Every year, a handful of players ranked outside the top 10 in their respective farm systems take meaningful steps forward to improve their stock and vault up prospect rankings. Part of the fun is trying to identify those breakouts before it happens. So today, we’re identifying Royals prospects who have the potential to make a jump in 2026.
To qualify, a player must rank outside the organization’s preseason Top 10 prospects. All scouting reports are from Baseball America’s 2026 Prospect handbook, which you can purchase here.
You can find Top 30 prospect rankings for all teams here and all breakout candidates here.
Breakout Prospects
Steven Zobac, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Average
Adjusted Grade: 35
Track Record: Originally a two-way player at Cal, Zobac turned to pitching full-time as a junior and saw his stuff jump. The Royals took notice and made him their fourth-round pick in 2022. A knee injury stymied his 2025 season and limited him to just 44.2 innings and 14 starts. While his 21.1% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate were solid, the 24-year-old was battered by opposing hitters to a .346 average and a 7.68 ERA in 36.1 innings with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Scouting Report: Zobac attacks hitters with two above-average or better pitches. His 93 mph four-seam fastball touches 96 with good life and above-average ride. In a small sample in 2025, Zobac threw his plus slider 1.5 mph harder than in 2024, and it averaged nearly 88 mph and touched 91, albeit with a lower spin rate. He shelved his changeup in exchange for an 86-87 mph splitter, but he plans to reintroduce the changeup in 2026, which should give him an offering with more separation from his fastball and slider. Zobac delivers his pitches with a simple, repeatable delivery and fields his position well. His left knee issues affected how he landed in his delivery and impacted his command in 2025.
The Future: If healthy in 2026, Zobac could move quickly. He could get to the big leagues as a leverage reliever sooner rather than later if his changeup takes a step forward.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Split: 45 | Control: 60
Dennis Colleran Jr., RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
Adjusted Grade: 30
Track Record: Despite a subpar season at Northeastern, the Royals were intrigued enough by Colleran’s triple-digit velocity to select the Massachusetts native in the seventh round in 2024. He debuted in 2025 with 22 appearances in relief for Low-A Columbia, then climbed to High-A Quad Cities and later Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Colleran yielded just one run over his last 17 innings and then performed well in the Arizona Fall League.
Scouting Report: Colleran’s best weapon is a blazing upper-90s four-seam fastball that touched 101 mph with heavy armside sink. It’s a plus-plus pitch and the best heater in the system. Early in the season, lower-level hitters geared up for the velocity better than expected, but his overall effectiveness improved once he created more separation between his fastball and secondaries. His sweeper, once 87-88 mph early in the season, now works at 85-87 with more movement and projects as an average weapon against righthanded hitters. He complements it with a plus 92 mph cutter that looks like a slider with more depth that he leans on against lefties. He rarely throws his well below-average changeup, and he also walked 12.8% of batters.
The Future: Colleran’s high-octane velocity is intriguing. He’ll need to refine his secondaries and cut his walk rates, but he has late-inning upside if he can throw more strikes.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70 | Cutter: 60 | Sweeper: 50 | Control: 30
Freddy Contreras, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Adjusted Grade: 30
Track Record: While fellow pitcher Kendry Chourio’s sensational breakout headlined the Royals’ 2025 international signing class, Contreras may not be as far behind his Dominican Summer League teammate as some expected. Contreras, who didn’t turn 17 until the final week of the DSL season, signed for $147,500 and then pitched to a 3.30 ERA with 37 strikeouts to 13 walks in 30 innings, earning a DSL all-star nod.
Scouting Report: Contreras is a lean righthander with a four-seamer that was in the low 90s early in the season, but averaged 95 mph and touched 98 by the end of the year. He commands it well and it projects as a plus offering. His 79 mph curveball has above-average potential with good spin and movement, and Contreras also has feel for an 87 mph changeup. Both secondaries generated plenty of whiffs in the DSL. Contreras is highly competitive and confident on the mound.
The Future: Given his youth, a return to the DSL would make sense for Contreras. However, the Royals haven’t shied away from aggressive assignments for teenage arms, so he very well could open 2026 in the Arizona Complex League with a solid fastball-curveball combination that gives him a high floor for his age.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45
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