The Kansas City Royals’ Single-A affiliate, the Columbia Fireflies, features a handful of young talent. From pitchers to position players, three of the Royals’ top five prospects are currently playing in Columbia.
One player in particular has been turning heads and has been very productive at the plate for the Fireflies to start the season.
19-year-old shortstop Josh Hammond was selected by the Royals with the 28th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. So far this season, he is showing exactly why Kansas City took him in the first round.
Josh Hammond joins MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list
MLB Pipeline updated its Top 100 Prospects list on Wednesday, with Hammond checking in at No. 96. He joins fellow Columbia teammate Kendry Chourio, who ranks No. 79, along with catching prospect Blake Mitchell, who sits at No. 55.
Hammond has earned his spot on the list with the production he has provided for the Fireflies this season at the plate. Through 125 at-bats in 2026, he has posted a .296/.382/.480 slash line with 17 RBIs.
The infielder was drafted out of Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina. While he was drafted as a shortstop, he is also more than capable of playing third base because of his strong arm.
He spent time on the mound in high school, where his fastball reached an impressive 96 mph. According to Statcast, he received a 65-grade arm on the scouting scale.
Hammond is a very athletic infielder who stands at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds. Entering the draft, he was viewed as a high-upside prospect because of his power potential, bat and overall athleticism.
It did not take long for him to showcase his skills at the plate. In early April, Hammond recorded a four-extra-base-hit game that included his first professional home run, a triple and two doubles in Columbia’s 6-2 win.
The young shortstop is off to a hot start in his professional career and is showing why he is considered one of the top prospects in the Royals’ farm system. He will be a player to watch as he continues to work his way through Kansas City’s organization.
Add us as a preferred source on Google‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.si.com ’
