2026 Kansas City Royals Draft Tracker: Picks & Bonuses

In final rankings, Rose was ranked 30th by MLB, 18th by ESPN, and 17th by FanGraphs.

Zion Rose was a highly regarded catching prospect out of IMG Academy as a high school player. Since arriving on campus at Louisville, he's transitioned to a full-time role in the outfield. Rose slid a little early in the season due to missed time with injuries, but has since returned to his typical, productive self. At the plate, Rose has a direct right-handed swing with strong bat-to-ball skills. He is particularly adept at making out-of-zone contact, possibly a dangerous combination for him, as it's paired with a higher chase rate than you'd like to see. Rose has above-average power, too, backed by good bat speed. There's an opportunity to get into this more in-game, as he doesn't yet pull the ball much in the air. Defensively, it's likely a corner outfield spot. Rose has above-average speed and a solid glove. In 36 games in 2026, Rose managed a .417/.491/.646 line with 6 home runs (20 XBH), an 11% walk rate, an 8.7 K%, and a 147 wRC+.

Kansas City selected Taylor Rabe, a right-hander pitcher from the University of Mississippi with their Competitive Balance A. Round selection. The slot value for that draft position is $3,190,500. Rabe spent all three seasons of his collegiate career at Ole Miss and was a part of the 2024 National Championship team. 

Rabe made 11 starts in 2026, posting a 3.55 ERA in 76 innings pitched with an excellent strikeout rate of 34.2%. Along with his stellar strikeout rate, Rabe walked just 15 batters in his 76 innings pitched. Here's what our MLB Draft expert Jamie Cameron had to say about Rabe.

Taylor Rabe is a 6’5, right-handed pitcher for Ole’ Miss, who has been a significant late riser on draft boards down the stretch of the 2026 season. After blowing out his elbow in his senior year of high school, he made it to campus and spent his 2024 season recovering from TJ surgery. Rabe transitioned into a starting role in 2026, after functioning primarily as a reliever his sophomore season. He logged a career high 76 innings in 2026, posting a strikeout rate of 34.2%, while managing a 3.75 FIP, an excellent mark given the quality of the competition he faced regularly. Rabe has an excellent fastball that sits 95-97 mph but has touched triple digits. It’s primarily complemented by a cutter (86 mph), a slider (82 mph), and a changeup (87 mph), giving Rabe a solid four-pitch mix with which to transition into pro ball. There’s excellent strike throwing here. Rabe walked just 4.9% of hitters in 2026. That’s actually up from 2025 (2.5%), and he gets good extension down the mound. There’s a ton of starter traits here, and I like Rabe a ton to polish up his arsenal and optimize his approach with an offseason in a pro system under his belt. The arrow is firmly up here.

Rabe will join a Kansas City pitching system that includes its No. 1 overall prospect, Kendry Chourio. The Royals' farm system also includes pitchers such as left-hander David Shields and right-handers Ben Kudrna, Drew Beam, and Steven Zobac. Overall, 17 of Kansas City's top 30 prospects are pitchers, a number that will likely stay the same when Rabe enters and knocks someone out.

The Kansas City Royals selected Jack Slightom with the No. 56 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. The slot value for that selection is $1,721,700. Slightom is a Cincinnati Bearcat signee but is likely to sign with Kansas City rather than taking the college route. 

A three-sport athlete, Slightom wasn't serious about full-time baseball until his senior season. He certainly locked in and showed his potential, posting a 7-0 record with a 0.38 ERA, the best in all of Illinois high school baseball. Here is what our draft expert Jamie Cameron had to say about Slightom.

Jack Slightom is a cold-weather arm out of Illinois, currently committed to Cincinnati, who has surged up draft boards towards the end of the cycle. A projectable righty at 6'4, 200 pounds, he's made strides in the last 12 months and should flourish in a pro system after splitting time between baseball and football in high school. Slightom has some interesting release traits with a lower arm slot and above-average extension. It's a run and ride fastball that has been as high as 98 mph, but will likely sit in the 93-95 mph range, a significant step forward from his junior year. Slightom's primary breaking pitch is a sweeping slider that could use more firmness. He's also shown capacity for a changeup with tumble and fade.

Slightom is the second pitcher selected by Kansas City in the first round of the draft, joining Ole Miss right-hander Taylor Rabe. Slightom will join a top prospect list that already contains 17 of its top 30 as starting pitchers.

