And of those that short who did make it to the majors, few have compiled a truly impressive number of victories. Indeed, across the entire history of the game, only nine pitchers of Collins’s size have won as many as 50 games in their career.

For the moment, Collins, 21, has not seemed overly impressed by the statistics, or persuaded by the argument they suggest: that, for whatever variety of reasons, taller pitchers tend to do better. He has pitched through plenty of skepticism already, and endured about every variety of wisecrack.

“I’ve obviously heard it all,” he said.

In the first two weeks of the season, no one seemed to have much of an answer for Collins. He struck out 10 batters in his first seven innings for the Royals and did not allow a run. Over the last week, however, Collins has encountered control problems, and been roughed up in at least two outings.

Freddie Patek, the 5-4 All-Star shortstop for the Royals in the 1970s — who has the distinction of being the shortest player in franchise history — said he liked what he had seen so far in Collins, above all else his lack of fear.

“When you’re small like that, you’d better not have any fear,” Patek said. “If you do, it’ll show up on your face pretty quick.” He added: “You always hear things when you’re growing up — he can’t do this, he can’t do that, he’s a good player but he’s too short. In your mind, you just keep grinding away. And you don’t take no for an answer.”