The Royals took a bit of a different route on the first day of the 2026 MLB Draft, at least according to the industry, especially with their first pick when they selected Louisville outfielder Zion Rose at No. 6 overall on Saturday.
But by the end of their five picks, they managed to add a mix of advanced college players and some high-upside prep players to their system. Scouting director Brian Bridges said he expects all five picks to be in Arizona ready to sign next week.
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Day 2: Sunday, July 12 (Rounds 5-20)
• 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. ET (MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+)
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That includes Mississippi right-hander Taylor Rabe, who is a Draft-eligible sophomore and will likely sign over slot after the Royals selected him No. 30 overall, along with prep pitcher Jack Slightom, who is committed to Cincinnati but was chosen by Kansas City in the second round. The Royals, according to a source, were interested in acquiring the comp pick -- at No. 34 overall -- that went to the White Sox on Friday night in a trade with the Pirates, who were ultimately swayed by getting infielder Jacob Gonzalez to help their Major League team. The Royals would have loved to have No. 30 and 34, but they were still ecstatic about their five picks Saturday because of the talent, makeup and ability to impact the organization.
That’s especially true for their college picks in Rose, Rabe and West Virginia lefty Maxx Yehl, all of whom have traits that could see them move quickly.
“Three college guys stood out [in] that they’re Major League players,” general manager J.J. Picollo said. “They have the talent, they have the makeup and they’re getting better as they’re getting into their early 20s. Growing into their mid-20s, they’re going to hit their stride pretty easily. … They’re mature guys that have the tools that we like along with the performance that we feel to move quickly through a system, the way our game is kind of working today. They have those attributes.”
The Draft will continue on Sunday with Rounds 5-20 and will be held from 10:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. CT on MLB.com, MLB.TV and MLB+.
Following Rose at No. 6, here’s who else the Royals selected on Day 1 of the MLB Draft:
Taylor Rabe, RHP
- Competitive Balance A, Pick 30
- Bats/throws: R/R
- School: Mississippi
- Calling Card: Rabe, ranked as the 40th Draft prospect on MLB Pipeline, has a big arm, with a fastball that averaged 96 mph and topped out at 100 mph this season. That power is intriguing enough, but pair it with the control that Rabe also possesses, and the ceiling rises even more. After beginning the year with Ole Miss as a piggyback reliever, Rabe forced his way into the rotation and ended the season as the Rebels’ No. 1 starter for their College World Series team. With 105 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 76 innings, Rabe’s 7.0 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked fourth in NCAA Division I this spring. He also has a hard cutter, slider and changeup to round out his arsenal.
- Quote: “What stood out to me with Rabe was just -- it seems that there are guys that kind of flatten out. He just seems like he’s getting better and better and better, and as the year went on, he really pitched well and really took over that pitching staff. They had a couple of good arms on that staff. But by the end, he was throwing the ball better than anybody, maybe in the [SEC] altogether at the end.” -- Picollo
Jack Slightom, RHP
- Round 2, Pick 56
- Bats/throws: R/R
- School: Lyons Township (Ill.) HS
- Calling Card: If the Royals’ Draft is about upside, Slightom fits right into that. A projectable right-hander who was ranked as the No. 89 Draft prospect, Slightom is super athletic and was actually the quarterback for his high school team that made the state playoffs last fall. When baseball season rolled around, the Cincinnati recruit kept trending in the right direction, with his fastball jumping to the mid-90s. Slightom also has a slider and changeup, but he will need to work on his secondaries as he enters pro ball. And he should add some strength to his 6-foot-5 frame. Slightom was one of the fastest-rising prep arms as the spring played out, and the Royals jumped at the chance to get him early.
Maxx Yehl, LHP
- Round 3, Pick 91
- Bats/throws: L/L
- School: West Virginia
- Calling Card: After a college career that began as a reliever and took a pause with Tommy John surgery, Yehl returned to the mound in ‘26 as a part of the Mountaineers' rotation and helped them to the College World Series while earning Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors. Yehl excelled in a starting role largely because of his control, striking out batters at 27.9% clip and walking them at just a 6.5% rate. The 6-foot-6 lefty ranked 217th on Pipeline’s board, and he primarily works with a three-pitch mix that includes a fastball that touches 96 mph. His best secondary pitch is an average high-spin slider.
- Quote: “Talk about his makeup: Killer instinct. I think there’s a chance for him to start. I don’t make that decision. All I’m trying to do is acquire the talent. But he could come out of the ‘pen, and he’s not going to be fazed. He’s really a tough nut. Being left-handed from that angle can be very beneficial for us, for sure.” -- Bridges
Dominic Battista, OF
- Round 4, Pick 119
- Bats/throws: L/R
- School: Oswego East (Ill.) HS
- Calling Card: A speedy outfielder, Battista added strength and power into his left-handed swing as he rounded out his high school career. There’s room to add more, too, and tap into what could be above-average raw power because Battista makes hard, quality contact.
- Quote: “He’s a really good athlete. He went out at our Major League park to dead center field in batting practice. And to left of the batter’s eye in center field. I was like, ‘All right, kind of good. I’ll go with you guys [the area scouts] on this one.’ He’s a great kid. He’s got great makeup.” -- Bridges
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