The Royals will welcome new players into the organization this week as the MLB draft begins tonight at 6 p.m. CT with live coverage on MLB Network and ESPN. The first two rounds will take place tonight with rounds 3-10 tomorrow and Rounds 11-20 on Tuesday both beginning at 1 p.m. CT.
The Royals will have the sixth-overall pick, as a team hurt by the MLB draft lottery. Cleveland has the #1 overall pick, despite going 76-86 last season. Georgia slugger Charlie Condon is expected to be the top player selected, although some reports are that Cleveland may take West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt to sign underslot.
Here is what the lastest mock drafts have to say about who the Royals might select.
Carlos Collazzo, Baseball America
6. Royals — Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake HS, Studio City, Calif.
If you give me a few more days I might flip flop between Rainer and Smith five more times. As we approach draft time though I now find myself leaning more towards the SoCal shortstop, as that’s what I think is the most likely scenario.
Dart throw names for later picks: LHP David Shields, RHP Dax Whitney, OF Nate George, RHP Eli Lovich, LHP Mason Russell
Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo, MLB Pipeline:
Callis: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida (No. 3)
Before this weekend, it didn’t appear that Caglianone could get to the Royals. If he doesn’t, it’s no secret that they love California prep shortstop Bryce Rainer and also would consider Smith.
Mayo: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake, Studio City, Calif. (No. 10)
This could come down to a choice between Caglianone and Rainer, with Hagen Smith a possibility as well. But Kansas City has always liked Rainer’s left-handed swing.
Keith Law, The Athletic:
Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
I think this would be Smith or Bryce Rainer — yes, they would take a shortstop even with Bobby Witt Jr. in the fold, you take the best player available in baseball, always and forever — but not Caglianone or Wetherholt.
Kiley McDaniel, ESPN:
Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard Westlake (California) HS
Caglianone and Hagen Smith are both in the final mix along with Rainer for this pick. I feel good that I have a good sense of the mixes at each of these picks, but one wrong projection at the top would mean these picks all shuffle accordingly — and I post an 0-fer in the mock.
Eric Longenhagen, Fangraphs
Pick: Hagen Smith, LHP, ArkansasPerhaps the most consistent rumor I’ve heard is that Kansas City likes Smith and high school shortstop Bryce Rainer.
Mike Axisa, CBS Sports
The Royals are said to be enamored with Smith, but he is off the board in our mock draft. Rainer has been speculated as a potential bonus pool-saving pick inside the top five and, well, No. 6 isn’t that far off. Kansas City has a competitive balance pick (No. 39) and won’t be hurting for bonus pool money to spend on draft day. Smith is their preference as a bat-missing (and quick moving) lefty, but Rainer is on the radar as well.
Aram Leighton, Just Baseball
6. Royals: Hagen Smith – LHP – (Arkansas)
Bryce Rainer and Hagen Smith could easily be interchangeable with this pick and the next one. This will be the first draft with the Royals for former Braves scouting director Brian Bridges, who has loved to draft arms in the first round.
You can read profiles of some of the top names in this year’s draft:
2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State
RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest
1B Jac Caglianone, Florida
SS/OF Konner Griffin, Jackson Prep HS (MS)
1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
SS/RHP Bryce Rainer, Harvard Westlake HS (CA)
LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas
2B/SS JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia