Age: 24 Erick Pena, OF Without further ado, your 2021 preseason prospect rankings: Honorable Mention - Adam Lukas, RHP, 100 mph fastball - John Rave, CF, toolsy, needs to hit - Grant Gavin, RHP, ++ spin, lots of K's, lots of BB's - Omar Hernandez, C, up and coming stud #50: Emmanuel Rivera, 3B I've been waiting a long time to see Emmanuel Rivera put it all together. 24. Khalil Lee, OF , 3 | Travelers 8 #NWANaturals 3 pic.twitter.com/qct4Lv1GDU, NW Arkansas Naturals (@nwanaturals) July 15, 2021, 8. Austin Cox, LHP (January rank #11) Entering the Top 30 this year are 17-year-old shortstop Daniel Vasquez, whom the Royals signed during the international signing period this year; right-hander Will Klein, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft; and right-hander Samuel Valerio, who burst onto the scene at fall instructional camp with a 102-mph fastball. Age: 20 The Royals acquired the former Mizzou star and first-round pick from the Yankees last summer for Benintendi, but left him unprotected for the Rule 5 draft this past winter. Way shows good velocity in the mid-to-upper-90s and has a decent breaking ball, and while I think theres a decent chance he ends up as a good reliever, he has performed well as a starter in the minors so far. 11 prospect Beck Way in July Tonight, Way struck out career-high 10 in 8 no-hit innings in High-A pic.twitter.com/tvup0u9Iyp. Itll be Penas power bat with solid contact skills that carries him to stardom. This season, weve seen Khalil Lee traded to the Mets, Nick Heath to the Diamondbacks, along with Grant Gambrell and Luis De La Rosa being shipped off to Boston in the Andrew Benintendi trade. He has a good amount of swing and miss in his game, but hes adept at getting a key extra base hit when needed. 50. Age: 25 Matias is a former Top 100 prospect and arguably a cautionary tale about lower-level strikeout rates, as he hasn't K'd less than 35% of the time since 2017, though his 70-grade power should enable the 23-year-old to play upper-level pro baseball, or abroad, for many years. Catchers with superb defense have value. So uhh.this Alec Marsh kid is pretty good. Isbel is more a high-floor type of prospect, but should be a serviceable corner OF (likely LF) at the MLB level. 2021. :@ColaFireflies pic.twitter.com/EBB8Q4w8rC. Ford's Classic run, poise impress on, off field. Acquired: 2015 Amateur Free Agency April 2, 2023. His results have been mixed with decent strikeout numbers but high walk totals in Low-A. Shane Panzini, RHP (January rank N/A) As with most teams, if not all, some drafts have been better than others. Maikel Garcia, SS4. Highest Level: Double A With a mature frame with command, Kaufman should remain a starter, albeit in an organization flush with starting pitcher prospects. He shouldnt need much time to make it to a bench role, and possibly more. Bubic remains barely prospect eligible after a decent rookie showing in the Bigs during the 2020 season. The Royals continue to stockpile talent, as the championship run of 2015 fades further into the rear-view mirror. A knee injury ended his 21 season early, but he quickly showed it wouldnt affect him in 22. Highest Level: Rookie Tyler Gentry, OF (January rank #26) 21. With a high OBP, he is a terror on the basepaths. Zach Haake, RHP (January rank #37) Sign up to receive our daily Morning Lineup to stay in the know about the latest trending topics around Major League Baseball. Good control will give him an outside chance at viability. Waters has always had tools, but couldnt figure it out in the Braves system. Current Level: MLB. He needs to stay healthy and pitch a complete season to set his pathway. 44. 45. 46. Depth Types. 