With it now being 2024, it seems like a good time to release my “Top 30 Prospects to Watch” in the Royals system for the upcoming 2024 season.
To be frank, I am not a Minor League or prospect expert by any means. There are a lot of other Royals content creators on the web who are more versed and knowledgeable about the Royals’ farm system and prospects, including those at “Farm to Fountains“.
However, I have made a “Top Royals Prospects” list every year since starting this blog back in 2019, and I wanted to continue that tradition as I enter my fifth year running “The Royals Reporter”.
In previous versions of my “Top Royals Prospects” lists, I have done more intense posts in the past where I break down certain “tiers” within my prospect list. Safe to say, I’m parting with that breakdown style this year, as I really don’t feel as confident about my knowledge of Royals prospects compared to previous years. I would rather defer to those experts, especially guys like Preston Farr, Jared Perkins, Alex Duvall, and others who regularly watch MILB.TV and probably watch more games Royals affiliates than the big league club in a given season.
Before revealing my “Top 30 Royals Prospects to Watch”, here are the criteria for those Royals Minor League players who are on my prospect list.
- You can’t have any MLB time. Thus, that eliminates guys like Nick Loftin, Jonathan Bowlan, and Anthony Veneziano for example who still have “prospect status” according to most experts.
- Prospects always come with some kind of combination of upside and risk. Some players possess a ton of upside, but a considerable amount of risk. Vice versa is true as well. I try to rank by the best combination of those two factors.
- Personal preference comes into play here. I probably value Latin American signings more than most because I like the upside of players from his background despite the risk. Some people will value a higher floor at the expense of a prospect’s ceiling (i.e. college guys). This list isn’t Gospel. It’s meant to be debated and analyzed throughout the season.
All right. Let’s get to the list and share some brief thoughts on the “Royals Top 30 Prospects to Watch” for this upcoming season.
The “Top 30 Royals Prospects to Watch” List
| Rank | Name | Position |
| 1 | Blake Mitchell | C |
| 2 | Frank Mozzicato | LHP |
| 3 | Tyler Gentry | OF |
| 4 | Cayden Wallace | CI |
| 5 | Ben Kudrna | RHP |
| 6 | Ramon Ramirez | C |
| 7 | Blake Wolters | RHP |
| 8 | Gavin Cross | OF |
| 9 | Carter Jensen | C |
| 10 | Mason Barnett | RHP |
| 11 | Chandler Champlain | RHP |
| 12 | Austin Charles | SS/UTL |
| 13 | Javier Vaz | OF |
| 14 | Carson Roccaforte | OF |
| 15 | David Sandlin | RHP |
| 16 | Emmanuel Reyes | RHP |
| 17 | Jared Dickey | OF |
| 18 | Hiro Wyatt | RHP |
| 19 | Trevor Werner | OF |
| 20 | Noah Cameron | LHP |
| 21 | Erick Torres | OF |
| 22 | Peyton Wilson | 2B |
| 23 | Spencer Nivens | OF |
| 24 | Henry Williams | RHP |
| 25 | Matt Sauer | RHP |
| 26 | Will Klein | RHP |
| 27 | Hunter Owen | LHP |
| 28 | Daniel Vazquez | SS |
| 29 | Andrew Hoffmann | RHP |
| 30 | Luinder Avila | RHP |
Five Quick Takeaways
Blake Mitchell Sits At Number One for Now: There’s no doubt that the Royals don’t have a clear-cut No. 1 prospect right now. However, I think Mitchell deserves it for now, as he possesses the most upside of any position player in the Royals system. He didn’t hit for high average in the Complex League (.147 average) but it was only a 13-game sample, and the jump from high school to professional ball right away can be tough. For context, Bobby Witt, Jr. actually posted a lower wRC+ (85) in the Complex League in 2019 than Mitchell (93) last year.
Frank Mozzicato Ranks Above Ben Kudrna: Both were selected by the Royals in the 2021 draft with Mozzicato going in the first round and Kudrna being drafted in the second round but signing on an over-slot deal. Kudrna has a great combination of stuff and control, but the strikeouts have left a little to be desired (19.2% K rate in Quad Cities). Mozzicato has control issues (18.5% BB rate in Quad Cities) but the strikeouts have come in bunches (25.3% K rate in High-A) and his frame suggests that more velocity could be on the horizon. It’s close, but I’m giving the slight nod to Mozzicato for now, though Kudrna could certainly surpass him if the Kansas prep product can generate more Ks in 2024 than he did in 2023.
Don’t Give Up on Gavin Cross: It feels like a lot of Royals fans are jumping ship on Cross as a prospect after he posted a .314 wOBA in 407 plate appearances in High-A Quad Cities. They shouldn’t. He’s got a great combo of power (12 home runs; .177 ISO) and speed (23 stolen bases on 26 attempts). High-A, especially in a prospect’s full first year, can be tough (look at the high-A numbers of Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas for context). It’s going to be a big year for Cross, but I think he’ll surprise a lot of Royals fans who may have already given up on him.
Emmanuel Reyes Is My “Sleeper” Royals Pitching Prospect: Preston of “Farm to Fountains” had a great thread on Reyes on X on January 2nd. He’s not big (6’0; 180 pounds), but he’s got a live arm and some pinpoint control. He posted a 5.9% BB rate in the Complex League and a 5.1% BB rate in Low-A Columbia. The control is there and the stuff is there, though he seemed to struggle with velocity as he went later into games. With another year Stateside and under the new pitching development program, Reyes could solve that latter issue and be a Top-10 Royals prospect by midseason.
Daniel Vazquez Is My “Sleeper” Royals Position Prospect: Vazquez had a hot April in Columbia then seemed to cool off and quickly get forgotten as a prospect of note by mid-season. The more I dove into his numbers and tape though, the more I liked. He posted a 0.58 BB/K ratio, a 42.1% FB rate, had 32 stolen bases, and showcased stellar athleticism in the field. The Royals seem to develop middle infielders well in their organization, with Witt, Michael Massey, and Maikel Garcia as success stories recently. The now 20-year-old Dominican-born infielder (he turned 20 in December) has an intriguing blend of tools that became more polished in 2023 and could become even more honed in 2024, likely in High-A Quad Cities.
Photo Credit: Angela Piazza/Caller-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
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