Kansas City Royals: Baseball America says Daniel Lynch was a reach

Selected in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft, Baseball America ranks Kansas City Royals pitcher Daniel Lynch as one of the biggest reaches.

The MLB Draft can often be a crapshoot. Some of the most highly touted prospects can become the biggest busts and are quickly out of the league just as fast. Look at Kansas City Royals 2009 first-round pick Aaron Crow who was the 12th overall pick.

Crow was a standout at the University of Missouri, going 23-8 with a 3.27 ERA in 46 games. He made his first appearance in relief on Opening Day of 2011 and made the All-Star team that year. He was traded to the Marlins after the 2014 season and then bounced around, playing in the Mexican Baseball League last year.

Baseball America seems to think that the Royals’ 2018 first-round pick Daniel Lynch was one of the biggest reaches in the first round since 1990. Lynch is currently ranked as the team’s 3rd best prospect in their farm system and the 72nd best prospect in baseball.

Lynch, 22, was fantastic in his junior year at Virginia, tossing 88.2 innings in 13 starts with 105 strikeouts to just 24 walks. Baseball America had him ranked as the 111th best prospect in the 2018 draft and was one of four pitchers selected in the first round by the Royals.

When your first two picks are Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar, you can afford to go get the guy you want. By the way, Lynch has been pretty darn good thus far. He made 15 starts for High-A Wilmington in 2019 and threw 78.1 innings to the tune of a 3.10 ERA.

In those starts, Lynch struck out 77 batters and has carried over that good command that made him such an effective pitcher for Virginia, walking just 23 guys. MLB Pipeline seems to have more optimism for Lynch’s future:

He pitched at 94-95 mph consistently with his fastball, touching 97 mph, well up from his amateur velocity. He threw outstanding sliders and a very deceptive changeup while mixing in his average curve ball extremely well. His advanced feel for pitching and conviction of what he’s doing on the mound made it all play up and he came in on right-handed hitters better than most young lefties.Lynch set the bar high for his first full season after his pro debut, but the Royals are confident he can live up to his own expectations. He and the other college arms from the 2018 Draft class should feed off each other and could push each other up to Kansas City in a hurry. – MLB

Really, what it boils down to is the Royals scouting department. If they deemed he was worthy of a 77-player reach, then it’s really a moot point if he becomes the next Clayton Kershaw. Look for Lynch to begin next season for Double-A NW Arkansas.