3 tempting prospects the Royals could showcase on the trade market this winter

When it comes to this year’s major league playoffs, the Kansas City Royals and their fans are on the outside looking in, their mutual hopes for venturing deeper into the postseason than last season dashed by key injuries, a final record barely above .500, and offensive issues that won’t go away. But there’s light at the end of this October tunnel — it won’t be that long before the World Series winds up and the offseason trade and free agency extravaganzas begin.

Expect the Royals, whose roster requires some repair but not wholesale reconstruction, to actively pursue helpful trades and free agents. Especially in the outfield, a defensively serviceable but offensively weak area, should general manager J.J. Picollo be nothing less than aggressive.

But it will take one of two valuable commodities, if not both, to corral the kind of offensive boost this club needs. Picollo and principal owner John Sherman must be prepared to sacrifice talent in trade, or considerable cash to lure free agents to their small market. And while Sherman may be ready to sign a big check or two, his is a franchise not likely to stray far from its traditional preference for trades.

Who might Picollo have in mind to dangle as trade bait? Don’t expect him to move any of the team’s big names, including breakout catcher Carter Jensen or potential superstar, but so far disappointing, Jac Caglianone. But Picollo has some appealing prospects with whom to tempt other clubs this winter.

Promising Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross could attract attention

The Royals have several minor leaguers, including star prospects David Shields, A.J. Causey, Blake Mitchell, and Carson Roccaforte, they must treat as untouchable. That group doesn’t include, however, Cross, who’s good enough to be considered close to major league-ready, but hasn’t reached “hands off” trade status.

What Cross has that Picollo can offer is a good bat. Although it disappeared for a time this season when he opened with a .182 AVG in April and an even worse .152 AVG in May, he hit .291 the rest of the way and finished his Double-A season with 17 homers and 64 RBI in 114 games.

His home run power, which had much to do with the Royals grabbing him with their first pick in the 2022 amateur draft, has improved annually. And he’s speedy, averaging over 25 steals over the last three seasons.

Because he hasn’t seen a Triple-A pitch yet (but certainly will in 2026), Cross won’t be a truly viable solution to Kansas City’s soft outfield bats until at least late in the coming season … and that’s not soon enough for a club whose playoff aspirations require getting help before then.

But if the Royals choose not to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft to keep him, he should be an attractive trade chip Picollo can include in a package designed to induce a good trade.

The Royals may want to shop Frank Mozzicato

Mozzicato had barely turned 18 and had no college experience when Kansas City rolled the dice and took him in the first round of the 2021 draft. Yes, he’d no-hit prep opponents four straight times that season and had a show-stopping curveball, but his fastball wasn’t great and he had filling out to do.

Five seasons later (remember, the draft occurs during the regular campaign), Mozzicato’s progress has been slow. His career 12-30 certainly isn’t stellar, the 7.46 he put up over 17 games at Double-A Northwest Arkansas this year took much of the glitter off the seven-game 1.24 ERA with which he started the campaign at High-A Quad Cities, and the 6.43 career BB/9 he’ll lug into next season is too high

How, then, can Mozzicato be considered decent trade ammo? It’s simple — his curveball is too good to ignore. And because he’s only 22, he has plenty of time to improve every other aspect of his skill set.

So it is that other clubs may make a pitch for Mozzicato. More than one may want to see if a change of scenery might propel him to stardom. And because he’s Rule 5 Draft-eligible this winter, and the Royals may want to protect players closer to the majors than Mozzicato, they could be tempted to trade him for more value than the $100,000 compensation they’ll be due from any team that drafts him.

How about a Royals deal involving Javier Vaz?

Clubs looking for a valuable utility player ought to call Picollo and ask about Vaz. Drafted by KC in the 15th round of the 2022 draft, he’s made a name for himself by getting to Double-A in just his second professional season, swinging a decent bat, and displaying knacks for getting on base and piling up steals.

Vaz’s numbers tell the tale. After breaking in the same season he was drafted, he has a serviceable .256 career average highlighted by the .279 he posted across High-A and Double-A in 2023. The .360 OBP he had at Northwest Arkansas this season is the “lowest” of his career, and his four-year .371 clip helps explain why he’s reached base often enough to average almost 24 stolen bases over the last three campaigns.

Vaz has occasional, but not frequent, power (20 homers in four seasons). Primarily a second baseman, he’s seen considerable action in left field and some in center and at shortstop.

Vaz won’t be enough to swing a star major leaguer in a one-for-one deal, but he could be a key component in a multi-player package, especially if the Royals decide to leave him exposed for the Rule 5 Draft.