It didn't take long for the Royals to receive their first piece of pleasant news on Monday as Illinois high school pitcher Jake Junis has agreed to a $675,000 contract with the Royals. In signing with Kansas City, Junis will bypass a scholarship to North Carolina State.
To put that into perspective, the Royals think very highly of Junis, as his contract was not farm from the $750,000 that second round pick Cam Gallagher received from Kansas City.
The 6'3" right-handed Junis throws an 88-91 mph fastball, with a developing curveball in his arsenal as well. Per Prep Baseball Report, Junis was ranked the fourth best high school senior in the state of Illinois.
I've seen Junis' weight listed in a range from 195 to 220 lbs, so it appears he has put on weight in the last year.
This is shaping up to be quite a year for the Royals and in the international market if they can come to agreements with Bubba Starling, Bryan Brickhouse, and Kyle Smith today as well. Junis is a solid addition to that puzzle for the future.