When the Kansas City Royals drafted high school star Mike Moustakas with the second overall pick of the 2007 MLB Draft, they were hoping for huge things out of him.
Moustakas was easily one of the best hitters to come out of the state of California, as he dominated during his entire high school career at Chatsworth High. He accumulated 52 homers, which is still a record in the state of California.
After he was drafted by the Royals in ’07, he joined the club’s rookie league team in Idaho Falls, Idaho where he played his first 11 games as a professional.
The next two years would see Moustakas play for Burlington and Wilmington, two of KC’s Single-A minor league teams.
After a solid ’08 season in which Moustakas hit .272 with 22 homers, he tailed off in ’09 and endured his worst season as a professional by far.
“The Moose” has many have called him, hit only .250 and struck out 90 times in just 129 games. His power numbers also went down as he finished the year with just 16 home runs.
Many fans began to doubt Moustakas and say that he was looking like a bust and a wasted pick already.
Mike Moustakas never doubted himself the entire time. The following season Moustakas was promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas and would achieve statistically one of the best seasons ever for a minor leaguer in the Royals system.
In 66 games at Omaha, Mike hit 21 round-trippers, 25 doubles and 76 RBI to go along with a .347 average and an on-base percentage about .400.
The one-time skeptics were suddenly believers in the young prospect, and many Royals fans and Kansas City media began to wonder what was to come for the former No. 2 overall pick.
After being promoted to Triple-A at the end of the 2010 season, Moustakas continued his destruction of minor league pitching as he hit around .300 with 15 homers and 58 RBI in just 52 games.
Many expected a call-up for the 22-year old third basemen, but instead, Royals general manger Dayton Moore decided to hold off in order to keep him fresh for the future of this franchise.
With Moustakas expected to be present at Royals Camp in the Spring, this is where many believe that he will solidify his role as a future starter on this team.
However, many are still not sure if he is the man to hold down the fort at a position that was once manned by MLB Hall of Famer George Brett.
Although Moustakas might be a slight downgrade from Brett on the fielding side, the sky is the limit for his hitting potential.
For all we know, he could also end up being another bust in the long line of failures that has plagued this franchise for years—and now decades.
He could also be the next young hitting star to compliment a lineup that already includes two other former first round picks in the talented Billy Butler and another potential great talent in left-fielder Alex Gordon.
The obvious question: Will Moustakas be the answer at the third base for the Royals?
Although we will not have a clear answer until the spring rolls around, all signs point to yes if he can continue to improve, especially in the defensive side of his game.
Stay tuned folks, we could have a future baseball phenom in the making right here in Kansas City.
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