With hardly any of the fanfare of the annual NFL and NBA drafts, the major league baseball draft, which will begin Monday, will have a long lasting affect on the fortunes of the Royals, a franchise desperate for an infusion of new talent.

Not only will a lot of young amateurs become rich men tomorrow, but the futures of franchises will be largely determined by the selections made. The baseball draft is much more of a crapshoot than are the drafts of the other major sports. A surprisingly small percentage of the young players drafted will ever reach the major leagues, much less make a significant impact on the franchises that invested millions of dollars in them.

With a farm system widely viewed as the worst in baseball, the Royals need to build upon the work they did in the draft a year ago. Fans have their hopes pinned on a crop of 2017 draftees who are currently honing their skills at the A-ball level. The Royals selected high school first baseman Nick Pratto in the first round, then added a couple of other highly thought-of prospects. Based on rankings from this spring, the Royals added their second, third and fourth best prospects in the most recent draft.

They have an excellent opportunity in 2018 to stockpile even more talent. Thanks to compensatory picks awarded for the loss of free agents, the Royals possess four of the top 40 picks in this draft.

It won’t be for several years, however, before we know if the Royals drafted well or not.

Even taking into account slow development, generally you expect a high round draft pick taken out of college to reach the majors in 2 to 3 years, and one from the high school ranks pick to reach within about 5 years. In each case, that puts the player arriving at the big league level at about 23 years of age.

Using this criteria, high school players drafted between 2008 and 2013, and college players drafted between 2010 and 2015 should make up at least a portion of the Royals roster. Some advance a little quicker, some develop a little slower.

With this in mind, the Royals current problems can be blamed in large part upon unproductive drafting in the first round the past several years.

Considering that baseball drafting is very hit and miss, the Royals were considerably effective with their top picks in the 2000s, which led directly to their success in 2014 and 2015. Zach Greinke (drafted in 2002 and flipped for key pieces in 2010), Billy Butler (2004), Alex Gordon (2005), Luke Hochevar (2006), Mike Moustakas (2007) and Eric Hosmer (2008) were all taken while the Royals drafted in enviably high positions each year, due to their dreadful performance at the big league level.

Sadly, time marches on, and the Royals needed to continue their run of success in the first round of the draft to backfill as those players aged and their big league contracts ran out. For a variety of reasons, that hasn’t happened.

Imagine if, in the five years following the drafting of Hosmer in 2008, the Royals had used first round draft picks on two front-line starting pitchers, a legitimate shortstop, third baseman and centerfielder. Those players would all be relatively new to the big leagues and under club control for the next several years. With pieces like that in place, the current rebuild would be more like a reload.

Unfortunately the players described above are not to be found in Kansas City.

In 2009, the Royals drafted Washburn Rural’s own Aaron Crow, a college pitcher who contributed to the Royals rebuild, but was derailed by injuries. In 2010, they took college shortstop Christian Colon, who was with the Royals during their World Series runs, but contributed little and is now unwanted by any team.

Then the really bad luck started. In 2011, the Royals felt compelled to draft Bubba Starling a local stud with limited baseball exposure. In 2012, they selected a coveted college pitcher named Kyle Zimmer. Injuries and poor performance have knocked these two completely off course, and it’s doubtful either will ever produce anything.

In 2013, the Royals drafted Hunter Dozier, who may still contribute something to the big league club, but certainly hasn’t set any worlds on fire.

If you want to make yourself ill, take a few minutes to look over the list of players drafted shortly AFTER the Royals made those selections. You’ll find names like Mike Trout, Chris Sale, Francisco Lindor and George Springer.

The Royals did do one thing for which they deserve credit: they drafted a couple of pitchers in 2013 and 2014 that they traded for key pieces in their World Series run. Pitchers being the commodity that they are, the Royals wisely dealt Sean Manaea and Brandon Finnegan to ensure a championship.

The bad luck continued in 2015 when the Royals used two first round picks on high school pitchers who have thus far been huge disappointments. In 2016, the Royals did not have a first round selection, having forfeited it to sign free agent Ian Kennedy.

So it’s easy to see why the top picks from 2017, and those who will be drafted this week, are so crucial to the Royals rebuild.

Now obviously, just as not all first round picks are sure-fire stars, first rounders aren’t the only ones who make it to the majors. Fortunately, the current Royals include some diamonds plucked from the rough, namely Danny Duffy and Eric Skoglund (3^rd round), Jason Adam (5^th round), Whit Merrifield (9^th round), Kevin McCarthy (16^th round), Jakob Junis (29^th round) and Tim Hill (32^nd round). The Royals need to continue to scour solid big leaguers from the lower rounds. But it’s in the first round they must turn the tide.