40. Age: 21 Who should be higher? He should be ranked above a lot of these guys who made the list. Kansas City Royals Top 50 Prospects (2023) January 28, 2023 Adam Halpin AL Central, General, MiLB, Royals, Top 50 Lists 8 Kansas City Royals Top 50 graphic design by Michael Packard, @CollectingPack on Twitter In a couple of fairly significant moves, the Royals traded two projected regulars in Michael A. Taylor and Adalberto Mondesi. Nate Handy Prospect Rankings 1/22/2021 As we prepare for the season ahead, the Pitcher List staff will be creating profiles for every fantasy-relevant player for 2021. Age: 24 His upside is limited given his advanced age, however his ability to play outfield and infield is something the Royals covet. Doing so should allow his fastball to reside in the mid-90s, pairing it with a 12-6 curveball that tends to miss a lot of bats. He possesses good power, good feel to hit, and plays stellar defense. The Royals were busy last season adding prospects in trades, and plenty of new names are on the list this year because of that. April 3, 2023. Kowar also had a 3-game cameo for the Royals that didnt yield desirable results, however thats no reflection on his 2021 minor league campaign. Id look for him to study those starts and come out with much better results in his first full season. 16. 5. Lacy was the best LHP in the 2020 Draft. Age: 25 I suppose he could become Whit Merrifield, but right now he looks like an okay utility infielder you keep on your bench. Age: 24 At nearly 4 years younger than the average AA age, Yefri is more than holding his own for the Naturals. Now that hes another year removed from his injury, perhaps he can get back to being a strike-thrower with a solid 93-95 mph fastball and curve. The 2020 #MLBDraft prospect is among @jimcallisMLBs top performers from the game: https://t.co/LyvbjCEPtg pic.twitter.com/n4ulSX01Y7, MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 23, 2019. One of three high school pitchers the Royals picked early in the 2021 draft, Panzini made his pro debut at Low-A Columbia in 2022. Angel Zerpa, LHP (January unranked) Delvin Capellan, RHP 22. The power/speed combo is still present with now a little better likelihood that he uses his versatility in a utility role at the highest level. The lefty hitter will turn 25 in May and you could see him as a useful reserve outfielder in Kansas City at some point this year, but I wouldnt expect much more than that from him. Kowars changeup is one of the best in the minors, which allows his high-velocity, but straight, fastball play up. If you want a reminder on what OFP (Overall Future Potential), we wrote something up in the offseason about it. Out of anyone in the Royals farm system with at least 50 innings pitched, he led them all in strikeout-to-walk ratio with 99 strikeouts and just 16 walks in 65 2/3 innings. Another local product out of Park Hill HS, he has the ability to stick behind the plate and possesses premium exit velocity with his bat. Age: 26 The first professional season has been a good one for the outfielder from the University of Alabama. Gavin Cross, OF (MLB No. Age: 22 Raised in the Midwest, and with lots of baseball. Highest Level: High A Current Level: Low-A. Look for him to continue to lock down the 8th inning in front of Greg Holland. He came to the Royals and immediately hit, even after joining the big leagues. He has a rocket for an arm - he was good enough to be considered as a pitcher - and likely profiles at third base long-term. pic.twitter.com/Uns5DEEYu7. Still, I like his power potential and his plate discipline, and the 23-year-old could be one to watch this year. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, https://www.prospects1500.com/author/royals004/. The Royals Review top 30 Royals prospects list, Royals lose 4-0 in less time than it takes to watch the first disc of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Special Edition, Royals Rumblings - News for April 18, 2023, 3 Royals minor leaguers enjoying a strong start to 2023. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). That leads to our brand new scouting report pages that contains their reports from the preseason. He was ranked too low in January and is rocketing up organizational rankings thus far in 2021. Age: 23 The ability to control the baseball will determine his success. A lot of Royals fans didnt like the team reaching for Mozzicato for the #7 pick in the 2021 draft, myself included, but the young lefty out of Connecticut has showed some promise early on. While its clear there is a great amount of talent-building ahead of them to become viable, the Royals are still in great position at the minor league levels. Players in parentheses have the same grade. I think there is a pretty significant drop-off in prospect quality at this point, with everyone either having some red flags, coming off injury or a poor season, or is so far away from the big leagues it is difficult to project performance. He has excellent control , which will allow him to continue to develop as a starter. Ben Kudrna, RHP 3. 27. Zerpa is good. Highest Level: High A His mechanics were out of whack because of a knee injury, and he had a minor surgery to fix the problem this offseason. 2. Edward Olivares, OF Alec Marsh, RHP Seuly Matias, OF (January rank #25) *Clicking on the players name allows you to view their Baseball-Reference page*, 1. The Royals went underslot with Mozzicato to get Kudrna in the second round, so the two will always be linked in the minds of many fans. Panzini is an older high school player without much more physical projection left; at nearly 17 K/9 with an ERA under 1, you simply cant argue with the results. Acquired: 2019 Draft, Rd 4, Pick 109 5. With a move off of 1B, the Royals appear to be trying Cancel out at 2B. Still in need of more seasoning, Isbel still profiles as a high-floor solid contributor for a 5 year stretch in the majors. Speaking of redemption, Pratto has mashed the baseball throughout 2021, earning a nod in this years Futures Game. K rate is down (-1.5%) and BB rate (+1.3%) is up for the college lefty out of Mercer. Erick Pena, OF (January rank #3) More to explore : McConnell will likely move off of SS, and his plate discipline needs plenty of work. Philadelphia Phillies 2021 Mid-Season Top 30 Prospects Prospects Live Prospects Live Staff Top Prospect List, MiLB This is the midseason Top 30 Prospects update with new rankings and OFP where needed as well as new draftees. The cousin of Alcides Escobar, Garcia has a present solid hit tool, speed, and good defense. Jensen started the 2022 season in Columbia, a good sign for a very young prospect. Age: 18 Current Level: AA. Many guys can throw mid to upper 90s in the minors, but its Lacys desire to dominate and his work ethic that sets him apart. I feel like Gentry should be getting a bit more love from prospect lists, but I suppose his age (hell turn 24 in February) is likely keeping him from getting more recognition. 24. Hes not quite the free-swinger Whit was in the minors, and he did smack 16 home runs in 2021, although Im a bit skeptical of his power. He is definitely one to watch. Bobby Witt Jr., SS (January rank #1) Top 30s:ALW: HOU | LAA | OAK | SEA | TEXALC: CLE | CWS | DET | KC | MINALE: BAL | BOS | NYY | TB | TORNLW: ARI | COL | LAD | SD | SFNLC: CHC | CIN | MIL | PIT | STLNLE: ATL | MIA | NYM | PHI | WSH. Highest Level: Rookie Hes a fastball/slider pitcher who can get his heater in the mid-to-high-90s. He debuted on the Royals' top 30 prospects list at 20th overall, three slots behind first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Tyler Gentry, OF (January rank #26) Age: 22 Current Level: High-A The first professional season has been a good one for the outfielder from the University of Alabama. Age: 24 This is the midseason Top 30 Prospects update with new rankings and OFP where needed as well as new draftees. He didnt play much his first season after signing, and while he mashed with 14 home runs for Quad Cities in 2022, he was a bit old for High-A. The versatile fielder isnt a glove-only prospect; he has a good feel to hit with 10-15 homers at peak. April 6, 2023. Current Level: AA. The lefty dominated in High-A, where he was old for his level and struggled upon joining the Royals in Double-A. If hes healthy, we could see some significant improvement from him and he could move quickly, otherwise, this may be the last season on a prospect list for the 24-year-old. 50. 15. Acquired: 2017 Draft, Rd 2, Pick 73 While Esky was a free-swinging ambush hitter, Garcia has a walk rate of 10.7 percent in the minors (Garcia has already drawn more walks in 379 minor league games than Esky did in 782 career minor league games). Nick Pratto, 1B Nick Loftin, 2B/SS (January rank #8) Current Level: AA. Shortstop (Bobby Witt Jr., Nicky Lopez, and Adalberto Mondesi), catcher (Salvador Perez and. Hes young for AAA Omaha, where the Royals will give him another shot to show he can compete for attention in a Royals system that is flush with pitching. 47. The Royals have some young studs ranked among their best prospects, but they also have a number on the verge of the Majors. Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2022 preseason list to the 2023 preseason list: Jump: Tyler Gentry, OF (2022: 29 | 2023: 8)No Royals prospect took a bigger step forward than Gentry in 2022. Projected ranking in 2022: 20-25. This feels like a make or break year for Matias. He has some speed in his skillset, as many Royals prospects do, but he doesnt hit enough or possess stellar defense to keep him on the field. Carlos Hernandez, RHP Acquired: 2015 Amateur Free Agency Control, and an excellent changeup allow him to rack up the strikeouts. He has a plus glove in center and a strong arm, so he can at least provide some defensive utility, but the upside with his bat is likely pretty limited. Age: 21 January 9, 2021 Free shipping for many products! Highest Level: Rookie Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor The Arizona Complex League just got underway, so well give Candelario a pass on his lackluster results through his first dozen games. Tillo led the minors with a 63.7% ground ball rate in 2019. The Crimson Tide product has a nice blend of power, speed, and hit. Age: 19 Here's whose lists appear so far: Here's the composite ranking: Rank Composite Points 1 Gavin Cross 8 2 Maikel Garcia 20 3 Tyler Gentry 26 4 Drew Waters 30 5 Cayden Wallace 33 6 Highest Level: Rookie Scott Blewett, RHP Jonathan Bowlan, RHP Acquired: 2017 Draft, Rd 1, Pick 14 40. Acquired: 2016 Draft, Rd 29 Age: 26 Current Level: AA. GRAND SLAM. 18. Age: 22 Peyton Wilson hit his 11th home run of the season earlier today. Acquired: 2020 Draft, Rd 3, Pick 76 Hit: 55 -- Gavin Cross, (Maikel Garcia, Lizandro Rodriguez)Power: 55 -- Gavin Cross, (Cayden Wallace, Tyler Gentry, Carter Jensen, Luca Tresh)Run: 70 -- Diego HernandezArm: 65 -- Wallace (Peyton Wilson)Defense: 60 -- Maikel Garcia (Drew Waters, Diego Hernandez, Daniel Vazquez)Fastball: 75 -- Steven CruzCurveball: 60 -- Frank MozzicatoSlider: 60 -- Beck Way (Asa Lacy)Changeup: 60 -- Asa Lacy, Noah CameronControl: 55 -- Jonathan Bowlan (Noah Cameron), How they were builtDraft: 18 | International: 6 | Trade: 6, Breakdown by ETA2023: 8 | 2024: 10 | 2025: 10 | 2026: 2, Breakdown by positionC: 2 | 1B: 0 | 2B: 3 | 3B: 1 | SS: 3 | UTIL: 1 | OF: 5 | RHP: 11 | LHP: 4. But to get to where they want to be, the Royals will have to rely on their young talent, just like they did in their 2014-15 run to the World Series. Michael Massey HR #9. He had a solid season in Double-A, hitting .270/.354/.422 with 12 home runs and 24 steals, but struggled after a promotion to Triple-A. Current Level: High-A. Top 100 prospect Julien called up by Twins April 12, 2023 Rising lefty picking up speed -- and not just in a car April 9, 2023 Where the Twins' Top 30 prospects are starting season April 4, 2023 Meet the 'Regulators' of Twins camp March 24, 2023 Prospect can't wait to come back across river March 21, 2023 More Prospects News I didnt quite get the selection of Loftin at the end of the first round of the 2020 draft, and I still dont quite see the upside in him now. A bit of an undersized starting pitcher, the results are not small, as Parrish sports 11.6 K/9 with a 55:11 K:BB ratio in 42 2/3 IP. Will Klein, RHP (January rank #41) Where the Royals' Top 30 prospects are starting season April 4, 2023 Royals' farm gets boost from Draft bats March 20, 2023 No. March 3, 2023 by MLB.com - Kansas City Royals Leave a Comment Who do the Royals have in the pipeline? Here's a look at the Royals' top prospects: 1. I dont really see this guy very high on prospect lists and I have to wonder why. Its more likely he finds a role in the upper minors that gets the occasional call-up as an injury replacement. pic.twitter.com/UMatRBjAAP, Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 21, 2020. Royals Farm Report (@RoyalsFarm) July 11, 2021 Tier 4 23. Baseball America had Tresh pegged as a second-round talent, but the Royals scooped him up in the 17th round of the 2021 draft when he fell due to signability concerns. While the Royals have drafted well, Im sure the fan base would trade every single prospect on this list for another World Championship. He hit for good power at Arkansas and had some good exit velocity metrics, but hit just two home runs as a pro. Hes a long ways away, so I cant project him on the 40 man as of now, but that could change with continued growth in 2021. I was pretty big on Marsh when he was drafted, but the pandemic and injuries have really prevented him from getting off to a good start to his pro career. Samuel Valerio, RHP 9. Acquired: 2018 Draft, Rd 1, Pick 33 Staumont has taken hold of a high-leverage spot in KCs pen. Arrow still points up, though. Rays enter 2023 with deep, talented system. He has the look of a mid-rotation arm or possible late inning bullpen piece. With lack of control being a problem, its more likely than not that Haake transitions to the bullpen. 