10 Kansas City Royals Prospects To Know Beyond The Top 30 in 2024

31. Eric Cerantola, RHP

Kansas City’s 2021 fifth-rounder has a nasty mix of pitches but needs to improve his command and control to help them play to their fullest. His fastball sits between 94-97 and can touch 100 mph, while his downer curveball flashes 70-grade potential. He has a firm changeup as his third pitch. If he can throw more strikes, he can at least be a weapon out of the bullpen.

32. Trevor Werner, 3B

Werner was a two-way player at Texas A&M but dealt with injuries throughout his career before helping the Aggies to the College World Series in 2023. In a debut spent mostly at Low-A Columbia, Werner homered nine times and produced an overall OPS of 1.153. The knock on Werner in college was that he could be beaten with premium velocity. He’ll look to shed that label in 2024. 

33. Hunter Owen, LHP

The Royals drafted Owen in the fourth round after a solid three-year career at Vanderbilt, but he didn’t pitch in 2023 upon joining the organization. He thrives with deception and riding life on his fastball, which sits at 92-94 mph and touches 97. He complements it with a plus slider that had nearly a 50% whiff rate in college.

34. Jared Dickey, OF

Despite dropping to the 11th round, Dickey’s talent fit among the top five rounds in the 2023 draft and he signed a well above-slot $572,500 bonus. The lefthanded hitter barrels balls consistently with impressive bat speed. As a fringy defender with a below-average arm, Dickey is most likely limited to left field.

35. Diego Hernandez, OF 

One of the better outfield prospects in the Royals’ system over the past two years thanks to his plus speed and plus defense, Hernandez dislocated his shoulder in his first 2023 spring training game and was out until June. He struggled at the plate upon his return and will need to wait until the 2024 season to see if there are any ill effects from the injury.

36. Tyler Tolbert, SS/OF 

Tolbert had the best year of his career as a 25-year-old in Double-A, but questions remain about how well he’ll hit at higher levels because of his swing-and-miss tendencies and lack of power. His double-plus speed and ability to play both shortstop and outfield will likely get him to the major leagues in some role.

37. Asa Lacy, LHP 

The No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 draft has missed most of the past two seasons due to various injuries and the inability to throw strikes. After rehabbing all season he pitched one inning in instructional league, where he showed flashes of his past stuff. The 2024 season is a key year to determine whether he can regain some of his lofty ceiling.

38. Luinder Avila, RHP 

A 21-year-old righthander who pitched well in High-A, Avila repeats his delivery with a fastball that sits between 92-95 mph, a slider with depth and a changeup that gets whiffs. He projects as a valuable innings-eater at the back of the rotation.

39. Yunior Marte, RHP 

Not to be confused with 28-year-old Yunior Marte who signed with the Royals in 2012 and debuted in the majors a decade later with the Giants, the 20-year-old righty is tall, strong and has a fastball well into the 90s. Marte throws strikes and flashes an above-average curveball. 

40. James McArthur, RHP 

McArthur took a big step forward after the Royals acquired him in June from the Phillies in a minor deal. McArthur made it back to Kansas City for good in August and was one of the Royals’ most reliable bullpen arms the rest of the way, finishing with an outstanding 23-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23.1 innings and earning four saves with a fastball averaging 94 mph and an effective curveball and slider.