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Daily Clips

June 5, 2018

LOCAL

Royals take college pitchers with first 5 picks

Gators' Singer (No. 18) and Kowar (33) lead Day 1 Draft haul

June 4, 2018 By Jeffrey Flanagan/



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Royals on wrong end of nail-biter with Angels

June 4, 2018 By Jeffrey Flanagan/



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An eighth-inning Angels rally ruins start to Royals' West Coast trip

June 4, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Star



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Why the Royals went pitching-heavy on the first day of the 2018 MLB Draft

June 4, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Star



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Royals' draft haul of five pitchers could be a nice start, but that's all

June 4, 2018 By Sam Mellinger/KC Star



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Who is Jackson Kowar, the Florida pitcher drafted by the Kansas City Royals?

June 4, 2018 By Jordan McPherson/KC Star



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Who is Brady Singer, the Florida pitcher drafted by the Kansas City Royals?

June 4, 2018 By Jordan McPherson/KC Star



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Royals take five pitchers, two from Florida, within first 58 picks of MLB Draft

June 4, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Star



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Mr. Brett goes to Washington, takes in Stanley Cup game, meets White House official

June 4, 2018 By Pete Grathoff/KC Star



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NATIONAL

Buy, Sell or Hold? How every MLB team should spend their next two months

June 4, 2018 By Jim Bowden/The Athletic



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Tigers select RHP Casey Mize with No. 1 pick in MLB draft; Joey Bart to Giants

June 4, 2018 By Scott Boeck/USA Today



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MLB TRANSACTIONS

June 5, 2018 •.



LOCAL

Royals take college pitchers with first 5 picks

Gators' Singer (No. 18) and Kowar (33) lead Day 1 Draft haul

June 4, 2018 By Jeffrey Flanagan/



The Royals say they didn't necessarily plan to draft five college pitchers on Day 1 of the 2018 MLB Draft.

But it happened to work out that way on Monday, which could, however, sync those pitchers up with the Royals' next wave of talented Minor Leaguers -- position players such as Khalil Lee, Nick Pratto and MJ Melendez -- who are developing in Class A ball.

"We wanted to make a concerted effort on getting some college pitching that we felt had high ceilings, and that could move quickly," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "These are pitchers that we had history with, pitchers that we were comfortable with based on their makeup, their competitiveness. Also the fact that these guys pitched at a very high level against teams in the best conferences in the country."

With their first pick -- No. 18 overall -- the Royals selected Florida junior right-hander Brady Singer, who ranks No. 2 on MLB Pipeline's Top 200 Prospects list.

's Jonathan Mayo called the selection of Singer "one of the steals of the first round," and MLB Network's Pedro Martinez labeled Singer the "safest pick of the Draft."

Singer, who is 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, has an above-average fastball that can touch 95-96 mph, according to scouts.

's scouting report of him said: "Singer checks off all of the boxes teams are looking for out of a potential top pick. Long and lean, he has a terrific pitcher's body that has thus far proven to be durable. He'll throw his fastball ... with plus life. His slider plays well off of his fastball, a second above-average pitch he manipulates in terms of depth and velocity. His changeup continues to improve and should give him a third above-average offering. He commands the ball well, gets high marks for his makeup and is a plus competitor."

The Royals were thrilled Singer fell all the way to No. 18.

"I liked it," Royals scouting director Lonnie Goldberg said. "We were obviously very surprised, but our guys did a heck of a job lining up the board, staying in communication with each other, players' families, etc. Our scout had Brady, and he had him in high school, so that really helped. So we felt very fortunate we didn't have to do a lot of digging at that point. We were very well-aware of the makeup of who we were taking about. So, obviously, very excited that Brady fell there."

Singer was 11-1 with a 2.27 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 95 innings for Florida this season.

The Royals went after another Gator with the 33rd overall pick, a compensation selection for losing Lorenzo Cain to free agency, selecting right-hander Jackson Kowar.

Kowar is also a 6-foot-5 junior. His fastball can touch 98 mph and regularly sits in the mid-90s. Kowar was MLB Pipeline's No. 15 prospect.

The Royals liked the idea of drafting teammates.

"The fact that they have worked together," Golberg said, "competed against each other and made each other better -- our only goal is they continue to do the same thing."

With the 34th overall pick, compensation for losing Eric Hosmer to free agency, the Royals took Virginia left-hander Daniel Lynch, the No. 77 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Lynch has a plus-changeup with "pitchability," according to scouts.

With the 40th overall pick, the Royals took yet another pitcher, Stanford senior left-hander Kris Bubic, ranked the No. 49 prospect by MLB Pipeline, which called Bubic's changeup one of the best in the Draft.

And with their last pick on Day 1, the Royals took Memphis junior right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, who is 6-foot-6 and 262 pounds. Bowlan is No. 113 on MLB Pipeline's Top 200 and can hit 97 mph with his fastball.

The Royals have the largest signing pool of any team at $12,781,900. They will have a allotment of $3,349,300 to sign Singer, $2,118,700 to sign Kowar, $2,066,700 to sign Lynch, $1,786,300 to sign Bubic and $1,168,300 to sign Bowlan.

The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds 3-10. The preview show begins at 11:30 a.m. CT, with exclusive coverage beginning at noon.

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Royals on wrong end of nail-biter with Angels

June 4, 2018 By Jeffrey Flanagan/



The Angels didn't exactly hit Royals reliever Tim Hill hard. But then again, they didn't have to after Hill walked the first two batters he faced in the eighth inning on Monday night.

And one out later, Mike Trout sent a soft grounder back through the middle that eluded Hill and trickled into center field, producing the go-ahead run that sent the Angels to a 9-6 victory at Angel Stadium.

"The walks didn't help [Hill] at all," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We struggled with command all night, really."

Royals catcher Salvador Perez had tied the game at 6 one inning earlier with his 10th homer, stealing the momentum back after the Angels took their first lead with a three-run sixth.

Danny Duffy, who had put together back-to-back strong outings, wasn't as sharp this time around. The lefty went five-plus innings and gave up four runs on seven hits, including home runs by Justin Upton and Jefry Marte.

Duffy permitted four hits and three walks in the first two innings but escaped while allowing two runs.

"Fastball command was off," Yost said. "I think he had 57 pitches after two innings. He at least competed out until the sixth inning."

But the number that stood out on Duffy's pitching line was zero strikeouts.

"I just don't think I was locating with my fastball," Duffy said. "No punchouts. I know we were looking for some quick outs, but when you get guys 1-2 and 0-2 and can't punch them out, it's not going to be good.

"I'll be better next time out."

Despite Duffy's struggles, the Royals were in control for much of his outing, with Jorge Soler's two-run double in the top of the fifth giving them a 5-2 lead.

But Marte's leadoff homer in the sixth ended Duffy's night and kick-started the first of two three-run innings for the Angels.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

The Royals had an excellent chance to extend a 3-2 lead in the third. Mike Moustakas led off with a double and went to third on Perez's hard shot off the third-base bag for an infield single. But Soler followed with a grounder to third and Moustakas took off for home, hoping to lure the Angels away from a double play. Moustakas was out in a rundown. Alex Gordon then struck out and Hunter Dozier flied out, ending the threat.

"Offensively, I didn't really lament any opportunities," Yost said. "We scored some runs."

SOUND SMART

With a pickoff of Marte in the seventh inning, Perez now has 20 career pickoffs, the most in the Major Leagues since he debuted in 2011

Gordon picked up his 86th career assist in the eighth, second in club history behind Amos Otis' 116.

UP NEXT

Right-hander Brad Keller (1-1, 2.13 ERA) will make his second Major League start in Game 2 of the Royals' series against the Angels on Tuesday at 9:07 p.m CT. He went three innings and gave up one run on Wednesday in his first start, and he'll likely be extended to 70-75 pitches on Tuesday. Left-hander Andrew Heaney (2-4, 3.66 ERA) goes for the Halos.