6. Current Level: High-A. McConnell is playing at a level that is a year below his current age, so the underwhelming results at Low-A are a cause for concern. Nick Heath, OF MJ Melendez, C (January rank #15) The Royals were fast out of the gate, owning baseballs best record at one point. Look for Heath to get some playing time as a platoon outfielder this year in Kansas City. Bullpens require flamethrowers and Hernandez certainly fits that bill with his premium velocity fastball and high strikeout rate. Rays prospect duo enjoying taste of the big leagues. Regardless, Garcia brings a good approach to hitting, has good speed, and is a plus defender, so even without power he could be a solid shortstop. Highest Level: Low A Age: 19 48. Strictly a bullpen arm, the lefty is knocking on the door for another shot in the big league bullpen after previously unsuccessful auditions in 2019 and 2020. Age: 24 Highest Level: College Charlie Neuweiler, RHP. Acquired: 2018 Trade (Dodgers) The ninth overall pick in last Junes draft, Cross is pretty much the consensus top prospect in the farm system. Where the Rays' Top 30 prospects are starting season. He made nine starts in Double-A last year, but the strikeouts werent there and his walk rate spiked. 26. The Royals youth movement made its way to Kansas City last year, with 21 rookies appearing in a game and 13 players who made their Major League debuts in 2022. Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor Current Level: MLB. Age: 23 Age: 24 Garcia is the cousin of former Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar, and while they are both above-average defenders, that is probably where the comparisons end. I lean heavily on other lists from those that have actually seen these players. 20. Jackson Kowar, RHP5. Age: 25 Hes the Royals No. 10. Acquired: 2016 Amateur Free Agency Hell never be confused with fellow Royal, Salvador Perez, from a hitting standpoint, but hell play well enough behind the dish to be a big league backup. The hesitance around such a profile allowed a consensus top-30 overall prospect in James Wood of the Nationals to fall to the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft and Spencer Jones to "fall" to the Yankees at 22nd overall. 33. Highest Level: MLB Yefri Del Rosario, RHP (January rank #13) Jackson Kowar, RHP Age: 23 Josh Staumont, RHP Tier 5: Players who are worth keeping an eye on, but likely to never make a teams 40-man roster. Current Level: AA. On the taller side for a shortstop at 6-foot-3, Merrill showed a promising mix of discipline and an all-fields approach in the early stages of his career and took those to the next level everywhere he played in 2022. Acquired: 2018 Amateur Free Agency Michael Massey, 2B Born in Arizona. 11. When Im not writing about baseball or purchasing my next baseball card, I can be seen coasting down the highway to yet another travel baseball tournament with my wife and son. The Royals need Bobby, MJ, and Vinnie to step up and be stars, Being good wont bring back playoff glory, Baseball America has their Royals prospect list, Keith Law will be out with his Royals list tomorrow, power potential has only increased since joining the Royals. pic.twitter.com/QQSMmEuw2G. Age: 24 His first Low-A triple, featuring Ben Kudrna and Frank Mozzicato. 3 K. pic.twitter.com/DUxZ5cDAKn, Royals Farm Report (@RoyalsFarm) May 15, 2021, 17. Acquired: 2020 Draft, Rd 1, Pick 32 Age: 19 Kansas City Royals 2021 Top 50 Prospects January 9, 2021 Michael Kelley AL Central, General, MiLB, Royals, Top 50 Lists 0 Graphic design by John Stewart, @jonance on Twitter The Royals continue to stockpile talent, as the championship run of 2015 fades further into the rear-view mirror.