Jac Caglianone headlines list of nine Royals heading to Arizona Fall League
The first-round pick will get to face some top prospects.
Royals 2024 first-round pic Jac Caglianone is one of nine players the team is sending to the Arizona Fall League, a developmental league for top-level minor leaguers considered close to MLB-ready. They will play for the Surprise Saguaros to begin play on October 7 with a championship game scheduled for November 16.
Here are the Royals prospects headed to Arizona:
Luinder Avila is a 23-year-old right-hander signed out of Venezuela who has steadily improved as he has progressed through the organization. He made 19 starts in Double-A this year with a 3.81 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings. Avila is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter, so the Arizona Fall League could be a good way to evaluate whether he is worth protecting on the 40-man roster.
Jac Caglianone was the sixth overall pick in the draft out of Florida last July. The 21-year-old left-handed bat had the most power of any amateur, but got off to a slow start in High-A Quad Cities this year, hitting .241/.302/.388 in 29 games. He spent this year playing first base, but the Royals have not closed the door on him potentially pitching, as he did with the Gators with a fastball in the upper-90s.
Carter Jensen is one of the top-hitting prospects in the organization with Baseball America ranking him #3 in the organization and MLB Pipeline ranking him #5. The Park Hill High School grad .259/.359/.450 with 18 home runs and 17 steals in 125 games across High-A and Double-A this year, and his 72 walks were third-most in the organization. A left-handed hitting catcher, Jensen brings power, speed, and a good eye at the plate, and could rise up prospect lists with a strong fall.
Brandon Johnson was a ninth-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Mississippi. The right-handed reliever made 45 appearances across High-A and Double-A and struck out 78 hitters in just 55 1⁄3 innings with a 4.23 ERA. The 25-year-old was a bit older than his competition this year, so facing Arizona Fall League batters could be a good test of his abilities.
Chazz Martinez is a left-handed pitcher who made 35 relief appearances for High-A Quad Cities, posting a 4.09 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 50 2⁄3 innings. He ended the season strong, giving up just four earned runs in his last 27 2⁄3 innings for a 1.30 ERA after July 1. The 24-year-old was originally a 17th-round pick in 2022 after pitching for the Oklahoma Sooners and will need to keep down his walks to pitch at higher levels.
Shane Panzini is a right-handed pitcher selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft out of high school in New Jersey. He pitched in 16 games for High-A Quad Cities as a starter and reliever, with a 5.29 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 51 innings, missing two months with an injury.
Anthony Simonelli posted his best season with a 2.35 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 57 1⁄3 innings at Double-A. Originally a 16th-round pick out of Virginia Tech, Simonelli is eligible for the Rule 5 draft. He’s a right-hander with a solid sweeper, but will turn 26 this December.
Brett Squires was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma and smashed 15 home runs for Quad Cities last year. He was hitting .309/.390/.481 with nine home runs and 16 steals in 62 games with High-A Quad Cities before his season ended in June with an injury. He’s already 24 years old, but he cut down on his strikeouts and shows good power for a left-handed bat.
Daniel Vázquez signed a $1.5 million bonus with the Royals out of the Dominican Republic and was ranked as the 12th-best international prospect in 2021 by MLB Pipeline. The shortstop has spent the last three seasons at Low-A Columbia, but his bat has yet to develop much. He hit .253/.353/.289 this year with no home runs and 12 steals in 74 games, missing almost two months during the summer. He is still just 20 years old but will need to develop more power to be a factor.
The Saguaros will be managed by Orioles coach Roberto Mercado. Top Guardians prospect outfielder Chase Delauter will also play on the Saguaros. Other top prospects in the AFL include Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson, Padres catcher Ethan Salas and shortstop, Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge, and White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery. You can find complete rosters here.