It’s been a few days since my last Top-30 Prospects post, but I’ll finally be finishing up my rankings in this article. I will probably put up a page tomorrow that will contain not just all of the individual posts I wrote relating to my Top-30 Prospects list for 2025 but also a complete list of the Top 30 and Honorable Mentions as well (similar to what I did in my 2024 Top Prospects page).
I know there’s been some Royals-related news in the past few days, including the official list of International Signings (they signed 22), the recent Minor League signing of former Tigers infielder Harold Castro, and rumors of a Starling Marte for Hunter Harvey deal that got squashed during the Winter Meetings. I will probably follow up in a “Reporter Jottings” post to discuss those items tomorrow or Tuesday.
With that said, let’s look at the Top-10 Royals prospects to watch for the 2025 season.
10. Austin Charles, 3B/SS
117 G and 481 PA (Low-A): .257 AVG, 10 HR, 62 R, 64 RBI, 36 SB, 0.40 BB/K
Charles was a 20th-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, and he went so late because he was a multi-sport athlete in high school. The Royals’ selection has paid off, as he has developed over the past two seasons in Low-A Columbia. He improved in every offensive category in 2024, continued to showcase better defense, especially at the hot corner, and was a leader on an improved Fireflies squad last season. The improvement in hitting metrics was nice to see. However, the intangibles he showed in Columbia, especially on a team with a ton of young talent, showcased the potential Charles can bring to the Royals organization as he moves up the Minor League ladder.
He may not have been drafted as the most polished player out of high school, and there is a lot with Charles’ game that still needs refinement, especially with his swing. That said, he has made strides in cleaning up those mechanics and has improved his instincts on the basepaths, as demonstrated by his stealing 36 bases on 43 attempts (compared to 12 last season). There’s much to be excited about regarding Charles’ upside, though it may take him a few more years to get to the MLB level. Then again, that was the case for Lorenzo Cain, too, and that worked out fine.
9. David Shields, LHP
No College or Professional Stats from 2024
Shields was drafted out of high school in Pittsburgh (Mt. Lebanon), and the Royals didn’t rush him to professional competition in 2024. He didn’t even play in the Complex League and spent most of his time in Surprise in instructional camp with the Royals coaching staff. That plan wasn’t the worst thing, as Shields was only 17 when he was drafted. Thus, the Royals have plenty of time to work with Shields, especially this Spring in Surprise. He will likely be in extended Spring Training before starting the Arizona Complex League competition.
Despite the lack of data, there’s a lot to like about Shields. A second-round pick, many prospect experts felt that he was one of the best arms available after the first round. He showcased a mature three-pitch mix in high school, and many scouts believe that his velocity will make nice strides as he grows into his frame. Shields is also a good athlete with an easygoing pitching motion. Furthermore, some scouts believed he had two-way player potential at the college level (he was committed to the University of Miami). Ranking Shields nine feels conservative, especially since he hasn’t pitched professionally yet. However, it’s not out of the question to think that Shields could be the Royals’ best pitching prospect by the end of 2025.
8. Gavin Cross, OF
101 G and 436 PA (AA): .261 AVG, 15 HR, 54 R, 59 RBI, 30 SB, 0.43 BB/K
Cross had a rough year in 2023. After being identified as the Royals’ top prospect by most prospect experts, he struggled in High-A ball and finished the year in the IL due to a tick-borne illness (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, specifically). It seemed like the illness affected his recovery, and he claimed that he wasn’t 100 percent until Spring Training in 2024. Fully recovered, Cross did damage in Double-A, improving in most hitting categories and showcasing a power that was mostly missing in Quad Cities the previous season. Furthermore, he demonstrated stellar defense in the field and proved an efficient base stealer, as evidenced by 30 stolen bases on 32 attempts.
Based on his strong 2024 season in Northwest Arkansas, some Royals fans may think he should be ranked higher. Cross’ MLB outlook is much more positive going into Spring Training in 2025 than a year ago. On the flip side, he’s struggled to stay healthy, as he only played in 101 games last year, 12 fewer than the previous season. Furthermore, he seems like the kind of player who could be a nice utility or fringe-starting option, but it’s hard to see him as an everyday regular, let alone a productive one. Granted, Cross proved a lot of prospect experts wrong last season, so maybe he can continue to do so in 2025.
7. Blake Wolters, RHP
14 G and 55.2 IP (Low-A): 2 W, 46 K, 0 SV, 4.20 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 1.84 K/BB
After getting drafted in the second round in the 2023 MLB Draft, many Royals fans were hyped about Wolters’ debut in Low-A Columbia. Many experts likened him to Dodgers-developed pitchers like Walker Buehler and Emmet Sheehan. Unfortunately, Wolters didn’t quite live up to the hype last year with the Fireflies, though he didn’t have a bad season.
At the surface level, there was a lot to be encouraged about with Wolters’ performance in 2024. The 19-year-old’s mechanics and pitching motion looked solid for his age. Furthermore, he posted a 4.20 ERA, had a sub-1.50 WHIP, racked up plenty of strikeouts, and didn’t look out of his league, even though he was nearly three years younger than the average pitcher in the Carolina League. The Royals also handled him delicately, limiting him to only 14 starts in his professional debut. Granted, Kansas City has seemed to handle most of their prep pitching prospects in this fashion, as evidenced by how slowly they have moved with Ben Kudrna and Frank Mozzicato. Thus, Wolters may be due for a more productive campaign in 2025 that can get him on the national hype machine again, albeit in Columbia.
6. Javier Vaz, 2B/UT
115 G and 523 PA (AA): .263 AVG, 8 HR, 80 R, 42 RBI, 16 SB, 1.22 BB/K
Vaz may not have the most upside of any player in the Top 10, but he certainly has the highest floor of any prospect in the Top 30. Drafted out of Vanderbilt, Vaz has performed at every level in the Royals’ Minor League system. That included last season in Northwest Arkansas, where he was arguably the Naturals’ best overall player, which is not easy to say with players like Cross and Carter Jensen also getting significant time around him. He also has a great, positive approach to the game, as I learned in an interview with him for “Farm to Fountains.”
Regarding the professional outlook, the 24-year-old utility player can play multiple positions in the infield and outfield and has a patient eye at the plate. He has walked more than he struck out the past two seasons, and his contact and plate discipline tools are arguably the best in the Royals system. He doesn’t have much power, as he has only hit 16 home runs in the past two seasons (between High-A and Double-A). He hits the ball hard, and the batted-ball metrics rated better last year, according to most scouts. At the minimum, Vaz can be a Nicky Lopez at the MLB level, with the opportunity to develop into something more if the power and batted-ball metrics can continue to mature in 2025 (likely in Omaha).
5. Noah Cameron, LHP
25 G and 128.2 IP (AA and AAA): 7 W, 149 K, 0 SV, 3.08 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 4.14 K/BB
After interviewing him last winter with Farm to Fountains, I’m a big fan of Cameron. Like Vaz, he has a positive outlook on the game, and it’s clear that he takes studying it quite seriously. In our interview, he talked about working with the Royals pitching development team to increase velocity and movement on his pitches for 2024. Not only did he achieve that, but he posted incredible results due to his changes and hard work.
There are not many blemishes with Cameron’s metrics from last year. He struck out batters in bunches and limited hard contact at the AA and AAA levels. He minimized his walks and demonstrated pinpoint control, as evidenced by his over-four K/BB ratio (which is insane, even against Minor League competition). Not only did he earn his spot on the 40-man roster this winter, but he is a serious candidate for the last spot in the Royals rotation, along with Kris Bubic, Alec Marsh, and Daniel Lynch IV. Cameron feels much like a Rays-developed pitcher who may not have received the most buzz as a prospect initially but is analytical and consistently outperforms expectations due to his work ethic.
4. Ben Kudrna, RHP
23 G and 115.1 IP (Low-A and High-A): 6 W, 119 K, 0 SV, 4.21 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 2.25 K/BB
Most prospect experts saw Kudrna as the Royals’ best pitching prospect going into last season. Thankfully, he lived up to those expectations and remains the Royals’ best pitching prospect heading into 2025. He increased the strikeouts in 2024 and performed well in High-A Quad Cities, posting a 3.49 ERA in 14 starts and 69.2 IP. It was more challenging for him in Northwest Arkansas, as he posted a 5.32 ERA in nine outings and 45.2 IP. However, those numbers aren’t bad, considering he was 3.3 years younger than the average pitcher in the Texas League.
His stuff and arsenal continued to develop nicely in his third season at the professional level, though his changeup remains his best pitch, according to scouts. The fastball remains a little straight, but it seems much better movement-wise than in 2023 and 2022. Kudrna has the makings of a regular MLB starter, and his profile feels similar to Brady Singer, who developed his mix in college at Florida. I am not sure Kudrna can be a top-of-the-rotation arm for the Royals, based on how his stuff and arsenal profiles now. That said, much like Singer, he can be a mainstay in the middle of a rotation, which the Royals need in the long term.
3. Carter Jensen, C
125 G and 546 PA (High-A and AA): .259 AVG, 18 HR, 67 R, 67 RBI, 17 SB, 0.56 BB/K
Jensen has garnered a ton of momentum since the mid-point of last year. Over that time, he earned a promotion to Double-A, produced solid metrics, especially in the power department (18 home runs), and not only made the Arizona Fall League but was named an AFL All-Star. Some prospect experts believe that Jensen may have a better outlook at the MLB level than Mitchell, the Royals’ top draft pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
The most encouraging improvement from Jensen last season was his ability to hit for a higher average in 2024 and in the Fall League. He’s consistently demonstrated good plate discipline and power in the lower levels of the Royals system. However, hitting .256 last year and being a threat to hit .250-.260 is a game-changer for him and his toolset, especially if he remains behind the plate defensively. Even if he doesn’t stay at catcher, he can be a productive corner infielder (I think he’s athletic enough to play third) or outfielder, with the potential to hit .250-.260 and collect 20-25 HR and 10-15 SB at the Major League level. I nearly put Jensen at two, but I would like to see how he first leverages his solid AFL campaign this spring. He may be No. 2 or even No. 1 by midseason, depending on how the top two ahead of him fare in the first half.
2. Blake Mitchell, C
111 G and 486 PA (Low-A and High-A): .232 AVG, 18 HR, 66 R, 51 RBI, 26 SB, 0.54 BB/K
Mitchell had a tremendous full-season debut, primarily spent in Low-A Columbia. Despite a disappointing start in the Complex League in 2023, he hit 18 home runs, stole 26 bases, and demonstrated a productive eye at the plate with a 0.54 BB/K ratio in the Carolina League (he did get a cup of coffee in High-A Quad Cities after the Low-A season ended). As a result, he earned George Brett Hitter of the Year honors in 2024, which goes to the best-performing hitting prospect in the Royals system.
The 20-year-old demonstrated an improvement with his bat in his first Minor League season and showed significant strides defensively. He only allowed nine passed balls in 539 innings behind the plate, a sign that he is athletic enough to handle catching as a professional. He didn’t have a tremendous CS rate (15% in Columbia), but the arm strength was rated well last year. His ability to throw runners out will improve as he hones his instincts and gets more innings at the catcher position. The main issue with Mitchell is the strikeouts, which contributed to his low average. How his contact ability fares at High-A this year could determine his prospect outlook and whether the Royals made the proper selection with him over fellow catcher Kyle Teel in a controversial 2023 Royals Draft.
1. Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF
29 G and 126 PA (High-A): .241 AVG, 2 HR, 13 R, 14 RBI, 2 SB, 0.27 BB/K
There should be no doubt that Cags is the Royals’ best prospect going into 2025. When he was drafted sixth overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, he immediately became the Royals’ best prospect, even before he took a Minor League at-bat. The numbers weren’t great in High-A Quad Cities, but the batted-ball metrics were still impressive, and many scouts pointed out that Cags was experiencing some fatigue after a long college season with Florida. He seemed to bounce back a bit in the second half of the AFL, hitting five home runs and earning a spot in the AFL All-Star game (along with Jensen). Cags primarily played DH and first base in High-A and the AFL, but he could see some time in the outfield in Spring Training. He will not pitch, which is a deviation from what he did with the Gators (giving him the nickname “Cagtani” after pitcher/slugger Shohei Ohtani).
There is a lot of “chase’ to Cags’ hitting approach, which isn’t surprising considering how “carefully” college pitchers approached him in his last season at Florida. After all, he had 58 walks to 26 strikeouts in 2024 with the Gators, which shows how “feared” he was when he was up at the plate in college. Minor League pitchers didn’t have that same respect, and there was an adjustment period for Cags in High-A and the first half of the AFL season. When he adjusted, however, he looked the part of a consensus Top-20 prospect in baseball (which he is currently rated as by most prospect experts). Cags received an invite to Royals Spring Training, demonstrating JJ Picollo’s and the Royals’ front office’s trust in him to begin the 2025 season. While he will likely start the season in Northwest Arkansas, he could be on the quick route to the Majors in the second half of 2025, especially if his hitting continues to build on what was demonstrated in Arizona this fall.
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