Grant Gambrell - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	28	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Ctr/Cmd
40	40	50	50	50	55/50

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Anthony Franco

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 225 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 3
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Listed at 6-4, 225. Tall, physically maxed with sloped shoulders and solid lower half.

Delivery & Mechanics: Sets up on first base side of the rubber. Simple, low-effort delivery. High 3/4 arm slot. Arm on time at foot strike and does well to get over his front side. Size gives him steep downhill plane. Average athlete.

Fastball: Gets heavy downhill plane with some sink; groundball pitch. 92-94, T95 early in starts before settling in at 90-93. Gets a little bit of unintentional cut when he locates glove-side. Grade: 50

Curveball: Low-80's breaking ball with 11-5 action. Fine shape but lacks bite and doesn't profile as a bat-missing offering. Grade: 50

Changeup: Mid-80's change. Has a little bit of sinking action but mostly survives on velocity differential off the fastball. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Throws a solid amount of strikes. Works around the zone thanks to clean delivery. Better feel for locating fastball than either of his secondaries. Control: 55 | Command: 50

Overall: Gambrell has a good frame and delivery. He doesn't have particularly imposing stuff and there's not an obvious bat-missing secondary. He has passable velocity and can throw strikes, so he should be a reliable depth starter and/or multi-inning relief option.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: Medium

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Noah Murdock - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	27	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Ctr/Cmd
40	40	45	55	45	45/40

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Anthony Franco

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-8
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 7
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Listed at 6-8, 205. Tall and lanky right-hander with long, thin legs. Even at 22 years old, still looks to have a little more room for physical development in the shoulders.

Delivery & Mechanics: Controlled, fairly graceful delivery for a pitcher this size. Throws from 3/4 arm slot with a little bit of a cross-body action. Generates slightly above-average extension.

Fastball: Averaged 90.5 MPH, topping out at 95, during his final season at UVA. Low-spin sinker with downhill plane should play as a quality ground-ball offering. Some reports on Royals' blogs of velocity uptick at the alternate training site, but it remains to be seen how/if that'll translate to game action in 2021. Grade: 45

Curveball: High-70's curveball has good bite and two-plane break. Plays a little more horizontally than the typical curve but has enough length and action to miss bats. Grade: 55

Changeup: About 7-8 MPH slower than the fastball. Has very similar movement profile as the sinker and relies on velocity gap to keep hitters' timing off. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Struggled a bit with walks over the course of his college career (career 9.8%), although he did throw more strikes in a limited sample at rookie ball after the 2019 draft. Control can be an issue for pitchers this tall, although the fact that Murdock is still growing into his body could portend some late command development. With size, repertoire and a bit of cross-body delivery, most likely future is in relief. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Murdock's an interesting 7th-round flyer with some late-blooming potential because of his size. He has a good breaking ball and showed some promise with the changeup, although he'll need to continue to fill out and throw harder if he's to make an impact at the big league level. (There's some buzz Murdock already has, with a few reports of an uptick in velocity at the Royals' alternate training site, although it's worth reserving judgment until he gets back on a minor-league mound in front of opposing scouts). For now, he looks like an up/down reliever with a chance at a breakout if he's throwing harder.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Low Leverage or Long Reliever
Risk: High

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Jon Heasley - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	26	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
40	40	40	45	50	50	50/45

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Anthony Franco

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 225 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Round 13
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Listed at 6-3, 225. Big, burly right-hander with thick lower half. No physical projection remaining.

Delivery & Mechanics: Vertical arm slot. A little bit of stiffness in delivery and shorter stride length. Cuts himself off at release and doesn't get over his front hip. Despite fringe athleticism, he repeats fairly well and his arm stroke is actually fairly loose.

