The Royals have added pitchers Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac to the 40-man roster ahead of today’s deadline to protect eligible players from the Rule 5 draft to be held in December. The Royals did not add pitcher Frank Mozzicato or outfielder Gavin Cross, both former first-round picks who are eligible to be selected.
Ben Kudrna is one of the top pitching prospects in the organization and could be a factor at the big league level in 2026. The Blue Valley Southwest grad posted a 4.21 ERA with 96 strikeouts in 94 innings at Double-A before being promoted to Omaha for four games to end the year. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the #7 prospect in the farm system, writing, “his frame makes him a durable and reliable rotation arm, projecting as a back-end starter.”
Steven Zobac was on his way to the big leagues after a terrific season in 2024 but he battled injuries and ineffectiveness this year, making just 11 starts for Double-A Northwest Arkansas with an ugly 7.68 ERA. But teams have made a habit of selecting injured pitchers to stash in the Rule 5 draft, and if healthy, Zobac may be close to MLB-ready.
Mozzicato was not added after a season in which he dominated in High-A, but struggled at Double-A. The 22-year-old lefty walked 75 hitters overall in 93 innings with a 5.03 ERA, and has not added the velocity needed to succeed at higher levels despite a plus breaking ball. Cross got off to a slow start this year, but got hot in the summer and hit .296/.350/.504 with 12 home runs in his last 67 games. The 25-year-old could be close to MLB-ready, and could be an attractive target for teams willing to take a gamble.
Other eligible players not added were catcher Luca Tresh, infielders Javier Vaz, Daniel Vazquez, and Peyton Wilson, and pitchers Chandler Champlain, Tyson Guerrero, Brandon Johnson, Chazz Martinez, Shane Panzini, Hunter Patteson, Oscar Rayo, Ryan Ramsey, Ben Sears, Beck Way, and Henry Williams.
The Rule 5 draft will take place on the last day of the Winter Meetings, on December 10. The Royals currently have 39 players on the 40-man roster. They can still remove players from the 40-man roster, but cannot add any more eligible players to be protected.
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