Post-draft talent pool should play to KC Royals’ advantage

The 2020 MLB Draft is almost here. After the five rounds of picks, the KC Royals should be a top destination for undrafted free agents.

When it comes to free agency in sports, oftentimes it’s hard for struggling teams to compete for premier talent. This time around, though, the KC Royals should be at or near the top of every undrafted free agent’s list next week.

Royals General Manager Dayton Moore’s draft history isn’t great. There’s no sugarcoating it. While he’s had a handful of great picks, many others have failed to live up to the hype surrounding them when selected. Ahead of the 2020 MLB Draft, Moore will have just five chances to take players before the post-draft pool becomes available.

That pool allows teams to use their designated funding to sign players for up to $20,000 each. MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan wrote about the Royals’ approach when it comes to scouting, along with explaining how it may play to their advantage once the draft is over and teams can make signings:

"“The Royals already adhere to old-school scouting techniques, with a huge emphasis on personal contact and relationships with prospects from their scouts and scouting directors. And with the news last week that Royals ownership would not release any of their Minor Leaguers or cut their salaries, the team couldn’t be in a better spot to attract potential prospects.”"

Those relationships are extremely important. Lonnie Goldberg, the team’s assistant general manager of scouting, echoed the same sentiment in the article. “I think once that period of signing begins, and calls start going out, the word will be that there’s no better organization to sign with than the Kansas City Royals,” he said. It’s clear that the Royals believe their core values, methods of talent scouting and how they treat their players will give them an advantage over other teams.

Being a small market team has a few perks after all, I suppose. We will soon find out just how much the recent actions of the organization speak to prospective players. For those looking to join their first major league franchise, the KC Royals should be a high-priority call to make.