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MLB

NATURALS SPOTLIGHT: ROYALS #3 PROSPECT SEAN MANAEA EYES NEW CHALLENGE IN 2015

By Naturals PR Department
March 18, 2015

Springdale, Ark. - Sean Manaea came into the Kansas City Royals' system under very interesting circumstances. Manaea dominated throughout his college career, and was slated by many scouts to go first overall in the 2013 MLB First Year Amateur Draft. After suffering an injury shortly before the draft, however, some teams elected to pass on the top prospect, allowing Kansas City to draft Manaea with a supplemental pick in the first round, 34th overall. Less than two years later, Manaea enters the 2015 season as a top 100 prospect in baseball, and ranked third among Royals top prospects according to MLB.com.

His path began at a High School in Union Mills, Indiana. Manaea played his first three years of High School ball at South Central Junior-Senior High School before transferring to Andrean High School in Merrillville, Indiana, which would allow him a chance to compete in a Division I NCAA baseball program. In 2010, Manaea's senior year, his team at Andrean High School won the State Championship. Following high school, he enrolled at Indiana State University, a Division I school in the Missouri Valley Conference. During his sophomore season, Manaea recorded 115 strikeouts in 105 innings and began to hit his stride as a top young, soon-to-be prospect.

After his sophomore year, Manaea played for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, a collegiate summer baseball team in Massachusetts. The Harbor Hawks have seen several successful Major League Alumni come through, including Pat Burrell, the 1998 first overall pick by the Philadelphia Phillies, and Robin Ventura, the current Manager of the Chicago White Sox and a first round pick by the White Sox in 1988. Manaea began to stand out as a pitcher with "ace" upside during his time with Hyannis. Manaea went 5-1 during the season with an impressive 1.22 ERA, and 85 strikeouts in 51.2 innings, only walking seven. After that performance, he was given the Cape Cod League's Outstanding Prospect Award.

Manaea earned Preseason All-American honors in 2013, and also reached the National Pitcher of the Year watch list. He compiled a 5-4 record, a 1.47 ERA, and 93 strikeouts in 73.1 innings during his final season at Indiana State, ranking third in the nation in strikeouts per 9 innings, right behind 2014 first rounder picks Carlos Rodon (3rd overall by the Chicago White Sox) and Sean Newcomb (15th overall by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim). While Rodon may be in line to make his Major League debut later in 2015, Newcomb could meet Manaea in the Texas League during the 2015 season, as a member of the Arkansas Travelers.

After being drafted by the Royals in June of 2013, Kansas City was able to sign both their first round picks as Manaea joined former 2014 Natural Hunter Dozier. Manaea did not make his professional baseball debut until last season, as he recovered from a surgery to replace a torn acetabular labrum (labrum of the hip joint).

Manaea came back from his surgery to pitch 122 innings in the 2014 season with High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks. He started 25 games, including one complete game, and led the league with 146 strikeouts. He also ranked eighth in all of the minors by posting 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

Manaea is able to top his fastball out at 96 miles per hour, and can mix in a slider and split/changeup. During Manaea's final 11 games to close the 2014 season, he limited his opponent's batting average to a mere .175 while giving up zero home runs. He also put up a 1.45 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 62 innings. He's among six other pitchers that rank in the Royals' top 9 prospects.  

For all the latest Spring Training updates and player spotlights, follow the Northwest Arkansas Naturals on Twitter @nwanaturals throughout the year, and use #NaturalPastime for all of our up-to-date information on tickets, groups, promotions, roster, and team information.

Season 8 of Naturals baseball begins on Thursday, April 9, 2015 in Midland, Texas. The Naturals will open at Arvest Ballpark on Thursday, April 16 at 6:05 P.M. against the same Midland RockHounds, the Double-A Affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. 

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League Affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The Naturals play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Ark. For more information including statistics, ticket options, and more, please visit NWANaturals.com, and follow us on Twitter @NWANaturals and Facebook.com/Naturals.

-Naturals-