Kyle Isbel

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #6 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Isbel broke camp with the big league team in 2021 in what was really just his second full season since being drafted in the third round in 2018. The UNLV product struggled at the plate in his first Royals stint but hit much better after his late-season return from Triple-A Omaha.
  
  Scouting Report: Isbel showed much more confidence when he returned to the Royals’ lineup in September, posting a .286/.362/.452 batting line in his final 11 games, as he was more focused at the plate, his swing path improved, and he wasn’t as pull-conscious. The expected power started to emerge in Triple-A, where he hit more line drives and fly balls than in the past, with his 15 home runs with Omaha being a career high. Isbel continues to improve his outfield defense, impressive considering he started his college career as an infielder. He played all three outfield positions with Omaha, spending more time in center field and emerging as a plus defender with the plus speed to cover the ground. He’s able to close on balls in the gap and gets good initial reads and angles, and his outfield instincts have improved. His arm grade jumped to above-average thanks in part to the accuracy of his throws. Isbel stole 22 bases during his time with Omaha, giving another positive note to his game.
  
  The Future: With his strong Triple-A season and the improvement he showed upon his return to Kansas City, Isbel has a very good chance of earning a spot on the Opening Day roster, either a starting job or as a fourth outfielder.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #6 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel delivered a sensational pro debut after the Royals drafted him in the third round in 2018. He hit .326 with seven home runs and 26 stolen bases in 64 games, spending the majority of his time with low Class A Lexington. But Isbel’s progress was stalled in 2019 by injuries to his hamstring and hamate bone. He finished the year on a high note with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League and spent 2020 at the Royals’ alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Isbel shows a solid set of tools across the board to go with fast-twitch athleticism. He consistently puts together good at-bats with a swing naturally geared to hit line drives. Isbel showed emerging power at the alternate site during the summer that gave the Royals hope he could approach 15-20 home runs to go with high batting averages. A second baseman in college, Isbel is still relatively new to the outfield and improved his routes and jumps working with Royals coach Mitch Maier. With plus speed, a quick first step and more experience in the outfield, Isbel projects to be a plus defender with an average arm. He’s a gamer who plays above his tools.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel is penciled in as the Royals’ center fielder of the future. He should see the upper minors in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #5 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel got off to a hot start after the Royals made him their third-round pick in 2018, but injuries sidetracked him in 2019. A hamstring injury followed by a hamate injury largely kept him on the sidelines from mid-April until July 4 and led to a lost season. Isbel started hot at high Class A Wilmington, hitting .348 with power through 13 games, but he lost his timing at the plate with the layoff and hit .176 in his last 39 games. He rebounded to hit .315/.429/.438 in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A fast-twitch athlete who puts together good at-bats, Isbel uses a short, line-drive stroke to all fields to project as an above-average hitter. While he doesn't look like a power hitter at 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, he has sneaky pop and could hit 10-15 home runs. Often described as a gamer, Isbel has solid tools across the board. He is a plus runner who has a chance to be a plus defender in center field with a quick first step and an average arm. He is still learning his routes and reads in the outfield after primarily playing second base in college.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel looks to be the Royals' center fielder of the future. Even if he falls short of that outcome, he has the skills to be a valuable semi-regular who can play the outfield and second base. He will head to Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #9 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Isbel went from a productive hitter to a middle-of-the-lineup masher as a junior at UNLV thanks to a big increase in his power--he hit 14 home runs as a junior after hitting seven in his first two seasons combined. Isbel's increased power came with increased selectivity at the plate that boosted his on-base percentage. That boosted Isbel up draft boards in 2018. The Royals grabbed the lefthanded hitter in the third round. He quickly showed he was too advanced for Rookie-level Idaho Falls in his pro debut and advanced to low Class A Lexington where he helped the Legends win the South Atlantic League title.
  