The Royals will make some young men very wealthy Monday. Will those draft picks restore the fortunes of the Royals in turn? Kansas City is the only team with four picks in the first round. Draft history shows that not all four of those picks will reach the major leagues, much less turn into stars. But the addition of several quality prospects, combined with the solid class taken in 2017, could go a long ways toward shaping a brighter future for the franchise.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. When your big league club is one of the worst in baseball, and your farm system is viewed with even greater derision, you are willing to look anywhere for help.

The Royals turned to a little-known process to add a couple of prospects this past winter, and thus far like what they found.

Right-handed relievers Brad Keller and Burch Smith were acquired in separate trades after each was selected by another team in the December Rule 5 Draft. In accordance with the rules of the draft, the Royals committed to give Keller and Smith an opportunity in their depleted bullpen.

Neither player saw it coming.

“There just aren’t many players picked each year,” Keller said. “So I definitely wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t really pay much attention to the process. When it happened, I got a bunch of congratulatory messages. It was such a good feeling.”

“I didn’t really know much about it or how it worked,” said Smith, who appeared briefly with the San Diego Padres in 2013. “I knew I was eligible, but beyond that I didn’t have much expectation. I was really excited because I knew it would be a real good opportunity for me to get back to the major leagues.”

The Rule 5 Draft is a bit complicated. In general, players over 23 years of age with four or more professional seasons under their belts must be protected on their teams’ 40-man major league roster. If they are not protected, they are eligible to be drafted by another team, with the only caveat being they must stay with their new major league club for the entire season. The cost of the selection is $100,000.

The biggest catch is that if at some point the new team doesn’t want to keep the player on the big league roster, he must be offered back to the original club for $50,000.

“It’s awesome to think that a team has that much trust in me that they would try to keep me at this level for the whole year,” Keller said. “The Royals had the confidence in me to compete for a role in the bullpen in spring training.”

Being a Rule 5 pick puts an unproven player in a unique position. Without the option to shuttle the player back and forth from the minor leagues, the player will be utilized differently than a player with ‘options.’

“We don’t go about it differently, really,” Smith said, comparing himself and Keller to other young relievers on the team. “We still take the same approach. We see it as an opportunity that we want to work hard and prove ourselves.”

Not a lot of Rule 5 picks make much of an impact. Most are relief pitchers hidden in the shadows of the bullpen, rarely making appearances in pressure situations. Players like D.J. Carrasco, Andrew Cisco and Nate Adcock made small contributions during the dismal era before the Royals turned the corner in 2013.

Gene Watson, the Royals’ assistant general manager and senior director of professional scouting, acknowledged in a Sporting News article this spring that the bullpen is the best place to try to carry a Rule 5 pick: “We try to find ceiling arms,” he said.

From the outset, Royals manager Ned Yost saw no point in trying to protect Keller or Smith from the limelight. Each is among the team leaders in appearances and has Yost’s trust in pressure situations.

“It’s great that they trust us, and hopefully we can continue to build that trust, so that they feel like they can put either of us in, whatever the situation, and we can do the job,” Smith said.

“I feel like that’s the best way to get accustomed to competing at this level is just to get thrown into the fire,” Keller added. “I am glad the Royals trusted me to get out there and try to help the team from the beginning.”

For a team in rebuilding mode, the Rule 5 Draft provided the Royals a chance to infuse their major league squad with some new, if unproven, talent.

“We try to explore every avenue to acquire players,” Watson said in the Sporting News article. “We always take a lot of pride in our preparation for the Rule 5 Draft. We feel like it’s been helpful for us.”

For the past several seasons, the Royals have passed on using their picks, because of the abundance of talent on their roster. Not since 2010 have the Royals attempted to carry a Rule 5 pick through an entire season.

But there is always the hope that a team will strike gold in the Rule 5 Draft, which the Royals did in 2006 when they plucked Joakim Soria from the San Diego Padres farm system. Soria became an instant success in the Royals bullpen, saving 160 games and making two All-Star teams over the next five seasons.

Keller and Smith may not become All-Stars. But they are looking more and more like building blocks as the Royals attempt to reconstruct a championship ball club.

Royals fans may look at the team on the field in Kansas City and wonder what happened to the rebuild they heard was happening. But truthfully, the rebuild that is happening isn’t happening where you can see it.

You can’t see it, that is, unless you live in Lexington, Kentucky or Wilmington, Delaware, home to the Royals’ class A minor league clubs.

When the Royals resigned Alcides Escobar and Mike Moustakas, brought in veterans Lucas Duda and John Jay, and opened the door to numerous aged pitchers, they signaled that the rebuild wasn’t going to happen at the big league level. At least not immediately.

