When it comes right down to it, a fundamental reason the 2018 Royals are 19-36 and submerged in rebuilding is that only one of their last 10 first-round draft picks is on the current 25-man roster.
Not that all the first-round choices in that span have been in vain.
Of course, Eric Hosmer (2008) signed a lucrative free-agent deal with San Diego only after being a transformative force in the organization and a catalyst in two pennant-winning seasons.
Brandon Finnegan (2014) was traded to enhance the chances of winning the 2015 World Series, and Christian Colon (2010) made key postseason contributions only to ultimately be discarded for his regular-season play.