The 2026 MLB Draft is closer than fans might think, but trust that the Kansas City Royals and 29 other teams have done their homework on this class. The Royals have a tough position at sixth overall in July, looking to be the bridge from the draft’s top tier talent to the B-tier options according to evaluators. There is little secret about Kansas City’s scouting efforts on players like Jacob Lombard and Gio Rojas, but Baseball America sends a highly productive outfielder in Drew Burress to the AL Central organization in their latest mock draft.
Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo did not make waves by sending Roch Cholowsky to the Chicago White Sox, but sending the Georgia Tech outfielder in Burress to the Royals is a somewhat sparse take. There does seem to be some smoke around this approach for a safe collegiate bat.
“I wouldn’t have expected a quick-moving college player for the Royals in this year’s draft, but it sounds like the current poor play of the major league team could become a real factor in who gets picked here. Burress would make sense if the organization feels the need to add a fast-mover, and other college bats like Justin Lebron or AJ Gracia could be fits, as well.”
Carlos Collazo, Baseball America
The Royals have a tough choice, path at sixth overall in 2026 MLB Draft.
Adding a “fast mover” via the draft to address current needs is always a shaky draft approach, one that the Los Angeles Angels have deployed with no positive results to show for it. While Burress has a productive track record for Georgia Tech, how well his tools will translate at the plate remains a question mark. He has also taken a step back in production each season, peaking in his freshman year back in 2024.
Burress would be an instant boost to Kansas City’s outfield prospect corps, a sparsely populated pipeline. He played his collegiate career in center field and has the chops to hold down that position, but he would be an easy transition to left field if necessary. The righty’s long swing is concerning, requiring a high leg kick and impeccable timing to get the most out of his 5-foot-9 frame.
There are certainly riskier pathways to take in the draft, but drafting for a present need places immense pressure on both the front office and the draftee themselves. Right fielder Jac Caglianone was a quick mover, making his MLB debut less than a year after he was drafted. But that should not be a reliable formula, and forcing the case could derail a prospect’s development before it even starts. Fans will just have to wait and see who the Royals really go with on July 11 in Philadelphia.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kingsofkauffman.com ’
