KC Royals: Sterling Sharp should get a look in the Rule 5 Draft

With the Rule 5 draft coming up, it will be important for the KC Royals to take a look at what is available and see if there are any players to take.

It’s just about time for the Rule 5 Draft. The Rule 5 is always an interesting time during the offseason for teams like the KC Royals. While most teams have protected what many would consider their top prospects, there are still plenty available for the taking.

Teams like the Royals get a chance at quality returns for much less than what a typical free agent would cost and while it doesn’t always work out, there are often some good players that come out of this draft.

This year, there are a lot of prospects whose names are swirling around and many are likely on the radar of multiple teams. One that should get a look by the Royals is Sterling Sharp.

Sharp was a target in the Rule 5 last year as well. He was originally taken by Miami but after he struggled to transition to major league ball, he was DFA’d and eventually returned to the Nationals.

Sharp is currently the Nationals 24th ranked prospect and he has some qualities that the Royals might like. He is said to be an outstanding athlete and his strong point is weak contact and groundballs.

With the desire for elite defense in Kauffman, the Royals can always use another pitcher who is going to give them groundballs to field.

Sharp’s prospect page notes that he will likely pitch to contact more than missing the bat, but this isn’t anything that has bothered the Royals in the past. He has a good fastball that tops out in the low-mid 90s, a decent changeup, and a slider which is going to need more work if he is going to stick in a rotation.

Sharp has proven his abilities at each level of the minors as well through Double-A. While he struggled in his first major league appearance in 2020, 5.1 innings is not a great sample size and he was making the jump to the majors from Double-A ball, not an easy transition for everyone.

Kansas City has shown they aren’t afraid to promote players from the lower levels of the minors and Sharp is one that could easily see time for the Royals. While most of his minor league experience has come from starting, he could also be used as a long reliever, something the Royals have not had as much luck with over the past years.

Sharp is an athletic pitcher, with good control and pitches to weak contact. While there is always a risk that he won’t be able to carry his success to the majors, he is the type of pitcher that might be worth the risk.

The Royals have a lot of young pitchers, but Sterling Sharp should still get some looks. With his athleticism and potential, he could have a future on the Royals pitching staff.