Kansas City Royals: Reviewing debut seasons for top 2017 draft picks

LHP, J.C. Cloney, ninth round, pick No. 270, Arizona

In 2014, the Kansas City Royals drafted Brandon Finnegan. The left-hander remarkably pitched in the College World Series and the MLB World Series in the same year. J.C. Cloney never came close to matching that feat, but he could accomplish both at some point.

Another lefty, Cloney shined for Arizona during the 2016 CWS. Playing in Omaha, he went 2-0 with 16 scoreless innings on his way to making the all-tournament team. The 6-foot-1, 226-pounder tossed a complete-game shutout against eventual champion Coastal Carolina. For an encore, he produced seven scoreless innings versus UC-Santa Barbara.

He showed some of that moxie during his first professional season. The 23-year-old made 12 appearances, including seven starts, for Burlington in 2017. He compiled a 3-1 record with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. His most impressive stat proved to be his strikeout-to-walk ratio. Over 43 innings, he piled up 35 strikeouts to just three walks.

On the downside, his batting average against of .260 is higher than one would like. Although, his biggest issue proved to be the home run, of which he allowed four. Other than that, Cloney produced one of the best debut seasons among the top Royals draft picks. If 2017 proves to be a springboard, Cloney has an opportunity to advance through the farm system rather quickly.