Silent Riser: Lane Adams continues rise through Royals farm system

As activity in Surprise, Arizona begins to hit its stride, the Kansas City Royals and Northwest Arkansas Naturals alike, prepare for a season they hope ends in the 2014 post-season. Outfielder Lane Adams, though lacking a high draft status, has a legitimate shot at playing a role for both teams' playoff runs in 2014. 

Despite not being given Top Prospect rating going into the season like fellow 2013 Naturals hitters, Cheslor Cuthbert, Jorge Bonifacio or Orlando Calixte, Lane Adams earned Royals minor-league player of the year honors in 2013, shared with another 2013 Naturals pitcher, Yordano Ventura. Adams received the honor thanks in large part to rising three levels through the Royals system during the 2013 season, which he hopes to do again in 2014, only this time starting in Springdale. 

Adams earned his initial promotion from High-A Wilmington to the Naturals in 2013, after he hit seven home runs and slashed a very respectable .276/.362/.424 in 370 at-bats. The outfielder also added in 23 stolen bases on 29 attempts, while coming around to score 56 times. His base-running, perhaps his most "Major League ready" attribute, only improved after his promotion to Northwest Arkansas. Adams went 15 for 15 in stolen base attempts with the Naturals in 2013 giving him 95 stolen bases in his professional career, while only getting caught 16 times. While no one may compare his speed to that of Cincinnati Reds' Billy Hamilton, his 85.5 percent success rate grades three percent higher than Hamilton's success rate through the minors. Adams finished 2013 with the Royals Triple-A affiliate in Omaha for their September playoff run.

In addition to Adams' impeccable base-running, the 2009 13th round pick out of Red Oak High School in Red Oak, Oklahoma, has always flashed the ability to improve and adapt to pitchers the following year. In 2011 Adams hit .230 in 171 at-bats for Low-A Kane County, the following year he improved to .298 in 291 at-bats. In 2012 he hit .240 for Wilmington in 285 at-bats, which he then improved to .276 last season in Wilmington, while also earning 2013 Hitter of the Year honors for the Blue Rocks.  

The past would certainly indicate that Adams has the potential to do big things in a Naturals uniform in 2014, a season which could continue his path to appearing in the Kauffman Stadium outfield. Added to the Royals 40-man roster this past offseason, Adams received seven plate appearances for the Royals in spring training before the team optioned him to Double-A on March 10.