Fastball: 90-92 MPH with a bit of backspinning life when he works near the top of the strike zone. Gets a little more of a cutter look at times when he goes glove-side. Grade: 45

Curveball: Short, low-80’s curveball without huge depth or bite. Grade: 40

Slider: Looks to have two distinct breaking balls. Mid-80's slider has a little more horizontal length than the curveball but has two-plane action. Grade: 50

Changeup: 82-84 MPH. Typically average movement but occasionally shows ability to get above-average depth. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Generally works in and around the zone with the fastball. Less consistent at locating offspeed stuff. High arm slot and subpar ability to clear his front hip impede his ability to work east-west and command the ball glove-side. Control: 50 | Command: 45

Overall: Heasley looks like an up-and-down rotation depth piece and/or long reliever. He has a collection of fringe-average pitches and is an OK strike-thrower, although his athletic limitations and high arm slot prevent him from commanding all four quadrants of the strike zone. He has an inning-eater frame, works quickly, and isn't afraid to throw the fastball in the strike zone, which could give him an opportunity to eat some low-leverage innings.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Low Leverage or Long Reliever
Risk: Low

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Yohanse Morel - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	25	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
40	40	50	50	55	50/45

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Rhys White

Age: 20 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA (WAS)
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: On the shorter side for a pitcher. Thin frame with plenty of room to fill out especially in the lower-half.

Delivery & Mechanics: Quick step to start the motion, slight double-tap with his front foot, moderate leg-kick, lifts his knee up to his hip. He drives towards the plate. Long-arm action, with an inverted W when he is driving towards the mound, and he releases the ball at a standard 3/4 arm slot. When runners are on base he ditches the toe-tap and speeds up his delivery.

Fastball: Consistently 92-95 but will touch 96 at times. Fastball has moderate arm-side run ,and he shows an ability to spot it to all four quadrants of the strike-zone. He likes to throw the fastball inside to right-handed batters where the arm-side run can avoid the barrel and induce weak contact. He generates a decent amount of swings and misses with the fastball. Grade: 50

Slider: Low 80's offering with average movement. He shows a willingness to throw the slider to both left and right-handed batters. Against right-handed batters he likes to spot the slider on the outer part of the zone to expand the zone and get batters to swing and miss. Against left-handed batters he will try to backdoor hitters. He manages to induce a decent amount of swings and misses with the slider. Grade: 50

Changeup: Mixes in the changeup to both handedness of hitters. Rarely spikes the changeup and shows above average feel for the change. Gets swings and misses with it, especially spotted low in the zone where it's natural tumble and fade play up. Grade: 55

Control and Command: Shows an average ability to fill up the strike-zone, with slightly below average command. Control: 50 | Command: 45

Overall: Morel brings three pitches that he is not afraid to mix into both handedness of batter, with his arsenal headlined by an above average changeup. He has enough command to profile as a starter going forward but could be pushed to the pen where his three pitch mix can play. There is still some projection left on the frame which could in turn lead to a possible velocity spike and push the profile further up the OFP spectrum.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Bulk Reliever
Risk: High

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Ronald Bolanos - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	24	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
40	40	55	50	45	45	45/40

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Danny Brackman

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 230 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA (SD)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Sturdy athletic build. Long limbs with broad shoulders. Very good mobility. No physical projection remaining.

Delivery & Mechanics: Traditional overhead wind-up with some moving parts. Goes through motion very quickly which does help keep timing in check. Gets deep into internal rotation with the lower half while creating big layback in the upper half that translates into plus armspeed. High effort causes some issues finding high-3/4 release consistently. Explosive delivery.

Fastball: Sits 92-96 and has topped 99 during shorter stints. Velo has ranged at times. Average raw spin with apparent unoptimized spin efficiency that makes shape inconsistent. Release gives a lower than typical 4-seam axis that does flash in some heavy bore. Plays as an above average offering with a bit of room left for improvement. Grade: 55

Curveball: 72-76 on an 11-5 axis that adds horizontal break. Above average raw spin generates good depth and high efficiency helps keep shape. Big velo differential from FB keeps hitters off balance. Seems to play better starting out of the zone and breaking in. May want to lower spin axis closer to 6:00 to try and improve whiff potential. Above average overall potential but execution ability and shape need to be improved to get there. Grade: 50

Slider: 83-85 with above average sweep. Movement profile can blend with the CB but velo separation typically does enough to justify throwing it. Could raise axis to give more cutter shape or kill spin efficiency to increase gyro. Either could help create separation between the SL and CB. Fringe average offering even though it's his current go-to. Grade: 45

