Ken Harvey
Kansas City Royals
Position: 1B Height: 6-2 Weight: 240 Born: 3/1/78 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Year	Team	Level	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG
2000	Wilmington	A	46	164	20	55	10	0	4	25	14	29	0	2	.335	.411	.470
2001	Wilmington	A	35	137	22	52	9	1	6	27	13	21	3	1	.380	.455	.591
2001	Wichita	AA	79	314	54	106	20	3	9	63	18	60	3	0	.338	.372	.506
2001	Kansas City	AL	4	12	1	3	1	0	0	2	0	4	0	1	.250	.250	.333
2002	Omaha	AAA	128	488	75	135	30	1	20	75	42	87	8	3	.277	.342	.465

Background
Ken Harvey was one hell of a hitter in college, winning the NCAA Division I batting crown in 1999 with a .478 mark for the University of Nebraska. Although scouts compared his offensive potential to that of Frank Thomas, he was just a fifth-round pick in the draft. He features a wide girth and limited defensive skills, which turned a lot of scouts off. Harvey adjusted easily to wood, hitting .397 in rookie ball after signing, then hit .335 in his full-season debut in '00, although he was limited to just 46 games by injury. He ripped the ball for average and power at two levels in '01, then tailed off a bit in Triple-A in '02, leaving some to question his future. But Harvey was just named MVP of the 2002 Arizona Fall League, and will have a good chance to make the Royals roster as the DH this coming spring.

Scouting report
Harvey has a very quick swing, bringing the bat through the hitting zone smartly. An opposite field hitter in previous campaigns, he worked on pulling the ball for more power in '02, opening his stance at the plate to get a better read on inside pitches. He also concentrated more on working the count and controlling the strike zone. His walk rate and home runs did go up, but he also lost some 60 points in batting average, resulting in an overall net decrease in his production, as measured by OBP and SLG.

But Harvey seemed increasingly comfortable with the changes made in his stance as the season progressed, and by the end of the year was hitting the ball with authority again, capping the season off with an outstanding romp through Arizona this fall. Harvey has a large frame and gains weight easily, but moves well for his size, and has even shown a knack for stealing a base occasionally. He is not a polished first baseman, mainly due to stiff hands, but he usually catches what he gets to.

Performance
Harvey has mashed the ball at every level so far, although his 2002 stats at Omaha were a bit disappointing. On the other hand, he still hit 30 doubles and 20 homers, his strike zone judgment did improve, and he was unstoppable in Arizona, where he almost hit .500. Harvey settled for a .479 batting average, with .537 OBP and a .752 SLG. Arizona Fall League stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, but his performance there can't be ignored.

Health record
A chronic toe injury and sore foot has sidelined Harvey at times, including most of the '00 season at Class A Wilmington. He has been healthy otherwise, but some wonder if the foot/toe problem will recur due to his weight. He is a decent athlete despite his size, but it couldn't hurt to thin down a bit.

What to expect
The Royals need hitting. Harvey goes into spring training without a defined roster spot, but hot hitting there could get him a job as the DH, with Mike Sweeney manning first base and Raul Ibanez in left field. If Harvey maintains his comfort zone with the "get better pitches to hit" approach he adopted this year, he should develop into a consistent .300+ hitter, with good power.

John Sickels is the author of the 2002 Minor League Scouting Notebook, and is now working on the 2003 Baseball Prospect Book. His biography of Bob Feller will be published next spring. He lives in Lawrence, Kansas, with his wife, son, and two cats. You can send John questions or comments at JASickels@aol.com, or you can visit his homepage at JohnSickels.com.