Four Royals Listed in BA Top 100 Prospect List

Baseball America revealed its Top 100 Prospect List (on prime time television!) and it was no surprise that Twins outfielder Byron Buxton topped the list. The Royals managed to land four spots in the Top 100, a far cry from the eight prospects the Red Sox landed, but still a strong showing. They were:

23. RHP Kyle Zimmer

26. RHP Yordano Ventura

47. SS Adalberto "Raul" Mondesi

90. OF Jorge Bonifacio

They write that Zimmer has shown brilliance in flashes but needs more consistency. They love Ventura's fastball but question his ability to withstand a full workload. Mondesi is pure projectability at this point. They suggest that Bonifacio could be a poor man's Wil Myers with "a bit more loft in his swing." Notable omissions were third baseman Hunter Dozier and pitcher Miguel Almonte, who had made some other Top 100 Lists. Bubba Starling drops from #35 on last year's list to not mentioned at all.

Almonte and pitcher Sean Manaea were mentioned in "Future Top 100" as guys that could jump into the Top 50 with a strong season. They love Almonte's changeup, and think Manaea could skyrocket through the Royals system.

Other notes:

Only four clubs had more prospects than the Royals - the Red Sox (8), Cubs (7), Astros (6), and Rangers (5).

Three of the top four guys drafted after Bubba (Javier Baez, Francisco Lindor, Archie Bradley) are in the top 15. The fourth - Anthony Rendon - is already in the big leagues competing for the second baseman's job.

Keep your eye on #4 prospect Masahiro Tanaka. You probably haven't heard anything about him, but he was pretty good in Japan.

Among our Central Division brothers, the Twins had four prospects (two in the top 6 though - Buxton and third baseman Miguel Sano), the White Sox had four, the Indians had three, and the Tigers had two.

Michael Choice made the Top 100 despite being 24 and being traded for a glove-first, light-hitting outfielder.

Three of the prospects appeared in the World Series last year - Xander Boegarts, Kolten Wong, and Carlos Martinez.

The only Rays prospect was Jake Odorizzi. You're welcome Tampa Bay.

An interesting discussion on past prospect list hits and misses from Baseball America is here.