Changeup: 85-87 with above average sink. Good arm speed makes it difficult for hitters to see out of the hand but an inconsistent release hurts feel. Will flash as a solid whiff offering, especially to LHHs, but more often than not will rely on his breaking balls. Violent delivery likely hurts him here, making the change another fringe offering. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Has had times where control and command both look average or even a hair better, spotting the FB and tunneling the SL/CB off of it. At other times, he's nowhere near the zone, giving out free bases at a less-than-ideal clip. His mechanical sequencing is pretty efficient given how explosive he is, which typically does help him regain his control if he does lose it. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Bolanos has the pure stuff to start should the Royals want to continue testing him. However, the most likely outcome has him slotting in as low leverage relief option due to his command struggles. His stuff is good enough to work as is leaning on the FB and BB duo, though a bit of further tinkering could be a big boost to future success out of the bullpen.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Low-Leverage or Bulk Reliever
Risk: High

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Yefri Del Rosario - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	23	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
40	40	55	55	45	50/45

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Danny Brackman

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 180 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA (ATL)
RuleV: Eligible

Physical Description: Mid-sized frame with above average strength. Has added muscle since an arm injury derailed his 2019 season. Thick legs, high waist, and long arms. Not much physical projection remaining aside from continued mobility improvement post injury.

Delivery & Mechanics: Wind-up starts off-set. Starts motion with a big rocker step and stretches upward with a high leg kick before dropping down into his hinge. Good timing and a strong base helps generate above average arm speed from a high-3/4 slot. Had troubles with consistency prior to injury but looked a bit cleaner over the winter with Cibao. Generally shows good tempo though he can get slow from the stretch.

Fastball: Sits 92-94 and tops 97. Average raw spin. Showed inconsistent shape pre-2019, generally with more run than carry. Could have been health related, but axis and efficiency both needed tweaking--not much bat missing ability, especially when thrown over the plate. From the few live competitive looks he got last winter, it appears the underlying metrics have gotten closer to optimal. Could wind up a plus offering with continued growth. Grade: 55

Slider: 82-85 with heavy gyro and good depth. Keeps break sharp and makes it difficult for hitters to pick up. Tunnels very well with FB. Willingness to use in any count. Above average whiff potential against both RHHs and LHHs. Grade: 55

Changeup: Mid-80s with fade. Not much sink but arm speed and release help a bit with deception. Primarily utilized against LHHs but has shown a relatively advanced feel for pronating. Fringe average offering currently though upping usage and building confidence could bump it up a grade or more. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Has shown at least average ability to stay around the zone with all three offerings, though he often appears to go for a ball in play over a punchout. Pre-2019 wanted to keep the arsenal down to generate weak contact and did well enough. Sustained improvements shown from the winter with the FB will likely help limiting damage when staying in the zone, which is what Del Rosario wants to do. Control: 50 | Command: 45

Overall: Del Rosario still has a wide range of potential outcomes, which has been a common theme for him throughout his short MiLB career. Now unprotected from Rule-V selection, he'll need to quickly prove that pre-injury upside is still there. He has the ability to continue starting, though there's a high probability he winds up in the pen to conserve his arm and let the stuff play up in shorter outings.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Bulk Reliever
Risk: High

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Adam Lukas - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	36	35

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 12
RuleV: 2024

Overall: Below-average ability in center field. Struggles reading the ball well from center. Inconsistent routes, struggles to make up ground despite impressive speed. Defensive limitations point to a primary left fielder, where he looks more comfortable.

OFP: 35
Risk: High

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Luis De La Rosa - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	31	35

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Overall: Signed as part of the 2018 class, De La Rosa is a former shortstop that converted to the mound just prior to signing with the Royals. His loose, fast arm and plus athleticism give him a chance to start long term. He lives in the low-90s and his slider has shown promise.

OFP: 35
Risk: Extreme

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Samuel Valerio - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	30	35

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2024

Overall: Valerio was signed by the Royals in 2018. His best pitch is his plus fastball that lives in the mid-90s and touches 99. His slider and changeup are fringe right now, and his command is poor. He's an arm to watch due to his impressive 6'4" frame. He filled out and there's a small chance he can start, but it's likely a high risk relief arm.

