Gavin Cross Stands to Benefit the Most From the Trade Deadline

There may not be a hotter hitter in Omaha, and maybe the International League in general, than outfielder Gavin Cross.

The 9th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, Cross has been on fire at the plate. Over the past 30 days, Cross is hitting .340 with a 1.063 OPS in 102 plate appearances. He also has seven home runs and 22 RBI.

Last week, the former Virginia Tech outfielder had an incredible stretch in Salt Lake City against the Bees. Not only did he hit .444 with 12 hits, but he also had nine runs scored, 10 RBI, and home runs in five consecutive games. As a result, Cross was named the International Player of the Week. 

If that wasn't enough, Cross extended his home run streak to six games with a homer on Sunday in the series finale against St. Paul at Werner Park in Omaha.

Due to a slow start, Cross's numbers haven't been overly impressive in Omaha this year. In 91 games and 353 plate appearances this year, he is hitting .249 with a .736 OPS and 91 TJ Bat+. That includes 11 home runs, 48 runs scored, 40 RBI, and 21 stolen bases.

Those numbers aren't much different from what he did in Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2025.

In 114 games and 507 plate appearances with the Naturals last year, Cross hit .241 with a .704 OPS and 92 TJ Bat+. He also had 17 home runs, 75 runs scored, 64 RBI, and 23 stolen bases. A big issue for Cross the past two years has been the strikeouts. He had a 26.4% K% in 2025 with the Naturals, and he has a 27.2% K% with the Storm Chasers this year. 

That said, Cross has made some adjustments at the plate, resulting in improved performance. That was profiled in a recent piece on MLB Pipeline.

It appears that the addition of a toe tap, rather than a leg kick, was the major adjustment Cross made in late May. Here's what Cross said in the Pipeline piece.

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While on the road in late May against the Saints, Cross made a slight adjustment. The lefty struggled to fill up space through the load of his swing, and with the help of veteran John Rave, Cross added a slight toe tap, while still hovering over home plate.

"'When you play whiffle ball, how have you played it?'" Cross recounted from Storm Chasers hitting coach Bijan Rademacher. "I was like, 'Well, as a kid, I've always just kind of toe tapped.' I went into BP, and it felt alright. It didn't feel amazing or anything, but I tried it out that day. I had three or four knocks, and then I just ran with it from there. And hitting us such a rhythm and confidence thing."

 

It's been theorized that Cross adjusted May 21st and 24th. Since May 26th, the 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .307 with 10 home runs, 34 runs scored, 29 RBI, and a .912 OPS. Granted, the approach is a little free-swinging, as evidenced by a 24.5% K% and 0.30 BB/K ratio. That said, not only have the numbers been better since Memorial Day, but the Statcast percentiles have also been impressive.

When looking at Cross' percentiles from before the adjustment (left) and after (right), he has pulled the ball more in the air, is hitting the ball harder, barreling more balls, and making more contact while swinging less. That is not just a recipe for success in Triple-A but also one that could translate well to the Major Leagues. 

Thus, when will Cross see a call-up to the Major Leagues? Cross will likely get that opportunity after the Trade Deadline, when many key outfielders are moved. 

Thomas and Marte's Likely Departures Should Clear the Way for Cross

On Wednesday night before the Royals' second game against the Twins, MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Royals were going to hold onto some key players at the Deadline, including Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV, and Alex Lange. 

However, two names that weren't mentioned were outfielders Lane Thomas and Starling Marte. 

Thomas may be the Royals' best and most sensible trade chip. He's on a one-year deal and will be a free agent after this year. Furthermore, he's been performing well in his first season in Kansas City, with 10 home runs, a .325 OBP, and .721 OPS in 317 plate appearances. He doesn't hit for a high average (.229), and the barrel and K rates haven't been great this year. That said, his Statcast profile is impressive, especially for a guy who can play all three outfield positions.

