Gamble was the Royals' first selection in the 2025 MLB Draft, going 23rd overall, five picks before Hammond. The prep prospect was drafted out of IMG Academy, but he grew up in Iowa with an affinity for the Royals.

The 19-year-old doesn't have the raw power or batted-ball upside of Hammond just yet. However, Gamble profiles as a better athlete who not only has blazing speed on the basepaths and gap-to-gap power, but is capable of playing multiple positions in the outfield and infield. 

Looking at his scouting report on MLB Pipeline, it seems the Royals' scouting department valued Gamble's versatility and his ability to grow into his athletic frame as he progressed in the farm system.

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Gamble is a left-handed hitter with a smooth and repeatable swing with a knack for finding the barrel, controlling the zone and doing damage to all fields. As he's gaining strength, he's showing more raw power and should continue to leverage the ball and get to more extra-base authority as he moves along. He had quality at-bats last summer to raise his profile.

A plus runner, Gamble saw a lot of time in center field over the summer of 2024 and looked good there, with some evaluators leaning towards favoring him in the outfield, where his athleticism and arm strength play well. Some don't want to give up on him on the dirt, though, thinking he could be an above-average defender at second base and/or be given a shot at shortstop. The Royals announced Gamble as an outfielder on Draft Day but noted they like his range on the dirt as well, keeping open multiple avenues to him contributing up the middle.

It was tough to discern between Gamble and Hammond as to who is the better prospect in the Royals' system (especially since both have no professional experience). Hammond definitely seems to have more polish now, especially offensively, and it wouldn't be surprising to see Hammond come out of the gate better in Low-A Columbia than his fellow draft classmate. 

However, Gamble has more upside and versatility, with the ability to be an accurate multi-position weapon, which fits what is needed in the modern MLB game. That gives Gamble the edge over Hammond as a prospect, for now.