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

RHP, Charlie Neuweiler, fifth round, pick No. 150, Monsignor McClancy (East Elmhurst, N.Y.)

Charlie Neuweiler has the unfortunate distinction to be the highest drafted player from the Kansas City Royals’ 2017 class to not currently reside among the organization’s top 30 prospects. However, if this past season is any indication, he soon will be. That’s because Neuweiler put together arguably the most impressive campaign of the recently selected prospects.

He only pitched in 12 games (five starts) for the Royals’ Arizona League affiliate. Regardless, Neuweiler pitched phenomenally. His 3-3 mark belies his ridiculous 1.76 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and .192 batting average against. Over 41 innings pitched, the 18-year-old allowed just 28 hits and eight earned runs. Had the right-hander displayed better control — he had 12 walks, his numbers would have been even better.

Aside from the walks, Neuweiler also gave up three home runs and hit a pair of batters. His 34 strikeouts mean he struck out almost three times the number of batters he walked. At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, he doesn’t have the size of some of the pitchers the Royals took near him in the draft. But his debut season showed plenty of promise. If he continues to improve his strikeout-to-walk ratio, the fifth-round pick could soon become one of the most promising arms in the lower reaches of the farm system.