After months of anticipation, the Minnesota Twins selected California prep shortstop/centerfielder Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
A 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-handed batter, Lewis is a contact hitter with a solid approach at the plate. He isn’t a big time home run hitter, but should add more power as he matures. An impressive athlete, Lewis also has above-average speed that makes him dangerous on both sides of the ball.
Known for his blazing speed, scouts wonder if Lewis is best served in the outfield. However, Lewis is confident he can stick at shortstop in pro baseball.
The bonus slot value for the No. 1 overall pick is $7,770,700. The Twins have the largest draft bonus pool at $14,156,800.
Read my feature articles on Royce Lewis here:
—Future is bright for Royce Lewis
—Royce Lewis not caught up in MLB Draft attention
Find more MLB Draft coverage here.
