Catching Up With The Royals' Top 20 Prospects A Month Into 2026 Season

[Cory Moen]

Image courtesy of © Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

A few weeks into the year, we at Royals Keep wanted to take a look at how the top-20 prospects have fared to start the 2026 season. With lots of upside and intrigue among prospects, some of these guys are players you either have already seen or will see soon at Kauffman Stadium.

Here’s a quick look at each member of the top-20 prospects and how they have looked to start the season.

1. Carter Jensen - C

Playing his age-22 season this year, Jensen has looked pretty solid, especially at the plate. He has hit five home runs in 20 games. He’s shown very good bat speed, in the 88th percentile. One potential issue is the strikeouts, as he has struck out in 31.8% of his plate appearances this season. He’s had a solid start to the year, but where he will be most valuable is at the plate; his defense has been solid as well. Like all young players, Jensen will likely have his ups and downs, but he is set up to be a premier part of the Royals lineup for a long time.

2. Blake Mitchell - C

Mitchell is playing his age-21 season, his third professional season, and is playing the early part of the year with High-A Quad Cities. He’s started off somewhat slow at the plate, but it is a small sample size, so it’s silly to get too focused on the numbers there. This will be a big year if he can show upside with the bat, or if he is more likely to take on a back-up role long term as a glove-first catcher with limited upside offensively.

3. David Shields - LHP

Shields is also playing at High-A Quad Cities, where he has pitched in 3 games, throwing 11 innings and striking out 15 batters. At 19 years old, he is still a ways from making an impact at Kauffman Stadium, but he has shown the ability early in his career to hit hitters out. He threw 75.2 innings last year and will look to build off that to continue developing as a starting pitcher.

4. Kendry Chourio - RHP

A member of the 2025 international signing class, Chourio is playing his age-18 season this year. He’s got higher octane raw stuff than Shields, throwing his fastball between 94-97 mph with a kick-change, curveball, and slider in his arsenal as well. He’s ahead of other 18-year-olds, starting the 2026 season at Single-A, starting three games and throwing 12.2 innings with 15 strikeouts to start the year.

One very exciting thing about him in his pro career is his 0.91 WHIP, which means he isn’t giving up many hits and isn't walking many batters either. There is a lot of upside, but young players, especially pitchers, are volatile. He’s likely still a few years away from the majors, but he is a prospect that Royals fans can start dreaming on in the next few years.

5. Ben Kudrna - RHP

The first prospect on this list in the upper minors, Kudrna, is starting his age-23 season with Triple-A Omaha. Unfortunately, he was moved to the injured list with right elbow discomfort after just one start and two innings pitched.

Any type of arm injury for a pitcher is concerning, so they will likely be careful with Kudrna, not wanting to make the issue worse. Kudrna is getting a second opinion on his elbow before an updated timeline is released.

6. Sean Gamble - OF/2B

The Royals' first-round pick from 2025, Gamble, was committed to play college at Vanderbilt before the Royals signed him away after drafting him 23rd overall. He’ll be playing his age-19 season this year, and the left-handed hitter showed up to spring with more strength than he had.

While his numbers through his first handful of professional games don’t jump off the page at you, the Royals believe in his athleticism and approach as a hitter. He has upside as a base stealer and the athleticism to stick in center field long term.

7. Josh Hammond - SS

The 28th overall selection in the 2025 draft, Hammond is currently a shortstop but may move to third base long term. The Royals are seeing if he can stick at shortstop before making the move. He’s playing his age-19 season in 2026, and started the year at Single-A. He’s gotten off to a hot start at the plate, playing games at both shortstop and third base. Young for the level, it will be interesting to see how he develops as a hitter and grows as a professional.

8. Ramon Ramirez - C

Ramirez signed in 2023 as part of the international signing class. He started his age-20 season this year at High-A Quad Cities, with games at both catcher and designated hitter. He’s got enough raw power to hit home runs to any part of any ballpark, and some projections show upside of 20-plus home run power down the road.

The organization has lots of catchers in the system, so Ramirez will be given time to develop both at the plate and defensively as well. His upside is as a bat-first catcher, which is something the Royals may have multiple players in the same ilk.

9. Drew Beam - RHP

Beam is a former 3rd round selection in 2024, and pitched his first professional season in 2025 at High-A. He threw 131.2 innings over 26 starts in 2025 and will look to build off that solid first year in the organization. He has started the 2026 season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas and has thrown 12 ⅔ innings over his first two starts.

He isn’t a high-strikeout pitcher, and his calling card will be his control, which will hopefully help him. He will likely move quickly if he can continue to get hitters out, even without overpowering stuff.

10. Asbel Gonzalez - CF

Another member of the 2023 international signing class, Gonzalez has stood out in his first couple of years as a professional. Playing his age-20 season, he is playing at High-A and is in the process of slowly climbing the minor league ladder.

Seen as an above-average center fielder, there are few doubts he can stick in center field long term. His development at the plate will be key to watch, as he has shown he can handle the fielding and baserunning, stealing six bases in his first ten games this season. If he can develop offensively, he could project as more than a defensive replacement and pinch-running option.