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An eighth-inning Angels rally ruins start to Royals' West Coast trip

June 4, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Star



As their front office went to work drafting five college pitchers, the Royals' current pitching staff allowed 14 hits as they lost to the Angels 9-6 on Monday night.

Rookie reliever Tim Hill gave up consecutive RBI hits to Mike Trout and Justin Upton in the eighth inning of what was then a tied ballgame. Trout broke the 6-6 deadlock, and Upton and Albert Pujols padded the lead with run-scoring singles of their own.

The Royals mustered 12 hits but left eight on base.

"We scored some runs early and I liked our at-bats early," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "But I just thought that offensively, it's one of those nights where I don't really lament any opportunities missed."

Royals starting pitcher Danny Duffy labored through five-plus innings, throwing 99 pitches and issuing three walks without recording a strikeout. He allowed four runs and exited with a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning. Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy yielded an RBI single each to Trout and Pujols, taking Duffy out of the decision.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez tied the score with a homer in the seventh inning, but the lead dissipated soon after.

What went wrong: Royals pitchers struggled to command the strike zone all game long. Duffy fell behind hitters and had trouble locating his fastball.

Same for Hill, who issued back-to-back walks on 13 pitches to start the eighth inning.

"We struggled commanding the ball all game," Yost said.

Up next: The Royals, who dropped to 21-39, will start rookie Brad Keller in the second game of this West Coast road trip at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

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Why the Royals went pitching-heavy on the first day of the 2018 MLB Draft

June 4, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Star



In a cavernous room back in Kansas City, Royals general manager Dayton Moore and his brain trust went down the team’s draft board on Monday evening and hardly believed their luck.

Now 17 picks had passed, and University of Florida pitcher Brady Singer was still available for the Royals at 18. He’d won the College World Series with the Gators a year ago. He’d become Baseball America’s national college baseball player of the year. He’d been chosen the Southeastern Conference’s pitcher of the year.

All this three years after Singer, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound right-hander from Eustis, Fla., turned down an opportunity to join the Blue Jays after being drafted 56th overall in the 2015 draft out of high school.

It took the Royals little time to phone in Singer as their first pick of MLB’s 2018 first-year player draft.

The Royals proceeded to go pitching-heavy, choosing four more college arms with the 33rd, 34th, 40th and 58th overall picks on Monday night.

“We did have a strong emphasis on pitching this year, as we do every year,” Moore said on a teleconference following the end of the second round. “It just felt that these were the best available pitchers for us, and we wanted to make a concerted effort on getting some college pitching we felt had high ceiling and that could move quickly.

“The bottom line is the only way you tilt the field in your favor is you have pitching."

All five pitchers are juniors: Jackson Kowar, a right-hander and teammate of Singer's; Daniel Lynch, a left-hander from Virginia; Kris Bubic, a lefty out of Stanford; and Jonathan Bowlan, a right-hander from Memphis.

And all five could be part of a pitching staff that throws at Kauffman Stadium in 2021, the estimated arrival date of the bunch of prospects the Royals currently have in their poorly ranked farm system.

“I do think this group will mesh really well with this group we already have,” Royals scouting director Lonnie Goldberg said. “They’re all successful, they’re all proven, they’ve all played in big places, they’ve all done things in college baseball that obviously they’ve been very successful at.

“Each one of these guys have something left ceiling-wise, and we all think they’re gonna get better and continue to improve.”

Of their top 30 prospects as ranked by MLB’s Pipeline before the draft, the Royals count 14 pitchers. None of them was among baseball’s best prospects by either or Baseball America's standards.

So the Royals set out to change that. In Baseball America's ranking of the top 300 players available in this year's draft, Singer came in fifth and Kowar 15th.

Both pitched in the 2017 College World Series and won the national championship last year. The success they both had with the Gators was not something the Royals, like the other 29 teams, were willing to overlook.

As they did with Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Danny Duffy, Salvador Perez and others, the front office has again emphasized the importance of learning to compete and win together. Minor-leaguers Nick Pratto, M.J. Melendez and Seuly Matias — three of the Royals' top four prospects — are already trying to do so at low-Class A Lexington. Outfielder Khalil Lee, drafted a year before 2017 picks Pratto and Melendez, is working on the same thing with Emmanuel Rivera and Gabriel Cancel at Class A-Advanced Wilmington.

There's a bevy of young pitchers padding their way through the system, too, including Daniel Tillo, Holden Capps and Evan Steele.

Assuming the Royals can wield their MLB-best signing bonus pool of about $12.7 million effectively, the addition of five college pitchers should infuse the organization with energy and expedite the rebuilding process.

“We believe in the wisdom of iron sharpening iron,” Moore said. “We put people together that are like-minded, that push each other. That’s how guys reach their ceilings. To Lonnie’s point, these guys happened to be there, but of course it factored in with all these guys. They’ve grown up together, they’ve competed against each other at all levels through college. They know who each other are. They’re gonna push each other. That’s part of what we were able to accomplish today.”

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Royals' draft haul of five pitchers could be a nice start, but that's all

June 4, 2018 By Sam Mellinger/KC Star



The Royals got better late Monday night. They got more talented, more athletic, more capable. They have been mostly dismissed by the baseball industry lately, and rightly so. The big-league team stinks, but the real problem is that the minor-league system might be worse. Before this season, Baseball America ranked the Royals' system the second-worst in baseball.

Well, that will change now. An influx of talent from five of the top 58 picks in last night's amateur draft will do that. The ranking will improve, but no matter what you think of the specific picks — and, if we're honest, any definitive reaction to any baseball pick is by definition an overreaction — the following sentence is more important.

This is not enough.

This must be only the beginning.

This must be only step one, with many to follow, but step two is approaching fast and could be as critical as Monday night's draft picks.

Because no sport holds truer to routine than baseball, and the routine of executives across the sport is to first obsess over the draft and then obsess over trades ahead of the July 31 deadline — now 55 days away.

The Royals' future largely depends on those trades.

Look, the draft class should be productive. Better be productive. If it's not, some might lose their jobs. If it is, the Royals might be back in contention. These are the stakes of big-time sports.

"We didn't settle for anything," general manager Dayton Moore said.

If you're an optimist, you might look at the Angels' 2009 draft. They had five picks in the top 48 and got Mike Trout, Garrett Richards, Randal Grichuk and Tyler Skaggs. Patrick Corbin was taken in the second round, 80th overall, which means three starting pitchers, a starting left fielder and the best player of his generation.

If you're an old head, you might look at the Royals' 1992 draft. They had five picks in the top 44 and got Johnny Damon, Jon Lieber and Michael Tucker. Damon is one of the best players in team history, Tucker was traded for Jermaine Dye, and Lieber was a productive starting pitcher for 14 big-league seasons.

This class could be defining. Brady Singer is a 6-foot-5 college right-hander from Florida with a fastball that sits in the mid-90s with plenty of late life. His slider is strong, his changeup improving. He won a national championship and was named Baseball America's college player of the year. He was projected to be selected in the top five and fell to the Royals at No. 18. Presuming signability was an issue, the Royals are a good fit with the largest draft pool ($12,781,900) and a soft spot for hyper-competitive players.

Jackson Kowar is another 6-foot-5 college right-hander from Florida with a mid-90s fastball and a changeup that's said to be among the best in the draft class. Many who study the draft projected Kowar as a top 20 talent; he fell to the Royals at No. 33, and now he'll need to develop a better breaking pitch to be in a rotation.

Daniel Lynch is a 6-foot-4 left-hander from Virginia with four pitches and a lot of what scouts sometimes call project ability. He touches 94, with room for more velocity, and is said to be a good athlete. He was, realistically, likely overdrafted at No. 34 to help sign Singer and Kowar.

Kris Bubic is a 6-foot-3 left-hander from Stanford who is said to have a high floor and went No. 40, and Jonathan Bowlan is a 6-foot-6 right-hander from Memphis whose fastball is said to touch 97; he was taken 58th overall.

So, you know. Maybe the Royals just drafted their next championship rotation. They have dozens more picks to add to the haul. A franchise in need of it can dream.

"We feel like they'll continue to get better and better," Moore said. "(You want to) put together a high-quality pitching staff in the minor-league level, and once you do that, you have a chance to get them to the major leagues. That's the plan."

But the Royals also know this draft class — even in in the most optimistic view — is more like starting the manuscript than publishing the book.

The farm system needs to be flipped, from among baseball's worst to the best. Remember how this happened before. The Royals built baseball's best farm system in years and still needed to nail two blockbuster trades to climb to the top.

That means being creative to squeeze the most juice from Mike Moustakas' trade value in a market that will include two better third basemen in Josh Donaldson and Manny Machado (who is playing shortstop this season).

That means trading Kelvin Herrera, who is pacing for the season of his life and should have multiple suitors as a lockdown reliever with a championship history.

Trading those two would bring back multiple prospects, further injecting talent into a farm system in desperate need, but even that can't be enough.

The Royals are in a position that demands they consider everything. That means at least being open to trading Whit Merrifield, perhaps the best player on this team. He is versatile, a terrific athlete and should be in his prime. He's also 29, which means he'll be into his 30s by the time the Royals are ready to win again. If the Royals deem a package of prospects will be more valuable in four years than Merrifield, they owe it to their future to think hard.

That's not all. The Royals need to listen if teams call about Jorge Soler, and even Sal Perez.

Depending on how you look at it, five of the Royals' best seven players have been named in this column. Jakob Junis is left out because his age and club control mean he's part of the future, and Danny Duffy is out because his first 10 starts torpedoed his trade value.

We'll talk more about this as the summer goes on, but this is what building looks like, and at this point, the Royals are either all-in on building or they're fooling themselves.

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Who is Jackson Kowar, the Florida pitcher drafted by the Kansas City Royals?

June 4, 2018 By Jordan McPherson/KC Star



Florida pitcher Jackson Kowar hasn't earned the same praise or national recognition as fellow teammate Brady Singer. That's the price you pay as the No. 2 starter.

But like Florida baseball's recent history would tell you, the Gators tend to have more than one ace in their weekend rotation.

Kowar is another example of that.

And despite going through a rough patch at the end of his junior season, his talent was still recognized on Monday.

He'll also stay teammates with Singer.

The Kansas City Royals selected Kowar with the 33rd overall pick in the compensatory first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Kowar joins third baseman Jonathan India (No. 5, Cincinnati Reds) and Singer (No. 18, Kansas City Royals) as first-round selections from UF this year, marking the first time in program history the Gators had three selections in the first round of a given draft. Kowar's draft slot is valued at about $2.1 million.

Kowar began his Florida career as a midweek starter during his freshman season before a collapsed lung caused him to sit out the postseason. After fully recovering, he became a regular in the weekend rotation over the past two seasons.

Kowar is 9-5 this season with a 3.53 ERA over 16 starts but has had a rough go as of late. He is 0-3 with a 7.13 ERA over his last three starts.

The most recent — and arguably toughest — loss: Monday's 7-4 loss to Florida Atlantic in the Gainesville Regional of the NCAA Tournament that set up a winner-take-all game later in the night. Kowar tied his career-worst marks in runs allowed (seven, although only four were earned) and hits (11) while striking out five and walking four over six innings.

But when Kowar was at the top of his game, he showed that he had the potential to be one of the best in college baseball. His fastball sits comfortably between 93 and 95 mph and can touch 97 and 98 early on in games. His change-up has improved throughout his time at Florida, as has his slider.

For his career, Kowar is 24-6 over 47 appearances (40 starts). He has 224 career strikeouts over 241.1 innings. His 24 wins are tied for ninth all-time in UF history. He recorded the final five outs of Florida's College World Series-clinching win over LSU last year — securing the only save of his collegiate career in the process.

With Kowar's selection and Singer going earlier in the round, Florida has now had seven pitchers selected in the first round under coach Kevin O'Sullivan. The others: Alex Faedo (No. 18, 2017), A.J. Puk (No. 6, 2016), Dane Dunning (No. 29, 2016), Jonathon Crawford (No. 20, 2013) and Brian Johnson (No. 31, 2012).

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Who is Brady Singer, the Florida pitcher drafted by the Kansas City Royals?

June 4, 2018 By Jordan McPherson/KC Star



The accolades came in droves for Florida pitcher Brady Singer this season.

Baseball America Player of the Year. SEC Pitcher of the Year. First-team All-American.

The latest addition to his resume: first-round draft pick.

The Kansas City Royals selected Singer No. 18 overall in the 2018 MLB Draft on Monday. He's the second Gator taken this year, with third baseman Jonathan India being drafted fifth overall by the Cincinnati Reds. The assigned slot value for Singer's draft pick is about $3.3 million.

"I really like this pick for the Royals, who need pitching and couldn't have expected Pipeline's No. 2 Draft prospect to last until No. 18," 's Jim Callis wrote of Singer in his instant analysis. "I'm not sure what happened here, but Kansas City got a nearly MLB-ready pitcher who has a lively fastball and tremendous feel for his slider. I really like the way Singer attacks hitters, and his competitiveness is off the charts."

Singer’s selection marks the third consecutive year that at least one Gators pitcher was taken in the opening 30 picks. Alex Faedo went 18th overall to the Detroit Tigers in 2017, while A.J. Puk (No. 6, Oakland Athletics) and Dane Dunning (No. 29, Washington Nationals) were first-round selections in 2016.

Singer could have made the jump to professional baseball when the Toronto Blue Jays picked him in the second round out of high school. Instead, the Eustis, Florida, native made the two-hour drive north to Gainesville and became yet another quality pitcher to thrive for the Gators.

The goal now is to help lead the Gators to a second-straight College World Series title. The Gators are a win away from advancing to a best-of-3 Super Regional matchup against Auburn, which is led by No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize.

Singer is 11-1 this season with a 2.27 ERA. The 6-5, 220-pound righty has struck out 98 batters in 95 innings He is holding opponents to a .188 batting average — the third-best single-season mark in UF records dating back to the 1974 season.

His latest outing on Saturday, his first appearance on the mound since May 11 while recovering from left hamstring tightness, was a beauty. He earned the victory in the winner's bracket matchup against Jacksonville after holding the Dolphins to two earned runs and five hits over seven innings. He struck out six batters of the 27 batters he faced. UF's defense turned three double plays, including one in the fifth in which Singer fielded a squeeze bunt with runners on second and third base, tagged the runner at home and then threw out the runner at first.

"My body felt good," Singer told reporters after the 3-2 win. "I had to knock a little bit of rust off, but I felt fine especially with the run support and double plays behind me."

For his collegiate career, Singer is 22-8 overall with a 3.16 ERA. He has thrown four complete games over the last two seasons and has 23 career quality starts — defined as giving up no more than three earned runs while pitching at least six innings. His 265 career strikeouts rank seventh in Florida history.

Baseball America listed Singer as its No. 4 overall prospect for the draft.

“The latest in a developing tradition of talented Florida starting pitchers is righthander Brady Singer, who was one of the earliest players to establish himself at the top of the 2018 draft class with one of the most spotless track records in the country,” the website’s scouting report reads. “Singer has a long history of success in the SEC and has improved—at least statistically—every season.”

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Royals take five pitchers, two from Florida, within first 58 picks of MLB Draft

June 4, 2018 By Maria Torres/KC Star



The Royals held five of the first 58 selections in the 2018 MLB first-year player draft that started Monday night. For better or worse, this draft will define what direction the Royals will take as they endeavor to make another World Series run.

They decided to bolster their pitching depth, choosing five collegiate arms. Among their current top 30 prospects as ranked by MLB’s Pipeline, the Royals count 14 pitchers. None of them are counted among baseball’s best prospects by either or Baseball America.

Here's a closer look at the pitchers the Royals drafted Monday:

18. Brady Singer, RHP, Florida, junior

A projected top-five pick, Singer slipped into the Royals' hands, likely because of a slow start to his junior campaign. But he solidified himself as Florida's ace this season, posting a 2.27 ERA in 14 starts (95 innings). He struck out a team-high 98 while issuing 19 walks. Batters averaged .188 against him.

Singer is a Golden Spikes Award semifinalist and was chosen Baseball America's college baseball player of the year. Also chosen as the Southeastern Conference's pitcher of the year, he led the SEC with 10 wins and a 2.25 ERA.

Standing 6 feet 5 with a 210-pound frame, he commands a 95-96 mph fastball and throws an above-average slider, according to 's scouting report.

The slot value for the 18th pick this year is $3,349,300. The Royals, with an MLB-high $12.7 million bonus pool to spend in the first 10 rounds, are in an ideal position to stop Singer from returning to Florida, where he won a national championship last summer.

Three years ago, Singer was drafted 56th overall in the second round out of Eustis High School (Fla.) by the Blue Jays. Back then, he was already 6-5 and he threw a mid-90s fastball. But instead of signing for the slot value of about $1 million, he chose to honor his college commitment, telling , “It was pretty close, but when it didn’t work out, I wasn’t really upset because I was already moved in, I was already three weeks into school. I adapted quickly and I just kind of got to work. There was no looking back.”

Singer had a 4.95 ERA in 23 appearances, one start, during his freshman season. But upon joining the Gators' starting rotation last year, he became their workhouse. He led the SEC with 126 innings pitched, a mark that ranked third in the country, and 51 strikeouts looking. For the season, he struck out 129 batters.

In two starts at the 2017 College World Series, Singer threw 14 innings and struck out 21 batters, including 12 LSU hitters in the first game of the finals.

33. Jackson Kowar, RHP, Florida, junior

When ’s 15th-ranked prospect remained on the board in competitive balance round A, the Royals jumped. Kowar, the 6-6, 185-pound teammate of Singer, has already thrown 98 mph this year and his fastball sits in the mid-90s, according to ’s scouting report.

Pitching behind Singer in Florida’s rotation, Kowar posted a 3.37 ERA in 98 2/3 innings spanning 16 starts. He struck out 96 batters and was chosen to the SEC’s second team.

34. Daniel Lynch, LHP, Virginia, junior

Lynch’s stuff is not as showy as his Florida counterparts’. His fastball hovers in the low 90s and he had a 3.93 ERA in 13 starts. But he struck out 105 over 88 2/3 innings and only issued 24 walks.

40. Kris Bubic, LHP, Stanford, junior

Bubic possesses “one of the best changeups in the class,” according to ’s scouting report. He pitched off a 90-94 mph fastball and recorded a 2.62 ERA in 15 starts. Batters hit just. 199 off Bubic and struck out 101 times.

58. Jonathan Bowlan, RHP, Memphis, junior

The 6-6, 262-pounder set a school and conference record with an 18-strikeout complete game this season against South Florida. His father, Mark, threw Memphis' only perfect game in 1987.

The draft will resume with rounds 3-10 at noon Tuesday and concludes with rounds 11-40 on Wednesday. Live results for all rounds will be available on .

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Mr. Brett goes to Washington, takes in Stanley Cup game, meets White House official

June 4, 2018 By Pete Grathoff/KC Star



Here's a fact to keep in mind while watching the Stanley Cup Final: Royals legend George Brett could have been a part owner of the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Brett dropped that bit of information Saturday night in an interview before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final game between the Knights and Washington Capitals.

"I was invited to be a member of the ownership group of the Las Vegas Golden Knights and I turned them down," Brett said in an interview with . "So I started following them a little bit. I went to the second game they played in Phoenix and had my son (Jackson) with me and we both kind of fell in love with them a little bit. They got off to a tremendous start and we kept following them, and I told my son if they make the Stanley Cup, we'll go to a Stanley Cup game."

So they took in Saturday's game at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Brett knows a bit about hockey. He is a co-owner of the Spokane Chiefs, who play in the Western League, with his brothers, Bobby and John. They bought the team in 1990 with brother Ken Brett, who died in 2003.

Alas, Brett's team lost Saturday. The Capitals beat 3-1 Las Vegas in Game 3, but that was just part of Brett's weekend in D.C.

On Friday, he was spotted at White House Briefing Room:

Brett also had dinner with White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, who apparently had a great time:

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Florida pitcher Brady Singer was expected to go in the top five. The Royals pounced on him at No. 18

June 4, 2018 By Rustin Dodd/The Athletic



On a night in which the Royals could remake their farm system, selecting five players in the first 58 picks of the MLB Draft, they may have landed a steal in the first round.

At just past 7:56 on Monday night, the club selected right-handed pitcher Brady Singer of the University of Florida with the No. 18 overall pick, drafting a player who was expected to go in the top five for much of the draft process.

Singer, a 6-foot-5 right-hander ranked as the No. 4 prospect in the draft according to Baseball America, was available after tumbling in the early portions of the first round. With five picks in the top 58 — and the largest bonus pool in the draft — the Royals pounced, poised to use a large chunk of their draft pool on the pitcher selected as Baseball American’s 2018 Collegiate Player of the Year.

“We were probably shocked that he did get there,” Royals scouting director Lonnie Goldberg said on late Monday night.

The Royals could not predict that Singer would be available at No. 18. But they were positioned to lean heavy on college arms on the draft’s first day. They concluded the night by taking five college pitchers as they attempt to refill a hollowed-out farm system and spark a fledgling rebuilding process. The selections included Florida right-hander Jackson Kowar, Singer’s college teammate, at No. 33 and Virginia left-hander Daniel Lynch No. 34. The club finished its busy first day by taking Stanford left-hander Kris Bubic at No. 40 and Memphis right-hander Jonathan Bowlan at No. 58.

One season after helping Florida to the College World Series championship as a sophomore, Singer has posted an 11-1 record with a 2.27 ERA during his junior season. He’s struck out 98 hitters in 95 innings. He’s made his case as the best college pitcher in the country, drawing comparisons to Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola.

“Brady Singer, in our minds, is one of the very best pitchers in the country,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said.

Singer, 21, has been on the radar of major-league teams since his high school days in Eustis, Fla. He was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the second round of the 2015 draft. The Royals scouted him hard as a high school senior, Goldberg said. Yet Singer opted not to sign and headed to pitch for the home-state Gators. He made just one start as a freshman before exploding during his sophomore season.

According to Baseball America, Singer’s “fastball sits in the low to mid-90s with impressive natural movement and he also has a sharp slider that has been a weapon for him in the past.”

Singer will immediately become one of the top prospects in a farm system that ranks among the industry’s worst. The Royals, however, do have a promising young core emerging in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Singer, who graduated from high school in 2015, is 22 months older than outfielder Khalil Lee, the Royals’ top prospect at High-A Wilmington. He is just more than two years older than prospects Seuly Matias, a right fielder, and Nick Pratto, a first baseman.

Once viewed as a possible No. 1 overall pick, Singer appeared to drop in the draft based on questions of signability and potential bonus demands. He was recently bothered by a hamstring injury, yet his overall medical picture appeared clear. If it was his price that caused the slip, the Royals have the bonus money to invest in a top-five talent.

“The fact that Brady Singer was there,” Moore said. “Did we anticipate that? No. But were there other factors involved in that, based on signability, based on other things? Perhaps. Based on taking advantage of the pool money that we have? Perhaps.”

The Royals have a signing bonus pool of $12,781,900 thanks to compensation picks for Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain and a competitive-balance pick at No. 40 overall. Much of that could be earmarked for Singer and Kowar. Yet on the first night of the draft, the Royals came away with something they did not expect: A pitcher that was expected to go in the top five.

“We were obviously very surprised,” Goldberg said. “But our guys did a heck of a job lining up the board.”

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On the first day of draft, Dayton Moore and Royals bet big on college pitchers

June 4, 2018 By Rustin Dodd/The Athletic



The first pick of the night came in at just past 7:55 p.m Monday. The last arrived to a television studio in Secaucus, N.J., nearly 2 1/2 hours later. In the 144 tense minutes in between, on a wild and unpredictable first night of the MLB Draft, the Royals embraced the game’s great unknown (young pitchers) and placed a futures bet on a quintet of college arms.

Bold in its vision, consistent in its philosophy, the plan came together as the club embarked on the most important draft in a generation. In a little under three hours, the team made five selections among the first 58 picks in the draft: All were pitchers from the college ranks.

“We wanted to make a concerted effort on getting some college pitching that we felt had high ceiling and could move quickly,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Monday night. “Pitchers that we had history with. Pitchers that we were comfortable with.”

And so they did. It began with Florida right-hander Brady Singer at No. 18, an unexpected gift. It continued with Singer’s teammate, Florida righty Jackson Kowar, at No. 33 and pressed forward with Virginia lefty Daniel Lynch at No. 34. The pitching binge ended with Stanford lefty Kris Bubic at No. 40 (a competitive-balance round pick) and Memphis righty Jonathan Bowlan at No. 58 in the second round.

You cannot plan out a draft, of course. Not when you are picking 18th in the first round. The Royals, for instance, did not anticipate that Singer, once viewed as a possible No. 1 overall pick and a consensus top-five prospect, would be available when they made their first choice at No. 18. But they gladly picked him anyway, positioning themselves to burn through some of their league-high $12.8 million in bonus pool money.

They did not know, of course, which players would be available when they made successive compensation picks at No. 33 and No. 34, and as he prepped for the draft this spring, Moore maintained his affection for high-ceiling high school players. Yet as the Royals’ brain trust gathered inside a remodeled draft room at Kauffman Stadium on Monday evening, the rough sketch for a daring gambit was outlined. The club needed to inject its thin minor-league system with an infusion of pitching talent. It demanded arms to pair with a collection of premium position players drafted across the last two years, players such as center fielder Khalil Lee, first baseman Nick Pratto and catcher MJ Melendez.

Twelve years ago, in his first year on the job, Moore made his famous claim about pitching being the “currency of baseball.” On Monday night, the old scout sought to invest in arms.

“We wanted to have a strong emphasis on pitching,” Moore said. “Last year, and the last couple years, we felt like we’ve added some high-ceiling position players, as well as players internationally … so it’s the right blend for us.”

This Royals rebuild remains in its infant stages. Its minor-league system ranks among the thinnest in the industry. Its high-ceiling talent is limited to a collection of 19-year-olds at A-ball. When Moore talks about a blend, he is speaking of a group that is still years away. When one club official was asked in April about Royals minor-league pitchers who may be under the radar, the official offered a wry response: “We need some pitchers who are on the radar.”

So, yes, Monday’s additions will deliver a jolt to the farm system. So, too, could a slew of deadline trades that may involve third baseman Mike Moustakas, closer Kelvin Herrera, outfielder Jon Jay and others. But importance of this draft remains paramount. The Royals pushed their chips into the middle of the table last summer, refusing to trade would-be-free agents Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain or Moustakas. The move did not pay off in a playoff appearance. The club did receive two compensation picks after Hosmer and Cain signed elsewhere. On Monday, Moore used them to collect pitchers.

“The bottom line is, the only way you tilt the scales in your favor is you have pitching,” Moore said. “And so we know that we have to develop pitching. I think we’ve done a really good job of developing pitching. We’ve had our share of failures like anybody else. But we’ve had our share of successes also.”

So what have the Royals added? That is the central question after a night like Monday. It is also the hardest to answer.

Singer, according to prospect-heads and Baseball America, is a 6-foot-5 right-hander who could be ready for the major leagues in a year, an intense competitor who once turned down big money from the Blue Jays after being picked in the second round in 2015.

Some scouts have worried about Singer’s low arm slot and third pitch. (He dominates with a fastball and slider.) They do not worry about the winning pedigree — he helped Florida to a College World Series title in 2017 — or his 11-1 and 2.27 ERA this season.

“He just continues to compete,” Royals scouting director Lonnie Goldberg said. “The one thing that you hear about him is he’s a ‘plus’ competitor — fearless.”

Kowar, meanwhile, is a 6-foot-4, 170-pound right-hander with a fastball in the low- to mid-90s and a sterling changeup. He rated as the country’s No. 17 prospect, according to Baseball America. Some scouts — perhaps a select few — even preferred him to his more lauded teammate.

For now, there is so much unknown. The Royals scouted Lynch, the Virginia lefty, in high school and believe he’s still improving. They also like the upside of Bubic, at 6-3 and 220, and Bowlan, 6-6 and 237. Bubic has a feel for a breaking ball and a delivery that resembles Clayton Kershaw. Bowlan has the frame to add velocity.

“These guys all have ceiling as well,” Moore said. “They’re going to continue to get better.”

That is the hope of draft picks and prospects, and now the work continues. The Royals will make 38 more picks on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will seek to sign Singer, Kowar and the rest of their top picks. The process depends on it.

The Royals did not set out to select five college pitchers on Monday. No team can plan that. They were “shocked” that Singer was available at No. 18. They had high school position players high on their board. But Moore understood that the latest rebuilding process demanded more pitching. And then the names started coming off the board. And by late Monday, after five picks and 144 minutes, they had come away with five collegiate arms.

“It’s all unpredictable,” Moore said. “But certainly this group of pitchers that we’ve selected thus far has a proven track record.”

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NATIONAL

Buy, Sell or Hold? How every MLB team should spend their next two months

June 4, 2018 By Jim Bowden/The Athletic



Most major-league general managers tend to break the season down into three parts. The first two months, in April and May, they get to know their team — are they contenders, or do they need to start rebuilding? And what are the organization’s precise acquisition needs? The next two months, June and July, are used to prepare, negotiate and try to make any trades necessary either to contend, to improve chances of winning in the postseason, to rebuild for future years, or sometimes just to maintain the status quo. Then in the final two months of August and September, GMs are preparing for final waiver trades, September call-ups, roster tweaks, postseason rosters, or starting to play younger players to benefit them down the road.

So, with two months of the season gone, and the draft over, it’s a good time to look at all 30 teams to see how each of them should be spending their next two months.

AL EAST

Baltimore Orioles

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Orioles are in last place in the division, already 23 games out of first place and 18.5 games out of a wild-card berth. They have several key free agents, including Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Zach Britton and Brad Brach. If they can’t extend those players’ contracts by July 31, they should trade all of them by the deadline. Of course, Machado will be the headliner, with the most likely landing spots being the Phillies, Cubs, Braves or Cardinals.

Boston Red Sox

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The first place Red Sox are in for a tight pennant race all year long with the New York Yankees, and the team that wins at the trade deadline might very well win the division. The Red Sox don’t have a lot of holes on their team, but like every other contender, they could benefit from more bullpen depth.

New York Yankees

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Yankees have the most power of any team in baseball, with arguably the best and deepest bullpen in the game. However, their one glaring need is in their starting rotation where they could use a No. 2-type starter after ace Luis Severino at the top of their rotation. Cole Hamels, Michael Fulmer, Brad Hand and Chris Archer are already names being bandied in the industry as possible targets.

Tampa Bay Rays

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Rays have been selling since spring training, including the trades of Stephen Souza Jr. to the Diamondbacks, Corey Dickerson to the Pirates and most recently Alex Colomé to the Mariners. Next on the agenda will probably be catcher Wilson Ramos, who is in his free-agent year. In addition, despite their denials, the Rays will likely have to listen on their top two pitchers, Chris Archer and Blake Snell, just in case someone (like the Yankees) wants to make them an offer so lopsided in their favor that they have to make a deal.

Toronto Blue Jays

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Blue Jays had the starting rotation to legitimately contend for a wild-card berth, but sub-par years by Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and Marco Estrada have really dimmed their chances. Combine that with the legal problems of their impact closer Roberto Osuna and the Blue Jays should probably go into sell mode. The most likely candidates to be traded by the deadline are third baseman Josh Donaldson and pitchers J.A. Happ and Estrada, who are all eligible for free agency after the season.

AL CENTRAL

Chicago White Sox

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The White Sox are in full sell mode as their rebuilding program is well underway. José Abreu has the most trade value, but it’s doubtful the ChiSox will move him unless they are overwhelmed. They really don’t have much else to offer contending teams unless someone wants to take a chance on a member of their bullpen that includes relievers Luis Avilán, Nate Jones, Bruce Rondón and Joakim Soria. They’ll try to move starter James Shields, too, but it’s doubtful there will be any takers.

Cleveland Indians

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Indians should have already run away with the division, but their bullpen has been a complete disaster outside of closer Cody Allen and set-up reliever Andrew Miller, who is on the disabled list with a knee injury. The rest of their ’pen doesn’t have a reliever with an ERA under 5.06. This aspect of the team must be improved by the trade deadline if the Indians have any hopes of getting through the first round of the playoffs. Trade targets could include Raisel Iglesias of the Reds, Nate Jones of the White Sox, Jake Diekman of the Rangers, Shane Greene of the Tigers or Craig Stammen of the Padres.

Detroit Tigers

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Tigers have exceeded expectations a bit, thanks in part to the strong leadership of manager Ron Gardenhire. But that won’t stop them from selling at the trade deadline and continuing their rebuilding program in earnest. The Tigers don’t want to trade starter Michael Fulmer, preferring to rebuild around him. However, if they get a chance to “win” a trade for him, they’ll have to consider it for the long-term benefit of the team. They’re expected to move veteran left-handed starter Francisco Liriano and closer Shane Greene by July 31 for the best prospects packages they can get.

Kansas City Royals

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Royals made the mistake of not “selling” at last year’s trade deadline, but they can make up for it this year by moving significant pieces, including impact closer Kelvin Herrera, third baseman Mike Moustakas (who continues to rake), and maybe even starter Danny Duffy, who has just started to pitch better. The Royals should be able to garner significant prospects for that trio.

Minnesota Twins

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Twins are good enough to contend with the Indians for the division and also for the second wild-card berth, especially if they can get four of their most important bats going: Byron Buxton, Miguel Sanó, Logan Morrison and Brian Dozier, all of whom have struggled. The Twins need to attempt to improve their catching situation, which is a little short after the season-ending injury to Jason Castro. Perhaps a trade for the Dodgers’ Austin Barnes, the Red Sox’s Blake Swihart or the Rays’ Wilson Ramos might make sense.

AL WEST

Houston Astros

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Astros are the defending World Champions and are the favorites to repeat thanks to the best and deepest starting rotation in baseball. However, that doesn’t mean they have a perfect team. They could still use an impact closer and a left-handed specialist. Their top trade targets should include Kelvin Herrera of the Royals, Brad Hand of the Padres and Raisel Iglesias of the Reds.

Los Angeles Angels

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Angels are a top-5 team in terms of runs scored in the AL with the Red Sox, Yankees, Astros and Indians, and are third in the league in team ERA behind only the Astros and Red Sox. If Ian Kinsler can’t turn his season around, they could certainly use an upgrade in the leadoff spot and, like everyone else, could use another starter and reliever.

Oakland Athletics

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Athletics’ rebuilding program is going well and they’re good enough to win more than they lose this year. However, they’re still destined to finish behind the Astros, Mariners and Angels in the difficult AL West. Their lineup is good enough to contend, but it’s their starting pitching that needs to improve for them to be legitimate contenders in 2019. Jed Lowrie will be their best player to offer in trades at the deadline, with the A’s hoping to get good starting pitching prospects back in that type of trade.

Seattle Mariners

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Mariners are “all in” as shown by their aggressive trade last week with the Tampa Bay Rays that landed them reliever Alex Colomé and outfielder Denard Span. The next trade target for GM Jerry Dipoto between now and the July 31 trade deadline will probably be a starting pitcher, although that could depend on where they are in the standings at that time. The Mariners have the longest playoff drought of any team in professional sports, but have a chance this year for at least the second wild-card spot.

Texas Rangers

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Texas Rangers have already said publicly they are in “sell” mode and their top assets to trade include starting pitcher Cole Hamels and veteran third baseman Adrián Beltré. However, they’ll probably be open to listening to offers on most of their players outside of emerging outfielder Nomar Mazara. This is not a good team overall and a lot of work is needed in all aspects to turn things around. This could include them considering to move some of their solid young core like Joey Gallo, Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus.

NL EAST

Atlanta Braves

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Braves arrived a year early in the division race. GM Alex Anthopoulos is not afraid to deal, as he proved when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays when he traded for both David Price and Troy Tulowitzki at the July 2015 trade deadline, which helped lead the Jays to the NLCS that season. The Braves have one of the best farm systems in baseball, loaded with starting pitching prospects, and literally will be able to land any big name that is traded if they are set on it. A top-of-the-rotation type starter and a proven closer are the two needs that, if filled, could put this team over the top. I wouldn’t rule out a trade for Manny Machado, either, if the prospect price becomes reasonable enough, even though they have top third baseman prospect Austin Riley waiting in the wings at Class AAA.

Miami Marlins

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Miami Marlins refuse to call what they are doing “rebuilding” — which is fine. Who cares about semantics? But they need to continue to trade to supplement their drafting and international signings as they build this team up from where it is now — clearly the bottom. The Marlins can continue to dangle catcher J.T. Realmuto, who they will only trade for a gigantic return, especially after the low returns they got in the Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and Christian Yelich trades. However, it’s more likely they find trade partners for starting pitcher Dan Straily or second baseman Starlin Castro.

New York Mets

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Mets are likely a sub-.500 team. Their farm system is barren, and three of the teams in their division — the Nationals, Phillies and Braves — now have better major- and minor-league teams than the Mets. Therefore, they should have no untouchables at the trade deadline, and that includes Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndegaard, Yoenis Céspedes, Jay Bruce, Asdrúbal Cabrera and Todd Frazier. This team needs to sell while they still have trade assets with peak values, or it might end up being a longer rebuilding program than they’re anticipating.

Philadelphia Phillies

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Phillies are for real, and have a legitimate shot at both the division and a wild-card spot. Their pitching staff is third in the NL in ERA, and they’re sixth in the league in runs scored. They could use one more big bat for the middle of their lineup to really put them over the top; targeting Manny Machado of the Orioles would certainly make sense, and would put them in a much stronger position for both the regular and postseason.

Washington Nationals

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Nationals are still the team to beat in the division thanks to their strong starting rotation, led by Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio González and Tanner Roark. They’ve dealt with injuries to Daniel Murphy, Adam Eaton, Ryan Zimmerman, Jeremy Hellickson, Howie Kendrick and Matt Wieters extremely well thanks to the shrewd moves by GM Mike Rizzo, who built a strong bench and pitching depth with the acquisition of players like Mark Reynolds and Matt Adams. The Nationals don’t have a lot of needs, but believe me they’ll be buying whenever they find a way to improve the team, whether it’s by inches, feet or yards. Second base, bullpen depth or a No. 5 starter upgrade is definitely possible here with the Reds’ Raisel Iglesias and Scooter Gennett as possible matches.

NL CENTRAL

Chicago Cubs

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Cubs lead their division in both ERA and runs scored, but find themselves in second place behind the Brewers by 2 games and ahead of the Cardinals by 1.5 games. It looks like this is going to be a tight division. The Cubs need a healthy Yu Darvish, and need him to pitch up to his contract, for them to win the Central. They have enough talent on this team to win with what they have, but that won’t stop the Cubs from buying at the trade deadline. Although the Manny Machado rumors have recently been silenced by the front office, I still expect them to make a run for him at the deadline. The Cubs previous deadline trade for Aroldis Chapman was an important move to help them win a World Series, even at the cost of future superstar Gleyber Torres. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer’s long track record of success says they’ll be buying again in July whether it’s for a bat, starter, reliever or bench help.

Cincinnati Reds

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Reds have little choice but to make everyone available at the trade deadline, as they have as much work to do to turn the franchise around as any team in baseball. Their best trade asset is reliever Raisel Iglesias, but they should be able to get strong offers for players like second baseman Scooter Gennett or any one of their outfielders, including Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall and Scott Schebler. The only players on the major-league roster that they will probably hesitate to move are first baseman Joey Votto (who in any case has no-trade rights and doesn’t want to be traded); third baseman Eugenio Suárez (who they just signed long-term); and Gold Glove-catcher Tucker Barnhart (who is important for developing their young pitching staff).

Milwaukee Brewers

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Brewers have a legitimate shot at the division title, even if they don’t make any moves between now and the deadline. Their biggest need, like so many teams, is a top-of-the-rotation starter, but it’s unlikely they’ll trade the prospect package it will take to get it one. Another way to solve it might just be with the return of a healthy Jimmy Nelson from the disabled list. They might even start to think about moving their best pitcher, Josh Hader, to the rotation, where he could develop into a Chris Sale-type of ace. Of course, if they do the latter, they’ll have to trade for a couple relievers to replace Hader’s present bullpen value.

Pittsburgh Pirates

BUY OR SELL: SELL

Pirates fans probably don’t want to hear this, but the team’s best move at the deadline is probably going to be to sell, in an effort to continue to stay a contender over the next several years. The Pirates could dangle one of their four outfielders — Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte, Corey Dickerson or Austin Meadows — especially if they can land an upgrade to their starting rotation. They also have several other veteran players who they could dangle, like shortstop Jordy Mercer, who’s in his free-agent year; starter Ivan Nova; infielder Sean Rodriguez or third baseman/first baseman David Freese. The Pirates did well in making other unpopular deadline trades, like swapping Mark Melancon to the Nationals a few years back for Felipe Vázquez when they were still contending. It won’t surprise me if history repeats itself this July.

St. Louis Cardinals

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The St. Louis Cardinals are capable of getting back to the playoffs, thanks to a tremendous job of rebuilding their starting rotation through their farm system with the development of Alex Reyes, Luke Weaver and Jack Flaherty, along with their shrewd signing of pitcher Miles Mikolas — possibly the game’s best offseason free-agent value —who they landed after he had another successful year pitching in Japan. The Cardinals have enough in their farm system, along with outfield depth at the major-league level, to trade for one more infield impact bat that could make a huge difference in their chances of winning the division. Possible trade targets include: Mike Moustakas of the Royals; Josh Donaldson of the Blue Jays; and yes, even Manny Machado of the Orioles.

NL WEST

Arizona Diamondbacks

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Diamondbacks were the best team in the National League in April – then completely fell apart when the calendar hit May, losing more games than anyone in the league. Their offense completely collapsed as Paul Goldschmidt seemingly forgot how to hit; A.J. Pollock went on the disabled list after having an MVP-type April; Stephen Souza Jr. went back on the DL with a pectoral injury after hitting only one home run on the year; Jake Lamb, though back from a shoulder injury, is still hitting only .207; and David Peralta hasn’t been much better, now at .209. The Diamondbacks can only hope to stay close in the pennant race until they get Pollock and Souza back from the DL and find a way to get Goldschmidt, Lamb and Peralta hitting the way they’re capable of. The D-Backs will be buying at the deadline, but it’s too early to predict what their biggest need is going to be.

Colorado Rockies

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Rockies haven’t been able to truly take advantage of the poor starts by the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, but have proven early on that they’ll once again be able to compete with them. As expected, Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story have led the way offensively for the Rockies, but the rest of the offense has been disappointing. Both Ian Desmond and Carlos González look like their decline years have arrived. Their starting pitching has been solid and Wade Davis has been lights-out as closer, while Adam Ottavino — until going on the DL — was dominant. However, the rest of the bullpen overall has been a disappointment, and like just about everyone else, they could use more bullpen depth. The Rockies could also certainly use another bat, preferably at first base, where they are last in baseball in offensive production. They’ll be buyers at the deadline.

Los Angeles Dodgers

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Dodgers could have easily been buried in the standings by now after they started the year with injuries to Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Logan Forsythe, Rich Hill and Clayton Kershaw, combined with slow starts by Yasiel Puig, Chris Taylor, Cody Bellinger and even Kenley Jansen. However, the rest of the division wasn’t able to create real separation in the standings, and now the Dodgers are getting healthier (though Clayton Kershaw is back on the DL) and their veteran players are starting to perform back at their accustomed levels. In addition, the Dodgers’ young pitchers, including Walker Buehler, Ross Stripling and Dennis Santana, look ready to make their mark, which helps give the Dodgers a legitimate shot at winning the division yet again — even with Seager out for the year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. They’ll be an interesting team to watch at the trade deadline, and although I’m not expecting them to make a big move like they did last year with Darvish, I do think they’ll do their usual fine-tuning, with multiple trades, as long as they can hold on to all of their very top prospects. They are committed to staying under the luxury tax threshold because they want to be in a position to bid on free agents in this year’s class, which includes Bryce Harper, Charlie Morton, A.J. Pollock and Patrick Corbin.

San Diego Padres

BUY OR SELL: SELL

The Padres will once again be selling over the next couple of months as they continue to rebuild from the bottom up. This year, although they don’t want to trade him, they might consider moving Brad Hand if they get overwhelmed by an offer. Left-handed hitters have one hit off him the entire season. A team like the Astros, Red Sox or Braves could really use him, and if the Padres could get a package of top prospects for him, they’d have to consider it. More likely, the players that they trade will include left-handed starting pitcher Clayton Richard and right-hander Tyson Ross, who’s having a nice comeback season. They might even consider trading Wil Myers when he comes off the disabled list or one of their bevy of other outfielders.

San Francisco Giants

BUY OR SELL: BUY

The Giants probably should be selling and doing an all-out rebuild, but ownership and the front office are committed to trying to stay in contention this year, and trying to reboot the team without having to trade any of their core players. With Madison Bumgarner coming off the DL and no teams in the West pulling away, it’s likely the Giants will give this team a chance to compete all year. The front office track record is as good as any team over the last quarter of a century at trade deadlines, so I’d expect them to make at least one significant addition.

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Tigers select RHP Casey Mize with No. 1 pick in MLB draft; Joey Bart to Giants

June 4, 2018 By Scott Boeck/USA Today



The Detroit Tigers selected right-handed pitcher Casey Mize, a junior from Auburn, with the first overall pick in the Major League Baseball draft on Monday.

Undrafted out of high school, Mize quickly rose to stardom and became highly coveted, dominating the Southeastern Conference the last two years.

"I'm very thankful that the Tigers thought of me to take me with their first selection," Mize told the MLB Network. "I can't describe this feeling right now."

Mize, who turned 21 on May 1, is 10-5 with a 2.95 ERA this season. He's posted a remarkable strikeout-walk ratio of 151/12 over 109 ⅔ innings.

In his final pre-draft start on Saturday, Mize tossed seven strong innings in a 15-7 win over Army, givnig up one run and striking out 11 as Auburn advanced to the NCAA super regionals. He is considered by scouts to be close to major league-ready.

First round

1. Detroit Tigers

Casey Mize, RHP, Auburn

Height, weight: 6-3, 220

Comment: In search of an ace, the Tigers chose Mize, who has long been the favorite to be the top selection. He has great command of four plus pitches -- most notably his cutter and split-changeup and a fastball that hovers in the mid-90s.

2. San Francisco Giants

Joey Bart, C, Georgia Tech

Height, weight: 6-3, 225

Comment: Not to worry Giants fans, Buster Posey is not going anywhere anytime soon. Bart was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year after hitting .359 with a .632 slugging percentage. He junior is also touted as one of the country's best defensive catchers.

3. Philadelphia Phillies

Alec Bohm, 3B, Wichita State

Height, weight: 6-5, 220

Comment: With a large, 6-foot-5, 240-pound frame, Bohm has some of the best raw power in the country, slugging 16 home runs this season. The four-year letterman may eventually move across the diamond to first base at the next level. His comp in the big leagues is Joey Gallo of the Texas Rangers.