If the fastball velocity can be paired with the offseason command, Slightom has a chance to rival the success that the Royals front office expects Rabe to have.

Maxx Yehl thrived out of West Virginia's bullpen as a 2023 freshman and again in 2024, but Tommy John surgery cost him 2025.

Back in 2026, the 6-foot-6 lefty seized his first shot at starting, became the Friday night ace, won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year, and clinched the Mountaineers' first College World Series berth. Yehl is known for his durability post-injury, having thrown a 124-pitch complete game against the University of Kansas on May 8th.

His fastball has hit 96-97 mph, backed by an above-average slider up to 87. Late-season fatigue is understandable post-surgery. A strong strike-thrower and competitor with limited starting experience, he could stick in a rotation—or fall back on his fastball-slider combo in relief.

In the fourth round, the Kansas City Royals selected Dominic Battista, an outfielder from Oswego East High School in Illinois. Selected 119th overall, Battista is committed to the University of Illinois-Chicago. 

Battista missed some time due to a hamate injury, but he's been widely hailed by scouts for his toolsy and athletic profile. Here's what Prep Baseball said about him back in a write-up last August. 

Quote

A lean athlete standing at 6-foot, 157-pounds, the left-handed hitter was a big winner during the workout portion of the event; running a 6.57 60, reaching 90 mph from the outfield, and averaging 92.2 mph off the bat (T99 mph) during batting practice. He has a hitterish presence in the box, shows an advanced understanding of the strike zone, and showed minimal swing and miss in the zone. A willing and aggressive base-stealer, Battista also grabbed five bags in the three games during the event. To round out his stellar performance, Battista continued to play advanced defense in centerfield that our staff has become accustomed to seeing in the past. A high-level player who could garner pro interest next spring.

Battista will be a project of sorts, as he is currently 18 and won't turn 19 until October. Prep Baseball ranked him the 6th-best player in Illinois and the best outfielder in the state as well. The Royals are now done for the first round, having made all four of their picks. A complete review of Day 1 of the MLB Draft will be posted on Royals Keep later this evening. 

To lead off Day 2 of the MLB Draft, the Kansas City Royals selected left-handed pitcher Ethan McElvain with the 151st pick. McElvain was the closer for the Arkansas Razorbacks and posted a 1.88 ERA, a 1.02 WHIP, and a 4.23 K/BB ratio in 38.1 IP and 20 appearances. He also collected six saves.

McElvain was a transfer from Vanderbilt, where he had an uneven career. In his first year, he posted a 3.24 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 25 IP. However, in his sophomore year, he posted an 8.89 ERA and 2.16 WHIP in 27.1 IP. Command was a problem for McElvain with the Commodores, as he posted K/BB ratios of 1.93 in 2024 and 1.61 in 2025. His improvement in his K/BB ratio in 2026 shows his maturity and development as a pitcher. 

The 21-year-old lefty is a power arm with a fastball in the upper 90s and a power cutter. He will likely move quickly through the Royals' farm system and could push for a spot in the Royals' bullpen in 2027 or 2028. 

In the sixth round of the draft, the Royals selected Justin LeGuernic at 180th overall. LeGuernic is a left-handed pitcher from Clemson. The slot value for the pick is $367,600. He is unranked on DiamondCentric's Consensus Draft Board and ranked 220th by MLB Pipeline.

Here's MLB Pipeline's pre-draft analysis of LeGuernic:

"Part of a deeper-than-usual New York prep pitching crop in 2023 that also included Brewers supplemental first-rounder Josh Knoth and future North Carolina ace Jason DeCaro, LeGuernic deflected interest from pro clubs to attend Clemson. He logged an 8.62 ERA in his first two years with the Tigers before cutting that mark to 4.69 as a full-time reliever as a junior. Scouts believe he has a lot of untapped potential, so he could go a few rounds earlier than his performance might indicate.

LeGuernic owns one of the more unhittable sliders in the college class, a mid-80s breaker with high spin rates and huge sweeping action. His fastball operates in the mid-90s and touches 98 mph with carry and armside run, though right-handers crush it more than they should. Both pitches added 3-4 mph this spring. He doesn't have much faith in an upper-80s changeup with mild fade that he can't land in the zone often enough to tempt hitters.

