Last week, we wrote up a little piece detailing some of the top names that should be on your radar for the Royals with the #7 overall pick in this summer’s amateur draft. Hopefully every Monday we’ll be able to go back and recap the performances of some of these guys from the past weekend. However, thanks to COVID-19, teams like Vanderbilt have not played yet so there will be no update on Kumar Rocker or Jack Leiter this time around.
SS Matt McLain, UCLA
McLain got off to a roaring start in the Bruins series against USF, going 5-11 with 2 doubles, his first HR of the year, 2 BB, and 1 K. I wrote last week that he wasn’t my favorite target for KC at #7, even though he runs well and is a true 55-60-grade defender at SS. If he keeps hitting like this I can be persuaded.
C Adrian Del Castillo, Miami
Del Castillo had a nice little weekend against SEC powerhouse Florida. He went 4-12 with 3 BB and 3 K and an impressive double against LHP Hunter Barco, who is thought to be one of the top pitching prospects available for the 2022 draft class.
CF Jud Fabian, Florida
It was a weekend to forget for Fabian, one of my favorite guys in play for Kansas City at #7. He had 1 hit in 13 AB with 7 K against the Miami pitching staff. I’m not going to worry about hitters too much early on. Having had no real season in 2020, it will likely take some guys a little longer to get back into it.
RHP Jaden Hill, LSU
There is perhaps no one with more to gain in terms of draft stock this spring than Hill. With a good spring, he could launch himself from a top 10 pick to a top 2-3 pick in the draft. Hill pitched 4 shutout innings this weekend for the Bayou Bengals, striking out 5 and walking none.
3B Alex Binelas, Louisville
Another guy I really like with a weekend to forget. Binelas went 1-11 with 6 K against a Bellarmine pitching staff that otherwise conceded 26 runs in 24 innings against the Cardinals this past weekend. The thing with Binelas is that not only did he miss 2020 like everyone else, he broke his hamate bone and spent most of the spring and into summer recovering from the injury. I’m going to give this kid at least a month before judging him too much.
RHP Ty Madden, Texas
Madden, one of my favorite arms that I think is still around at #7, gave up 3 ER in 4 IP against a very good Mississippi State team in his season opener. Struck out 5 and walked 3. Former Royals draftee that is definitely a name to watch.
LHP Jordan Wicks, Kansas State
Similarly to Jaden Hill, Wicks has more to prove this spring than maybe anyone in the draft class. A top 30 draft prospect with top 15 stuff, Wicks put on a show this weekend against Oregon State at the Royals Spring Training complex in Surprise. Wicks fired 7 shutout innings giving up just 3 hits, walking none, and striking out 10. He keeps pitching like this and he will force his way into the conversation at #7.
Royals Farm Report 