OFP: 35
Risk: Extreme

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Omar Florentino - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	SS	22	40

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 5-9
Weight: 145 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Overall: The Royals signed Florentino for roughly $750,000 in 2018. The Dominican infielder is limited to second base due to his size and frame, but has good hands and moves very well on the dirt. At 5'9 and 135 pounds his game is built around making contact, utilizing his speed and catching the ball. He moves well on the dirt, but the lack of arm strength pushes him to the right of second base. He's a high energy contact oriented bat that has surprising pop for his size. A plus runner, Florentino has a chance as a chance to play everyday and hit at the bottom of the lineup.

OFP: 40
Risk: High

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Daniel Vasquez - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	SS	21	40

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 17 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2021 IFA
RuleV: 2025

Overall: Vasquez was the big ticket international signee by the Royals in 2020, getting around $1.5 million. He's a lean, projectable athlete that should stick up the middle with present bat-to-ball skills and emerging power. Vasquez has a chance at five average to above-average tools but might not have that standout tool. There's plenty of time for that to change however as he fills out and adds a few inches. He's one of the top players in the class and a very exciting prospect.

OFP: 40
Risk: Extreme

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Wilmin Candelario - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	SS	20	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
40	40	40	45	55	55	50

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 19 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 165 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Above-average height with a lean build. Has room to fill out. Athletic and twitchy. Plays fast and is fun to watch.

Hit: Near-mirror image swing. Stands crouched and slightly open with a wide base in the box. Keeps his elbow high and back. Big leg kick as he loads and steps into the pitch. Mostly linear bat path. Above-average or better bat speed from both sides, but noticeably impacts the ball better from the left-side. Shows a feel for using all parts of the field during BP but most of his hits were to the pull-side in looks. Takes some big cuts and struggles with offspeed pitches down. Shows a good eye on pitches away and out of the zone, but can fall victim to overaggresiveness, as demonstrated by a 33% strikeout rate in the DSL during the 2019 season. Strikeouts will be a part of his game without a reduction in aggressiveness. Grade: 40

Power: Average raw power; presently gets the ball in the air to the gaps during games. Big, rotational swing that creates natural loft off the bat from both sides. Has room to physically mature, which combined with his swing gives him a shot at future above-average power; will need to improve upon his hit tool to get to it. Grade: 45

Field: Plays with high intensity and frenetic pace, too frequently leading to mistakes; would be better served to dial it back a notch. Quick feet and moves well laterally; has above-average range and can cover a lot of ground in short order. Shows a good backhand when moving to his right. Unafraid to charge the ball. Gets low on grounders and keeps the ball in front of him. Plays with moxy. Grade: 55

Arm: Strong arm with good carry across the infield. Comfortable throwing from several slots; throws low sidearm when getting the ball out quickly and throws high 3/4 when he needs to put something on it. Throws mostly on target in looks. Grade: 55

Run: Recorded above-average times in the 60 as an amateur. Accelerates well but has average straight-line speed. Not a traditional threat to steal, but is a heads up runner and a risk taker on the bags. May slow as he fills out. Grade: 50

Overall: Candelario is an intriguing talent, one who could make an impact on both sides of the ball if he fulfills his potential. He's very rough around the edges, however, and he figures to be a slow mover. He's aggressive in all aspects of the game and cutting down on that will do him well. His best tool is his defense, but the swing gives hope that his power might eventually match it.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Utility or Bench
Risk: Moderate

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Darryl Collins - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	OF	19	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
40	40	50	45	45	40	50

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Kerns

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Tall with a good build. Lean when he signed and has begun to fill out. Offers some room to add upper body strength. Athletic. High energy and high IQ.

Hit: Stands crouched and slightly open with his hands by his left ear. Keeps the bat on his shoulder prior to loading. Some pre-pitch bat bounce. Inconsistently uses a leg kick as he closes his stance which creates some out-of-synchness in his swing. Inconsistent bat path, but it's mostly linear. Has above-average or better bat speed and generates line-drive contact, but does take his fair share of big hacks. Has good barrel control, which allows him to move up and down the zone effectively; has good bat-to-ball skills and is capable of fighting off pitches. Shows a good eye on pitches away and out of the zone, but has a tendency to swing on low pitches out of the zone. Shows a willingness to bunt. Grade: 50

Power: Has average raw power; present gap-hitter with a quick bat and some remaining physical projection. Has some rotation in his swing and already gets the ball in the air to the pull side. Swing creates natural lift off the bat. Would do well to better utilize his lower half. Some room to grow. Grade: 45

