Kansas City Royals: What’s Up Down on the Farm? Post-Deadline Edition

The Kansas City Royals came through the 2017 MLB trade deadline without giving up any of the top prospects in the system. For the future of the club that was huge. That is not to say that they didn’t move any prospects obviously.

After the Kansas City Royals completed deals with the Padres and the White Sox I had a question. How does the system stack up post-deadline? In order to get some answers I turned to one of KoK’s old friends, Patrick Brennan, over at Royals Farm Report.

So let’s take a look at the current state of what was once considered the greatest system in baseball history.

KoK: Now that we are past the trade deadline, how does the Kansas City Royals system stack up to the rest of baseball in your opinion?

Royals Farm Report: For now, it’s still pretty rough. It probably comes in as a bottom five farm system. This has been due to some rough drafts, trades, and international spending penalties. That being said, there are some things to be excited about in the system. The 2016 draft is looking good and there are some intriguing players in the lower minors.

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• KC Royals Prospects News: Top draft pick is sizzling

KoK: How important was this year’s draft?

RFR: Well, every draft is important. The first [round] selection was more special because it was the Kansas City Royals’ first one in two years. If the Royals can nail some of their early selections (Nick Pratto, MJ Melendez, Evan Steele, Michael Gigliotti) it could seriously help a bleak system.

KoK: Is Nick Pratto deserving of being listed at the top of the prospect list? Does that represent a lack of depth in the system, or is he simply that good?

RFR: Probably a little bit of both. It does show a lack of depth because there are very few systems in which Pratto would rank #1. But he does have loads of potential. The Kansas City Royals got themselves one of the better hitters in this year’s draft class.

KoK: Is there enough talent in the system to help replace veteran talent this winter?

RFR: No. Not at the moment. You’re asking a lot to replace established guys like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain. There are some players that could be play major roles next year (Hunter Dozier, Ryan O’Hearn, Kyle Zimmer and Richard Lovelady), but replace the veteran talent fully, no.

KoK: Who is one under the radar guy who has a chance to make an impact in Kansas City next season?

RFR: A guy that is rarely talked about is Eric Stout. He doesn’t show up on many rankings, but he’s a guy that could play a major role out of next year’s bullpen. He has pitched very well out of the Omaha bullpen, posting a 2.37 ERA in 57 innings.

Next: Checking in on Paulo Orlando

So here is the question I have for you Royals Nation. How are you feeling about the current state of the farm system now that we are past the non-waiver deadline? How about when it comes to the next couple of seasons for Kansas City Royals baseball? Let us know in the comments.