6 Teams That Regretfully Passed on Clayton Kershaw in 2006 MLB Draft
By Tim Boyle
1. Kansas City Royals
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
If drafted by the Royals, Kansas City might have looked a lot more like the current Dodgers do. Current Dodgers teammates Kershaw and Zack Greinke may have been a one-two-combination in Kansas City rather than in Los Angeles. Greinke was originally drafted sixth overall in the 2002 amateur draft, ultimately making his first MLB appearance in 2004, before departing in 2011 to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The playoff drought that ended in 2014 for the Royals could have ended a lot earlier with those two at the top of the rotation. Instead of drafting Kershaw, the Royals took Luke Hochevar first overall. It was not the right choice, as Hochevar has only 128 games started and a career ERA over 5.00.
At the time of the draft, Greinke was well on his way to being the ace of the Royals’ rotation. But the club still elected to draft a pitcher instead of a position player, so it’s a wonder why their scouting department saw more potential in Hochevar than they did in Kershaw. Hochevar sat out all of 2014 after Tommy John surgery and has a lifetime WAR of 2.5 compared to Kershaw, whose worst full season WAR measures at 4.7.