The disintegration of the once vaunted 2018 draft class continues on for the Royals. Once the future, instead the group of pitchers quickly became a scapegoat for the organization’s struggle to field a competitive roster. In the latest development, the team has traded Jackson Kowar to the Atlanta Braves. Kowar, who perhaps looked at one time like the best of the bunch, never quite found his footing in the major leagues. The trade marks the second of the day between the Royals and Braves.

Before the 2021 season, he ranked as Baseball America’s 95th best prospect, then immediately dominated the International League. In Triple-A that season, he pitched 80.2 innings with a 3.05 FIP. He struck out 115 batters and walked just 34 that season. It looked as if Kowar was on his way to becoming an effective option in a major league rotation. Instead, Kowar would make his major league debut and struggle.

The Royals called up Kowar and he made his major league debut on June 7, 2021. He got just two outs and allowed 4 earned runs to the Angels. His second and third starts weren’t much better, and Kowar was sent back to the minor leagues with an 18.00 ERA. Since then, it’s been all downhill for the once promising right-hander who since has moved to the bullpen.

In return, the Royals will receive RHP Kyle Wright from the Braves. Wright, much like Kowar, is a former top prospect that hopes to improve with a change of scenery. Wright was FanGraphs’ number 12 Braves prospect in 2020 and pitched most of 2022 with strong results. That season, he made 30 starts for the Braves with a 3.58 FIP and 174 strikeouts over 180.1 IP. 2023 was much worse for Wright, who pitched just 30.1 major league innings (due to injury) with a 5.19 FIP.

His pitch mix features a curveball, sinker, 4-seamer, slider, and changeup. In his strong 2022 season, Wright’s 4-seam fastball averaged 95.1 mph. Then, last season he saw a serious dip and averaged just 93.3 mph on the pitch. Shortly after the end of the regular season, it was announced that Wright would undergo shoulder surgery and miss the entirety of the 2024 season.

The Royals are making the investment now, hoping Wright can return to form in 2025 and beyond when they may be much closer to competitive baseball. Wright is team controllable through the 2026 season and has one minor league option remaining.