ICYMI: You can check out our breakdown of MLB Pipeline’s list of top 30 Royals prospects here.
Like I’ve mentioned plenty of times before, these lists are hardly scientific. It’s supposed to be fun and shouldn’t be judged too critically. I do enjoy, however, comparing lists to each other to get a gauge on how different publications view the Royals farm system.
Before we get into the breakdown itself, here’s a look at how MLB Pipeline and Baseball America rated their top 30 Royals prospects, in comparison to our list here at Royals Farm Report.
| MLB Pipeline | Royals Farm | Baseball America |
| 1. Brady Singer | 1. MJ Melendez | 1. Brady Singer |
| 2. Khalil Lee | 2. Brady Singer | 2. Khalil Lee |
| 3. MJ Melendez | 3. Daniel Lynch | 3. Daniel Lynch |
| 4. Daniel Lynch | 4. Khalil Lee | 4. Jackson Kowar |
| 5. Nick Pratto | 5. Nicky Lopez | 5. Nicky Lopez |
| 6. Seuly Matias | 6. Jackson Kowar | 6. MJ Melendez |
| 7. Jackson Kowar | 7. Seuly Matias | 7. Nick Pratto |
| 8. Nicky Lopez | 8. Nick Pratto | 8. Seuly Matias |
| 9. Kris Bubic | 9. Michael Gigliotti | 9. Kyle Isbel |
| 10. Kyle Isbel | 10. Yefri Del Rosario | 10. Kris Bubic |
| 11. Carlos Hernandez | 11. Kyle Isbel | 11. Yefri Del Rosario |
| 12. Yefri Del Rosario | 12. Richard Lovelady | 12. Kelvin Gutierrez |
| 13. Michael Gigliotti | 13. Arnaldo Hernandez | 13. Sam McWilliams |
| 14. Kelvin Gutierrez | 14. Austin Cox | 14. Meibrys Viloria |
| 15. Scott Blewett | 15. Carlos Hernandez | 15. Scott Blewett |
| 16. Richard Lovelady | 16. Kris Bubic | 16. Austin Cox |
| 17. Brewer Hicklen | 17. Gabriel Cancel | 17. Richard Lovelady |
| 18. Emmanuel Rivera | 18. Brewer Hicklen | 18. Carlos Hernandez |
| 19. Meibrys Viloria | 19. Sam McWilliams | 19. Yohanse Morel |
| 20. Yohanse Morel | 20. Josh Staumont | 20. Brewer Hicklen |
| 21. Josh Staumont | 21. Yohanse Morel | 21. Gerson Garabito |
| 22. Austin Cox | 22. Meibrys Viloria | 22. Emmanuel Rivera |
| 23. Blake Perkins | 23. Blake Perkins | 23. Zach Haake |
| 24. Sam McWilliams | 24. Charlie Neuweiler | 24. Josh Staumont |
| 25. Jeison Guzman | 25. Kelvin Gutierrez | 25. Rylan Kaufman |
| 26. Daniel Tillo | 26. Scott Blewett | 26. Blake Perkins |
| 27. Arnaldo Hernandez | 27. Daniel Tillo | 27. Michael Gigliotti |
| 28. Sebastian Rivero | 28. Jeison Guzman | 28. Arnaldo Hernandez |
| 29. Gerson Garabito | 29. Nick Heath | 29. Kort Peterson |
| 30. Jonathan Bowlan | 30. Emmanuel Rivera | 30. Foster Griffin |
Next time you’re trying to decide which publication to trust the most, go ahead and glance through these lists. MJ Melendez at 6? Come on.
Outside of that obvious blunder, here are some more of my thoughts regarding Baseball America’s top 30 Royals prospects list.
- Chalk me up as a hater if you want, but I’m not getting the Gerson Garabito love. As a 22-year old in High-A last year, Garabito had the first 100+ inning year of his professional career. He’s been in the system since 2013. He’s not very big, he doesn’t strike out many hitters, and his BB/9 was over 4.5 in 2018. His only good seasons in terms of ERA have been on the backs of ridiculously low and unsustainable BABIPs. I like the kid, and I’m glad the Royals have him in the system, but I can’t justify him being in the top 30.
- I love BA’s aggressiveness with Rylan Kaufman. I had him at #26 on my personal top 45 list, and I think MLB Pipeline is gonna wish they had him on their top 30 by June. Kaufman was an 18-year old last year despite having pitched at San Jacinto CC, and pitching well. He’s got a good fastball from the left side and his curveball is Charlie Neuweiler nasty.
- I am pleasantly surprised that both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America had Yohanse Morel ranked higher than we did. I personally had him at 15…but I’ll excuse the ineptness of my peers. All jokes aside, Royals fans should be REALLY excited for Morel’s future. If you saw our videos on Periscope from Spring Training, Morel was throwing bullpens with the likes of Del Rosario, Singer, Kowar, and Daniel Lynch, hinting at the fact that the Royals must really like the kid.
- Baseball America’s aggressiveness with Zach Haake is interesting. They do have him right there with Josh Staumont, and the two are a lot alike, but having Haake ahead of Staumont must mean that BA likes Haake’s stuff better, as they’re both almost solely relievers. Having better stuff than Josh Staumont is rare, and, apparently, Haake must be close.
- I think MLB Pipeline is gonna wish they had Nicky Lopez higher on their list as well. The kid is good. I actually had him at 8 also, but I’m glad we decided to go with him at 5 at the site. I am really excited at the prospect of seeing Lopez in Kansas City this season, and Baseball America most certainly is going to look good for having him top 5.
Photo Credits: PLPhoto2015 (@PPhoto2015)
Royals Farm Report 
Good summary of the 3 lists.
Interesting that BA had Gigliotti at 27 while RFR and BA had him in Top 13. BA must have taken the injury way too seriously.
Scott Blewett another with big disparity with BA and MLBP both at 15 and RFR at 26. Maybe they placed more emphasis on his AZ Fall League results.
Finally, I like that Griffin made BA’s list. I think he would have been a whole lot better last year if Royals had moved him up to AAA instead of “demoting” him back to AA due to DDD signings that blocked several Royals pitching prospects for the year.
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