  Scouting Report: Isbel profiles as a top-of-the-order bat with very good plate discipline. He's better suited to get on-base and run around the bases than to drive people in. He projects as an above-average hitter who uses a compact swing to shoot balls to the gaps. He's more of a doubles hitter for now but has above-average raw power and should park 10-15 home runs over the fence eventually. He's also an aggressive baserunner with plus speed. Isbel is still relatively new to the outfield, having entered college as a second baseman, and his inexperience shows at times with some of the routes he takes. He should be able to stay in center field with his first-step quickness and an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: Isbel's advanced baseball instincts, raw tools and hard-nosed style of play should allow him to jump to what should be a stacked high Class A Wilmington club next year.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #93 prospect in 2018 draft
  Isbel has been a key member of UNLV's lineup since arriving on campus and has started all but three games during his career. He has managed to take a step forward this spring, as he has increased both his power and walk rate. Isbel had a .093 ISO last summer in the Cape Cod League, but this spring he's hit double-digit home runs for the first time in his career and added about 200 points to his ISO. Scouts must determine how much of that power increase is driven by the hitter-friendly environments of the Mountain West Conference, but he does pack more of a punch into his lefthanded swing than his frame (5-foot-11, 190 pounds) suggests. He is an above-average runner and uses his speed well on the base paths. Isbel is a solid outfielder and handles center field well, but some evaluators believe he would profile better at second base, where he played early in his career. Isbel has a hard-nosed approach to the game and that helps his mostly average tools play up.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #17 prospect in 2019
  Isbel had a hot start to the season, but he missed time after taking a ball off his face while playing defense and later suffering a wrist injury. He’ll have the opportunity to make up for lost at-bats when he plays in the Arizona Fall League. With a blend of power and speed, Isbel signed with the Royals for $592,300. He hit .289/.345/.434 in 159 at-bats for low Class A Lexington in his draft year, showing that his results at hitter-friendly UNLV were no fluke. This season, though, he struggled with the injuries while playing in a pitcher’s park. He still showed the tools needed to play a solid right field or center field. "He’s just a smooth-swinging lefty with some pop who can run,” Wilmington manager Scott Thorman said of his team’s center fielder. "He’s finding his way back into rhythm.”
• 
  Ranked Pioneer League #4 prospect in 2018
  Isbel spent just one month in the Pioneer League after his three-year career at UNLV, but rival managers saw enough of the lefthanded- hitting outfielder to declare him one of the league’s premier hitting prospects. “He’s so advanced for the level,” Helena manager Nestor Corredor said. “(It’s) exactly what you’re looking for in a college bat. . . . (He’s) a legit prospect.” Isbel shoots balls to the gaps with a compact swing that produces plenty of contact. He has doubles power now, but his above-average raw power portends more over-the-fence pop as he develops. He could be a 25-25 hitter in the big leagues. Isbel’s above-average speed plays up because of his outstanding first-step quickness. An infielder earlier in his college career, Isbel doesn’t always take good routes in the outfield but his instincts and added experience should allow him to stay in the middle of the field.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Isbel broke camp with the big league team in 2021 in what was really just his second full season since being drafted in the third round in 2018. The UNLV product struggled at the plate in his first Royals stint but hit much better after his late-season return from Triple-A Omaha.
  
  Scouting Report: Isbel showed much more confidence when he returned to the Royals’ lineup in September, posting a .286/.362/.452 batting line in his final 11 games, as he was more focused at the plate, his swing path improved, and he wasn’t as pull-conscious. The expected power started to emerge in Triple-A, where he hit more line drives and fly balls than in the past, with his 15 home runs with Omaha being a career high. Isbel continues to improve his outfield defense, impressive considering he started his college career as an infielder. He played all three outfield positions with Omaha, spending more time in center field and emerging as a plus defender with the plus speed to cover the ground. He’s able to close on balls in the gap and gets good initial reads and angles, and his outfield instincts have improved. His arm grade jumped to above-average thanks in part to the accuracy of his throws. Isbel stole 22 bases during his time with Omaha, giving another positive note to his game.
  
