In 2024, the Royals had the more of their top 30 prospects involved in the inaugural edition of Spring Breakout. This year, they have another group of intriguing young talent.
The Royals sent 24 of their top 30 prospects to last year’s event, and they will bring 26 of their top 30 to this year’s game (tied with the Marlins for the most prospects from one club).
What is Spring Breakout?
Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. It’s held from March 13-16 at Grapefruit and Cactus League ballparks during Spring Training. Sixteen exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization’s top prospects. Royals’ Minor Leaguers will face the D-backs’ Minor Leaguers on March 14 at 7:10 p.m. CT in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Who is expected to play?
Jac Caglianone – 6’5” 250 lbs|1B: The main attraction. Cags is the Royals’ No. 1 prospect and MLB’s No.22 prospect. He was the sixth overall pick for the Royals in 2024. He posses arguably the most power of any prospect in baseball. He has 70 grade power on a scale of 20-80 according to MLB Pipeline. His power bat has been active this Spring Training with 2 home runs to his credit already in just seven at-bats.
Blake Mitchell – 6’1” 202 lbs|C *Broken right hamate bone expected to miss 4-6 weeks*: Royals No. 2 prospect and MLB’s No. 48. Two-time Gatorade Player of the Year winner in Texas, he was the eighth overall pick by the Royals in 2023. In Mitchell’s first full season of professional baseball, he was named Kansas City’s 2024 George Brett Hitter of the Year. At 19 years old, he slashed .238/.376/.439 with 18 dingers in 106 games for Single-A Columbia. He finished his season playing five games for High-A Quad Cities. He is dripping with talent with 60 grade Power and 70 grade Arm
Carter Jensen – 6’0” 210 lbs|C: Royals’ No. 3 prospect and MLB’s No. 85. He was the 78th overall pick (3rd round) for the Royals in 2021. The Kansas City native hit 18 home runs and posted a .809 OPS splitting time between High-A Quad Cities (.271/.386/.435) and Double-A Northwest Arkansas (.233/.300/.480).
Ben Kudrna – 6’3” 175 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 4 prospect prospect. He was the 44th overall pick (2nd round) for the Royals in 2021. He’s from my neck of the woods: Overland Park, KS. Reached AA in his third pro season in 2024, posting a 3.49 ERA in 115 1/3 innings in High-A before getting hit around a bit more in AA posting a 5.32 ERA in nine appearances. He sits 92-95 mph with his fastball and a mid-80s gyro slider.
Noah Cameron – 6’3” 220 lbs|LHP: Royals No. 5 prospect. He was the 199th overall pick (7th round) for the Royals in 2021. A crafty lefty from St. Joe, MO fought back from Tommy John surgery in 2021 to become one of the Royals’ prized prospects. 2024 was his best year of his career posting a 3.08 ERA in 25 starts between AA and AAA. What stands out about Cameron is his low walk rate (6.7% in 2024) and his strong strikeout numbers (149 Ks in 128.2 innings in 2024). At 25 years old, he’s a candidate to see the Royals big league roster at some point ‘25.
Gavin Cross – 6’1” 210 lbs|OF: Royals No. 6 prospect prospect. He was the ninth overall pick for the Royals in 2022. He crushed rookie ball in his first taste of professional baseball, but struggled in High-A in ‘23. He suffered through a tick-borne illness called Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and never got on track. He came back to life in ‘24 slashing .261/.342/.428 with 15 homers in 101 games at Double-A. He could make his Royals debut by the end of this season.
Steven Zobac – 6’3” 185 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 7 prospect. He was the 115th overall selection (4th round) in 2022. Zobac split time between the mound and the plate in college at the University of California but switched to pitching full-time his junior season. A common theme in 2024 for pitchers in the farm system was career years, and Zobac was another example. He had a 3.64 ERA between High-A and AA across 126 innings which led to him being named the Royals Minor League Pitcher of the Year. He could be someone that sees time in the bullpen in the big leagues in ‘25.
David Shields – 6’2” 210 lbs|LHP: Royals No. 8 prospect prospect. He was selected 41st overall (2nd round) by the Royals in 2024. He was a two sport athlete, playing quarterback and pitching Mt. Lebanon (Penn.) HS. He will have his professional baseball debut in ‘25. Only 18 years old, he sits 93-94 mph with fastball. The Royals believe there’s more in the tank as he matures. His breaking ball blends between a slider or a curveball.
