Coming into the 2024 season, the Royals’ future was a major concern. Sure, they had Bobby Witt Jr., but they were not winning at the MLB level, and their farm system wasn’t exactly stocked with talent. Well after an 86-win season, and their first playoff appearance since their World Series win in 2015, the future is bright. On the prospect side, the 2024 draft class and recent international signings have been a major boost for optimism. As an organization, they are heading in a much better direction, but still have work to do. There is a reason I only consider two prospects to be in the “Top Tier” of the farm system. There is talent that could change that in 2025, but for now, it is a lot of what-ifs, outside of a few sure-fire talents.
Head over to the Pitcher List dynasty page to check out the other prospect rankings already published.
Top Royals Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Jac Caglianone – 1B, 21 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A+) : .241 AVG | .302 OBP | .388 SLG | 2 HR | 2 SB | 20.6 K% | 5.6 BB%
I must preface this evaluation with the fact that I am lower on Caglianone than the rest of the industry. That does not mean he isn’t a good player, just more that I have concerns about the profile. Those concerns seemed to creep up during the 2024 debut season.
Cags swings at everything. His ability to still make contact as a “bad ball hitter” is extremely impressive, but that is a lot easier to do in college baseball than in professional baseball. It is something that not only limited his ability to hit for average during 2024 but also tap into his power. Pitchers in professional baseball are refined enough to attack that flaw, and if he is going to consistently chase pitches out of the zone, they will continue to attack that. For Cags to reach his potential as a power hitter, he will need to do better than a 5.6% walk rate in the low minors.
With that being said, the power is legit. You don’t hit 68 home runs in two college seasons without legit power, and his strength and athleticism will translate to professional baseball. The question is whether he will limit chase enough and improve his swing decisions enough to start doing damage on the right pitches. If Cags develops in that department, there is no ceiling on his potential. He is truly that gifted. But the reality is a 44% chase rate in college is bad, and that is against pitchers who are more likely to sell insurance than make a career out of baseball. Pitchers at the MLB level will expose every flaw a hitter has. If Caglianone doesn’t improve, he will struggle to be consistent. There will be moments, as he had last year, but it will be hard to tap into his full potential.
2) Blake Mitchell – C, 20 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A/A+): .232 AVG| .368 OBP | .424 SLG | 18 HR | 26 SB | 30.7 K% | 16.5 BB%
There were two sides to Mitchell’s first minor league season. On the good side, he showed the ability to tap into his power consistently in game. In just 111 games, he hit 18 home runs and 16 doubles. For such a young player, it is impressive to see him get to his power that frequently in game. On top of that, he showed the ability to make good swing decisions with an above-average 16.5% walk rate. When looking at what it takes to be an above-average power hitter in the game today, the ability to not swing at pitches outside the strike zone is imperative to success.
The bad for Mitchell this season is the concerns surrounding the hit tool. Not only was the batting average production less than ideal, but a 30.7% strikeout rate is concerning. That is usually a problem that does not get better as a hitter progresses through the MiLB ranks. The pitching gets just enough better that it can expose some swing flaws. But Mitchell is still so young, he has plenty of time. He played most of the 2024 season at 19 years old, and the Royals obviously trust him enough to push him to High-A. If the hit tool improves, he has the skills to be a top catcher in the league.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know
3) Carter Jensen – C, 21 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A+/AA): .259 AVG| .359 OBP | .450 SLG | 18 HR | 17 SB | 23.4 K% | 13.2 BB%
Progress isn’t always linear, but Jensen is gradually growing into his own as a prospect. When he was drafted in 2021, it was mostly due to his impressive raw power. That had not translated immediately into games, and there were inconsistencies with swing and miss and swing decisions. But this season was a step forward for Jensen. He showcased the power that many thought he had with 46 extra-base hits in 125 games including 18 home runs. He combined that with respectable walk numbers that would translate into power production at the MLB level. Sure there were some strikeouts, but that will always be a part of his game. If Jensen can continue to progress in the power department, while maintaining above-average swing decisions, his best baseball is ahead of him.
4) David Shields – SP, 18 YO
2024 MiLB Stats: Did Not Play
The 2024 draft class was a good one for the Royals. Originally one of the top draft prospects in the 2025 class, Shields’ decision to reclassify put him in a position to rise in 2024. As a northeast pitcher, he was not able to get on the mound until later in the spring, but in that time he showcased impressive stuff and athleticism that had many scouts impressed with him. The combination of age and athleticism, as a two-sport star, makes many intrigued about the potential entering pro ball. The fastball is currently up to 94, but many believe he will add velocity as he grows and matures. It plays up due to a lower release from the left side. His best offspeed pitch is a slider that has more sweep than tightness but generates a ton of swing and miss. There is a lot to like about Shields, and if he hits the ground running, he will be the biggest riser in the Royals system.
