Royals Predicted To Promote Top Prospect Not Named Jac Caglianone In Early 2025

Every Kansas City Royals fan is anxiously awaiting Jac Caglianone's Major League Baseball debut, but there will be other important introductions in 2025.

The Royals are a draft-and-develop team, so they need contributions from newcomers on both sides of the ball to maintain success from one year to the next. And given the state of pitching across Major League Baseball, they know the staff they begin the year with won't be the one they finish with.

After setting their initial 13-man pitching staff for Opening Day, the Royals sent a number of talented arms back down to the minors, and they have to hope some of those pitchers will be hungry to impact Kansas City's season at the first possible chance.

One Royals writer believes a lefty the Royals protected from the Rule 5 Draft this winter will be one of the first to get the opportunity.

On Wednesday, FanSided's Jacob Milham predicted that 27-year-old Evan Sisk would be among the first, if not the first Royals prospect to make his major league debut during the 2025 campaign.

"Whether it’s his off-kilter delivery, expanding pitch arsenal, or the nasty stuff that opposing coaches mentioned to pitching coach Brian Sweeney, there were plenty of reasons for Kansas City to extend the 27-year-old’s tenure," Milham wrote.

"Sisk should be a strong candidate for the role of one of the next one or two relievers promoted from Omaha if needed. The Royals already have three lefties in the bullpen, so adding Sisk might come if one of Zerpa, Daniel Lynch IV, or Sam Long is sidelined."

Sisk, an 18th-round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018, has done well to get to the doorstep of the majors, even if it's taken him over half a decade. He's got 266 minor-league appearances under his belt, and last season, he was positively brilliant.

At 27, Sisk doesn't quite meet the standard definition of "top prospect" because he's no spring chicken. However, if we're talking about the players yet to debut with the chance to make the biggest impact on the Royals' season, it's likely Sisk right behind Caglianone at the top of the list.

With a 1.57 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 57 1/3 innings, Sisk put himself in a great spot with his 2024 breakout campaign. Now, he just has to play the waiting game, because at some point, this Kansas City team will need another impact lefty out of the bullpen.

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