Baseball America’s Jim Callis is one of the best in the business of college baseball and the Major League Baseball Rule IV Draft. It’s through the draft that most teams hope to build their resources for future glory, and the Kansas City Royals hope to add to their stocked farm system with a few more gems this June.
Callis recently released a mock for the 2012 MLB Draft, and the Royals would likely love the outcome he predicts with the addition of starting pitcher Kevin Gausman.
“Kansas City picked in this spot last year and missed out on the advanced pitcher it coveted when Cole, Hultzen, Bauer and Bundy went with the first four choices,” writes Callis. “The Royals will try again in 2012, and one of the three top-tier college arms should be available. If Appel, Gausman and Zimmer all disappear, Kansas City’s best bet would be Zunino.”
Gausman is a strong college starter from LSU who would be the perfect addition to the Royals system — a strong candidate for a smooth, swift ascent through the farm ranks. The Royals need a pitcher to move quickly since the ML rotation is subpar. While it’s a mixed bag to expect a pitcher to rise a la Trevor Bauer for the Diamondbacks, the Royals need to run that risk in order to correct the biggest issue on the roster.
Check out Royals Review for more info on the upcoming draft.