5) Ben Kundra – SP, 21 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A+/AA): 115.1 IP | 4.21 ERA | 24.2 K% | 10.8 BB%
An important combination for success as a starting pitcher is three average-to-above-average pitches with average command. That is what Kundra features. Last season he put up respectable numbers striking out almost 25% of the hitters he faced, while walking around 10.8%. As a high school draftee, it is still easy to imagine him improving his stuff. Standing at 6’3″, 175 lbs, if he can add strength and muscle to his frame, that would allow his stuff to play up even more. Currently, his fastball is 93-94, but a good offseason could see that pitch tick up. That would allow his secondaries to play even better, as they already grade out as above average.
6) Blake Wolters – SP, 20 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A): 55.2 IP | 4.20 ERA | 18.6 K% | 10.1 BB%
Visually if you pulled up to the ball park and saw Wolters on the mound, you would be impressed. He stands at 6’4″, and showcases a fastball that touches 98. It is a scout’s dream. But the production just didn’t translate in year one. On the scouting report, he has a double plus fastball and a plus slider with average command, but that translated to less than a 20% strikeout rate, and a greater than 10% walk rate. Not exactly a dominant display. With that said, the potential is still in there. The premium stuff will have to generate more swing and miss to reach his potential, but it is in there. As a 20-year-old, there is still plenty of time to continue in development, and 2025 will be a big determining factor for Wolters.
7) Noah Cameron – SP, 25 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (AA/AAA): 128.2 IP | 3.08 ERA | 27.8 K% | 6.7 BB%
2024 was a huge step in the development of Cameron. After a rocky 2023 where he pitched to a 5.28 ERA, he was impressive with a 3.08 ERA over 128.2 innings. He also showcased impressive stuff with 149 strikeouts in those 128.2 innings. Combine that with plus command, and there is obviously some swing-and-miss potential with strike-throwing ability. Cameron does not generate swing-and-miss in a conventional way. The fastball is typically in the low 90s but has some deception to it. He combines that with a change-up that is a legit plus offering. The curveball and cutter are both average, but play up due to the plus command. The stuff does not wow you, but the results show that hitters have a hard time picking it up, which is the most important evaluation tool.
8) Gavin Cross – OF, 23 YO
2024 MiLB Stats: .261 AVG| .342 OBP | .428 SLG | 15 HR | 30 SB | 24.1 K% | 10.3 BB%
The Royals’ track record of first-round picks from 2020 until 2022 was less than ideal, and part of the reason the farm system is lacking. Cross was drafted ninth overall in 2022 out of Virginia Tech and immediately dominated the MiLB. In 2022 he slashed .312/.437/.633 with eight home runs and only 33 strikeouts in 29 games. Something changed in 2023 when the production regressed a ton. 2024 was a step in the right direction, and if Cross can regain his 2022 form, his power/speed combo is something all fantasy owners should possess. If you believe in Cross, now is the time to get back in cause 2024 is his make-or-break year.
9) Steven Zobac – SP, 24 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A+/AA): 126.0 IP | 3.64 ERA | 23.8 K% | 5.6 BB%
Two above-average pitches with plus command is a good recipe for a starting pitcher to feature. During 2024, Zobac only walked 5.6% of hitters he faced with an impressive 23.8% strikeout rate. The question about how effective Zobac will be as a pitcher is the improvements in his stuff. 2022 was the first season he started solely pitching in college, and showed enough to be fourth-round pick. Can he continue to improve the quality of his secondary stuff, specifically his change-up, which would give him three above-average pitches? At worst, his mid-to-upper 90s and above-average slider would tick up in the bullpen, but the Royals will do everything in their power to develop him as a starter.
10) Drew Beam – SP, 21 YO
2024 MiLB Stats: Did Not Play
Beam is simply a solid pitcher. He throws four pitches that all flash average-to-above-average quality with above-average command. That is the recipe for a starting pitcher who just casually produces for 1o+ years but never garners Cy Young votes or national acclaim. The stuff will not wow anyone with a fastball that sits in the low 90s with above-average carry. He combines that with a changeup which is his best offering, as well as a cutter and curveball that are both effective pitches. Beam does a good job of limiting damage, by keeping the ball on the ground. The profile of just an overall solid starting pitcher in a pitcher-friendly ballpark.
