The Kansas City Royals selected “two-way” prospect Trevor Werner in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft. In all honesty, he was always just a true third-baseman. The Royals sent him to Low-A Columbia after a short stint in the Complex League. Once arriving, he showcased an impressive blend of power and patience at the plate. He finished his 2023 season with 8 home runs — the most of any 2023 draftee in the MLB.
Season Stats:
2023 (Low-A): .354/.459/.699, 15.6% BB%, 23.0% K%, 214 wRC+
It’s tough to find a 2023 draft prospect who had a more dominant showing after transitioning to the minor leagues last season than Werner. Werner outshined all of them, but it should be noted that he was 23 years old playing in Low-A. The level of pitching talent in Low-A in some cases is worse than the pitchers Werner faced in college.
Still, I can only grade a player on what he does on the field and Werner was exceptional. His power output was perhaps the most surprising of all, as he launched eight home runs en route to a gaudy .345 ISO. That production will undoubtedly regress next season once Werner reaches High-A and beyond. He showcased a strong arm at the hot corner in a limited sample but could make the transition to a corner outfield role eventually as well.
Scouting Grades:
Hit: 45/50
Game Power: 50/60
Raw Power: 55/60
Speed: 50/50
Glove: 40/45
Arm: 55/55
Best Case Scenario
If the insane power output we saw in 2023 turns out to be a sign of things to come, the ceiling for Werner will rise tremendously. Right now it’s a waiting game to determine how much the low level of talent inflated his numbers. When drafted he wasn’t billed as a power prospect by many, but Prospects Live outlined it when he was a fringe prospect in 2022. Werner hits the ball hard and the fact that he’s improved the strikeout numbers makes him a potential middle-of-the-order big-league bat assuming it all continues to come together.
Worst Case Scenario
If Werner struggles against tougher competition in the upper minors, it will likely be a result of the strikeouts returning. He had a concerning amount of swing-and-miss at times in college that didn’t quite show itself for the Fireflies in 2023. His defensive skills aren’t going to carry much value at all. If Werner becomes a below-average defender who strikes out 28% of the time, he’s going to have to hit a lot more home runs to be valuable. In that case, Ryan O’Hearn’s Royals tenure comes to mind.
