The Kansas City Royals continue to select high-quality pitchers as the first day of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft played out.
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In the third round, they nabbed left-hander Maxx Yehl at No. 91 overall.
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Yehl, 22, has ample college experience. He was a third-team All-America selection at West Virginia after leading the Mountaineers to their first appearance in the College World Series.
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He was the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, too, boasting a 2.13 ERA in 97 innings and rate of 10.4 strikeouts per nine.
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Some MLB evaluators beleive Yehl has a chance to stick in the majors as a starter. He appears to have the right physical traits — he’s 6-foot-6 — and quality stuff. He could operate in a variety of roles.
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Yehl’s fastball can touch 96 mph and he throws a slider and changeup, as well. He can cut the baseball, too, which could be explored further in the Royals’ developmental system.
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The question is where Yehl fits in the KC system. He was coming off Tommy John surgery this spring and showed intriguing signs of progress from his role in the Mountaineers’ rotation.
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He is a left-hander and the Royals understand his value. In recent years, they have found success in drafting southpaws. One name that comes immediately to mind is current left-handed specialist Daniel Lynch IV.
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Lynch and Yehl share similar size and metrics. Lynch reached the upper 90s as he was coming out of college and began his pro-baseball career in a starting role. This season, he has found a home as a high-leverage reliever.
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Yehl will need to improve his strike-throwing ability in the minors, but he is an interesting prospect. He took an encouraging step with 112 strikeouts this season. As a third-round pick, his projectable skills are appetizing.
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With Yehl in the fold, the Royals have selected four players on the opening day of the two-day draft. Yehl joins Zion Rose (1st round), Taylor Rabe (Competitive Balance Round A) and Jack Slightom (third round) is newcomers to the organization.
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The Royals had one more pick, No. 119 in the fourth round, remaining on Saturday.
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