When an organization drafts and develops a player like Bobby Witt Jr., it’s easy to overlook some of their mistakes—and the Royals have had many of them over the years. However, the Major League team is good. Besides Witt, other young players are contributing significantly: Makiel Garcia, Vinnie P., Kyle Isbel, and Cole Ragans, to name a few.
The best news is that more talent is brewing. Their first-round pick, Jac Caglianone, should move through the system quickly and provide significant raw power. Gavin Cross appears to have righted the ship and had a great season. He could easily see Kansas City in 2025. A little further away is the 2023 first-round pick, Blake Mitchell. He’s showing power and speed from the catcher spot.
There is also surprising depth in the system that could provide trade bait over the off-season if the Royals need to shore up their pitching. It’s a solid season, and if you’re a Royals fan, you have to like the setup.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Jac Caglianone
- Biggest Mover: Gavin Cross
- Biggest Disappointment: Frank Mozzicato
- Emerging Prospect: Yandel Ricardo
1. Jac Caglianone (1B, #6)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 1B
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: Huge raw power with a chance to hit for 30+ home run pop. He has length and chase in his swing, so strikeouts could be a problem.
Jac Caglianone was the best two-way player in the draft. He’s power on the mound and power in the batters’ box. While the Royals love the potential on the mound, they are developing him as a hitter. If he can’t hit, moving him to the bump will be the fallback position.
His carrying tool is his 80-grade power, as evidenced by his 34 home runs and .868 SLG in his draft year in college. However, his swing is long and will expand the strike zone. He only struck out 9% of the time in college. While it was only 29 games, he posted a solid 20.6% strikeout rate in Low-A.
Caglianone’s upside is a classic power-hitting first baseman or corner outfielder with pressure on his batting average. However, it could come with 40 home run pop. The profile reminds me of the Giants’ Bryce Eldridge.
2. Blake Mitchell (C)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He has excellent bat speed but expands the strike zone too much. He’s athletic and should provide stolen bases early in his career.
The Royals drafted Blake Mitchell in the first round in 2023 and signed him to a below-average bonus (per slot). The good news is that this gave the Royals additional funds to sign players later in the draft, and with a draft as deep as it was in 2023, that could work out well for the Royals in the long run.
Mitchell had an excellent first entire season in the minors. He showed power and speed in 106 games in Low-A, hitting 18 home runs and stealing 25 bases. He also hit .238 and struck out 30.5% of the time. His struggle to make contact stems from his inability to pick up spin on breaking pitches. It caused him to expand the strike zone. Things could get worse as he faces better pitching.
While it was only five games, the Royals promoted him to High-A to end the season, and he struck out seven times. The 2025 should be revealing.
Mitchell’s power and speed are intriguing, but if he posts a 30% strikeout rate, it will pressure his batting average. He did walk a lot, which could give him enough on-base skills to profile as a Top 15 catcher in baseball.
3. Gavin Cross (OF)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF with risk
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He finally started to control the strike zone better in 2024. There still is a 20-20 player lurking.
Gavin Cross finally started to show the type of hitter he was when the Royals drafted him in the first round in 2022 (Pick #9). He reduced his strikeout rate meaningfully (24%) and did not expand the strike zone as much (10.3% BB-Rate).
His swing is short to the ball, and his excellent bat speed should translate into 20+ home run future power. He’s a well above-average runner, but his speed will likely fade as he fills out. The talent is there for him to become a 20-20 player, particularly early in his career.
Hopefully, he will build on his bounce-back season in 2025, and if he does, he could see Kansas City sometime in the second half.
4. Carter Jensen (C)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He showed more power in 2024 with above-average speed. He’s a plus defender who controls the strike zone well.
The Royals had Carter Jensen repeat High-A in 2024, and things went much better. He showed more power and became more aggressive at the plate, hitting ten home runs in 84 games. After the All-Star break, he was promoted to Double-A.
There could be something here. He’s a plus defender and is athletic enough to steal some bases (11 in 2023, 17 in 2024). He has an excellent understanding of the strike zone, and if he continues to hit the ball with authority, he could be a starting catcher at the highest level with some sneaky fantasy value.