Those late winter signings changed the timetable. Guys who looked two months ago to be in line for positions with the big league club are, due to those signings, instead honing their craft at Double and Triple A. Raul Mondesi and Hunter Dozier looked like sure bets to be in Kansas City, and Ryan O’Hearn and Frank Schwindel were fighting for big league jobs as well. Now they are forced to bide their time a bit longer in the minors.

This approach is probably wise. Anyone who remembers the failed efforts to rebuild the Royals from aout 2004 to 2012 will recall that they brought some prospects up too quickly, putting them in positions where their failure was likely.

That doesn’t mean Mondesi, Dozier and others won’t be in Kansas City soon. It’s safe to assume that General Manager Dayton Moore will be eager to listen to any offer for the veterans he brought to Kansas City on short-term contracts.

But like when Moore assembled the pieces of the 2015 champions – Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Salvador Perez, Yordano Ventura, Danny Duffy and Greg Holland – at the lowest levels of the minor leagues about a decade ago, he’s placing most of his emphasis on building at the lower levels.

Developments in Lexington this summer may provide the best indication of where the Royals are headed. Four of their top prospects – first baseman Nick Pratto, catcher M.J. Melendez and outfielders Seuly Matias and Michael Gigliotti – started their first full season in the system together at the low A level in early April.

A step ahead of that crew, but still just 19 years old, is the Royals top prospect, five-tool outfielder Khalil Lee. He’s off to a promising start at Burlington, the high A level club.

That means that the Royals’ top five prospects are all about four years away from competing for roster spots.

Aside from Mondesi, Dozier, O’Hearn and Schwindel, all at Omaha, there isn’t a lot of older talent to get excited about in the system. Former first-round selections Bubba Starling and Kyle Zimmer are still around, but their window is closing. Pitching help may be a year or two away in the arms of Josh Staumont, Scott Blewett, Foster Griffin and Richard Lovelady.

The Royals have been criticized recently for the depletion of their farm system. Moore took a big step toward improving that in the 2017 draft, and he holds four of the top 40 picks this year. He also is permitted by league rules to spend the most of any team on draft picks, as well on signing international amateurs. If the Royals capitalize on this opportunity (which admittedly requires as much luck as anything), they can infuse their farm system with a number of top-flight prospects. Trading some of the veterans at the big league level could further bolster the minor league system.

Enjoy the 2018 version of the Royals in Kansas City as best you can. Help is on the way, but it doesn’t look like it will arrive soon.

Every so often something unique and extraordinary explodes onto the scene of major league baseball, creating an unusual wave of interest at the ballpark and in the media.

Several decades ago, a gangly, flailing pitcher nicknamed “The Bird” came from out of nowhere to become an overnight celebrity by talking to the ball between pitches and exhibiting quirky tactics. Mark Fydrich packed stadiums and became a media darling in his rookie season in 1976.

Fernandomania swept the nation in 1981, when Fernando Valenzuela dominated the National League and sparked new interest in major league baseball amongst millions of Mexican-Americans and in Valenzuela’s home country of Mexico.

Neither of those phenomena was expected. But the arrival from Japan of Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 was one anticipated with baited breath by the Asian world. Hundreds of Japanese media reported on Suzuki’s every move throughout that season, and viewership skyrocketed in Japan despite the 16-hour time difference.

Something truly unique is taking place in baseball this year, and it is happening right now at Kauffman Stadium.

Taking the hill for the Los Angeles Angels today against the Royals will be Shohei Ohtani. The 23-year-old native of Japan is doing something that hasn’t really been attempted in 100 years. Pitching every Sunday for the Angels, Ohtani takes a regular spot in the Angels batting order as designated hitter on his off days.

Not since Babe Ruth in 1919 has a player batted regularly in between starts on the mound. Ruth has always been considered the greatest of two-way performers. At just 22 years of age in 1917, Ruth had established himself as perhaps the best pitcher in the game. But he showed such skill at the plate that his team at the time, the Boston Red Sox, began to use him more and more in the field. So in 1918 and 1919, he split time between the two roles.

When the New York Yankees acquired the Bambino in 1920, they turned him into a full-time outfielder. The rest, of course, is history.

Ohtani isn’t the first guy since Ruth who was good at both pitching and hitting. So one would wonder why this hasn’t been attempted since. Did Ruth and the Yankees create some unwritten rule against it?

Ruth wasn’t exactly the picture of fitness, so it’s possible that when he threw a lot of pitches it affected his ability at the plate. And in the days prior to the designated hitter (instituted in the American League in 1973), playing both ways meant literally playing both ways. But why hasn’t anyone tried until now? Considering the limitations imposed by the 25-man roster, and the opportunity the DH provides for pitchers to bat without playing in the field, it’s surprising no one has done more than dabble as a two-way performer.

