Kansas City Royals 2015 MLB Draft Review

Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Staumont

The Kansas City Royals took another pitcher in the second round with the 64th overall selection. This time, they went away from the high school ranks and drafted right handed pitcher Josh Staumont from Azura Pacific University.

When looking at Staumont, the first thing that jumps off the page is his fastball velocity. Working as a starting pitcher, Staumont routinely sat in the 94 MPH to 97 MPH range, occasionally hitting 100 MPH. At 6’2″, 205 lbs, and with a delivery that is considered by scouts to be easy and repeatable, it seems odd that he would have been available at this juncture of the draft.

The problem with Staumont is, for as hard as he throws the baseball, he often has little idea as to where it will end up. While he struck out 100 batters in 63.1 innings of work, he also had 48 walks. Add in the fact that Staumont is essentially a two pitch pitcher, typically relying upon that fastball and a curve, and it is easy to understand why scouts would be wary.

If Staumont is unable to harness that command, or is unable to add a workable third option, he could end up in the bullpen. Given his typical fastball velocity as a starter, Staumont could be yet another fireballing weapon for the bullpen, continuing that pipeline of excellent relievers.

The Kansas City Royals drafted a truly intriguing player in Josh Staumont, and one that could surpass expectations. It will be interesting to see how his command fares during his minor league tenure.

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