11. Yandel Ricardo - SS

The top Cuban prospect in the 2024 international class, Ricardo, signed for $2.4 million and started his professional career looking the part. His first struggles came at Single-A, where he played 50 games and posted a .547 OPS. One thing worth remembering is that he was playing his age-18 season that year, so reaching Single-A at 18 is an accomplishment.

He started this year back at Single-A. The switch-hitter is still a work in progress at the plate, but the Royals believe in him, and signs show he has untapped power if he can make better swing decisions.

Like many prospects, what role he has long term will depend on how he develops at the plate. Keep an eye on him if he can start to piece things together at the plate.

12. Felix Arronde - RHP

Signed in 2021 out of Cuba, Arronde is playing his age-22 season and started the year at Double-A. He posted a 2.80 ERA in 2025, with 128 ⅔ innings pitched. He has looked solid over his first few starts, but has given up more home runs this year than in previous years. He gave up nine home runs all last season and has given up four already this year. The hope is that he is just adjusting to the upper minors, and this isn’t a sign of issues to come. He’ll likely pitch most, if not all, of the year at Double-A, and the thing to keep an eye on is if he can tap more into swing and miss stuff, because the upside is most certainly there.

13. Luinder Avila - RHP

Signed back in 2018 out of Venezuela, Avila has worked his way up the minor leagues and made his major league debut in 2025. He started the year at Triple-A Omaha and was then recalled to the majors, where he has thrown six innings over two appearances at the major league level.

He is serving as rotation depth, but may be destined for the bullpen long term, because that is where he profiles best.

14. Daniel Vazquez - SS

An international signee in 2021, Vazquez is playing his age-22 season in 2026 and has started the year at Double-A after spending most of last year at High-A. His bat development will be key to his development this year. He profiles best as a utility infielder if his bat can develop enough, as he has been solid defensively and on the bases.

15. Steven Zobac - RHP

Drafted in the fourth round in 2022 out of Cal, Zobac was slowed by a knee injury in 2025, limited to just 14 starts. He was added to the 40-man roster prior to the Rule 5 draft, so the Royals believe in him enough not to leave him unprotected.

His strengths are in his command, and his pitches play up due to the command being as solid as it is. He has not pitched yet in 2026, but if he can show he is past the injury, he could rise up the last few steps of the minors pretty quickly. He’ll likely start at Double-A with the potential to be in the big leagues if things go as planned.

16. Carson Roccaforte - OF

Drafted in the supplemental second round in 2023, Roccaforte won the organization’s Defensive Player of the Year Award in both 2024 and 2025, which shows he has upside in centerfield long term.

He showed more power in 2025, hitting 18 home runs between High-A and Double-A. He has started this year at Double-A and hit four home runs over his first 15 games, which is a sign that the power might be here to stay. If his production continues on this trajectory, the Royals could bring him up to the majors sooner rather than later.

17. Blake Wolters - RHP

A former second-round pick, Wolters has had his ups and downs throughout his time in the minors. Most recently, he was slowed by shoulder weakness in 2025, limiting him to just 12 starts. He will be pitching at Single-A for the third year, but could climb a level if he shows he is healthy.

Still just 21 years old, Wolters has plenty of upside, and the Royals will look to continue developing him as a starter, but a move to the bullpen is possible if the shoulder issues persist. He’s looked solid over his first few starts this year, so hopefully he will continue to develop and live up to the potential that made him an early selection just a few years ago.

18. Michael Lombardi - RHP

A 2025 second-round pick, Lombardi is pitching in his first professional action this year. In 2025, he threw 42 innings and had a whopping 73 strikeouts. He’s looked very good this year, with 20 strikeouts over his first three appearances over 10.1 innings.

He’ll develop as a starter, but he did pitch out of the bullpen in college, having played both centerfield and first base as well while at Tulane. Still a long way to go developmentally, there is plenty of upside and things to be excited about with Lombardi, as he is playing his age-22 season this year.

19. Warren Calcano - SS

Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2025, the 18-year-old switch-hitter will likely move up out of the Dominican Summer League at some point in 2026. His fielding is ahead of his bat, which is not uncommon for young prospects.

Calcano has power potential, but time will tell how much he can tap into that down the road. He is returning from a shoulder injury, so how his arm strength looks will be something to watch for this year. He’s shown good speed and has upside as a baserunner as well.

20. Frank Mozzicato - LHP

A 2021 first-round pick, Mozzicato has worked his way up the minors and started the year at Double-A. He’s been a bit inconsistent in his time in the minor leagues and will look to be more consistent at Double-A after struggling after a mid-year call-up last year.

His velocity has not climbed like many thought it would, but he has an above-average curveball to go along with his 90 mph fastball and 86 mph changeup. He also started throwing a cutter this past season, so it will be interesting to see how much he throws that as well. The Royals will continue to try to develop him as a starter, but there is a real

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