Kris Bubic

The Royals system is stocked with promising young arms. While Bubic sits a bit down the pecking order, he received a head start with an accelerated 2020 debut straight out of High-A. The lefty took a small step back last season with a lower K% and higher BB%. However, neither change is cause for concern, especially since he's just 24 years old with 180 major league frames under his belt. With the requisite sample size caveat in tow, it's always encouraging when a young pitcher exhibits second half improvement and Bubic's K% jumped three ticks over the final two months. As intimated, Bubic doesn't have the prospect pedigree of others, but he can develop into a fantasy-worthy innings compiler. At his age, there is always the chance for improvement, but a 90-mph fastball does not portend emerging dominance.

While Bubic's 2020 stats do little to excite, we have to remember he was making the jump from High-A after the Royals took him with the 40th overall pick in the 2018 draft. Bubic had a 2.30 ERA across 101.2 innings at High-A Wilmington in 2019, backed up by a strong 21.2 K-BB% and 0.27 HR/9. The dramatic jump in competition proved difficult for the lefty, as evidenced by the 1-6 record and 1.48 WHIP, but he showed flashes in September in what were ultimately losses to the White Sox and Brewers. Still just 23 years old, Bubic could probably use a bit more seasoning after his arrival was expedited last season. The Royals are suddenly looking to compete and may indeed push Bubic back to the farm to start 2021. He currently lacks a true put-away pitch, but the AL Central is ripe for the picking. If he's getting starts, Bubic will immediately become a bench/streaming candidate, albeit a risky one.

Leading MiLB in strikeouts is hardly a feat that portends greatness, but there are some big hits (Brandon Woodruff in 2016, Jose Berrios in 2015) mixed in with the duds (Dean Kremer in 2018, Alec Hansen in 2017, Taylor Cole in 2014). Bubic joined this club by fanning 185 in 149.1 innings across stops at Low-A and High-A in his age-21 season. A 6-foot-3, 220-pound lefty with a low-90s fastball, plus changeup and average curveball, Bubic projects as more of a No. 4 or No. 5 starter long term. That said, any big southpaw with good command and a plus changeup has a chance to beat projections, and we won't learn a lot about his future prospects until we see how he handles Double-A and Triple-A. Bubic is part of a hoard of quality Royals pitching prospects with ETAs of 2021. His home park makes him more appealing than he would otherwise be, and if his breaking ball improves, he could develop into a No. 3 starter.