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The best way to describe the very best prospects in the Royals’ system right now is probably this: Young, talented and electric.
The top four Royals prospects in the newest version of the Top 30 list are all still teenagers, headlined by 18-year-old right-hander Kendry Chourio, who is dominating with High-A Quad Cities and ranks No. 54 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list. Josh Hammond, 19, is not far behind at No. 70, and he has impressed with his athleticism in his first full season of pro ball. And then there’s 17-year-old Angeibel Gomez, who has burst onto the scene in the Dominican Summer League this year by consistently showing the tools that made him the Royals’ top international signee this past January. Lefty David Shields rounds out this quartet at 19 years old and pitching alongside Chourio in Quad Cities.
COMPLETE ROYALS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Add in the Royals’ 2026 Draft class, highlighted by outfielder Zion Rose debuting at High-A this month, and the excitement in the Royals’ system resides in the lower levels for now. These players have a ways to go before establishing themselves in the big leagues, but it’s not hard to start dreaming about that exact thing.
In the meantime, Kansas City has some work to do with its depth to help the big league club in the near future, which is why the Royals were happy to get righty Lucas Braun in a Trade Deadline deal with the Braves. In two starts with Triple-A since the trade, Braun has allowed four runs in 12 innings with 10 strikeouts.
Here’s more on Pipeline’s Top 30 rerank after the MLB Draft, Deadline and other developments this season:
Here’s a look at the Royals’ top prospects:
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the preseason list:
Jump: Justin Lamkin, RHP (Preseason: 15 | Midseason: 8)
Lamkin was the No. 71 overall pick in the 2025 Draft out of Texas A&M and looked to be rising much faster both in rank and level with the way he started out 2026. The 22-year-old posted a 1.27 ERA in six starts with High-A to begin the season and then made two starts in Double-A Northwest Arkansas, allowing five runs in 11 1/3 innings for a 3.97 ERA. A strain in the back of his shoulder paused that quick ascension, and he’s been sidelined since the end of May. The Royals are being super cautious with him, but the hope is he gets back on the field this fall. As long as he can return to health, Lamkin gives the Royals some more optimism about depth coming quickly because of his advanced feel for pitching.
Fall: Shane Panzini, RHP (Preseason: 21| Midseason: NR)
Panzini has had an up and down professional career ever since the Royals drafted him in the fourth round of the 2021 Draft out of Red Bank Catholic HS in New Jersey. He had an up arrow next to his name this spring as a big league invitee to camp as he made the transition to the bullpen. But the 24-year-old pitched just 24 2/3 innings in Triple-A before an injury in late May, and he’s still not back on the field. With new names in the fold, Panzini gets bumped off, but he could still be a part of the Royals’ depth moving forward if he’s able to get and stay healthy.
New to the list
Here are the players added to the Top 30 from outside the organization:
1. Zion Rose, OF (No. 6 Draft pick)
9. Taylor Rabe, RHP (No. 30 pick)
12. Jack Slightom, RHP (No. 56 pick)
16. Lucas Braun, RHP (Acquired from Braves in the Lane Thomas/Bailey Falter trade)
22. Maxx Yehl, LHP (No. 91 pick)
23. Camden Johnson, SS (No. 269 pick)
27. Dominic Battista, OF (No. 119 pick)
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 55 -- Rose
Power: 60 -- Mitchell
Run: 70 -- Camden Johnson (Gomez)
Arm: 65 -- Hammond
Defense: 65 -- Asbel Gonzalez
Fastball: 70 -- LP Langevin
Curveball: 60 -- Michael Lombardi
Slider: 60 -- Lamkin (Shields)
Changeup: 60 -- Ben Kudrna
Control: 60 -- Chourio (Rabe)