Catcher, but played only 1 out of 17 games behind the plate this season.  He has split time evenly between 1B and DH in his other 16 games while hitting 0.328/.403/.483 with 7 BB and 18 SO in 67 PA.

LHP-Jonathon Keck (42/1262)  Bethel College, Indiana
Rookie – Arizona League Royals
Keck made 12 relief appearances in his first professional season.  In 24.0 innings pitched he had a 9.00 ERA, 2.042 WHIP, 1.71 SO/BB.

RHP-Jeffrey Soptic (43/1292)  Shawnee Mission East HS, Kansas
Did not sign with the Royals.

SS-Derrick Hudgins (44/1322)  Middleton HS, Florida
Did not sign with the Royals.

3B-Derek Spencer (45/1352)  Bowling Green University
Did not sign with the Royals.

RHP-Hudson Randall (46/1382)  Dunwoody HS, Georgia
Did not sign with the Royals.

OF-Anthony Howard (47/1412)  Quince Orchard HS, Maryland
Rookie – Arizona League Royals
Hit 0.191/.315/.340 with 16 BB, 31 SO, and 11 SB in 112 PA in his first professional season.

SS-Kevin Kuntz (48/1442)  Union HS, Oklahoma
Did not sign with the Royals.

C-Zachary Fisher (49/1472)  AB Miller HS, California
Did not sign with the Royals.

SS-Anthony Scirrotto (50/1502)  Penn State University
Did not sign with the Royals.  Signed this spring with the Carolina Panthers as a non-drafted free agent.  He last played baseball in 2005, before heading to Penn State to play football.

Thoughts:
Not a lot to get excited about, or write about, in the final 20 rounds since only 6 of the 20 picks signed.  Of those 6, only Bavera, Trapp, and Lewis look to have much of a chance to make much beyond rookie ball.  Howard, Keck, and Peacock don’t figure to remain in affiliated ball for very long unless they make some significant strides in the near future.