Working from an extremely low arm slot gives LeGuernic deception as well as sweep on his slider, though it also hampers his control and command. His quick arm and 6-foot-4 frame have some scouts wondering if he could succeed as a starter in pro ball, though he'd need to do a better job of locating his pitches and refine his changeup. It's more realistic to project him as a slider-happy reliever who can carve up left-handers."

Kansas City grabbed another pitcher in the seventh round, selecting Dylan Vigue at #209. Vigue is a right-handed pitcher from Georgia. The slot value for the pick is $289,900. He is unranked on our Consensus Draft Board and ranked 201st by MLB Pipeline.

Here's what MLB Pipeline has to say regarding Vigue:

"Scouts have been trying to figure out Vigue since his days as a Massachusetts high schooler, when he could be unhittable at times and unable to find the strike zone at others. That pattern continued in two years at Michigan, where he went undrafted as a sophomore-eligible in 2025. After switching schools, he has had an up-and-down season as Georgia's No. 2 starter and missed a turn in the rotation in late April with forearm tightness.

Vigue gets more horizontal separation between his fastball and slider than almost any pitcher in the college crop. His 93-95 mph sinker reaches 98 with significant armside run, while his mid-80s slider has huge sweep in the opposite direction. He has utilized those two offerings 95 percent of the time this spring, rarely using a low-90s cutter and upper-80s changeup.

Vigue generates plenty of swings and misses with his slider and weak contact with his fastball, but he has great difficulty landing either pitch in the zone on a regular basis. He rarely works past five innings, running up high pitch counts when hitters lay off his slider or he can't command his sinker. He has a strong 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame and a delivery that should provide more strikes, giving hope that he can add a third pitch and succeed as a starter in pro ball, but realistically, he's more of a reliever."

In the eighth round, the Royals selected Hunter Possehl, their fourth pitcher of the day, at #239. Possehl, towering at 6'8", is a left-handed pitcher from Florida Gulf Coast University. The slot value for the pick is $233,400. He is unranked by both DiamondCentric and MLB Pipeline.

In two seasons at FGCU, Possehl had a 4.14 ERA and 1.506 WHIP in 87.0 innings pitched. He tossed 67.1 of those innings in 2026, where he had a 3.21 ERA and 1.322 WHIP. His 2026 performance was rewarded with Second Team All-ASUN honors.

In the ninth round, the Royals broke their streak of taking pitchers, selecting Camden Johnson at #269. Johnson is a shortstop out of national champion Oklahoma. The slot value for the pick is $207,900. Johnson is unranked on our Consensus Draft Board, but is ranked 116th by MLB Pipeline.

Here's MLB Pipeline's write-up on what could be a steal by Kansas City:

"Johnson's athleticism and potential to play shortstop could make him the first player drafted from Oklahoma's national championship team. A transfer from Wichita State, he's one of the few Sooners whose performance didn't drop precipitously in Southeastern Conference action. He's one of the twitchiest and fastest players in the college ranks.

Johnson displays a good feel for the barrel from the left side of the plate, but chases too many non-fastballs out of the zone. He doesn't miss strikes and employs a line-drive approach. He has average raw power and is driving the ball more than ever, but he hasn't shown much pop with wood bats in summer leagues and may top out at 10-12 homers per season.

A consistent plus-plus runner, Johnson can get from home to first in less than four seconds at his best and is an accomplished basestealer. He shows average arm strength at third base, where his fluid actions lead to the belief that he could handle shortstop in pro ball after seeing occasional action there for the Shockers. He also could become a dynamic center fielder or valuable super utilityman."

It did not take long for the Royals to go back to another pitcher, selecting Grant Fontenot at #299. Fontenot is a right-handed pitcher out of LSU. The slot value for the pick is $195,600. Fontenot was unranked by both DiamondCentric and MLB Pipeline.

Fontenot spent two seasons in Baton Rouge, preceded by one season apiece at McLennan Community College and Texas. In his three NCAA seasons, Fontenot registered a 4.10 ERA and 1.531 WHIP in 48.1 innings pitched. In 2026, he clocked a 4.18 ERA and 1.577 WHIP in 32.1 innings pitched.

In high school, Fontenot was ranked the No. 1 prospect in Louisiana by Prep Baseball Report.

Griffith, a left-handed hitting outfielder, played three years at Saint Mary's, where he hit .300/.450/.437. This past year, he hit at an even better rate, with a 1.022 OPS, and he hit five home runs. He hit three in his first two years of college. He's also shown the ability to steal some bases as well, stealing 43 bases over his three years at Saint Mary's.