Field: Unrefined in the field, but shows good instincts. Has the natural footspeed to cover an average amount of ground in the outfield. Arm limits the whole package, likely confining him to LF. Grade: 45

Arm: Has some funk in his throwing motion which limits the arm strength and carry of the ball out of his hand. Plays below-average. Grade: 40

Run: Timed 4.30 down the line from the left side, but with an awkward jump and deceleration near the bag. Not a threat to steal. Grade: 50

Overall: Collins' best skill is his ability to put the bat on the ball, and he has some unlocked potential because of it. He moves well for his size, but he's probably stuck in LF defensively and currently does not offer the power to project as a regular. He has an opportunity to better utilize his lower half, which may open up some more power projection, but until that happens, he looks to be a bench bat.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench
Risk: Moderate

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Jonathan Bowlan - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	18	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
45	40	60	55	40	60/50

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Trevor Hooth

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-6
Weight: 240 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Round 2
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Big bodied with sloping shoulders. The frame is maxed out, physically.

Delivery & Mechanics: Standard 3/4 arm slot. Easy, fluid arm action and delivery. Hands start separated, glove at the shoulder and throwing hand behind the body. They meet belt high before the windup starts. On the rocker step, Bowlan brings the hands over his head and back down to chest height where they meet his knee on the leg kick. Stays tall as he extends out. Uses size well to get good extension. Finishes with a leg kick and slightly closed off to the plate.

Fastball: A tooled up athlete with enough supporting skills to cover the hole in his game, contact. McConnell will likely always swing and miss, but it's a matter of further refining his approach and reining in his aggressive tendencies. Fits best as a multi-positional utility player with some thump in the bat. If he can improve his contact and approach he might push for second division regular status. Grade: 60

Slider: Low 80's. Tight, gyro movement. This pitch plays to righties and lefties. It's what he uses most often as a secondary offering. By itself, it looks like an average pitch, but his great control means the slider will play above average. Grade: 55

Changeup: Some fade. This is a change of pace pitch that rarely is used, generally against lefties. He's shown some feel for it. Development of this pitch might be the difference between a bullpen and rotation future. Grade: 40

Control and Command: As walk numbers prove, his control is very good. It helps him to move his pitches all around the zone with relatively high success. There are times, however, where he can miss his spot and it hurts him. Especially with as much as he relies on his fastball specifically. The control is plus, the command looks more average for now. The slider might be the pitch he commands best at present. Control: 60 | Command: 50

Overall: Bowlan is a big, physical presence on the mound. Without a third pitch and with such a heavy reliance on the fastball, his rotation future is not a given. He's got the size to handle that kind of workload, but he might be served better as a very good reliever. If his fastball can play at the upper end of his velo range, the slider will play up and his control would be an asset. That might be the best route. The Royals will continue to develop him as a starter, so the development of his changeup will be key.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter or Bulk Reliever
Risk: High

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Brady McConnell - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	SS	17	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	30	55	50	55	70

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 195 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 2
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Tall, long levered, lean, and muscular. Long arms and legs with room to add muscle and good weight in his upper-body. Very high level of athleticism, despite svelte build, he possesses good strength throughout his frame.

Hit: Open setup, with front leg offset; gets deep into back leg, hands low and set chest height pre-load. Busy hands pre-pitch, slight toe tap to close off frontside. Quick hands and good bat speed, longer bat path with steep bat plane. Struggles with fastballs up in the zone and changeups. Hard contact but a lot of swing and miss built in. Expands the zone and is aggressive early in counts. Needs to improve approach and plate discipline. Quality of contact carries the profile, poor overall hit tool. Grade: 30

Power: Above-average power tool, shows power in games and it plays to all fields. Looks to do damage each time up, has the strength, leverage and steep bat path to get to all of it. Plus raw that loses half a grade in game for his lack of contact. Carrying offensive tool. Grade: 55

Field: Average fielder at shortstop with the ability to play anywhere in the infield. Average infield actions and hands, good range and quickness. High level of athleticism will allow him to make a standout play. Focus and consistency are question marks. Team has considered moving him to outfield where his speed and arm strength might play. Grade: 50