5. Austin Charles (3B)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF with extreme risk
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s highly athletic with plus bat speed but needs time to develop his raw hit tool.
Austin Charles was drafted in the 20th and final round of the 2022 Draft as a raw but athletic high school shortstop. The Royals had him repeat Low-A for the 2024 season, even though he was not completely overwhelmed in 69 games at the same level in 2023. He’s not showing much power yet, and there is plenty of swing and miss in his game, but the bat speed, the running ability, and quick twitch athleticism are all there. He’s a project with tremendous upside. If you’ve decided to invest, you will need to be patient. It’s the definition of a high-risk, high-reward player.
6. Ben Kudrna (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 60 SP
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: Solid stuff highlighted by a plus slider.
Ben Kudrna was the Royals’ second-round pick in 2021 and repeated High-A to begin the 2024 season. His results were solid but far from spectacular. He struck out a batter an inning and walked four per pine. After the All-Star break, he was promoted to Double-A and posted better numbers.
He has a three-pitch mix with a fastball that will touch 96 MPH, with his slider being his best out pitch. He has the size you want to pitch at the top of the rotation and still has room to fill out to add more velo. You can see a mid-rotation starter if you squint, but he’s more likely a back-of-the-rotation starter.
7. Blake Wolters (RHP)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP with upside
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: His stuff is still raw but has the size and mechanics to develop into a mid-rotation starter.
Blake Wolters was the Royals’ second-round pick in 2023. He made his professional debut in 2024 in Low-A, and given how young he was, he pitched well. In 55.2 innings, he pitched to a 4.20 ERA, striking out 7.5 per nine while walking 4.0 per nine. He did have his worst outing on July 11, and after the start, the Royals moved him to their development camp. He did not pitch the rest of the season. I don’t know if they were limiting his innings or were concerned with something they saw. He never hit the IL.
He has a solid fastball-slider combination, with his fastball touching 96 MPH (92 to 94 average). He doesn’t throw his change-up enough, but I think it will develop into at least an average pitch over time. His delivery is a simple, over-the-top release, and given his size (6-foot-4), he’s going to be tough to elevate. I like his delivery a lot and believe he’ll be able to repeat it and eventually throw consistent strikes. If it all comes together, he could be a mid-rotation starter, maybe a little more.
8. Ramon Ramirez (C)
- Highest Level: Complex ETA: 2027-28 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher with extreme risk
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He has plus raw power and a feel to hit. However, he’s very young and still learning to play the catching position.
Ramon Ramirez was a small international signee by the Royals in 2023. He had a terrific season in the ACL, slashing .265/.379/.459 with seven home runs. His carrying tool is plus raw power that could translate into 20+ home run pop.
The Royals were trying to find a defensive home and moved him behind the plate shortly after signing him. The evaluations are mixed at this point. If he can stay behind the plate, there is enough feel to hit and power to project as a full-time regular. If you decide to invest, remember that he just turned 19 in June and is at least four to five years from seeing Kansas City.
9. Yandel Ricardo (SS)
- Highest Level: DSL ETA: 2027-28 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 SS with extreme risk
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s athletic with a solid understanding of the strike zone and plus speed. There’s plenty of bat speed, but he needs to get stronger.
The Royals signed Cuban Yandel Ricardo for $2.4 million in January 2024. The switch hitter was one of the elite talents signed in the International League. He’s athletic with plus speed but needs to get stronger as he beat everything into the ground in his debut in the DSL (53% ground ball rate). He did show solid contact (17.3% K-Rate) and was not overly aggressive at the plate (12.8%). If it all comes together, he should hit, hit for above-average power with a chance to steal 20 bases annually.
10. Peyton Wilson (2B)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder
- Last Updated: 11/01/2024
- Tools Summary: He controls the strike zone with plus speed and average power.
Peyton Wilson slashed .228/.338/.380 with 14 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 120 games in repeating Double-A. At 5-foot-8, he’s not a big guy with a swing built more for doubles power than over-the-fence power. He also played exclusively at second base but is athletic enough to play short, so a role as a utility player could emerge.
His ability to control the strike zone and get on base will bring him to the big leagues. He feels a little like Adam Frazier, but with some swing changes, he could add more power, become a full-time regular, and help fantasy managers.
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