Ned Yost noted prior to the series that while managing the Milwaukee Brewers 2003 and 2004, he used a player named Brooks Kieschnick as a Swiss army knife, pitching in relief, pinch hitting and playing DH and left field. Over the two-year period, Kieschnick threw 96 innings, and batted 144 times. It was a great display of versatility, and an indication of what was possible, but nothing like what Ohtani is attempting.

“Shotime” fever is catching on with American fans as the Angels try something revolutionary. Japan, of course, can’t get enough of it. The Royals provided about 50 to 75 credentials to Japanese media on Thursday. Broadcaster Joel Goldberg said during the opener of the four-game series the Royals expected that number to quadruple over the weekend.

Whether “Shotime” approaches the mania of Fernando or Ichiro remains to be seen. But when your feats already can be compared only to Babe Ruth’s, they are bound to attract significant attention.

In his best season as pitcher/hitter, Ruth belted 29 home runs and drove in 113 RBI while also going 9-5 with a 2.97 ERA in 15 starts. The year before that, in his most evenly balanced season, Ruth hit 11 home runs and recorded 13 wins as a pitcher.

No pitcher since 1918 has won 10 games and also hit 10 home runs in a campaign. A Cleveland Indians pitcher named Wes Ferrell had perhaps the best season of pitching and hitting since Ruth. He won 22 games in 1931 and belted 9 homers.

Ohtani goes for win number three today against the Royals, in what will be his only trip to Kansas City this season. Given an opportunity none have received in 100 years, he appears well on his way to making history.

Sadly, the 50th season of the Kansas City Royals got off to an inauspicious start, to say the least. Not that we expected anything different. Cold hitting, even colder weather and erratic pitching made the first week of the season downright painful.

The product on the field during this year of turnover and redirection will be difficult to watch at times. So what do fans have to look forward to?

Hard-core fans will survive on the types of diversions that kept them going prior to 2014 — scouring the internet for reports on obscure minor leaguers and studying draft prospects who provide the slightest ray of hope for the future.

The more casual fan, however, will need some incentive for turning out to Kauffman Stadium this season. Here are a few that may keep you interested.

One of the true joys of living near The K is the freedom to jump in the car and make it to a game based on a last-minute decision. This allows fans the opportunity to check pitching matchups and say, “Hey, so-and-so is pitching tonight. We should go to the game.” And actually do it.

There will be a few pitchers, position players and teams appearing in KC this summer who are worth the drive. First and foremost may be Shohei Ohtani, who will come to town next weekend with the Los Angeles Angels. The signee from Japan is attempting to do something not done by anyone since Babe Ruth — play a position regularly when not filling a spot in the starting pitching rotation.

Much as I hate to say it, the Yankees will be worth watching when they come to town in mid-May, to see if their latest version of Murderers Row lives up to the billing.

And another benefit of living close to the stadium is the chance to attend the many promotional events the team hosts. T-shirt Tuesdays are an opportunity to build up your Royals’ wardrobe at minimal cost.

In addition to the usual slate of promotions — Fireworks Fridays, Buck Nights, Bark at the Park and nights dedicated to each of the area universities — a few special events highlight the schedule:

• Paint at the Park, April 26, June 3, Sept. 13 — Three offerings of a pregame painting class are planned this year.

• Salute to the Negro Leagues, May 6 — Seeing current ballplayers in throwback uniforms is reason enough to attend. But the Negro Leagues need to be remembered, and Kansas City of all cities should lead this effort.

• Big Slick, June 1 — The Royals have a unique collection of enthusiasts from Hollywood who love to come to Kauffman Stadium each year to play softball and yuck it up with the team. We’ll see if the event is as charming now that the team has lost some of its cachet.

• Yoga Day, Sept. 16 — Yoga enthusiasts actually get to go on the outfield grass for a guided session.

• Sunday Fun Runs — If you’ve never done it, you need to try at least one Sunday Fun Run sponsored by Sprint. It’s not just for kids. It’s a chance to set foot on the field. Take a few moments to look up into the stands and try to take it all in from a player’s perspective. It’s pretty impressive.

One of the trendiest attractions at ballparks is unique, gut-busting food options. Last year, the Royals boasted hot dogs topped with fried egg and gravy, and pork sandwiches with funnel cake buns. Not nearly as radical, this year you’ll be able to order edible cookie dough and Dunkin’ Donuts. DogFather Specialty Hot Dogs will offer a menu of “mafia-inspired” improvements on the traditional hot dog.

Celebrations are planned throughout the season to highlight the 50 years of Royals baseball. Perhaps fans can take this occasion to reflect back on the process employed 50 years ago to build this club the first time. The Royals were heralded as the model expansion franchise for the way they quickly built a championship-caliber club from scratch.

Judging by the product on the field this first week of 2018, a similar effort is required now.