A Look Back at the Royals Top 31 Prospects: #23 Cameron Gallagher

Catcher Cameron Gallagher ranked number 23 on Baseball America’s top 31 prospects for the Kansas City Royals heading into the 2012 season. He was drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft to sure up the Royals minor league depth at catcher (they are pretty bare at that position). Heading into that draft, Baseball Prospect Report believed his

"best tools will likely be his raw right-handed power and arm strength."

Despite being big (6’3 and over 200 pounds), he has soft hands and a strong throwing arm. He made just two errors (and two passed balls) in 30 games for Burlington (rookie ball) this season. Gallagher threw out six of 23 base stealers (26%).

Gallagher came out of high school in Pennsylvania and is expected to move slowly through the system (due to his lack of experience in a shorter high school season). In his second season of rookie ball, he hit .276 with ten doubles and three homeruns in 127 at-bats. He struck out just 16 times compared to ten walks.

He’s not real athletic and his value is tied to whether he can stick at catcher. He’s a slow baserunner. Gallagher’s potential rides on his power potential, which was an eye-opening asset heading into the 2011 draft.

I expect Gallagher will finally advance to full-season ball in 2013, probably with new Low-A affiliate Lexington. He is currently participating in Instructional League at the Royals spring training complex in Surprise, Arizona.

Check out this video of Gallagher taking batting practice during the 2010 AFLAC All-American practice: