Royals reflect on 2018 draft focusing on college pitchers

In 2018, the Kansas City Royals made a significant commitment to college pitchers, selecting five in the first 60 picks of the MLB Draft. Eight years later, only Daniel Lynch IV remains with the team, while several others have been traded or failed to establish themselves at the major league level. The draft class initially aimed to rebuild the Royals' farm system post-championship, but has seen limited success with only a few players reaching notable career rWAR totals. The team later followed with a strong 2019 draft that produced impactful players such as Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino, yet faces challenges in depth and roster construction, necessitating heavy spending on free agents in recent seasons.

• 4:00 PMYahoo Sports — The Royals went all-in on college pitchers in 2018. How did it turn out?