  The Future: With his strong Triple-A season and the improvement he showed upon his return to Kansas City, Isbel has a very good chance of earning a spot on the Opening Day roster, either a starting job or as a fourth outfielder.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel delivered a sensational pro debut after the Royals drafted him in the third round in 2018. He hit .326 with seven home runs and 26 stolen bases in 64 games, spending the majority of his time with low Class A Lexington. But Isbel's progress was stalled in 2019 by injuries to his hamstring and hamate bone. He finished the year on a high note with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League and spent 2020 at the Royals' alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Isbel shows a solid set of tools across the board to go with fast-twitch athleticism. He consistently puts together good at-bats with a swing naturally geared to hit line drives. Isbel showed emerging power at the alternate site during the summer that gave the Royals hope he could approach 15-20 home runs to go with high batting averages. A second baseman in college, Isbel is still relatively new to the outfield and improved his routes and jumps working with Royals coach Mitch Maier. With plus speed, a quick first step and more experience in the outfield, Isbel projects to be a plus defender with an average arm. He's a gamer who plays above his tools.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel is penciled in as the Royals' center fielder of the future. He should see the upper minors in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel delivered a sensational pro debut after the Royals drafted him in the third round in 2018. He hit .326 with seven home runs and 26 stolen bases in 64 games, spending the majority of his time with low Class A Lexington. But Isbel’s progress was stalled in 2019 by injuries to his hamstring and hamate bone. He finished the year on a high note with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League and spent 2020 at the Royals’ alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Isbel shows a solid set of tools across the board to go with fast-twitch athleticism. He consistently puts together good at-bats with a swing naturally geared to hit line drives. Isbel showed emerging power at the alternate site during the summer that gave the Royals hope he could approach 15-20 home runs to go with high batting averages. A second baseman in college, Isbel is still relatively new to the outfield and improved his routes and jumps working with Royals coach Mitch Maier. With plus speed, a quick first step and more experience in the outfield, Isbel projects to be a plus defender with an average arm. He’s a gamer who plays above his tools.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel is penciled in as the Royals’ center fielder of the future. He should see the upper minors in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel delivered a sensational pro debut after the Royals drafted him in the third round in 2018. He hit .326 with seven home runs and 26 stolen bases in 64 games, spending the majority of his time with low Class A Lexington. But Isbel’s progress was stalled in 2019 by injuries to his hamstring and hamate bone. He finished the year on a high note with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League and spent 2020 at the Royals’ alternate training site.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Isbel shows a solid set of tools across the board to go with fast-twitch athleticism. He consistently puts together good at-bats with a swing naturally geared to hit line drives. Isbel showed emerging power at the alternate site during the summer that gave the Royals hope he could approach 15-20 home runs to go with high batting averages. A second baseman in college, Isbel is still relatively new to the outfield and improved his routes and jumps working with Royals coach Mitch Maier. With plus speed, a quick first step and more experience in the outfield, Isbel projects to be a plus defender with an average arm. He’s a gamer who plays above his tools.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel is penciled in as the Royals’ center fielder of the future. He should see the upper minors in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel got off to a hot start after the Royals made him their third-round pick in 2018, but injuries sidetracked him in 2019. A hamstring injury followed by a hamate injury largely kept him on the sidelines from mid-April until July 4 and led to a lost season. Isbel started hot at high Class A Wilmington, hitting .348 with power through 13 games, but he lost his timing at the plate with the layoff and hit .176 in his last 39 games. He rebounded to hit .315/.429/.438 in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A fast-twitch athlete who puts together good at-bats, Isbel uses a short, line-drive stroke to all fields to project as an above-average hitter. While he doesn’t look like a power hitter at 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, he has sneaky pop and could hit 10-15 home runs. Often described as a gamer, Isbel has solid tools across the board. He is a plus runner who has a chance to be a plus defender in center field with a quick first step and an average arm. He is still learning his routes and reads in the outfield after primarily playing second base in college.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel looks to be the Royals’ center fielder of the future. Even if he falls short of that outcome, he has the skills to be a valuable semi-regular who can play the outfield and second base. He will head to Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Isbel got off to a hot start after the Royals made him their third-round pick in 2018, but injuries sidetracked him in 2019. A hamstring injury followed by a hamate injury largely kept him on the sidelines from mid-April until July 4 and led to a lost season. Isbel started hot at high Class A Wilmington, hitting .348 with power through 13 games, but he lost his timing at the plate with the layoff and hit .176 in his last 39 games. He rebounded to hit .315/.429/.438 in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A fast-twitch athlete who puts together good at-bats, Isbel uses a short, line-drive stroke to all fields to project as an above-average hitter. While he doesn't look like a power hitter at 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, he has sneaky pop and could hit 10-15 home runs. Often described as a gamer, Isbel has solid tools across the board. He is a plus runner who has a chance to be a plus defender in center field with a quick first step and an average arm. He is still learning his routes and reads in the outfield after primarily playing second base in college.
  
  THE FUTURE: Isbel looks to be the Royals' center fielder of the future. Even if he falls short of that outcome, he has the skills to be a valuable semi-regular who can play the outfield and second base. He will head to Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2020.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Isbel had a hot start to the season, but he missed time after taking a ball off his face while playing defense and later suffering a wrist injury. He’ll have the opportunity to make up for lost at-bats when he plays in the Arizona Fall League. With a blend of power and speed, Isbel signed with the Royals for $592,300. He hit .289/.345/.434 in 159 at-bats for low Class A Lexington in his draft year, showing that his results at hitter-friendly UNLV were no fluke. This season, though, he struggled with the injuries while playing in a pitcher’s park. He still showed the tools needed to play a solid right field or center field. "He’s just a smooth-swinging lefty with some pop who can run,” Wilmington manager Scott Thorman said of his team’s center fielder. "He’s finding his way back into rhythm.”