Zion Rose's Arizona Fall League surge gives Royals plenty to look forward to 

Get ready for the maximum amount of flower puns legally allowed in a single article. With the Kansas City Royals looking to slowly cultivate one of the most potent lineups in baseball, they have certainly focused their attention on drafting offensive-minded players in recent years. After selecting Zion Rose with the 6th overall pick in this year’s draft, the Royals continued that trend.  

In his abbreviated stint with High-A Quad Cities this season, Rose already flashed glimpses of why he was worth being selected in the first round. It’s the same reason that the Royals were eager to keep his development rolling when they invited him to play for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League. 

Through just six games played, it’s clear that the team made the right call. Despite getting off to somewhat of a prickly start through his first couple of games, Rose has really turned it on as of late. In his first 23 at-bats for the Saguaros, Rose is now sporting a brag-worthy .304/.500/.522 slash line. 

The highlight of his time in the AFL so far has been a 4th-inning grand slam he smashed against the Glendale Desert Dogs last week. At over 103 mph off the bat, the homer provided a slight preview into what Royals fans can possibly expect to see from him in the near future. 

Zion Rose could offer the Royals another dynamic bat in the lineup    

While he doesn’t quite boast elite power that will turn heads just yet, scouts believe that Rose could blossom into a formidable hitter with plenty of pop fairly quickly. That’s due in part to his quick bat speed and his ability to drive the ball into the outfield. Like most batters with raw strength, Rose could drastically increase his home run production if he ever turns into a dead pull hitter. 

For now, the Royals will not complain about a well-rounded hitter who has no issue with getting on base. Although strikeouts can often be a real thorn in many prospects’ side, Rose has a knack for putting the ball into play. In his three seasons at Louisville, Rose struck out just 69 times in 562 at-bats. As he rises through the minor league system, Rose may find it more difficult to find as much success at the plate as he did in college. But he does have the tools to excel. 

As a fairly recent convert to a full-time outfielder, Rose isn’t a supremely gifted defender when chasing down fly balls. His arm also won’t strike fear into base runners trying to snag an extra base or two. So just don’t expect a perennial Gold Glove winner once he reaches the big leagues. That doesn’t mean he can’t plant himself firmly in the Royals outfield one day. Rose possesses enough athletic ability that with some pruning, he could eventually develop into an above-average fielder.  

With limited playing time in the minor leagues and just a handful of games in the AFL, it may be just a little too soon to start preparing a locker for Rose at Kauffman Stadium. But there’s no reason to believe that he won’t get his opportunity to shine after he continues to grow as a professional ballplayer over the next year or two. The Royals have been one of those rare clubs who are not afraid to put their top prospects to the test at the big league level.  

From Bobby Witt Jr. to Jac Caglianone, there are a whole crop of Royals players who got their chance with the team after their blink-and-you-might-miss-it time in the minor leagues. There’s no guarantee that Rose will be on that same fast track to the Majors. But if he plays up to his full potential, it will be difficult for the Royals to not take advantage of his talent.  

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow