Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May: Justin Lamkin, LHP

When it comes to identifying the Minor League Pitcher of the Month for May, no pitcher stood out more than left-hander Justin Lamkin.

The 71st overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M, the Royals moved slowly with Lamkin after drafting him in the competitive round a season ago. He didn't pitch professionally in 2025, but he built up in the Complex and prepared for the 2026 season, starting in High-A Quad Cities.

In six outings and 28.1 IP, Lamkin absolutely dominated Midwest League pitching. He posted a 1.27 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, a 34.9% K%, and 24.8% K-BB% with the River Bandits. In May, with the Quad Cities, he allowed two runs on six hits with no walks while striking out 14 in 10.2 IP. That strong start in May led to his promotion to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Lamkin had a rough Double-A debut on June 14th, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out seven in 5.2 IP. However, he had a much stronger second start on May 20th. He went 6 IP, allowed one hit, one run, no walks, and struck out eight. Overall, the percentiles have been good for Lamkin in his two starts in Double-A, as he is generating a 34.9% K% (92nd percentile), a 35.1% whiff rate (82nd percentile), and a 37.4% CSW% (98th percentile). 

Here's a complete look at Lamkin's Double-A Season Pitching Percentiles chart via TJ Stats.

Thus, it's not just the results where Lamkin is thriving, but he's also producing solid whiff, contact, and called-strike metrics in his time in the Minors this season.

Lamkin doesn't have eye-popping stuff, as his four-seamer profiles in the 92-93 MPH range. That said, he has impeccable control and command and attacks batters, which is illustrated not just by his high strikeout numbers but also by his low walk numbers. With the Royals in rebuilding mode this year, and likely going to trade one of their starting pitchers (Michael Wacha or Seth Lugo) at the Trade Deadline, Lamkin could get a shot in the Majors this year if he continues to produce in Double-A Northwest Arkansas. 

Triple-A Omaha: Eric Cerantola, RHP

7 G, 8 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 13 K, 2 SV, 2.25 ERA, 1.38 WHIP

Cerantola got another promotion to Kansas City, though he was optioned after one rough outing this past week. That included giving up a home run to Texas' Joc Pederson, who had a stellar series against Kansas City this past weekend.

In Omaha, however, the 26-year-old righty has been solid.

Over the past 30 days, Cerantola posted a 2.25 ERA and 1.38 WHIP with two saves, 13 strikeouts, and just four walks in eight innings of work. Cerantola's slider has been his strongest offering this month. That is illustrated by his 105 TJ Stuff+, 41.1% chase, and 53.8% whiff rate on the pitch this month. Overall, he posted a 37.5% whiff rate and 30.6% chase rate, which offset his low zone rate (41.7%) and mediocre xwOBACON (.390). 

Cerantola will likely get more chances to prove himself in the Majors, especially with the bullpen being such a mess. To stay longer in Kansas City, he will need to improve his secondaries, as his four-seamer (91 TJ Stuff+) and cutter (81 TJ Stuff+) didn't profile well this month in terms of TJ Stuff+. 

High-A Quad Cities: L.P. Langevin, RHP

7 G, 10.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 10 BB, 17 K, 1.69 ERA, 1.31 WHIP

Seen as a sleeper pitching prospect in the Royals system after pitching in the Arizona Fall League this past fall, Langevin has seemingly gotten comfortable on the mound in Quad Cities. He had a strong May, emerging as one of the River Bandits' best relievers.

In seven games and 10.2 IP, Langevin posted a 1.69 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He also struck out 17 batters and generated a 36.2% whiff rate and 30.7% CSW. Control was a bit of an issue, as he had 10 walks and a zone rate of only 43% this past month, which ranked in the 22nd percentile. That said, Langevin has done an amazing job of not just getting whiffs but limiting contact on pitches in the strike zone, as illustrated by his 59% Z-Contact%. That's a sign that his stuff could continue to play as he moves up the Royals system.

There's something "old school" about Langevin and his approach, which makes him fun to watch. His approach is similar to that of Greg Holland or Wade Davis in that he knows his fastball is his premium pitch and isn't afraid to throw it, regardless of the hitter's caliber. That mindset and approach are what a reliever needs to be successful, especially in late-inning situations. 

He doesn't have a diverse pitch mix (he's pretty much a two-pitch guy), but he rears back and lets loose and isn't afraid to attack hitters. While walks are an issue, it seems like he's progressing with each outing at the Minor League level, which should make Royals fans hopeful that he'll sport enough control to still be an effective reliever at the MLB level.

Low-A Columbia: Michael Lombardi, RHP

5 G (4 GS), 21 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 11 BB, 33 K, 0.86 ERA, 1.05 WHIP

Lombardi was named our Pitcher of the Month in April at Royals Keep, and while he wasn't the overall best pitcher this month in the Minors, it was hard to omit him this month based on his performance.

The former Tulane product was a strikeout machine this past month, striking out 33 batters in 21 IP. He also posted a 0.86 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP and had a 23.8% K-BB%. Kendry Chourio may have more upside and a more illustrious prospect profile. However, there may not be a better "swing-and-miss" pitcher in the Fireflies rotation than Lombardi, who was a two-way player at Tulane. 

The 22-year-old former second-round pick did struggle with the walks a bit this month. He had 11, and the CSW of 28.8% ranked in the 47th percentile, which is lower than one would want to see from an "ace". That said, there were more positives than negatives for Lombardi in May, and he seems primed for a call-up to Quad Cities soon to join former Fireflies teammate Jordan Woods, who was recently promoted to High-A not too long ago.

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!