Which Royals Prospects Could Contribute in 2026?

The Kansas City Royals are looking to return to the postseason after missing out in 2025 with an 82-80 record. This offseason, the Royals have improved in many areas that were weak spots last season.

Kansas City had the worst outfield in terms of offensive production last season. According to FanGraphs, they ranked last in wRC+ (73) and fWAR (-1.1). While they seemed to strike out on some bigger acquisitions this winter (they weren’t able to acquire Jarren Duran from Boston), they got better by signing free agent Lane Thomas and acquiring Isaac Collins from Milwaukee for lefty reliever Angel Zerpa.

The bullpen was also a concern this offseason. While they ranked seventh in reliever ERA and 29th in K/9, illustrating that they needed more swing-and-miss and chase from the group.

Royals president of baseball operations addressed that by acquiring Nick Mears (also in the Zerpa deal), Matt Strahm from the Phillies (for righty Jonathan Bowlan), and Alex Lange.

They also signed Eli Morgan, Hector Neris, and Jose Cuas to minor-league deals, as well as Mitch Spence and Mason Black, whom they acquired this offseason from the A’s and San Francisco, respectively. They could also be bullpen pieces if they don’t work out in the rotation.

The Royals certainly got better this offseason. However, they also improved in a way that doesn’t block any impactful prospects. While the Royals’ farm system isn’t exactly highly ranked (though it is better than in seasons past), there are some prospects who could contribute to the MLB roster in 2026.

Here are five Royals prospects that people should keep a close eye on in 2026, as they could be key contributors to Kansas City’s chances to improve on their 82-win record a season ago.

C Carter Jensen

Carter Jensen is the Royals’ top prospect and the No. 14 prospect in baseball, according to Just Baseball’s November rankings.

The local product made his MLB debut last September and had a tremendous impact on the lineup down the stretch. In 69 plate appearances, he slashed .300/.391/.550 with three home runs, 13 RBI, and a 159 wRC+.

The Royals seem committed to their top prospect for the upcoming season. He is slated to be the Royals’ primary backup catcher and could see a lot of time as their designated hitter as well.

Manager Matt Quatraro had high praise for Jensen at the Winter Meetings, and it seems like they view Jensen as someone who can help give Salvador Perez rest behind the plate.

Jensen won’t be a prospect for long, as he likely will shed his prospect status early on in the season. He will also likely need some development defensively, as his blocking and framing metrics were fine but still need improvement, especially over a longer season at the major-league level.

Still, there’s a lot to be excited about with Jensen, and he may be worth taking a flier on for AL Rookie of the Year. His odds to win the award are +550 at BetMGM.

RHP Luinder Avila

Like Jensen, Luinder Avila had a cup of coffee with the Royals down the stretch and absolutely thrived in his 13-game sample.

In 14 IP with the Royals, the Venezuelan righty posted a 1.29 ERA, 2.14 FIP, 0.93 WHIP, 28.6% K%, and 17.9% K-BB%. He also generated an 11.5% SwStr% and 50% GB%, demonstrating that he has the ability to not only strike batters out, but keep the ball on the ground as well.

Avila mostly pitched as a starter in Double-A and Triple-A last season. He made 12 starts (17 appearances) between Northwest Arkansas and Omaha in 2025, totaling 59.1 innings. He struggled with minor injuries, and his combined ERA was 5.01.

However, his 4.09 FIP was much better, and it seemed like the hitter-friendly environment of Werner Park in Omaha and the International League in general seemed to affect him (15.9% HR/FB rate with the Storm Chasers).

Kansas City has said it views Avila as a starter for now and plans to stretch him out this spring. That likely means that he will begin the year in Triple-A. That said, if the bullpen is beset by injuries or if Avila shows that starting is not his cup of tea, then it wouldn’t be surprising to see Avila be a mid-year call-up to the bullpen who could have an immediate impact.

OF Gavin Cross

Gavin Cross has fluctuated as a prospect in the Royals’ system. Drafted ninth overall in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Virginia Tech, hopes were high that Cross could move through the Royals’ farm system quickly and be a contributor in the outfield by 2025 or 2026.

Unfortunately, it’s been a bit of a rocky path for the 25-year-old outfielder. In his first full minor-leauge season in 2023, he suffered a tick bite and had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. That seemed to drain his strength and stamina, and he ended up producing a 93 wRC+ in 407 plate appearances in High-A Quad Cities.

That said, he bounced back in 2024 in Double-A Northwest Arkansas. In 431 plate appearances, he slashed .261/.342/.428 with a 114 wRC+. He also hit 15 home runs and stole 30 bases. Thus, it seemed like a possibility that he could make his debut at some point in 2025. However, he regressed in 2025 back in Northwest Arkansas, slashing .241/.291/.413 with a 92 wRC+.