Arm: Strong arm, capable of making the necessary throws at shortstop or third base. Enough arm strength to handle any position in the outfield where the team is rumored to have considered him. Grade: 55

Run: Double-plus runner; flys out of the box clocking consistent 4.1 or better times. Moves well in the field and is a threat to steal a base when on. Moves well in the field, rangy with good first step and twitch. Grade: 70

Overall: A tooled up athlete with enough supporting skills to cover the hole in his game, contact. McConnell will likely always swing and miss, but it's a matter of further refining his approach and reining in his aggressive tendencies. Fits best as a multi-positional utility player with some thump in the bat. If he can improve his contact and approach he might push for second division regular status.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Utility
Risk: High

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Nick Pratto - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	1B	16	40

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
40	40	40	55	60	60	45

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 215 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2017 Round 1
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Thick and muscular frame. Done growing height-wise but could still fill out a little bit more. Has filled out a lot already since joining the Royals. Almost done physically but could just add mass with age. Above-average twitch muscles for a first baseman.

Hit: Left handed hitter starts in an even stance with hands a little lower and in front of back shoulder. A little hunch over the plate and knee bend with a base moderately wider than shoulder-width. Stride and swing are simple, just a foot pick up and set back down. Swing is pretty simple, not a lot going on, just throws his hands and twists his back leg. He does a good job staying in his lane and not leaning over the plate, although he will on outside pitches. He sprays the ball all over the diamond, where the ball goes is essentially all based on the timing of his hands. It seems like Pratto's swing would be pretty conducive for making contact but he has struggled making contact as evidenced by his 35% strikeout rate in 2019. He has decent control over the zone, does not chase a ton of pitches but will on occasion. His main problem is his back leg twisting in one spot, it severely limits his barrel time in the zone. Contact improvements could be made by pointing his back knee at the ball while hitting and simultaneously moving forward and driving back knee towards the ground. Another factor could be his timing, his swing is simple which usually creates contact, he might just struggle with timing of pitches, which could definitely improve with age and maturity. Grade: 40

Power: Pratto has a lot of current strength and can hit some balls out of the ballpark. He will not be a 40 home run type of player but averaging 15-20 seems feasible. His worsening strikeout rate (has trended in the wrong direction every season) could be a factor of trying to elevate the ball more and hit for more power. However, his best season came in 2018 where he made fairly consistent contact and struck 14 home runs. Making contact is probably key to hitting for power in Pratto's case. Smart base runner also contributes to extra bags but current strength is the main cause of power. Grade: 55

Field: Athletic first baseman with quick-twitch movements. Has shown above-average flexibility, hands, and range for a first baseman. Should save a pretty good amount of runs. Would not be surprised if he finds some time in the outfield in a pinch. Grade: 60

Arm: Strong arm for a first baseman. Former two-way player. Throws carry with some accuracy. Could factor in at an outfield spot if he proves capable of fielding the position. His arm would definitely play in right field. Grade: 60

Run: Really smart baserunner. Not incredibly fast but understands the situations in which to use his speed. Runs an above 7 second 60-yard dash. Speed could hold him back in the outfield but if he fields like he runs the bases, he would probably take really efficient routes. Grade: 45

Overall: Interesting player. Shed his two-way playing abilities upon entering pro ball but could always try pitching again if the whole hitting thing doesn't work out. Has a simple swing from the left side of the plate but does not make a ton of contact, seems like a timing issue. If he can cut down on his strikeout rate, he would be an average to slightly above-average player at all facets of the game but that is a big if. Good fielding first baseman who could probably play some outfield in a pinch and can hit 15-20 home runs. Floor is fairly high and ceiling could raise with maturity. Will be interesting to see his progression.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench or Platoon
Risk: Moderate

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Zach Haake - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	15	45

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	Ctr/Cmd
45	40	60	50	55	40/30

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Danny Brackman

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 186 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Round 6
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Prototypical pitcher build. Tall and strong with long limbs. Above average mobility and athleticism. Still a little room left for adding some more muscle.

Delivery & Mechanics: Starts wind-up slightly off-set. Gets moving quickly, starting his downhill move almost immediately after beginning to lift his leg. Utilizes long levers well, generating big separation and lots of torque. Medium effort delivery into an over the top arm action that generally sequences well but has blips where timing is off. Front side could stay a bit tighter through rotation. Speed of motion helps minimize chance for error. Likes to work quickly.

