Royals selects prep slugger Nick Pratto No. 14 overall
With the 14th pick in the 2017 MLB amateur draft, the Kansas City Royals selected Nick Pratto.
The 18-year-old Pratto, a former Little League World Series star, has one of the best pure bats of any high school hitter available in the draft. Despite possessing the ability to pitch, Pratto will be drafted as a hitter, likely playing first base, where he's a plus defender.
Bio
Age: 18
Position: 1B
Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 193 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
School: Huntington Beach (Calif.) High School
NCAA commit: Southern California
Pick value (#14): $3,727,600
MLB.com money quote: "Pratto has positioned himself as perhaps the best pure high school bat in the country. He's always shown an advanced approach at the plate and the ability to hit for average. What's allowed him to separate from the rest of the class is the added power he's shown."