The KC Royals drafted Nick Pratto with their first-round pick in 2017. He was the 14th overall selection. Taking a high school bat in the first round can be a risky endeavor. But it is the type of selection that Dayton Moore needs to get right if we are going to compete over the next few years.
Pratto’s first full season of pro ball was promising. As a 19-year-old in Lexington, he hit .280. I would have liked him to have taken a few more walks, but his on-base percentage of .343 was respectable. He hit fourteen home runs and an impressive 33 doubles.