Blake Wolters – 6’4” 210 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 9 prospect. He was selected 44th overall (2nd round) in 2023. Made his pro debut in 2024 posting a 4.20 ERA in Single-A across 14 starts and 55 2/3 innings. His fastball has run and ride sitting in the mid-90s but can touch 99 mph. He works in a developing plus slider and he worked on a changeup in ‘24 with mixed results. He profiles as a starter, but the development of his changeup will determine if he’ll remain one.
Ramon Ramirez – 6’0” 180 lbs|C: Royals No. 10 prospect. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2023. He got his first taste of pro ball in ‘24 slashing .265/.379/.459 with seven homers and 10 doubles over 49 games with the Arizona Complex League. Only 19 years old, the Royals rave about his advanced hit tool and impressive raw power.
Yandel Ricardo – 6’1” 180 lbs|SS: Royals No. 11 prospect. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2024. Debuted in ‘24 in the Dominican Summer League and slashed .213/.330/.336. A coveted switch-hitter, scouts have raved about his raw power but it hasn’t shown up so far, although he has high contact rates and has a low strikeout rate. His swing looks solid from both sides but a little smoother from the left. He’ll start the year in Rookie ball with a chance to advance to Single-A by the end of the ‘25.
Frank Mozzicato – 6’3” 175 lbs|LHP: Royals No. 12 prospect. He was drafted seventh overall in 2021 by the Royals. Taken high out of high school, his progression has been one of peaks and valleys. He returned to High-A in ‘24 after struggling there at the end of ‘23. He posted a 3.45 ERA there in ‘24 across 22 starts. He was effective limiting batters to a .203 average. His issue is walks (62 BBs in 101.2 innings) and his strikeout rate fell from ‘23. Reports of his fastball losing velocity are troubling as well. ‘25 Will be a big year for Mozzicato, who was once looked at as a top prospect in the Royals system.
Javier Vaz – 5’6” 151 lbs|2B/OF: Royals No. 13 prospect. He was the 445th overall pick (15th round ) for the Royals in 2022. Spent ‘24 in AA slashing .263/.375/.379 with eight homers, 22 doubles, 16 stolen bases and more walks (73) than strikeouts (60). His strikeout-to-walk ratio is his calling card as one of the best pure hitters in the Royals system. His swinging strike rate was 4.1% in ‘24, fourth lowest among Minor Leaguers across all season-long levels.
Drew Beam – 6’4” 208 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 14 prospect. He was the 76th overall pick (3rd round) for the Royals in 2024. Beam was in the starting rotation for the national champion Tennessee Volunteers in ‘24 and was selected by the Royals that summer. Considered one of the most polished pitchers in the college ranks. His fastball sits 93-95 and he has a fading changeup that looks to be his second plus-pitch. He excelled at limiting walks in the college ranks so we will see if that reputation follows him through the Majors.
Austin Charles – 6’5” 215 lbs|3B/SS: Royals No. 15 prospect. He was a final round selection (20th round, 595th overall) selection by the Royals in 2022. By ‘23, he was in Single-A slashing .230/.290/.356 with 3 home runs and 31 RBIs. He improved on those numbers when he returned to Single-A in ‘24 slashing .257/.353/.386 with 10 homers, 64 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. At 6’5” and 215 lbs, he is a fascinating athlete with a bevy of tools. He has 60 grade arm strength. He should be ready for High-A in 2025 and at age 21, he has untapped potential still yet to be realized.
Hiro Wyatt – 6’1” 190 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 16 prospect. He was the 75th overall pick (3rd round) in 2023. Made his debut in ‘24 out of high school playing 12 games of Rookie Ball before ending the year in Single-A posting a 2.67 ERA across six starts. He had good stuff with a 23.6% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and a 1.37 WHIP. Has an above average fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s. He has a sweeping slider that can be another plus pitch for him that has a 60 grade attached to it. He will most likely start the season in Columbia at Single-A but could end the year in High-A if all goes well.
Jhonayker Ugarte – 6’2” 180 lbs|3B/SS: Royals No. 17 prospect. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic. He slashed .299/.423/.395 at the Dominican Summer League in ‘24. He had a .818 OPS and had nearly as many walks (30) as strikeouts (36). He has an advanced eye for the strike zone and that showed up with his .423 OBP (DSL pitchers are known to be a little wild). He turned 18 this month, so the Royals will take him slow. He’ll begin work in the Arizona Complex League in ‘25.