On a positive note, he did hit 17 home runs and stole 23 bases in 507 plate appearances. Cross also did much better in the second half. From July first until the end of the year, the Virginia Tech product hit .297 with nine home runs, 41 runs scored, 33 RBI, 19 stolen bases (on 21 attempts), and a 133 wRC+.

Cross was Rule 5 Draft-eligible, yet he went unselected. That could be a blessing for the Royals, for if he mashes in Triple-A (which is his likely starting level), he could matriculate to the majors, especially if the Royals’ outfield situation doesn’t improve.

Cross may not be a star, but he’s totally capable of being a 15 HR-15 SB player if healthy.

RHP Dennis Colleran

Dennis Colleran was drafted in the seventh round out of Northeastern University in the 2024 MLB Draft. Considering he came from a mid-major college and his draft-round status, he wasn’t initially seen as a high-level prospect. However, he’s done his part to prove that he can be a contributor at the MLB level.

The 22-year-old moved quickly in the Royals’ system, pitching 66.1 innings across Low-A, High-A, and Double-A ball. Over those three levels, he posted a 2.85 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 1.06 WHIP, 27.1% K%, and 14.3% K-BB%. He also sported a 40% GB%, 13.2% SwStr%, and 29.5% CSW, all solid metrics for a pitcher in his professional debut.

Colleran’s solid performance last year earned him an invite to the Arizona Fall League, and he held his own. In seven appearances and 7.2 IP, he posted a 1.17 ERA and 0.65 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and only three walks. That helped him garner a non-roster invite to spring training, where he’s already been turning heads in camp in Surprise.

The Northeastern product features a four-pitch mix, including a cutter, sinker, four-seamer, and slider. His cutter, four-seamer, and slider are all impressive swing-and-miss pitches, as they generated whiff rates of 30% or above in the AFL. He could stand to improve the movement on the four-seamer and sinker, but they are at least high-velocity pitches that average 95-96 mph.

While he has fewer than 70 minor-league innings under his belt, Colleran has the kind of profile that could matriculate to the majors by midseason or end of the year. He likely will begin the year in Double-A and could see little time in Triple-A before making his MLB debut.

INF/OF Peyton Wilson

Peyton Wilson was another Rule 5 Draft-eligible player who was not selected this December. That said, his omission could play to the Royals’ benefit, especially if he makes progress in Triple-A Omaha in 2026.

The 66th-overall selection in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Alabama, the 26-year-old had a scorching start in Double-A Northwest Arkansas last year. In 19 games and 91 plate appearances, he slashed .392/.505/.689 with two home runs, 19 runs scored, 19 RBI, eight stolen bases, and a 226 wRC+. Wilson also demonstrated excellent plate discipline, with a 14.3% BB% and 0.76 BB/K ratio.

As expected, he earned a promotion to Triple-A. However, the numbers weren’t as impressive with the Storm Chasers, which explains why he didn’t get selected in the Rule 5 Draft.

In 84 games and 278 plate appearances, Wilson slashed .223/.309/.309 with three home runs, 26 runs scored, 31 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. He also posted a 65 wRC+, 0.40 BB/K ratio, and .086 ISO in his Omaha sample. The batted-ball metrics weren’t exactly impressive, either. He sported an 87.4 mph average exit velocity and 28.8% hard-hit rate with the Storm Chasers.

There are certainly issues with Wilson that could hold him back from matriculating to the majors. He swings a lot (49% Swing%) and has issues with making consistent contact (70% contact rate last year in Omaha).

That said, he has demonstrated an ability to adjust to a level the second time around, and he was a non-roster invite to spring training, which shows that the Royals still have a modicum of hope for him. If he makes the right adjustments, especially in terms of swing decisions, he could make a push for a midseason call-up.

A positive in Wilson’s favor is that the Royals’ second base situation is delicate.

Neither Jonathan India nor Michael Massey did enough to quell any doubts this offseason. They could be due for positive regression, but then again, so was Hunter Renfroe last year.

The Royals could also explore trading India or Massey, especially since India is a free agent after this year and Massey is likely to do better in a more hitter-friendly park given his batted-ball profile.

It’s possible that Wilson could give the Royals the same exact value as Massey, both offensively and defensively, while being a year younger and at a fraction of the cost (Massey is making $1.57 million this year). If Wilson gets off to a hot start in Omaha, don’t be surprised to see the Royals push a Massey trade sooner rather than later to make room for Wilson on the active roster.