Eric Hosmer

2013

Subscribe now to see our 2013 outlook.

2012

Hosmer spent nearly a month at Triple-A Omaha before he was unleashed on the American League to show what all the hype was about. He finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting as he posted 19 home runs, drove in 78 runs, hit .293 and even stole 11 bases. He possesses a disciplined eye at the plate with an ability to drive the ball for power, which should serve him well for seasons to come. The only concern for fantasy owners is that there may be too much hype surrounding the 22-year-old, and he may not be able to fulfill many lofty expectations. Hosmer should make strides in 2012 toward establishing himself as the face of the Royals organization.

2011

Hosmer is the clear-cut first baseman of the future for the Royals, and it seems the future remains a year away. With Billy Butler holding things down at first and the team going nowhere in the immediate future, the Royals aren't in a hurry to get Hosmer to the majors and start his service clock. The 21-year-old has more than held his own at every level and looks to be a bright spot for an organization that is going through some dark times.

2010

Hosmer had vision problems that led to a miserable hitting campaign for the 2008 first-round draft pick (No. 3 overall). He's a left-handed hitter with raw power and overall upside, but it may take some time and lots of at-bats to reach that potential. He needs time to refine his mechanics and work on his stroke with his newly corrected vision (he had corrective surgery after the season). Hosmer's overall bat speed is evident, but he needs to learn to recognize pitches and be more patient at the plate. He could be ready by late 2012, but probably not much sooner. His draft position alone dictates that the Royals will be patient and give him every chance to succeed at lower levels before they expose him to the highest quality pitching, but he'll need to regain his confidence in 2010.

2009

The Royals drafted Hosmer third overall out of high school in the 2008 amateur draft, but his inaugural professional season was truncated to 11 at-bats because questions arose as to whether he signed his contract before the deadline. Despite this, he is already being labeled as one of the organization's top hitting prospects. He has a big league body (6-3, 210) and can hit for both power and average, but Hosmer could still start the season at rookie ball because of his lack of playing time last summer.