KC Royals 2020 MLB Draft: Everything you need to know

The first day of the 2020 MLB Draft is finally upon us. Here’s everything you need to know about the KC Royals heading into tonight.

Happy 2020 KC Royals draft day, everyone! At long last, we’ll have something on television that helps us escape from the constant back-and-forth the players and owners are undergoing right now. For the next two nights, high school and college prospects will hear their names called, and their lifelong dreams of being drafted will be fulfilled. Even those in the post-draft pool will have solid chances to be productive players one day.

Here at Kings of Kauffman, we’ve listed a few questions commonly asked recently. The past several months have been a challenging time for all of us, so hopefully this year’s draft will be a much-welcomed distraction. Feeling a bit out of the loop heading into tonight’s festivities? No problem — we’ve got you covered:

How can I watch the KC Royals make their picks?

The 2020 MLB Draft begins tonight, June 10, at 7:00 p.m. EST (6:00 p.m. for most Royals fans). Pre-draft coverage kicks off two hours beforehand. Round one will take place today (including Competitive Balance Round A), with rounds two through five being aired starting at 5:00 p.m. EST on Thursday.

Both MLB Network and ESPN will be airing live coverage of the draft. MLB.com will also stream the event. On Thursday, ESPN’s coverage shifts to ESPN2. Regardless, there are multiple avenues fans can take to ensure they get to follow along. Of course, if all else fails, feel free to follow along with us on Twitter (@KingsOfKauffman) as we provide as many updates as possible.

Why do the KC Royals have such a limited amount of picks this year?

Due to the pandemic the country has faced this year, the MLB Draft was moved online. In an effort to make things simpler, it was also shortened from 40 rounds to just five. Here are the picks the Royals have as of right now:

• Round 1, pick 4 overall
• Competitive Balance Round A, pick 32 overall
• Round 2, pick 41 overall
• Round 3, pick 76 overall
• Round 4, pick 105 overall
• Round 5, pick 135 overall

The competitive balance pick provides the organization with an extra selection to have at its disposal. Kansas City also has one of the highest available funding pools to sign players for up to $20,000 each once the draft is over. That should come in handy, for sure. Expect the Royals to be a popular name among those who aren’t drafted but are still looking to sign with a team.

Who are some names to keep an eye on with pick No. 4?

New Mexico State’s Nick Gonzales has garnered a ton of Royals-related attention in mock drafts. Here’s our profile on him. We will also have profiles coming today on Georgia pitcher Emerson Hancock, high school outfielder Zac Veen, Minnesota pitcher Max Meyer and Texas A&M pitcher Asa Lacy. Pay special attention to these guys, as they all have unique skillsets and fit into the organization’s timeline in different ways.

We’re less than 12 hours away from the draft. Leave a comment and let us know what you’re excited about!