Kansas City Royals 2026 Top Prospect Ranking: #11-15

On Saturday, we looked at the 16th through 20th-best prospects in the Royals system. That included a couple of post-hype pitching prospects, a recent draft pick and international signing, and an outfielder coming off a solid AFL campaign.  

In part 2 of Royals Keep's Top-20 Prospects rankings, we will look at the 11th through 15th-best Royals prospects. That includes a pitching prospect limited in 2025 due to injury, a shortstop who also played well in the AFL, an international pitcher who made his MLB debut last year, an international pitcher who needs to be added to the 40-man roster this year, and a talented Cuban shortstop prospect who had a bit of a rough debut in Low-A ball.

15th: Steven Zobac, RHP (Highest Level: Double-A)

Zobac came into the 2025 Minor League season with plenty of hype.

The former Cal product pitched in Spring Training with the Big League club, and he was coming off a solid 2024 campaign in which he logged 126 innings across High-A and Double-A. In that sample, he posted a 3.64 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.03 FIP, and 23.8% K rate. As a result, he was seen as one of the organization's best pitching prospects going into 2025.

Unfortunately, things didn't go quite to plan for Zobac in 2025.

He got off to a rough start with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, landing on the IL on April 16th with right knee patellar tendonitis. He eventually returned to the mound with the Naturals, but he wasn't the same. In 11 starts and 36.1 IP, he posted a 7.68 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, and 5.68 FIP.

On a positive note, he still posted a decent strikeout rate (21.1%) and K-BB% (13.1%).  When he was locked in, the 2022 fourth-round pick showed why he was seen as a dark-horse pitching prospect in the Royals system at the conclusion of the 2024 season. 

Conversely, Zobac struggled with the long ball. He gave up a HR/9 of 1.98 and a HR/FB rate of 16% with the Naurals last season. For context, in 55.1 innings in Double-A in 2024, his HR/9 was 0.65 and his HR/FB rate was 6.8%. 

The mechanics and control are there for Zobac to be an end-of-the-rotation type at the Major League level. While he doesn't have an elite offering, his three-pitch mix (fastball, slider, changeup) is solid, sporting decent shape and upside.  The main issue is command, which regressed heavily in 2025. 

Perhaps Zobac can put his injury issues behind him, recapture that command, and be the pitching prospect he was back in 2024. 

14th: Daniel Vazquez, SS (Highest Level: Double-A)

Vazquez was a top international signing in 2021, but the Royals have moved him slowly in the farm system. He's currently 21 years old and eligible for the Rule 5 Draft in December. However, he hasn't advanced beyond High-A ball (he reached Double-A at the end of last season, but it was only a five-game sample).

That said, the Dominican-born infielder is trending in the right direction development-wise. 

In 105 games and 463 plate appearances, Vazquez slashed .260/.336/.349 with a .685 OPS. He only hit one home run, but he scored 55 runs and stole 26 bases, making him a possible leadoff or bottom-of-the-batting-order type at the Major League level. He also showcases Gold Glove-caliber defense that can move around at any position in the infield.

In fact, his profile feels very similar to Maikel Garcia's at this age, which is a positive sign for his development. Garcia didn't hit for tremendous power initially, but it developed as he put on weight and received more advanced coaching and development as he moved up the Royals' system.

Vazquez showed what he could do this fall in the Arizona Fall League, when put on a bigger stage and playing alongside better prospects in the game. He led the Saguaros in at-bats with 79 and slashed .329/.459/.468 with a .927 OPS. He also hit two home runs, collected 21 RBI, stole 11 bases, and posted 19 walks to 20 strikeouts, a BB/K ratio of 0.95.

The 21-year-old infielder was one of the most impressive prospects in Arizona this fall, showing some power not just with home runs, but plenty of hard-hit, high-exit velocity batted balls as well. 

After a strong campaign with Surprise this fall, the Royals will likely add Vazquez to the 40-man roster this spring. The hope with Vazquez is that he can do damage in Double-A ball in 2026 and perhaps make his MLB debut on Opening Day in 2027. 

13th: Luinder Avila, RHP (Highest Level: MLB)

Due to a plethora of injuries, the Royals promoted Avila to the Major League despite posting a 5.23 ERA in 53.1 IP. However, as with pitcher Stephen Kolek, Royals fans learned to take pitching stats in Triple-A with a grain of salt.

In 13 appearances and 14 innings of work, the Venezuelan righty absolutely thrived out of the Royals' bullpen, primarily in mop-up duty. He posted a 1.29 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, a 2.14 FIP, and a 28.6% strikeout rate. The 24-year-old showcased stellar command, posting a 17.9% K-BB% and allowing no home runs in his 13 appearances. 

His strong sample, though small, wasn't just luck either. Avila's stuff and repertoire profiled extremely well, based on TJ Stuff+ metrics. 

Avila posted an overall TJ Stuff+ of 102, and his curveball was his best offering with a 104 TJ Stuff+ and a 60 grade. His primary offering not only generated a 47.7% whiff rate but also a 32.8% chase rate and an xwOBACON of .336, all promising marks. When located effectively, his curveball could make hitters look absolutely silly, like Robert Hassell III of the Nationals.