4. Chicago White Sox

Nick Madrigal, 2B-SS, Oregon State

Height, weight: 5-8, 165

Comment: At 5-8, Madrigal has been compared to MLB All-Stars Jose Altuve and Dustin Pedroia because of his diminutive size. Madrigal missed the first half of the

season with a broken left wrist, but has bounced back nicely hitting .406 in 133 at-bats while helping lead Oregon State to the NCAA Tournament super regionals.

5. Cincinnati Reds

Jonathan India, 3B, Florida

Height, weight: 6-0, 200

Comment: The SEC player of the year has been an offensive force for the defending College World Series champions. He improved his draft stock substantially this spring,

ranking among the nation’s top-10 hitters in each triple-slash category (.420/.551/.840) with 13 home runs. He is the 12th player in school history to post 20 or more homers, 100 or more RBIs and 30 or more stolen bases in his career.

6. New York Mets

Jarred Kelenic, OF, Waukesha (Wis.) West High

Height, weight: 6-1, 196

Comment: Kelenic may be the best pure hitter for his age in the draft. With his production at the plate, it should allow him to ascend rapidly through the minors.

7. San Diego Padres

Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto (Tenn.) High

Height, weight: 6-2, 210

Comment: The pedigree is there -- Ryan is the son of former MLB pitcher David Weathers. His fastball sits low 90's mph, but possess an above-average change-up and quality curveball.

8. Atlanta Braves

Carter Stewart, RHP, Eau Gallie High (Melbourne, Fla.)

Height, weight: 6-6, 200

Comment: Stewart has one of the best curveballs in his class. The spin rate is over 3,000 rpm -- which bests major league pitchers Charlie Morton, Rick Porcello, Justin Verlander and Stephen Strasburg.

9. Oakland Athletics

Kyler Murray, OF, Oklahoma

Height, weight: 5-11, 195

Comment: The two-sport star is expected to give up football at Oklahoma this fall and pursue a baseball career. The quarterback backed up Baker Mayfield and appeared in seven games for the Sooners in 2017.

10. Pittsburgh Pirates

Travis Swaggerty, OF, South Alabama

Height, weight: 5-11, 180

Comment: Another athletic outfielder who possesses many of the same traits as Kelenic. This season, he hit .296 with 13 homers and 38 RBI with a whopping 54 walks.

11. Baltimore Orioles

Grayson Rodriguez, Central Heights (Texas) HS (Nacogdoches, Texas)

Height, weight: 6-5, 230

Comment: Rodriguez rose up draft boards this spring as a potential innings eating starter. His large frame is capable of working 200 innings a year.

12. Toronto Blue Jays

Jordan Groshans, SS, Magnolia HS (Texas)

Height, weight: 6-4, 190

Comment: Goshans had committed to Kansas to play with his older brother, Jaxx, but those plans may have changed. He batted .444 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI this season.

13. Miami Marlins

Connor Scott, OF, H.B. Plant HS (Florida)

Height, weight: 6-4, 180

Comment: The athletic outfielder has great speed who reminds some of former Marlins OF Christian Yelich. He batted .424 over 72 games during his three-year varsity career.

14. Seattle Mariners

Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson

Height, weight: 6-6, 225

Comment: Gilbert is a rare physical specimen who had struck out 143 in 100 innings entering the week while going 10-1 with a 2.52 ERA.

15. Texas Rangers

Cole Winn, RHP, Orange (Calif.) Lutheran HS

Height, weight: 6-2, 195

Comment: Winn, who went 8-2 with a 0.20 ERA this season, was named the California High School Player of the Year. Before moving to Southern Cal, he won the same award in Colorado in 2017.

16. Tampa Bay Rays

Matthew Liberatore, LHP, Mountain Ridge High (Glendale, Ariz.).

Height, weight: 6-5, 200

Comment: Liberatore has tremendous upside with a great feel for three pitches. He recently added a low-80s slider to his repertoire.

17. Los Angeles Angels

Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope High (Cary, N.C.)

Height, weight: 6-2, 180

Comment: One of the most athletic players in the class, he has above average speed. He is also a four-star football recruit who signed the North Carolina as a wide receiver.

18. Kansas City Royals

Brady Singer, RHP, Florida

Height, weight: 6-5, 210

Comment: The Gators ace and SEC pitcher of the year had been considered the No. 1 overall pick in the draft until the rise of Mize. With a fastball in the mid 90's, he

went 11-1 with a 2.27 ERA and 98 strikeouts and 19 walks over 95 innings. In 2016, he was selected by the Blue Jays with the 56th pick, but did not sign.

19. St. Louis Cardinals

Nolan Gorman, 3B, O’Connor HS, Phoenix

Height, weight: 6-1, 210

Comment: The left-handed slugger is probably the most highly touted power bat of the prep school hitters. He won the All-Star Game High School Home Run Derby in Miami and the Under Armour High School All-America Game B45 Home Run aerby at Wrigley Field weeks later.

20. Minnesota Twins

Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State

Height, weight: 6-4, 210

Comment: Larnach is often overshadowed by teammate Nick Madrigal, who was selected fourth overall by the White Sox. Having hit only three career home runs coming into this season, he finally tapped into the big power and slugged 15 this season.

21. Milwaukee Brewers

Brice Turang, SS, Santiago (Calif.) HS

Height, weight: 6-1, 175

22. Colorado Rockies

Ryan Rolison, LHP, Mississippi

Height, weight: 6-3, 205

23. New York Yankees

Anthony Seigler, C, Cartersville (Ga.) High

Height, weight: 5-10, 180

24. Chicago Cubs

Nico Hoerner, SS, Stanford

Height, weight: 6-1, 200

25. Arizona Diamondbacks

Matt McClain, 2B, Beckman HS (Calif.)

Height, weight: 5-10, 175

26. Boston Red Sox

Tristan Casas, 1B, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Height, weight: 6-3, 240

27. Washington Nationals

Mason Denaburg, RHP, Merritt Island HS (Fla.)

Height, weight: 6-4, 195

28. Houston Astros

Seth Beer, OF, Clemson

Height, weight: 6-3, 195

29. Cleveland Indians

Noah Naylor, C-SS-3B, St. Joan of Arc Catholic (Mississauga, Ontario)

Height, weight: 6-0, 195

30. Los Angeles Dodgers

J.T. Ginn, RHP, Brandon (Miss.) High

Height, weight: 6-2, 210

[pic]

MLB TRANSACTIONS

June 5, 2018 •.



|TEAM |PLAYER |TRANSACTION |

|[pic]ARI |Socrates Brito |Sent to Minors |

|[pic]ARI |Kristopher |Purchased From Minors |

| |Negron | |

|[pic]BAL |DJ Snelten |Acquired Off Waivers From San |

| | |Francisco |

|[pic]BAL |DJ Snelten |Sent to Minors |

|[pic]CHW |Matt Davidson |Removed From 10-Day DL (Back |

| | |spasms) |

|[pic]CHW |Alfredo Gonzalez|Sent to Minors |

|[pic]CHW |Matt Skole |Sent to Minors |

|[pic]DET |Drew VerHagen |Purchased From Minors |

|[pic]DET |Sandy Baez |Called Up from Minors (recalled |

| | |as 26th roster player) |

|[pic]DET |Sandy Baez |Return of 26th man |

|[pic]DET |Junichi Tazawa |Signed to a Minor League |

| | |Contract |

|[pic]DET |Pete Kozma |Outrighted to Minors |

|[pic]MIA |Jacob Turner |Released |

|[pic]MIN |Cameron Rupp |Signed to a Minor League |

| | |Contract |

|[pic]NYY |Frazier, Clint |Called Up from Minors (recalled |

| | |as 26th roster player) |

|[pic]NYY |Adam Warren |Removed From 10-Day DL (Strained|

| | |back) |

|[pic]NYY |Adam Warren |Recalled From Minors Rehab |

| | |Assignment |

|[pic]NYY |Tommy Kahnle |Sent to Minors |

|[pic]NYY |Frazier, Clint |Return of 26th man |

................
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