(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
Check out MLB Pipeline’s rankings of Kansas City prospects and you’ll discover that nine of the KC Royals’ Top 30 prospects are assigned to its Double-A affiliate. The Northwest Arkansas Naturals’ roster includes Bobby Witt Jr. (No. 1), Jonathan Bowlan (No. 8 but awaiting Tommy John surgery), Nick Pratto (No. 9), Austin Cox (No. 10), Alec Marsh (No. 12), Jon Heasley (No. 13), MJ Melendez (No. 14), Brewer Hicklen (No. 25), and Yefri Del Rosario (No. 30).
This remarkable concentration of talent explains why the Naturals probably attract more attention than the Omaha Storm Chasers, Kansas City’s Triple-A team.