The reason why Avila isn't ranked higher is that it seems like his ceiling is as a reliever at this time. While he can start, which he did in Omaha (nine starts), his stuff profiles much better in shorter stints. Therefore, it's hard to think of Avila as a Top-10 prospect when he won't hit the century mark inning-wise in a season.

That said, the upside with Avila as a reliever is promising. He showed in 2025 that he not only has late-inning, high-leverage potential, but also perhaps closer potential. Carlos Estevez is entrenched as the Royals' closer in 2026. However, if Avila can make progress at the MLB level in 2026, with more outings in high leverage, he could make his case to be the Royals' closer as soon as 2027. 

12th: Felix Arronde, RHP (Highest Level: High-A)

Every season, it seems like the Royals add a pitcher who's a bit under the radar to the 40-man roster. Last season, it was Avila. A couple of seasons ago, it was Angel Zerpa. A season before that, it was Carlos Hernandez. The Royals' front office knows which arms to add to the roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft.

Arronde could be that next "sleeper" arm added to the 40-man roster who could make an impact at the Major League level sooner rather than later. 

The 22-year-old Dominican righty pitched with Quad Cities last year and thrived as one of the River Bandits' best starters. In 26 outings (24 starts) and 128.1 IP, he posted a 2.80 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He wasn't a strikeout artist by any means, as he only sported a K rate of 19.5%. Thus, it's not a surprise that his 3.87 FIP was nearly a full run higher than his ERA. That said, Arronde showcases solid control (2.40 K/BB ratio), limits the longball (0.63 HR/9), and has an intriguing frame that could help him get better as he gets older and grows into it.

When watching him pitch in clips, he has the profile of a Miami Marlins pitching prospect, which isn't a bad projection, especially considering the success of Sandy Alcantara, Eury Perez, and Edward Cabrera at the Major League level. Arronde has also received high marks from scouts not just for his long frame, but also for his competitiveness on the mound, as noted in his scouting report on MLB Pipeline.

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With some strength now in his 6-foot-3 frame, Arronde’s velocity has steadily increased and sits 93-94 mph. But he can lose velocity late in the year as he struggles to keep weight on, thus leading to more hard contact on the pitch. What makes Arronde so interesting is his low-to-mid-80s split-finger changeup, a plus pitch that disappears under bats at the last second. He can land it for strikes, generate weak contact and get swing-and-miss on it. Arronde is also working on a low 80s slider that has a chance to be average or above. His clean delivery from a high three-quarters slot lends itself to throwing strikes.

Arronde gets high marks for his tenacity and competitiveness on and off the mound. He’s still young with more strength needed and more development to go, but the split gives him an interesting profile as someone to keep an eye on. If his third pitch improves, he has potential as a back-end starter, but the splitter would certainly play in the bullpen.

 

If the Royals don't add Arronde to the 40-man roster, he likely will be utilized in a trade or selected in the Rule 5 Draft, even if he hasn't pitched above High-A ball. That's how talented the right-hander is and the upside he possesses. 

11th: Yandel Ricardo, SS (Highest Level: Low-A)

Ricardo was the Royals' top international signing in 2024, as the 17th-best prospect in the class, according to MLB Pipeline, and signed for $2.4 million. The Cuban shortstop received high marks from scouts for his athleticism, strong contact skills, and a projectable frame that could lead to more power in the future, especially once he reached the MLB level.

In 45 games and 196 plate appearances in the DSL, he only hit .213 with a .696 OPS. However, he posted a 0.74 BB/K ratio, hit two home runs, and stole 14 bases as a 17-year-old. He transitioned that first taste of professional experience to the States in 2025. He did much better in the Arizona Complex League after a full offseason and Spring Training with the Royals development team.

In 33 games and 145 plate appearances in Arizona, Ricardo slashed .342/.438/..533 with a .971 OPS. He also hit two home runs, scored 26 runs, collected 21 RBI, and stole 17 bases. Without a doubt, the 18-year-old was the best player in Arizona for the Royals by a considerable margin, which helped him earn a promotion to Low-A Columbia later in the season.

It was a more humbling experience for the teenager in low-A Columbia. In 88 games and 345 plate appearances, he slashed .212/.279/.268 with a .547 OPS. He didn't hit a home run, and he saw his BB/K ratio go from 0.51 in the ACL to 0.32 in Low-A. Conversely, he stole 14 bases in 17 attempts and demonstrated solid defense in the field. 

The roadblocks Ricardo saw in the Carolina League aren't anything to panic about. Vazquez also saw similar struggles in his first exposure to full-season affiliated ball. Furthermore, Royals fans saw what Ricardo was able to do initially in 2025 after a slow start in the DSL in 2024. 

With a new hitting coordinator hire on the horizon (Drew Saylor was let go at the conclusion of the 2025 season), Ricardo will likely be a priority for the new hitting development leadership. If they can tap into the Cuban infielder's full potential, then they could have an All-Star on their hands who could give the Royals long-term stability in the middle infield. As a teenager, however, he carries a significant risk and could easily burn out if he doesn't make the necessary adjustments at the plate in the near future. 

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!