Felix Arronde – 6’3” 185 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 18 prospect. He was signed out of Cuba in 2021. He was signed out of Venezuela in 2018. He spent two years in the Dominican Summer League (DSL) but has taken off since coming to the states. He arrived at the Arizona Summer League in 2023 and posted a 1.85 ERA in 11 games (five starts). In ‘24 he posted a 2.94 ERA in Single-A in 110.1 innings with 103 K and 32 walks. His fastball velocity has steadily increased and now sits 93-94 mph. Scouts believe his low-to-mid 80s split-finger changeup can offer as a wipe-out pitch and has a 60 grade. He’s working on a slider and if that pitch works out, he could project as a back end starter.
Luinder Avila – 6’3” 195 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 19 prospect. He was signed out of Venezuela in 2018. He spent the majority of ‘24 in AA posting a 3.81 ERA in 19 starts and 82.2 innings with 82 strikeouts. He only started one game in AAA so he will head back there to start ‘25. He showed well this Spring for the Royals only allowing one run over six innings in three Cactus League games. He showed he could touch 99 mph which always raises eyebrows. He could be a bullpen addition late in the season for the Major League team if Avila has a good season in AAA.
Carson Roccaforte – 5’11” 195 lbs|OF: Royals No. 21 prospect. He was the 66th pick (2nd round) of the Supplemental draft in 2023. Made his pro debut at Single-A in ‘23 then graduated to High-A Quad Cities in ‘24. His glove and speed stand out as his best tools. He spent all of last season with the River Bandits and only recorded one error in 1,042 innings: which earned him Kansas City’s Minor League Defensive Player of the Year. Offense was a little less to be desired, as he slashed .208/.293/.342 with 23 doubles, 10 homers and 36 stolen bases. He is the Royals best CF prospect and should reach AA at some point in ‘25. He will have to improve at the dish to reach the big leagues in the near future.
Asbel Gonzalez – 6’2” 170 lbs|OF: Royals No. 23 prospect. He was signed out of Venezuela in 2023. He was an all-star in the DSL, and made it to the states in ‘24. He played in 41 games in the Arizona Complex League and slashed .285/.398/.384 with 11 doubles, 22 stolen bases and a 110 wRC+. He made it to AA for four games at the end of ‘24 and will most likely return to AA for ‘25. At 19, he’s still very young but has the perfect tools for CF. His speed and defense both grade out as 60.
Daniel Vazquez 6’2” 150 lbs|SS: Royals No. 28 prospect. He was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2021. The Royals were aggressive with Vazquez and sent him straight to Single-A as an 18-year-old. He’s been there for three years now hitting .253/.353/.289 with a 13.2% walk rate, 22.2% strikeout rate and a 99 wRC+. He is cut from the same mold as former Royal Nicky Lopez as a defense-first shortstop as his arm and defense both grade as 60. He should make it to High-A in ‘25 and profiles as a utility infielder who can get on base.
Eric Cerantola – 6’5” 225 lbs|RHP: Royals No. 28 prospect. He was the 139th overall pick (5th round) in 2021. Cerantola posted a 2.78 ERA and a 31% strikeout rate in AA in ‘24 and was promoted to AAA later in the year and posted a nearly identical strikeout rate and a 3.77 ERA. The Royals protected him from the Rule 5 Draft and added him to the 40-man roster in ‘24. He appeared in two games for the Royals this Spring and didn’t allow a run in two innings. Cerantola brings the heat with a fastball that can touch 99-100 mph. His problem is his 15.5% walk rate which may limit him to being a bullpen arm in Kansas City. He could see big league action as soon as this summer.
Hyungchan Um – 6’1” 190 lbs|C: Royals No. 29 prospect. He was signed out of South Korea in 2022. After struggling in rookie ball in 23’, he showed the Royals didn’t have anything to worry about as he hit .310/.400/.500 with a .900 OPS and four home runs in 27 games in ‘24. He finished ‘24 with 50 games in Single-A where he slashed .205/.333/.307 with a .640 OPS and four home runs. He shared catching duties with No. 2 Royals prospect Blake Mitchell. He has an athletic frame and an above-average arm that should help him stay at catcher long term. He adds to the Royals unlimited catching depth with four catching prospects in the top 30.
Spencer Nivens – 5’10” 185 lbs|OF: Royals No. 30 prospect. He was the 142nd pick (5th round) in 2023. He struggled at Single-A in ‘23 and was sent back to Rookie Ball to start ‘24. That was short lived as he only stayed for two games before getting the call-up to High-A Quad Cities. He was overmatched in the first half of the season (.168 average through June ‘24) before heating up in the second half of the year. When I say heating up what I mean is he was boiling lava hot. He hit 13 home runs in August alone. For the year, he slashed .243/.333/.475.
Bank On It! 
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