Kansas City Royals Top 42 Prospects

Top Prospects Series

Below is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Kansas City Royals. Scouting studies had been compiled with data offered by business sources in addition to my very own observations. This is the third yr we’re delineating between two anticipated aid roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “position” column beneath: MIRP for multi-inning aid pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning aid pitchers. The ETAs listed typically correspond to the yr a participant needs to be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual changes are made the place they appear applicable, however I take advantage of that as a rule of thumb.

A fast overview of what FV (Future Value) means may be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview may be discovered right here.

All of the ranked prospects beneath additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the positioning gives that includes sortable scouting data for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from numerous sources) than this text and integrates each group’s checklist so readers can evaluate prospects throughout farm programs. It may be discovered right here.

Other Prospects of Note

Grouped by sort and listed so as of choice inside every class.

More Relievers
Eduardo Herrera, RHP
Yefri Del Rosario, RHP
Noah Murdock, RHP
Eric Cerantola, RHP
Mack Anglin, RHP
Emilio Marquez, LHP

Herrera is a transformed infielder who was acquired from Arizona in a deal for Nick Heath a few years in the past. The undersized 23-year-old sits 96, with a median curveball and 30 management. Del Rosario, one of many Braves prospects lower unfastened within the Coppolella scandal, is now 23 and having a bat-missing rebound after struggling in 2022. He’s sitting 95 and can flash an above-average slider. Murdock, 24, is a 6-foot-8 righty who lastly moved to aid this yr. He’s sitting 96 and flashes a 55-grade slider, however he has 30 management. Cerantola and Anglin are just like Murdock — they had been stuff-heavy faculty arms who haven’t polished their really feel to pitch in professional ball. Marquez is a diminutive lefty with a using upper-80s fastball that has missed bats by way of the mid-minors.

Notable Names
Luca Tresh, C
Brewer Hicklen, OF
Brennon McNair, 3B

Tresh has a backup catcher’s talent set apart from his struggles controlling the run sport; he’s allowed almost 90 stolen bases at an 87% success charge thus far in 2023. Hicklen, a former two-sport man, is hitting with energy at Omaha, however he appears to be like like a left field-only match on protection and isn’t making sufficient contact to carry down a long-term position. He deserves to put on a giant league uniform sooner or later this yr, although. McNair, 20, is an athletic infield prospect with a lift-heavy swing and undercooked really feel to hit.

Hit Tool Sleepers
Milo Rushford, OF
River Town, OF
John Rave, OF

Rushford is a medium-framed 19-year-old outfield prospect from Tucson who signed for simply $125,000. He’s proven precocious really feel for the zone and bat-to-ball really feel thus far on the complicated. Town and Rave are each performing as old-for-the-level hitters, particularly Town, who has one of many lowest swinging strike charges within the org.

If Only They Could Play Up the Middle
Tyler Tolbert, SS/CF
Dairon Blanco, OF
Peyton Wilson, 2B

This complete group has attention-grabbing instruments, however they aren’t nice suits at premium positions. Tolbert performs SS/CF however isn’t actually a match at both spot. He and Blanco (who lacks really feel for heart area) are each plus-plus runners who could possibly be end-of-the-bench specialists. Wilson is hitting fairly effectively and performs protection with a ton of effort, however he isn’t particularly expert.

DSL Bats
Daniel Lopez, OF
Tony Ruiz, OF
Angel Acosta, 3B
Jorge Hernandez, C/3B/1B

Lopez is a really projectable lefty-hitting outfield prospect who signed for almost $500,000. Ruiz signed for over $1 million and has huge energy, however he’s placing out at a regarding charge early on. Acosta is the alternative — he’s making numerous contact however is bodily mature. Hernandez is an attention-grabbing multi-positional defender who tracks pitches effectively and sprays the ball to all fields.

Fringe Bats
Omar Hernandez, C
Lizandro Rodriguez, INF
Omar Florentino, INF

Hernandez has plus contact charges, however he’s in his third yr of A-ball and is barely a good defensive catcher. Rodriguez’s hit software appears flimsy to me — he doesn’t even have exact bat management regardless of his early-career Ok charges. Florentino is a flexible infielder who hasn’t gotten a lot stronger in professional ball.

Below-Average Heat, One Plus Pitch
Ryan Ramsey, LHP
Ben Hernandez, RHP
Shane Panzini, RHP

Ramsey is a lefty with a plus changeup taken on Day Three of final yr’s draft out of Maryland. Hernandez was a high-profile prep signee who has had hassle staying wholesome. He’s sitting within the low-90s and has an excellent changeup. Panzini is sitting 90-92 and has an above-average slider.

System Overview

This is without doubt one of the three worst programs in baseball at current, although if we did a “young talent” rating slightly than simply the farm system, the Royals would look a lot better due to the Bobby Witt Jr./MJ Melendez/Vinnie Pasquantino group (and others) that graduated final yr. The incapacity to develop pitching has resulted in lots of excessive picks stagnating at their pre-draft talent stage. Since 2020, the Royals have spent $9 million in bonus pool house on highschool pitching and none of these gamers have made any type of leap thus far.

It’s tough to conceive of a means this method can enhance rapidly. With Aroldis Chapman already out the door, there are nonetheless a couple of veteran arms who would possibly fetch one thing earlier than the deadline, however most likely not the type of affect prospects who would elevate the general high quality of the system. It’s going to take success through the draft and worldwide novice market, and that often takes some time. The Royals do have 4 of the highest 75 picks within the upcoming draft, which is a begin.

There are some individually thrilling prospects on this org (particularly Austin Charles), nevertheless it’s largely comprised of pitchers with bottom-of-the-roster utility. It’s powerful to be assured that the arms with actual upside (anybody within the 40 FV tier and above) will truly enhance given Kansas City’s latest observe file, however as all the time, I attempt to veer away from “predicting” and towards “scouting” with these write-ups. Still, it’s way more frequent for pitchers on this system to worsen than to get higher. That place is all the time going to be topic to attrition due to harm, however the Royals have carried out beneath expectation.