Here’s the advice current Kansas City Royals offer to ’23 MLB Draft picks and prospects

Kansas City Royals infielder Matt Duffy vividly remembers his MLB Draft experience. It was a calm day and he didn’t have many expectations.

However, his dad, Tom, was a different story.

Duffy recalled watching his father absorb every selection. He couldn’t walk away from the proceedings.

As the rounds passed, Duffy was content with where he would be selected. But Tom was going to stay put until Duffy’s name was called.

Even if that meant having to coordinate bathroom breaks.

“I was drafted on the third day and he was listening to every pick before that,” Duffy recalled. “He went to the bathroom for like five minutes and that happened to be when my name was called.”

Could some of this year’s major-league prospects have a similar experience? The 2023 MLB Draft was set to begin at 6 p.m. Central Time on Sunday with Rounds 1-2 and the competitive-balance rounds.

Rounds 3-10 will take place Monday, Rounds 11-20 Tuesday. The Royals hold the No. 8, No. 44 and No. 66 picks Sunday night.

Duffy, selected in the 14th round of the 2012 draft, understands the journey it takes to achieve this baseball dream. He said the key to success is acknowledging that failure and adversity are parts of the process.

“You are going to get humbled at some point,” Duffy said. “It doesn’t mean you aren’t a good baseball player or can’t figure it out. I believe at every level there is an adjustment that needs to be made.”

There is an old adage that baseball is a game of failure. Royals first baseman Nick Pratto believes the failure is a chance to grow.

He mentioned that learning from mistakes helped him become a better player.

“This is just another step in the road,” Pratto said. “The work doesn’t end there. It’s a lot of growing and developing to do. Just be grateful for the opportunity and run with it.”

Many prospects will face a new reality. They could be asked to change positions or adjust their overall approach. For example, shortstops might transition to the outfield, or catchers could become corner infielders.

Rookie Royals pitcher Alec Marsh thinks it’s important to embrace change. Marsh, who made his MLB debut June 30, said the MLB Draft offers prospects a chance to reset.

“It’s almost like a new beginning when you start your Major League Baseball career,” Marsh said. “Now you have to work even harder to get to a level you want to stay and dominate in this league.”

Generally, MLB draftees are assigned to rookie ball, which offers them a chance to learn the professional game.

Most prospects graduate to Class A ball after a few months. They’ll advance through the system as they develop.

Some prospects, like young Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., are fast-tracked to the majors. Other players spend years honing their skills in the minors.

“I have seen it a lot, and I’ve done it myself, putting a lot of pressure on yourself to move up fast or perform right away,” Marsh said.

Royals pitcher Brady Singer advised there is no specific timeline for big-league success. The only thing that matters is remembering the reason you play the game.

“Ride the wave,” Singer said. “There are going to be so many different things that are going to be thrown at you during the process of being in the big leagues. … Enjoy every moment of it. Enjoy the family it brings and thank the people that have gotten you there along the way.”

The MLB Draft is the first step. What follows is a chance to impress, regardless of where a player was initially selected.

“When you put all that work in and see things start to come together and you are doing well, it’s a lot of fun,” Marsh said.