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Round 7 brings Downes' power potential to KC

The Royals went with back-to-back outfielders late on Day 2 of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft, taking Brandon Downes in the seventh round (213th overall).

Downes (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) played three seasons at the University of Virginia, and hit .218 with seven home runs in his junior year with the Cavaliers. Two of those home runs came off Toronto's No. 9 overall selection Jeff Hoffman. One round earlier, the Royals took fellow outfielder Logan Moon.

Downes slugged 37 extra-base hits (20 doubles, 7 triples, 10 home runs) in his sophomore season.

"He's shown some glimpses for the ability to hit for power." MLB.com analyst Jonathan Mayo said. "There's some tools there, they just haven't shown up."

"I'm shocked at where we got him if you go back and look at what he did as a sophomore," Royals director of scouting Lonnie Goldberg said, adding that a hand injury contributed to his down season as a junior.

Baseball America placed Downes 165th on its Top 500 list prior to the Draft.

The Draft concludes on Saturday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at noon CT.

Jackson Alexander is an associate reporter for MLB.com.
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