Fastball: Sits 93-95 and tops 97. Above average raw spin and a good 4-seam axis. Ball jumps out of his hand. Plays plus both in and out of the zone. Will freeze hitters on the corners and register whiffs. Might even have another gear to reach. Grade: 60

Slider: 83-85 with heavy gyro and a cutter-ish axis. Sharp, late two-plane break. Will flatten out at times though velo separation from FB helps keep hitters off balance. Tunnels off the FB effectively. Should be at least an average offering. Grade: 50

Changeup: 84-85 with good fade and sink. Arm slot and arm speed help deceptiveness and movement mirrors SL well. Good feel and a willingness to throw to RHHs. Can change shape and show more horizontal than vertical. Effective for both generating weak contact and whiffs. Above average offering. Grade: 55

Control and Command: Has shown an improved ability to spot within and around the zone. Will work the FB around and look for his spot. Less ability to command offspeed but generally does well staying away from hittable areas. Pitch profiles generally stay on plane and rarely slip, spike, or back up. Control: 50 | Command: 45

Overall: Haake has steadily built his functional strength and cleaned up pitching mechanics over the past couple years. There's still tons of risk in the profile and he's far from a finished product, though the on-mound athleticism and stuff is certainly interesting enough to give a look. He could profile as a solid weapon out of the pen in the near future, yet there's seemingly a puncher's chance he turns into a real MLB rotation option.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Backend SP #5 or High-Leverage Reliever
Risk: High

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MJ Melendez - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	C	14	45

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	30	55	55	60	40

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Martin

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2017 Round 2
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. Some current muscle spaced out throughout. Catchers usually have a stockier frame with a thicker lower half, but this body type is not unheard of. Could fill out a little further.

Hit: Slightly closed stance with hands near back ear. Barrel sways from over his head to resting on his shoulder. Base is slightly wider than shoulder-width. His timing mechanism varies. Sometimes he uses a large leg lift with his front leg crossing over his body before striding. Other times he uses a simple toe-tap trigger. He keeps his weight in his toes causing some plate-side lean. Melendez does a good job incorporating his lower half into his swing and moving forward through the pitch. Majority of ground balls go to the pull side, line drives are sprayed but more pull side and fly balls are pretty well sprayed with most going up the middle. Really struggles making contact. Has struck out over 30% of the time in all three minor league seasons including a poultry 40% in 2019. It is not necessarily a chase problem, he has average walk rates, but he will swing out of the zone and struggles making contact in the zone. Hits right handed pitching exceedingly better than left handed pitching. The main problem with Melendez is timing and a little bit of balance. His swing is not horrible, he uses his body well. He just struggles with timing and might hesitate on some swings. He also is a little herky-jerky, kind of a lot going on. Mechanics are there, it is just some mental room for improvement. Grade: 30

Power: Has some present power thanks to his strength and swing mechanics. He does not lock out his front leg or lean back, he surprisingly has a pretty good contact swing (despite not making much contact). He just uses his lower half extremely well and gets the most out of his body. Mostly extra-base power but certainly has the ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Not a speedster, so most of the power is legit. Grade: 55

Field: Melendez has received mixed reviews behind the dish. He generally catches off of one leg which is more conducive for framing pitches. He also has solid footwork on throws with athletic and agile movements. Athleticism helps with blocking skills. I am more impressed than skeptical so I will take the high side. Grade: 55

Arm: Strong footwork definitely contributes to plus pop times down to second base. However, Melendez also gets strong force into his throws thanks to plus arm strength. Throws have good strength, carry, and accuracy. Plus arm but unfortunately catcher throwing is typically overrated. Grade: 60

Run: Not a speedster and legs will probably wear down faster than average because of his strenuous position. Faster than current catcher Salvador Perez but slower than the average runner. Grade: 40

Overall: Solid defensive catcher with some power potential. This combination has played at the Major League level time and time again. His swing actually is not too mechanically bad other than some balance points but he struggles with making contact. It could be something of a mental barrier that he needs to eclipse. If he does, we are looking at an all-star caliber catcher because all of the other tools are there. However, as it currently stands, he would project to be an average second division Major League player.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Second Division Regular
Risk: Moderate

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Will Klein - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	13	45

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	Ctr/Cmd
45	40	60	60	40/30

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 21 yr
Height: 6-5
Weight: 220 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 5
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Large, athletic frame that's nearly maxed out. Well-developed lower half; muscle on the upper body; broad shoulders. Live arm.

