The Kansas City Royals’ recent draft emphasis on high-ceiling preps has positioned the club’s farm system well to supplement the big league product in 2025 and 2026. A nice blend of arms and bats are on the horizon.
But does KC possess enough ceiling in their farm to push the Royals over the edge in the next few years? Who are some prospects to know who are quietly putting up intriguing metrics?
DEVELOPMENTS
The club’s top prospects is their top pick in 2024 — 1B Jac Caglianone — but KC has done well enough in the Draft to litter their top 10 with recent selections.
Caglianione got 29 games in after signing, teasing light tower power and enormous offensive upside.
Outfielder Gavin Cross offers average or better projections across the board and his performance in 2024 puts him on track to see the major as early as 2025.
The ceiling isn’t high though, as Cross is more a sum of his parts and lacks a loud tool, but there’s a big-league role for a player with 15-20 homer power and a chance to impact the game on the bases and in the field.
Catcher Ramon Ramirez has done nothing but raked at his two stops in pro ball so far, slashing .265/.379/.459 in the complex league in 2024. He offers power and a chance to hit .250 with good OBPs and already looks the part of an average or better defensive backstop with a plus arm.
Ramirez’s classmate from 2023 is OF Asbel Gonzalez, and he’s showing out, too. The 18-year-old projects for a lot of contact and a real shot at 40 stolen bases and plus defense in center. His .285/.398/.384 slash in rookie ball was impressive.
QUESTIONS
After an unsettling start to his minor league career in 2023, Blake Mitchell took a big step forward last season in his first taste of full-season ball at Low-A Columbia. His .815 OPS was carried by healthy on-base and slugging numbers, but his .238 average leaves something to be desired. The raw power and plate discipline are clearly present for Mitchell, but tamping down the strikeouts will be critical as he climbs the ladder.
The Royals will also need to discover where impact production will come from in the coming years. Righty Blake Wolters looks like the highest-ceiling arm in the organization but it’s unlikely he’ll see the big leagues until 2027.
Guys like RHP Steve Zobac and LHP Noah Cameron will have to finesse their way through mature lineups. Limiting damage will be the name of the game. They’re more likely back-end guys than mid-rotation innings-eaters.
The jury is still out on Kudrna and LHP David Shields. Shields will pitch the entire 2025 season as an 18-year-old and is several years away. It’s never fully come together for Kudrna as he’s struggled to nail down an identity for his arsenal as a pro. Maybe Drew Beam will take a big step this summer.
The Royals system is getting better. The upside shots the organization took on preps in the 2021, 2022, and 2023 drafts look like they’ll start paying dividends soon. But outside of Caglianone, the farm presently lacks an impact ceiling. That’s something they’ll need to improve in 2025.
| LEVEL | TEAM | W-L | TOP PROSPECT |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAA | Omaha | 89-59 | Noah Cameron, LHP |
| AA | NW Arkansas | 66-71 | Ben Kudrna, RHP |
| A+ | Quad Cities | 68-83 | Jac Caglianone, 1B |
| A | Columbia | 68-83 | Blake Wolters, RHP |
| R | Royals | 25-35 | David Shields, LHP |
| DSL | Ventura | 32-22 | Yandel Ricardo, SS |
| DSL | Fortuna | 17-34 | Jhonayker Ugarte, IF |
ADDITIONS & SUBTRACTIONS
Before the summer activity of the trade deadline and the draft, the Royals shuffled their system, primarily filling holes on the mound close to the majors.
Early, the club acquired RHR Nataneal Garabitos from the Seattle Mariners and swapped LHP Connor Oliver for RHP Colin Selby in a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In May, KC traded RHP Jonah Dipoto to the Philadelphia Phillies in a cash deal. In June, catcher Logan Porter was shipped to the San Francisco Giants for a few dollars more.
The Royals were busy adding at the deadline, starting with sending Selby to the Baltimore Orioles, but escalating from there.
The Royals acquired RHP Hunter Harvey from the Washington Nationals for 3B Cayden Wallace, then sent RHP Jesus Tinco to the Chicago Cubs for future considerations.
Kansas City kept adding arms, acquiring RHPs Michael Lorenzen and Lucas Erceg from the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics. These moves cost the club LHP Walter Pennington, RHPs Will Klein, Mason Barrett, and OF Jared Dickey.
Completing their deadline moves, the Royals traded RHP Jaroid Rosado to the Chicago White Sox for SS Paul DeJong.
In addition to Caglianone, Shields, and Beam, the Royals went heavy on pitching in the 2024 MLB Draft, adding lefties L.P. Langevin (4), and Nate Ackenhausen (10), and right-handers AJ. Causey (5), Tanner Jones (6), Dennis Colleran (7), and Nick Conte (8).
Caglianone, who is a two-way talent, and ninth-round catcher Canyon Brown were the lone position players taken in the top 10 rounds. Overall, the Royals selected just five hitters in 20 rounds.
GRADUATIONS
Nick Loftin, UT
Right-handers Steven Cruz, Jonathan Bowlan, Anthony Veeziano, and Selby retain their rookie status for 2025, but Loftin spent a good portion of the year in the majors, his second stint (19 games in 2023), starting games at first base, second base, third base, land left field.
BIG-LEAGUE RADAR
Kudrna, RHP
Jensen, C
Cross, OF
Cameron, LHP
Javier Vaz, OF
Chandler Champlain, RHP
Zobac, RHP
Luinder Avila, RHP
Tyson Guerrero, LHP
Eric Cerantola, RHP
SCOUT SAYS
“Caglianone may be their only real shot at a star, but with Bobby (Witt Jr.) already doing his MVP stuff and plenty of solid-average players around him and on the way, the Royals are in a pretty good place…”
“For me, Caglianone isn’t as raw at the plate in terms of bat-to-ball as the numbers say. I think his path to hitting .260 or better with very high on-base percentages is a relatively easy one. I really thought he was the best player in the draft, even with limited defensive value.”
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