11) Jhonayker Ugarte – 3B, 17 YO
2024 MiLB Stats: .299 AVG | .423 OBP | .395 SLG | 1 HR | 11 SB | 19.7 K% | 16.4 BB%
When evaluating teenage power over hit prospects, the most important things I evaluate are the swing decisions. Most of the time, the raw power doesn’t translate immediately to games but comes with maturity. But the ability to swing at strikes, and lay off pitches outside of the strikezone is something most young hitters either possess or don’t. Ugarte has showcased impressive swing decisions with a 16.4% walk rate. Combine that with impressive hit tool and bat-to-ball skills, and you start to see the roots of a potential impact prospect as the power develops. I would always see a young hitter develop in-game power last, and that is the last piece of Ugarte’s game we need to see at 17 years old.
12) Ramon Ramirez – C, 19 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (Rk): .265 AVG | .379 OBP | .459 SLG | 7 HR | 1 SB | 20.7 K% | 12.8 BB%
Through two MiLB seasons, Ramirez has put up impressive numbers. During 2023, he slashed .344/.440/.615 over 41 games only striking out 18 times and walking 21 times. This past season, he took a slight step backward in the production department. Especially worrisome are the two times of strikeouts in roughly the same amount of games. There might have been a push to hit for more power, but the power production in his first year was enough. If Ramirez can fall somewhere in the middle of his first two seasons, he is a name that is a high follow entering this season. Just his ability to hit for power at the catcher position makes him worth watching.
13) Yandel Ricardo – SS, 18 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (A/A+): .213 AVG| .330 OBP | .366 SLG | 2 HR | 14 SB | 17.3 K% | 12.8 BB%
A high-dollar international signee will always garner attention, but Ricardo’s debut season was a little underwhelming. There is a lot to dream on an athletic 6’1″, 180 lb frame with above-average raw power, but it has yet to translate to games. That doesn’t mean there are not any positives from the season. His strikeout rate being below 20% shows solid contact ability, and considering he hit .213 with a .256 BABIP, there is some bad luck from the season. Also showcasing a 12.8% walk rate shows there is a lot of maturity in the approach. As mentioned, the most important tools a teenage hitter can possess are swing decisions and contact abilities. The tools will usually translate to the game late in the development curve.
14) Javier Vaz – 2B/OF, 24 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (AA): .263 AVG| .375 OBP | .379 SLG | 8 HR | 16 SB | 11.5 K% | 14.0 BB%
Vaz showcases impressive bat-to-ball and overall swing decisions. This allows him to combine the ability to hit for a high average, and it isn’t a free-swinging hit tool, so he produces high OBP, but there is little to no power in the profile. Standing in at 5’6″, 151 lbs at 24 years old, there is not much optimism for him to grow into some power over time, but the speed is legit. For fantasy owners, Vaz could potentially be a valuable average and stolen base add, but overall the potential is limited.
15) Frank Mozzicato – SP, 21 YO
2024 MiLB Stats (AAA): 101.2 IP | 3.45 ERA | 21.3 K% | 14.5 BB%
What the Royals did in back-to-back first-round picks in 2020 and 2021 needs to be studied. The Mozzicato pick at seventh overall was widely viewed as a reach, but with proper development, no pick can be considered a reach for a first-round talent. Similar to fellow Royals first-round pick Asa Lacy, Mozzicato struggled massively to throw consistent strikes. The 2024 walk rate of 14.5% was the best of his young career. The stuff is still there with a legit plus curveball and a fastball that reaches the mid-90s with life. The Royals are under new management, and there is still hope for the highly talented Mozzicato, but if he doesn’t throw strikes his chances as a starter are limited.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the Top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players.
Hiro Wyatt – 20 YO – Two plus pitches with above-average ability to throw strikes. Could be a riser in 2025 with improved secondaries.
Felix Arronde – 22 YO – Really good in 110 IP this season. 51.7% ground-ball rate with good walk rate numbers.
Austin Charles – 21 YO – Above-average raw power and speed combo that has not translated to games just yet. Improved swing decisions.
Hunter Owen – 22 YO – Highly regarded prep arm who struggled at Vanderbilt. Legit first-round stuff.
L.P. Langevin – 21 YO – Unreal numbers in college as a reliever. Will the Royals let him start? 70-grade fastball.
Photo by ScienceGuy/Pixabay | Featured Image by Justin Redler (@reldernitsuj on Bsky/Twitter)
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source pitcherlist.com ’