Delivery & Mechanics: Stretch-only; explosive, high-effort drop and drive delivery with 3/4s arm slot. Long arm stroke; fast arm; average stride and extension. Motion is a little abrupt, but appears to repeat fairly well.

Fastball: 93-95, t99. Average ride with some run, fairly generic shape but jumps out of the hand a little. Locates up in the zone where it plays best and sets up the curve. Command is not a strong point. Will need to locate on the edges to beat major league hitters. Grade: 60

Curveball: 80-82; power curve with good depth and sweep, 11-5 shape. Hard, hard bite when it's on, diving from high armside corner of the zone to the low gloveside corner. Pairs very well with four seam; solid tunneling action. Command appears touch and go, often yanking it gloveside, but doesn't need to be too fine to get chases due to big time movement. Grade: 60

Control and Command: Okay strike thrower; fires at the zone and lets the stuff play. Lose his release and struggles to get it back leading to walks and deep counts. Aggressive and borderline wild at times, but has shown improvement. Control: 40 | Command: 30

Overall: Relief-only profile with a big arm that can spin it. Fastball/curveball pairing is lethal as long as he can find the zone. Command will be the deciding factor as to whether he can compete for an high-leverage role, low-leverage or is an up and down arm.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - High-Leverage Reliever
Risk: High

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Carlos Hernandez - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	KC	RHP	12	45

Grades Update: May 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	CH	Ctr/Cmd
45	40	60	55	45	45/40

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May 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 245 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 IFA
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Big, thick workhorse frame. Mostly maxed. Long limbs, somewhat high waist, broad shoulders. Thicker build; strong legs and back, softer midsection. Conditioning may be a factor down the road. Live arm. Broken rib in 2019.

Delivery & Mechanics: Full windup; dip and drive delivery with moderate effort and 3/4s slot. Long arm action with above-average arm speed. Gets down the mound well with big frame, finishes low. Fairly simple motion that he repeats fine. Quick worker. Will mix leg kick and slide step from the stretch.

Fastball: 93-97. t100; good carry with some run. Flattens out and gets away when he overthrows. Gets pop-ups from the belt up with some whiffs and can spot it on the black on both sides of the plate, but not consistently. Typically misses high; ball slips out early. Enough velo and life to get away with misses over the middle. Grade: 60

Curveball: 79-85; power curve with solid depth, little sweep; near 12-6 shape. Tunnels with fastball pretty well. Best ones have good, hard bite and fall off the table while others roll in. Almost never humps out of the hand. Locates most down, but some slip out early and fade up and to the arm side -- get punished when they're hittable. Around the zone often and in good locations for chases. Steals strikes with it here and there, too. Plus characteristics, just needs consistency. Grade: 55

Changeup: 84-88; more fade than depth. Clear third pitch and used as such. Struggles to locate and has a hard time finding the zone; often leaves it out armside or yanks it down. Sometimes too firm. Plays best below the zone. Lacks feel, confidence. Good traits, but needs development. More of a show-me pitch at present. Grade: 45

Control and Command: Fringy control with below-average command. Fringy strike thrower. Around the zone often, but more than a few slip away; has trouble with the release in most outings. Tries to work the shadows of the zone, but doesn't spot it consistently and leaves too many over the heart. Doesn't walk a ton of hitters, but not very efficient. Decent pitchability; not afraid to start an AB with offspeed, but typically fastball-heavy and mixing in the curve. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Big, hard-throwing righty with good stuff and a chance to start. Modern arsenal with a high-90s fastball and power curve with a change to boot. Command or changeup will probably need to take a step forward in order to go deep enough to be a reliable starter, but has a real chance to do so. A no-doubt major league arm with a 4-5 starter ceiling and multi-inning role floor. Stuff is live enough to play well at the back of the bullpen, too, if a team went that route.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Backend SP #5 / Bulk Reliever / High-Leverage Reliever
Risk: Moderate

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