As for Marte, he's been strictly limited to a platoon role, which explains his 142 plate appearances, his lowest total since the 2020 COVID-affected season. In that small sample, he's hitting just .258 with a .630 OPS, and the Statcast profile is pretty lackluster, especially compared to what he had done in the past with clubs like the Mets, Diamondbacks, A's, Marlins, and Pirates. 

Marte hits the ball hard and has been able to barrel the ball well despite the few plate appearances. However, he hasn't been able to pull the ball, doesn't walk, and doesn't launch it well enough to be effective. As a result, his 79 wRC+ ranks in the 33rd percentile, which isn't great, even for a platoon player. 

Thomas will likely be traded by next Monday's Deadline. Marte may be traded, but if he isn't, he probably will be designated for assignment.

By August 4th, the Royals should have two outfield spots open. Unless they get an outfielder from another organization in a trade return, Cross should be the most sensible candidate to get a promotion to Kansas City, especially with John Rave already up due to Vinnie Pasquantino being added to the IL.

Other outfielders in Omaha could be called up to Kansas City instead of Cross. That said, the former Hokie has the best combination of skills and upside of the current Storm Chasers outfield group. 

Does Cross Being a Lefty Hurt His Chances?

The main roadblock for Cross' promotion right now may be because he's left-handed and the Royals are flush with lefties on their 40-man roster. In addition to Rave, Josh Rojas (on the MLB roster), Brett Squires (another call-up candidate), and Abraham Toro (who's been very good in Omaha this year) are left-handed hitters. Kyle Isbel, who's on a rehab in Omaha, is also left-handed and should return soon. 

Thus, the Royals may be better served by promoting a right-handed bat, especially if Thomas and Marte, both righties, are traded away. 

When looking at his Statcast splits via TJ Stats, Cross is clearly a stronger hitter against righties than lefties.

Interestingly enough, his Pull Air% is the same against both lefties and righties, and he actually makes more contact on pitches in the zone and strikes out less against lefties. That said, in terms of exit velocity, barrel ability, launch angle, and hard-hit rate, Cross is CONSIDERABLY more effective against right-handed pitchers. 

However, Kansas City may be worrying about "splits" less during a lost season like this one. Going into Wednesday's game against Minnesota, the Royals are 45-63 with 0.2% odds to make the postseason. Yes, there will be occasions for playing the splits, which manager Matt Quatraro is prone to do (like many MLB managers, frankly). However, I think the splits matter less during a season like this. What matters most is evaluation, and Cross is a player worth evaluating. 

Cross is also worth evaluating, as he will be Rule 5-eligible again this year. He was Rule 5 eligible last year, but went unselected, mostly because teams are unwilling to pounce on a hitter in the December Draft who has an OPS under .730 in Double-A. Conversely, what Cross is doing in Triple-A feels legitimate, and it's easier for a team to give him an active roster spot and see if he can figure it out, like some recent Rule 5 success stories like Akil Baddoo and Ryan Noda. 

The Royals may not want to risk losing Cross, especially if they are not able to replace Thomas this offseason with a free-agent outfielder replacement. Outfielders Isaac Collins and Jac Caglianone seem to be set for the 2027 Opening Day roster. However, the Royals may be tempted to trade Kyle Isbel, who is good but may be limited in terms of ceiling. Cross is athletic enough to play center field and maybe platoon with a right-handed center fielder, whether in the organization or via a trade or free agency.

Cross hasn't had the best career as a prospect in the Royals system. His best season as a prospect came in 2024 in Double-A, as he hit .261 with a 114 wRC+ in 436 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he regressed in a repeat of Double-A in 2025, hitting .241 with a 92 wRC+. 

It seems like Cross is looking more like his 2024 self and at a higher level to boot.

With the Royals 18 games under .500, Kansas City needs to give Cross his chance in August or September, even if it is in a limited role. 

Interested in learning more about the Kansas City Royals' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!