Royals complete final day of First-Year Player Draft
Kansas City, MO (June 10, 2015) - The Kansas City Royals completed the third and final day of the 2015 Rule 4 First-Year Player Draft today, selecting a total of 41 players over three days.
The Royals selected 18-year old Ashe Russell, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound right-handed pitcher from Cathedral Catholic High School in Indianapolis, with the 21st overall pick on Monday. A two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana, Russell was 5-1 with a 1.02 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 41.0 innings as a senior.
Kansas City drafted a second right-handed pitcher from Indianapolis, 18-year old Nolan Watson, with the 33rd overall selection. Watson, a 6-foot-3, 195 pound hurler, was 6-1 with a 0.68 ERA this spring, striking out 81 over 51.2 innings.
The club's selections on day three included outfielder Marquise Doherty from Winnetonka High School in Kansas City, Mo., in the 15th round and Jacob Ruder, a right-handed pitcher from Nixa (Mo.) High School in the 37th round. The Royals also selected three sets of teammates: center fielder Roman Collins (fifth round) and outfielder Billy Endris (39th round) from Florida Atlantic University, outfielder Luke Willis (30th round) and left-handed pitcher Jake Kalish (32nd round) from George Mason University, and right-handed pitcher Reed Hayes (28th round) and left-handed pitcher Dylan Home (38th round) from Walters State Community College in Tennessee.
Here is a breakdown of the Royals 41 selections from the 2015 draft:
- Seven high school selections
- 34 college selections (27 four-year and seven junior college)
- 20 pitchers (eight left-handers, 12 right-handers)
- Four catchers
- Eight infielders
- Nine outfielders