He announced that he transferred to TCU, but the Royals will look to get him to start his professional career and forgo his final year of eligibility. Griffith will add to the outfield depth, as he played all three outfield positions while in college.

Hartley pitched at the College of Central Florida, where he pitched in five games, giving up six earned runs over 16 innings pitched while recording 22 strikeouts. He previously committed to play next year at the University of South Carolina, which was one of two division one offers he had after this past year.

He pitched in the 2024 MLB Draft League. He throws a mid-90s fastball and a low-80s slider. He also throws a changeup and a curveball.

Unfortunately, he is currently rehabbing for Tommy John and has reopened his recruitment, so the Royals will look to have him pitch starting in 2026 at the professional level instead.

Hill pitched out of the bullpen at Nicholls St this past season, appearing in 17 games, throwing 20 innings, recording 19 strikeouts, and giving up only three runs. In 2025, he had less success in the rotation, pitching in 15 games with 10 starts. Hill previously pitched at Northeast Texas Community College prior to the last two years at Nicholls State.

Hill has a lot of emotion on the mound as well, which makes for a fun player to watch.

Listed as a catcher, Wickersham has played all over the diamond, including some time on the mound. He has thrown in the mid-90s on the mound. He also played quarterback for his high school football team. He is committed to playing collegiately at the College of Charleston.

Clement, son of former MLB pitcher Matt Clement, played for the Hokies for three years, where he pitched both in the rotation and as a reliever. In 2026, he pitched in eight games, five starts, and threw 13 2/3 innings while striking out 13, walking nine, and giving up six earned runs. He missed most of the season with an arm injury, which is never a great sign for a pitcher.

He pitched this summer in the Cape Cod League, where he pitched 12 1/3 innings over four appearances. While the 6.57 ERA might not look great, he struck out 18 batters in that time, so he showed the ability to strike hitters out on the Cape.

Alonso pitched this past year with Troy, mostly out of the bullpen. He threw 49 1/3 innings and struck out 60 hitters over that time. He also had a high walk rate, walking 32 in that time period as well. He pitched at Middle Tennessee State University his freshman year before pitching at Columbia State Community College in 2025.

He has a mid-90s fastball that has touched 96 mph and an above-average curveball that sits 83-84. He was part of a pitching staff that helped Troy make a College World Series appearance at the Division I level for the first time in program history.

Roman has pitched the past three years at Houston, where he has improved year over year. In 2026, he pitched in 13 games, starting four, where he threw 30 1/3 innings, recording 31 strikeouts with a 3.86 ERA. His control was suspect this past year, walking 13 and hitting eight batters in those 13 appearances.

He just turned 21 last week, so he will be pitching his age-22 season in the first full season of his professional career in 2027. His fastball has reached as high as 97 mph with a splitter/sinker that sits 88-92. He also throws a curveball and a changeup.

Corkrean was thrown out of the Lobos bullpen this past year, recording four saves across 21 appearances. In those appearances, he had two starts, throwing 59 innings with 59 strikeouts. He was second-team All Mountain West in his one year with the Lobos.

Prior to pitching at New Mexico, he pitched for Galveston College for two years. His fastball tops out in the low-90s.

He entered the transfer portal after the 2026 season, originally committing to Houston but then flipping his commitment to Kentucky.

The University of Alabama commit has a deep repertoire, including a four-seam fastball, a two-seamer, a cutter, and two breaking balls. His fastball has reached 98 mph. He was part of a state championship team his sophomore season in high school. He was limited on the showcase circuit last summer, but he bounced back as one of the best pitching prospects in the Midwest.

It will likely take more than the $150,000 to convince DeVaughan to forgo his college commitment. His parents were both athletes at the University of Florida, and his dad, Derek, was drafted in the 23rd round of the 1997 MLB draft by the Toronto Blue Jays.

MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 138th-best prospect in the 2026 draft. He projects to have more velocity to come, so that is an intriguing thing to keep an eye on going forward as well. If he doesn't sign, he will be draft eligible again in 2028 as a sophomore.

McDonald, a JUCO product, pitched mostly out of the bullpen, with 21 appearances and five starts. He threw 63 2/3 innings, where he recorded 58 strikeouts. He entered the transfer portal at the end of the season and committed to Liberty University.