As mentioned in my introductory post, I will start by looking at ten Royals prospects who missed my Top-30 cut.
In some ways, I could have made a “Top 40 Prospects” watch list for the 2025 season, which would have included these ten I omitted from the Top 30. However, I didn’t want to go too deep in my prospect list for this season, especially since I am not a scout or prospect expert. I think these ten prospects are undoubtedly worthy of being followed by Royals fans this season, even if they do not closely follow the Kansas City farm system. Many prospects identified as “honorable mentions” will be in Surprise as Non-Roster invitees this spring.
The following list is not a ranking, so fans should not think the writeups are in any “ranking order.” I wrote about five position players who stood out first and then about the pitchers worth watching in the following five writeups. I haven’t identified any from this group who would move up to my Top 30 should any from that list get traded before Opening Day. Should that happen, I will write a separate post and update the rankings.
Let’s move on to the ten Royals prospects who didn’t make the Top-30 ranking but still earned honorable mention status.
Cam Devanney, SS/INF
136 G and 524 PA (AAA): .254 AVG, 19 HR, 69 R, 77 RBI, 8 SB, 0.35 BB/K
Devanney was seen as a sleeper to be added to the Royals’ 40-man roster or selected in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason. Neither happened, and Devanney returns to the Royals roster, likely to begin the year in Omaha. The former Milwaukee prospect offers some power upside and positional versatility as a middle infielder. Still, he’ll be 28 in April, and it doesn’t seem he’ll make enough contact to be a viable MLB player. He could be worth watching as a possible trade throw-in, especially since a team with lower expectations may think he’s worth a flier due to his fielding/power combo as a utility infielder.
Tyler Tolbert, UTL
128 G and 552 PA (AA & AAA): .240 AVG, 4 HR, 68 R, 41 RBI, 48 SB, 0.37 BB/K
Tolbert struggled out of the gate in Omaha and then moved back to Northwest Arkansas, where he fared much better. Unfortunately, he succeeded as a 26-year-old in Double-A, which isn’t all that impressive. Tolbert has premium tools, especially in the fielding and speed department, and he has the versatility to play multiple positions in the infield and outfield when things are clicking for him at the plate. The main question, though, will be if he can hit enough in Triple-A Omaha to be added to the 40-man roster in 2025.
Brett Squires, 1B/OF
62 G and 270 PA (High-A): .309 AVG, 9 HR, 36 R, 42 RBI, 16 SB, 0.46 BB/K
Squires was close to making the Top-30 list, but he only played in 62 games in High-A due to injury, and his AFL season wasn’t all that impressive (.222 average in 87 PA). That said, he was off to a sensational start in 2024 with the River Bandits before getting hurt, and he could be a breakout prospect for the Royals in 2025 if he is healthy. His hitting and power profile resembles CJ Alexander, though he offers more speed than the former corner infielder prospect with the A’s organization now. If Squires stays on the field and continues to mash, he could be a Top-30 prospect by midseason.
Bryan Gonzalez, 1B/OF
93 G and 364 PA (High-A & AA): .271 AVG, 20 HR, 58 R, 59 RBI, 15 SB, 0.25 BB/K
The Royals selected Gonzalez in the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft from the Red Sox, and one can understand why with his prodigious power. He hit 20 bombs in High-A and stole 15 bases, demonstrating his power and speed upside as a corner infielder/outfielder. Unfortunately, he strikes out a lot, and his low BB/K ratio illustrates that he will be a project for Drew Saylor and the Royals’ hitting development team this season.
Roni Cabrera, OF
28 G and 111 PA (CPX): .232 AVG, 4 HR, 22 R, 22 RBI, 5 SB, 0.39 BB/K
Cabrera was a throw-in to the Cole Ragans-Aroldis Chapman deal in 2023, and his first experience in the States was a mixed bag. On one end, he showcased impressive tools, power, and swagger for a teenage prospect out of the Dominican Republic who turned 19 at the end of July last season. Conversely, he didn’t hit for a high average, and his BB/K numbers left a little to be desired. Nonetheless, his profile has some upside (albeit with risk), and he should be followed closely in 2025, with a stint in extended Spring Training likely.
Emmanuel Reyes, RHP
23 G and 107 IP (Low-A): 5 W, 85 K, 0 SV, 3.62 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 2.66 K/BB
Reyes made my Top-30 last year, and I had high hopes for him due to his impeccable control. While the control remained impressive, he still didn’t generate a ton of strikeouts, as he produced a 19.3% K% in 107 innings with the Fireflies. Still, the K/BB ratio was solid, and he started strong but faded a bit as the year progressed (probably due to his stature). Reyes may be a physical late bloomer who will take time to gain size (and velocity) and respond to the Royals’ pitching development team. He should be a key starter in High-A Quad Cities in 2025.
Oscar Rayo, LHP
25 G and 84.2 IP (High-A): 6 W, 78 K, 2 SV, 2.13 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 4.11 K/BB
Rayo wasn’t on my prospect radar in 2024 before Spring Training. However, he posted impressive numbers as a key reliever for a River Bandits team that made the postseason. He doesn’t strike out guys in high quantities but minimizes damage on batted balls and demonstrates impeccable control. He shares many similarities to Angel Zerpa, though I don’t know if his stuff is as solid as Zerpa’s. Rayo does have a similar pitching approach, which makes him a bit of a sleeper in the Royals system, especially if he can build some velocity in Northwest Arkansas this year.
Beck Way, RHP
48 G and 59 IP (AA & AAA): 6 W, 65 K, 12 SV, 4.12 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 1.55 K/BB
Way was invited to Spring Training as a Non-Roster Invitee. Thus, the Royals like him, which bodes well for his outlook in 2025, even if he isn’t on the 40-man roster. Acquired in the Andrew Benintendi deal in 2022 from the Yankees, Way finally settled in as a full-time reliever last year, showcasing impressive stuff and strikeout ability as the Naturals’ closer. His control can get away from him, which explains why he hasn’t been added to the 40-man roster yet (or selected in the Rule 5 Draft). That said, if Way can harness his command a bit, he could be a sleeper reliever for the Royals late in 2025.
Jacob Wallace, RHP
45 G and 63.2 IP (AA & AAA): 5 W, 86 K, 0 SV, 4.10 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 2.87 K/BB
Wallace profiles similarly to Way, although Wallace didn’t receive that invite to Surprise. He can strike out guys in bunches, but the command can wane occasionally. While Way’s command issues result in many walks, Wallace’s equate to many hard-hit balls and runs allowed. Nonetheless, Wallace is an underrated reliever in the Royals system, and his strong K/BB ratio and 86 strikeouts can’t be ignored. He and Way could be a solid late-inning combo for the Storm Chasers in 2025.
Anthony Simonelli, RHP
43 G and 73.2 IP (AA & AAA): 5 W, 87 K, 3 SV, 2.93 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 2.90 K/BB
Simonelli received an invite to Spring Training, and the former 16th-round pick out of Virginia Tech demonstrates a solid control/command profile as a reliever. With the Naturals and Storm Chasers, he produced strikeouts, didn’t walk many batters, and kept hitters in the yard when they made contact. That’s all one can ask from a reliever, and it makes sense that the Royals would invite Simonelli to see what his pitching can do against advanced hitting. Scouts don’t rave about his stuff, and the TJStuff+ data isn’t impressive. However, he could be crafty enough to carve a long-term career in the middle innings for the Royals, starting late in 2025 or on Opening Day in 2026.
Photo Credit: Columbia Fireflies/Our Sports Central/2023
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