Just like we all expected the Royals brought one of their top prospects east to Kansas City with them to begin the season. No, Bobby Witt Jr. is still back in the minors and might see the big leagues later in the year, but the team did add OF Kyle Isbel to the roster and named him the starting right fielder. Isbel had a fantastic spring, hitting .333/.420/.548 with a pair of homers and stolen bases. When healthy he’s always hit and his performance as an amateur got him drafted in the third round of the 2018 draft by the Royals.
Isbel had a remarkable junior season while at UNLV, hitting .357/.441/.643 and then following it up with a .381/.454/.610 slash during his 25 game professional debut in the Pioneer League. The offensive game has never really been a question for Isbel, though he did get dinged some at draft time since his home park in college is a launching pad, but he’s done enough at the plate since to silence those critics. The issues with Isbel have always been his health and a lack of a true defensive home. His freshman year he played primarily third base but he moved to centerfield for his sophomore and junior seasons. While playing on the Cape, Isbel also played some second base, which he has also done during instructs for the Royals. He’s been limited to just the outfield though as a professional, spending all of his game action on the grass, primarily in centerfield.
His 2019 season started off hot but after a few weeks, he pulled his hamstring and went on the shelf, and rehabbed back in Arizona. He then returned to High-A Lexington but then broke his hamate bone and was out until July. He didn’t perform well after he returned but did look great in the Fall League as I saw a very controlled and confident hitter. He even led off in the Fall Stars Game.
THE RANKINGS
Our Kansas City Royals prospect list hasn’t been published yet, but he’s 200th on our Top 500 Dynasty Prospects list.
THE TOOLS
Hit (55): Above-average overall tool, but he’s a plus hitter against right-handers. Stands slightly open, with hands held high. Utilizes a toe tap as primary trigger; short stride, just picks up front foot and sets it down. Bat stays through the zone for a long time. Has a level swing, able to make contact while staying under the baseball. Bat speed is average, maybe a tick better but offensive skills all play up due to ability to square up baseball. Aggressive, will take walks but is up there to hit. He will hit near top of the lineup in his peak years. Strong offensive game with no obvious holes.
Power (50): Average to slightly above bat speed generates easy loft. Homer numbers likely to exceed expectations due to bat path and ability to square up baseball. Flashed pop in AFL and at the alternate site. Likely 17-20 homers at peak but should post 30+ doubles. Had coming out party this spring as all his improvements got a chance to show in front of eyeballs.
Field (50): Good hands in the outfield but routes and angles need work. Future above-average centerfielder has a chance to be plus in the corners where his lack of range won’t hurt quite as much. Don’t have much on the arm but reports say it’s average. Has spent time at all three outfield positions in games, played some second during instructs, and played some second and third in college.
Speed (60): Isbel is a plus runner, and the speed shows on both sides of the ball. Gets down the line really well, will get his share of infield hits. Baserunning needs some polish, but it’s possible that’s improved since I saw him last.
Conclusion: Isbel has a well-rounded game, and he flashed his tools in the Fall League and has shown them off this spring. His swing is a conundrum, it’s compact, yet generates loft. His optimized bat path allows him to keep the barrel through the zone for a long time while also managing to stay underneath the ball to hit line drives all over the diamond. Isbel’s power is limited to his pull-side, but long term he projects as a 55-hit, 50-power outfielder that also is a 60-runner. The lack of a true defensive position has held him back. His glove is probably average to slightly above in center but he takes poor angles which might make him better suited for a corner, where he could be a plus defender. His offensive game is ahead of his defense, but he’s a good enough athlete to make the move to right field, and he could also probably play a little second or third base if the Royals find themselves in a situation. It’s rare in this age of hype that a prospect with these kinds of offensive skills was under the radar, but with his High-A to MLB jump, he’s not under the radar any longer. It’s worth noting that he was one of the Royals’ top performers at the alternate site in 2020 though, and while he’s never had a full minor league season, he’s done well enough to get pushed aggressively.
FANTASY IMPACT
12-team leagues - Isbel can probably stay on the wire in these shallow formats unless you have daily transactions because he’s worth using against the Rangers right now. If you can’t add him he needs to at least be added to the watch list. He does offer some upside though, ideal bench bat and daily play against a right-handed pitcher due to all-around skills.
15-team leagues - Isbel needs to be rostered in these formats because of his big hit, power, and speed tools. 55/50/60 type players don’t grow on trees. Can always make room for 15/15 types that hit for a strong average.
Dynasty league - It’s a beautiful thing in a dynasty league when you are rostering a prospect that blows away his initial ETA. I’m a believer in his long-term skills, but he won’t be a game-changing fantasy player. His value may not be higher right now post-call up for the next several seasons, so if you’re a rebuilding team that owns him, consider selling him to someone who lost a player to injury and reaping some 2022 picksor a top 50 prospect.