With the fifth-overall pick the Royals selected San Francisco righthander Kyle Zimmer. Several scouts in Northern California preferred Zimmer to Appel thanks to his athleticism and fastball movement.

Zimmer's fastball was clocked as high as 98 mph and he mixes in an above-average curveball and a changeup. Zimmer has a fresh arm, as he only started pitching seriously in college, but he also faded down the stretch and dealt with a hamstring injury.