That information looks round by round as a whole. The point I was making is that the Royals picked at the TOP of each round. Now, I don't know what the rates are on average for picks taken 1 through 5 in the first round as opposed to 1 through 30 of the first round, but would bet that it is significantly different. Are there busts on players taken 1-5? Sure, say hello to Mike Kelly. But the bust rate is likely much lower. And, since the Royals picked at the top of the first round, they most often picked at the top of the second round which would lead me to believe that the success rate for that area of pick in the second round is much closer to the success rate experienced by teams picking in the bottom of the first round or in the supplemental rounds.
And, since KC is a small market, they are open to the possibility of competitive balance picks.
2006 Draft:
1.) Hochevar
2.) Greg Reynolds (COL)
3.) Longoria
4.) Brad Lincoln (PIT)
5.) Brandon Morrow (SEA)
6.) Andrew Miller (DET)
7.) Kershaw
8.) Robert Stubbs (CIN)
9.) William Rowell (BAL)
10.) Lincecum
2007
1.) David Price
2.) Moustakas
3.) Josh Vitters (CHC)
4.) Daniel Moskos (PIT)
5.) Matt Wieters (BAL)
6.) Ross Detweiler (WAS)
7.) Matt LaPorta (MIL)
8.) Casey Weathers (COL)
9.) Jarrod Parker (ARI)
10.) Madison Bumgarner (SFG)
Royals took Duffy in the Third Round and Holland in the Tenth Round.
2008
1.) Tim Beckham (TBR)
2.) Pedro Alvarez (PIT)
3.) Hosmer
4.) Brian Matusz (BAL)
5.) Buster Posey (SFG)
6.) Kyle Skipworth (FLA/MIA)
7.) Yonder Alonso (CIN)
8.) Gordon Beckham (CHW)
9.) Aaron Crow (WAS - did not sign)
10.) Jason Castro (HOU)
2009
1.) Stephen Strasburg (WAS)
2.) Dustin Ackley (SEA)
3.) Donovan Tate (SDP)
4.) Tony Sanchez (PIT)
5.) Matthew Hobgood (BAL)
6.) Zack Wheeler (SFG)
7.) Mike Minor
8.) Mike Leake (CIN)
9.) Jacob Turner (DET)
10.) Drew Storen (WAS)
Royals took Crow at #12
2010
1.) Bryce Harper (WAS)
2.) Jameson Taillon (PIT)
3.) Manny Machado (BAL)
4.) Christian Colon
5.) Drew Pomeranz (CLE)
6.) Barrett Loux (ARI)
7.) Matt Harvey (NYM)
8.) Delino DeShields (HOU)
9.) Karsten Whitson (SDP - did not sign)
10.) Michael Choice (OAK)
2011
1.) Gerritt Cole (PIT)
2.) Danny Hultzen (SEA)
3.) Trevor Bauer (ARI)
4.) Dylan Bundy (BAL)
5.) Starling
6.) Anthony Rendon (WAS)
7.) Archie Bradley (ARI)
8.) Francisco Lindor (CLE)
9.) Javier Baez (CHC)
10.) Cory Spangenberg (SDP)
2012
1.) Carlos Correa (HOU)
2.) Byron Buxton (MIN)
3.) Mike Zunino (SEA)
4.) Kevin Gausman (BAL)
5.) Zimmer
6.) Albert Almora (CHC)
7.) Max Fried (SDP)
8.) Mark Appel (PIT - did not sign)
9.) Andrew Heaney (FLA/MIA)
10.) David Dahl (COL)
2013
1.) Appel (HOU)
2.) Kris Bryant (CHC)
3.) Jonathon Gray (COL)
4.) Kohl Stewart (MIN)
5.) Clint Frazier (CLE)
6.) Collin Moran (FLA/MIA)
7.) Trey Ball (BOS)
8.) Dozier
9.) Austin Meadows (PIT)
10.) Phil Bickford (TOR - did not sign)
Royals took Manaea in the Supplemental Round.
2014
1.) Brady Aiken (HOU - did not sign)
2.) Tyler Kolek (FLA/MIA)
3.) Carlos Rodon (CHW)
4.) Kyle Schwarber (CHC)
5.) Nick Gordon (MIN)
6.) Alex Jackson (SEA)
7.) Aaron Nola (PHI)
8.) Kyle Freeland (COL)
9.) Jeff Hoffman (TOR)
10.) Michael Conforto (NYM)
Royals took Finnegan at #17.
2015
1.) Dansby Swanson (ARI)
2.) Alex Bregman (HOU)
3.) Brendan Rodgers (COL)
4.) Dillon Tate (TEX)
5.) Kyle Tucker (HOU)
6.) Tyler Jay (MIN)
7.) Andrew Benintendi (BOS)
8.) Carson Fulmer (CHW)
9.) Ian Happ (CHC)
10.) Cornelius Randolph (PHI)
Royals took Ashe Russell at #21.
So again I ask - who has been more successful at the top of the draft in the last 10 years??? DMGM has delivered more "productive players" while having fewer flops than anyone over that period.