Shortened MLB Draft would put added pressure on Dayton Moore

Regardless of how much shorter the 2020 MLB Draft gets, it’ll put a ton of pressure on Dayton Moore to make the most of his picks.

While the 2020 MLB Draft isn’t set in stone in regards to how many rounds it will have, it’s entirely possible that things are cut down significantly. The league has the right to hold as few as five rounds. If that ends up being the case, KC Royals general manager Dayton Moore will be feeling the heat.

Moore’s claims to fame are several. He executed the Zack Greinke trade that netted Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi was then included in a package for James Shields and Wade Davis. Moore also drafted the crop of talent that included Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Salvador Perez. After the franchise won the 2015 World Series, though, things haven’t gone as swimmingly.

The 2018 draft class has helped restore Moore’s reputation a bit. A common criticism by many is that he struggles to draft and develop pitching. Guys like Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, Daniel Lynch and Kris Bubic are expected to turn that tide around. Because the team struggled so mightily in 2018, Bobby Witt Jr. was selected with the No. 2 pick last year.

This June, the KC Royals have another top-five pick to work with. Second baseman Nick Gonzales and pitcher Emerson Hancock are two popular names being thrown around — and both would help the team tremendously. Adding another high-profile prospect should help improve one of the more up-and-coming prospect pipelines in the MLB.

There are a few bright sides here. Firstly, the fact that the Royals pick so high helps them get a crack at a potentially better pool of talent. Secondly, every team will be on a level playing field. While a shorter draft would be an unfortunate development, teams would all suffer the consequences.

Moore has two pennants and a championship on his resume. He’s responsible for one of the better farm systems in franchise history. With that said, Royals fans shouldn’t be satisfied with one great run of baseball. They should demand consistency and hope for the future. The rebuild started a couple of years ago, and it’ll continue with this year’s draft.

Moore has some positive momentum going. Time will tell if he can keep it rolling.