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Kansas City Royals: 5 Hopes for the Royals 2019 Season

By Tyler Dierking

KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 05: Dayton Moore, left, general manager of the Kansas City Royals talks with owner and Chief Executive Officer David Glass during batting practice at Kauffman Stadium on September 5, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 05: Dayton Moore, left, general manager of the Kansas City Royals talks with owner and Chief Executive Officer David Glass during batting practice at Kauffman Stadium on September 5, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Reed Hoffmann/Getty Images) /
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Omaha, NE – JUNE 26: Pitcher Brady Singer #51 of the Florida Gators delivers a pitch against the LSU Tigers in the first inning during game one of the College World Series Championship Series on June 26, 2017 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE – JUNE 26: Pitcher Brady Singer #51 of the Florida Gators delivers a pitch against the LSU Tigers in the first inning during game one of the College World Series Championship Series on June 26, 2017 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /

Hope 3: The young core continues to develop

Whether you want to believe it or not, the Kansas City Royals have actually developed a nice farm system the last few years. After striking out on many first-round draft picks since Eric Hosmer was drafted in 2008, the Royals seem to be back on track.

The Royals didn’t have a first-round pick in 2016, but with the 14th pick in 2017 the Royals took Nick Pratto, and in 2018 the Royals seemingly stole three pitchers in the first round: Brady Singer

(18th), Jackson Kowar (33rd), and Daniel Lynch (34th). Other standouts in the last three drafts are outfielder Khalil Lee, shortstop Nicky Lopez, pitcher Richard Lovelady, catch MJ Melendez, outfielder Michael Gigliotti, and outfielder Kyle Isbel.

These are a lot of the guys who are projected to be the next wave. And while watching them they are developing at a rate that will allow for the Royals to be competitive again around 2020-2021. Both Pratto and Melendez have broken into the rankings of Top-10 prospects in their positions, Pratto being the No. 6 first baseman and Melendez being the No. 9 catcher.

Lopez is considered close to being MLB ready and Lovelady is wildly considered to be ready now by many MLB GMs. All the Royals need is for Singer, Kowar, Lynch, and Lee to continue developing the way the organization believes they can, and for Isbel and Gigliotti to show that they can build on previous success.

The 2019 MLB Draft is a critical one for the Royals. If they can have similar success like they have had the last couple years then the new wave of Royals prospects is going to help the team compete sooner, rather than later.

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