Royce Lewis
Another SS was selected at 1st overall, and this time it was California native high schooler Royce Lewis. Lewis was selected first overall by the Minnesota Twins after crushing the ball while playing in his high school league.
Royce Lewis would be signed to a $6.725 million dollar signing bonus and would begin his career in Rookie A ball in 2017 (same year as his draft). Since then, Lewis has stayed in A to A+ Rookie level ball, which is understandable given that he is only 20 years old this season.
Since being brought into the Twins organization, he has been crushing the ball once again, slashing a .282/.360/.427 with 18 home runs and 105 RBI. He is also a speed demon on the bases, collecting 51 bases in the three years he has been in the farm system. A very good number considering his shorten seasons in 2017 (draft) and 2019 (just began).
As per MLB pipeline, Royce Lewis is ranked at 4th overall on the top 100 list for the 2019 season, and the top ranked prospect in the Twins organization. There is plenty of reasons why he is ranked so high on the list, with scouts admiring his approach at the plate and his ability to make hard contact with the ball across the diamond. He is the shifts nightmare, and teams may actually have to lineup normally against him.
While Lewis is still in Rookie A ball this year, I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes the jump to AA and possibly even AAA by the end of the year. With a projected estimated time of arrival in 2020, he could have a big impact on a team that is always on the bubble to make the playoffs via the wildcard.
While the timing is still early on this pick, all signs are pointing to a legitimate first overall selection being a top contributor at the major league level.