KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the No. 32 overall pick in the competitive balance round of the 2020 MLB First-Year Player Draft, the Kansas City Royals took shortstop Nick Loftin from Baylor.
Loftin, 21, was named preseason Big 12 Player of the Year by Baseball America and batted .298 in 14 games before the 2020 season was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.
As a sophomore in 2019, Loftin hit .323 with a .502 slugging percentage in 53 starts, all at shortstop, for the Bears.
He was named First-Team All-Big 12 and went on to start games at five positions — shortstop, second base, third base, left field and right field — for the U.S. Collegiate National Team last summer.
The 2020 First-Year Player Draft will resume Thursday with the second through fifth rounds beginning at 4:00 p.m. CT.
The Royals have four selections — Nos. 41, 76, 105 and 135.
