Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Prospect Countdown: #20 Lane Adams

20. Lane Adams Outfielder

royals.mlblogs.com


Age: 24
Height: 6'2" 
Weight: 200
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Drafted in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft

2011 Rank: 39



Landon Adams (21): Based off my information, the Royals are huge fans of Lane Adams as a prospect. Given his placement on the 40-man roster, I'd say this is correct. The former prep basketball standout (Adams committed originally to play basketball at Missouri State, and averaged over 30 points per game in high school) has plenty in the way of athleticism. 

The Royals have definitely chosen to take their time with Adams and while the pay off won't be huge, I could see him developing into solid 4th outfielder. He has thrown a strong ability at the plate to take a walk and while power isn't a strength, I definitely wouldn't go so far as to call it a weakness. Adams should return to Northwest Arkansas to open the 2014 season. - @Landon_Adams

Paden Bennett (22): Adams is a toolsy outfielder with the ability to draw a walk and steal a base.  He does show some occasional power as evidenced by his 5 homers in 177 plate appearances in Omaha last season.  Adams, now 24 years old, will probably start in NW Arkansas this season and I hope to see him take those tools he possesses and build on them.  I don't know if he ever will reach the majors but he is an interesting guy to keep an eye on given the skills (power, speed, plate discipline) that he has shown so far in his career. - @PadenBennett22


Joe Cox (NR):  I was the only one of us that didn’t rank Adams in my top 30 list, as my original reaction to him was that he is yet another flawed but interesting and toolsy outfielder in the Royals system, only older.  On a second look, I can see the intrigue, but personally I wouldn’t consider him a top 30 prospect in this organization.  Adams, 24, has been with the Royals since 2009.  

He spent the maximum 3 years with a rookie league affiliate and has continued to slowly rise through the system since then.  Last year, Adams split time between high A and AA, with a majority of his at bats coming in Wilmington.  He did have a very strong offensive showing in Wilmington, finishing with a .362 wOBA.  A 177 PA sample in AA saw a dip in all his stats, but continued to show consistency in what he does well, which is drawing walks, stealing bases and showing a little bit of pop.  

The caveat in all his skills has been his inability to make contact at each and every level, which will not work for his skills at higher levels.  In 2014, it is likely Adams will get a good chunk of his at bats in AA.  I realize I have made this comment about quite a few of the prospects on this list, but this outfielder needs to make more contact to have a legitimate chance to make it as a role player in the big leagues. 

Dan Ware (16): Adams' name surfaces on our prospect countdown for the first time since the 2011 season. The 24 year old outfielder hit .265/.353/.415, splitting 547 plate appearances between Wilmington and NW Arkansas, with 12 HR and 65 RBI, 33 XBH including 30 doubles, and showcasing some solid speed with a career high 38 SB.  

After the conclusion of the Naturals' season, Adams joined Omaha in their quest for the Triple-A National Championship. In the title game, Lane got the nod to start in LF, and came through big, going 2-4 with a double to help the Storm Chasers claim the Title.  As of now, Adams is playing for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League along with fellow prospects Jorge Bonifacio, Cheslor Cuthbert, and Jason Adam.  Look for the 24 year old to start his 6th pro season with the Naturals. - @Daniel_L_Ware

Nichoals Ian Allen (--): 2013 was a big year for Lane Adams as he captured the organization’s George Brett Hitter of the Year Award and earned a spot on the 40-man roster. Adams is my type of player - he has speed, gets on base, and has flexibility in the field.


Adams jumped out to a nice start with a strong April, hitting .308/.394/.473. While he does not profile there, Adams hit primarily in the 3rd and 5th spots in the order for Wilmington. He set the table well, hitting .302/.372/.453 with the bases empty. Admas was used mainly in the 5th and 6th holes in Northwest Arkansas, and improved his numbers with runners on base. The outfielder hit .311/.400/.557 with runners on base in Double-A, despite struggling with runners on base and two outs (.217/.308/.478). 

The Royals sent Adams to Omaha for the playoffs, and he fared well. He then was sent to the Arizona Fall League. Adams struggled mightily in the AFL, hitting an abysmal .146/.255/.167. He struck out an astonishing 20 times in 48 at bats. However, let’s chalk it up as a small blip on the screen of an overall successful long season.

There is less overall upside to Lane Adams than some of the younger outfielders in the system. The thing that excited me most about Adams is his ability to steal bases. Adams has 73 stolen bases as a professional, and is successful 82% of the time. He was 15-of-15 with Northwest Arkansas. The Royals like him and he will continue to be given opportunities to improve his stock - beginning with big league Spring Training in 2014. From there, it is likely he will spend the season in NW Arkansas and Omaha. - @NicholasIAllen

Total Points: 34

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