The MLB Draft has its quirks, but like other major sports leagues, some fundamentals remain the same: bad teams pick early, top talent goes fast, and every draftee is a future franchise savior—until they’re not.
It’s understandable why baseball’s draft draws fewer eyeballs than the NFL or NBA’s—many of the names called won’t impact a big-league roster for years, if ever. That makes Kansas City’s current position rather unique. The Royals are one of the rare teams from the 2024 class to already have their top pick, first baseman Jac Caglianone, on the 26-man roster. But that opportunity came from another top-10 pick, the result of yet another losing season. In 2025, Kansas City doesn’t have that luxury.
The KC Royals have a horrible narrative in this spot for the MLB Draft
Drafting later in the first round is usually a welcome problem—a byproduct of winning. But for Royals fans, it’s unfamiliar territory. Kansas City hasn’t picked this low in years, and doing so introduces new challenges: scouting precision, bonus strategy, and a dramatically reduced margin for error. Sure, you can point to Mike Trout (25th overall) or Aaron Judge (32nd) as proof that franchise legends can be found late. But players like that are the exception, not the rule—especially when looking at Kansas City's own draft history.
Name | Year Drafted | Pick | Position | bWAR with Royals | Career bWAR | Games with Royals | Highest Level Reached |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Simmons | 1969 | 23 | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
Mike Jones | 1977 | 21 | LHP | -0.1 | -0.1 | 71 | MLB |
Buddy Biancalana | 1978 | 25 | SS | -1.1 | -1.6 | 293 | MLB |
Atlee Hammaker | 1979 | 21 | LHP | -0.3 | 9.5 | 10 | MLB |
Dave Leeper | 1981 | 23 | OF | -1.2 | -1.2 | 19 | MLB |
Gary Thurman | 1983 | 21 | OF | -2.2 | -2.8 | 325 | MLB |
Tony Clements | 1986 | 24 | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | Triple-A |
Jason Pruitt | 1991 | 30 | RHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | High-A |
Sherard Clinkscales | 1992 | 31 | RHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | High-A |
Johnny Damon | 1992 | 35 | OF | 17.3 | 56.3 | 803 | MLB |
Juan Lebron | 1995 | 22 | OF | 0 | 0 | 0 | Triple-A |
Matt Burch | 1998 | 30 | RHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | Double-A |
Chris George | 1998 | 31 | LHP | -0.7 | -0.7 | 47 | MLB |
Mike MacDougal | 1999 | 25 | RHP | 2.4 | 3.8 | 162 | MLB |
Jay Gehrke | 1999 | 32 | RHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | High-A |
Jimmy Gobble | 1999 | 43 | LHP | 1.7 | 1.5 | 235 | MLB |
Mitch Maier | 2003 | 30 | C | 1.5 | 1.5 | 359 | MLB |
Matthew Campbell | 2004 | 29 | LHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | High-A |
J.P. Howell | 2004 | 31 | LHP | -0.3 | 7.8 | 15 | MLB |
Mike Montgomery | 2008 | 36 | LHP | 0.5 | 5.9 | 16 | MLB |
Sean Manaea | 2013 | 34 | LHP | 0 | 14.9 | 0 | MLB |
Foster Griffin | 2014 | 28 | LHP | -0.2 | -0.1 | 6 | MLB |
Chase Vallott | 2014 | 40 | C | 0 | 0 | 0 | High-A |
Ashe Russell | 2015 | 21 | RHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | Rookie |
Nolan Watson | 2015 | 33 | RHP | 0 | 0 | 0 | Triple-A |
Jackson Kowar | 2018 | 33 | RHP | -2.6 | -2.4 | 39 | MLB |
Daniel Lynch IV | 2018 | 34 | LHP | 2.8 | 2.8 | 104 | MLB |
If Royals fans weren’t already skeptical of late first-round picks, they might be now. For every Johnny Damon, there’s a Chase Vallot, Ashe Russell, or Sherard Clinkscales. Damon became a fan favorite in Kansas City and a household name on the East Coast, starring for the Yankees and Red Sox on championship-caliber teams. In contrast, many of these picks never cracked the majors—or made brief, forgettable cameos.
Sean Manaea stands as a distant second to Damon in terms of career success. Though he never pitched a game for Kansas City, he was a pivotal trade chip in the 2015 deal for Ben Zobrist—a key piece in the Royals’ championship run. Manaea has since carved out a respectable MLB career, recently finishing 11th in NL Cy Young voting in 2024 with the Mets.
On the other end of the spectrum is Jackson Kowar. Once a top prospect and beacon of hope for the Royals’ pitching development, Kowar never found his footing. Whether his struggles stem from mechanics, confidence, or the missteps of former pitching coach Cal Eldred, his brief MLB stint is best left in the rearview mirror.
Kansas City’s track record with late first-round picks is, bluntly, one of the league’s worst. The bWAR column doesn’t lie. As the 2025 draft nears, the Royals will pick at 23rd and 28th overall—a golden opportunity to flip that narrative. Fans can hope for a fast riser. A future All-Star. A quietly productive big leaguer. Anything to counter a history littered with busts and what-ifs.
Because while drafting early gives teams a better chance at landing a star, true organizational growth comes from hitting on picks across the board—especially when you're no longer drafting at the top.