Kansas City Royals top prospects: Honorable mentions

In-depth analysis into the Royals Top 15 prospects starting with honorable mentions who just miss the cut

With the offseason in full swing and the Royals looking at ways to build off of a strong 2024, it is a great time to pull together a Kansas City Royals’ top prospect list. Last year, many considered the Royals’ farm system one of the weakest in all of baseball. That wasn’t all negative - the Royals graduated tons of top prospects, many impacting the big-league club. However the Royals indeed struggled to draft and develop some players.

Some positive steps forward in the last year have the Royals moving in the right direction. Former first-rounder Gavin Cross took positive strides and found success and the Royals had a strong 2024 draft, selecting Jac Caglianone, Drew Beam, and David Shields. The new regime truly showed its colors in that draft, and there could be some bright signs for the future of this farm system. While the farm system is far from stacked like it was in the Eric Hosmer/Mike Moustakas days, it is loaded with depth.

Let’s start the Royals top 15 prospect list with the honorable mentions that just missed the cut. These are the guys to pay attention to who are definitely top 30 prospects in the system. The Royals are loaded with many prospects who are rated 40 and 45 Overall Future Potential (OFP), so it was challenging to narrow this list and keep many of them out of the top 15.

Honorable mention hitters

SS Austin Charles

Selected in the 20th round of the 2022 draft, Charles is an athletic infielder with a 6-foot-5 frame, defensive versatility, and intriguing two-way potential. Splitting time between shortstop and third base in 2024, he showcased a strong arm and plus speed, stealing 36 bases while slashing .257/.353/.386 with 10 home runs at Single-A. Though his strikeout rate remains a concern, his patience at the plate, raw power, and athleticism give him the tools to develop into a versatile player with offensive and defensive upside.

SS Yandel Ricardo

The Royals’ top international signing in 2024 and Cuba’s top prospect, Yandel is a raw but athletic talent with exciting potential. His compact swing and solid bat-to-ball skills provide a good foundation, though he’ll need to refine his approach at the plate to tap into his projected plus power from both sides. Defensively, his range and footwork suggest he could become a standout shortstop, though he has the arm strength to handle third base if he outgrows the position.

SS Daniel Vazquez

Signed by the Royals in 2021 for $1.5 million, Vazquez is a wiry, athletic defender with standout tools, especially his glove and arm, which both project as potential plus. While his defense is impressive, with excellent lateral movement and a strong arm, his offensive game lags behind, showing some raw power and improving swing decisions but still needing more consistency and in-game impact. At 21 and Rule 5 eligible at season’s end, Vazquez has time to develop but must prove he can be more than a defense-first player to solidify his future with the Royals.

SS Jhonayker Ugarte

Ugarte was one of the top international signs for the Royals in 2024 and they signed him for $1,300,000 out of Venezuela. Ugarte had the highest ceiling out of that international class outside of the guys not named Yandel Ricardo. He’s grown quite a bit already and has shown off some intriguing bat speed. He flashed a ton of success in the Dominican Summer League slashing .299/.423/.395 with nine doubles, one triple, a home run, 20 RBI, and 11 SBs. He also walked almost as much as he struck out sporting 16.4 BB% and 19.7 K%. It’s hard to make much of DSL numbers but the performance should have you watching Ugarte as he makes his way stateside at the very least.

C Hyungchan Um

Hyungcham Um is striving to make history as the first South Korean catcher to reach the major leagues. A solid defender with good mobility and framing skills, he has the tools to handle a platoon role behind the plate, though his pitch recognition and high chase rates limit his offensive consistency. If Um can improve his contact skills and better utilize his raw power, he has the potential to be more than just a timeshare catcher in the future.

Honorable mention pitchers

LHP Frank Mozzicato

It was really tough to not put Mozzicato in the top 15, but he’s unfortunately really fallen in rankings since being drafted. Despite his plus curveball, the development of his fastball and command haven’t improved much over the years. And although he posted good numbers last year, he saw a massive dip in his strikeout numbers. The fastball still sits in the high-80s to low-90s and just lacks upside. He did develop a new slider which has helped round out his arsenal but he’s got a long ways to go in terms of improving his command and control and the efficiency of his pitches.

RHP Hunter Owen

The Vanderbilt right-hander was taken in the 4th round of the 2023 MLB Draft and he possess some serious stuff. With three above-average offerings, Owen showed some flashes in what makes him such a fun talent in 2024. His last start of the season he went 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, and 6 K’s. He struggled to rack up the strikeouts due to and he’ll need to generate more swing-and-miss if he wants to be a certified starting pitcher and not a back-end of the rotation or long-relief type. The arsenal gives you some hope but he still needs to hone in his command and improve his durability if he wants to have a major impact at the MLB level.

RHP Eric Cerantola

Added to the Royals’ 40-man roster after the 2024 season, Cerantola is a pure reliever with a mid-90s fastball that can touch 99 and a pair of plus-breaking balls. While his curveball and slider are highly effective at missing bats, his fastball command remains a major concern, with over half of his Triple-A heaters landing outside the zone. His future role hinges on improving his control, as his current struggles with strikes limit him to an up-and-down bullpen option.

RHP Kyle DeGroat

A Texas commit from New York, DeGroat is an athletic pitcher the Royals snagged late in the draft, signing him for $347,500 to bypass college. His compact arm action and low release point help his fastball play up, maintaining velocity deep into starts and reaching 95-96 MPH with a flat approach angle that generates plenty of swings and misses. While his sharp curveball and firm changeup show potential, inconsistent command raises questions about whether he’ll stick as a starter or transition to the bullpen long-term.

RHP Emmanuel Reyes

Reyes is a smaller right-handed pitcher with a live arm and strong command, consistently filling up the zone with a career 70% strike rate. While his fastball sits in the low 90s and loses velocity late, its horizontal movement generates weak contact, and his sharp curveball flashes as his best secondary pitch, though it becomes hittable as games progress. Questions about his ability to sustain velocity and effectiveness over longer outings raise concerns about his starter profile, but with added stamina or velocity, he could evolve into a reliable rotation arm or a dominant bullpen piece.

LHP L.P. Langevin

A former JUCO standout, Langevin became a fourth-round pick in 2024 after showcasing one of the most electric fastballs in the class, earning a signing bonus just under $600,000. His 92-96 MPH heater, featuring excellent horizontal movement, strong carry, and elite metrics like a low Vertical Approach Angle (VAA), grades out as a true 70 pitch and dominates hitters with a whiff rate above 45%. While his slider and changeup show potential, he’ll need to refine both to complement his fastball and keep hitters off balance as he develops into a multi-inning reliever with fast-track potential.

RHP Luinder Avila

Added to the Royals’ 40-man roster this offseason, Avila is an athletic, durable pitcher with a quick arm who is on the verge of reaching the big leagues. His arsenal includes a 93-95 MPH sinker that can touch 97, a cutter, a deep curveball, a slider, and a changeup with good movement but inconsistent command. While his control regressed in 2024, his strong showing as a reliever in the Arizona Fall League suggests he could rise quickly if shifted to the bullpen, with a potential MLB debut in 2025.

RHP Chandler Champlain

Drafted by the Yankees in 2021 and acquired by the Royals in the Andrew Benintendi trade, Champlain is a physical right-hander with a five-pitch mix. His 94-96 MPH fastball pairs well with an above-average 12-to-6 curveball, while his slider, changeup, and splitter are still developing, with the slider holding the key to his role as a starter or reliever. Champlain projects as a nearly big-league-ready back-end starter, but his fastball-curveball combination could make him an effective high-leverage reliever if he shifts to the bullpen, with a 2025 debut likely.