4 Royals prospects who could force their way into the 2027 picture

With just 69 wins and enough injuries to fill out a season of The Pitt, 2026 was not the best year for the Kansas City Royals. After winning their first playoff series in nearly a decade in 2024, things haven't quite gone according to plan for the organization.  Although the last two seasons have been filled with disappointment for the Royals, it doesn’t mean that it has to continue as we look ahead to 2027. 

The Royals already boast a robust core of young players such as Bobby Witt Jr., Jac Caglianone, and Carter Jensen, who continued to haul in rookie honors all season. These three players should stick around in Kansas City for the foreseeable future. And that should give Royals fans plenty to feel excited about. But that excitement doesn’t have to stop with just those three players. The organization also has a number of prospects that made waves in the minor leagues all year. 

While impressive seasons from highly-touted prospects doesn’t always translate to immediate success in the big leagues, it offers the Royals a potential wave of reinforcements. That could go a long way in helping the team get back on course and compete in a wide open AL Central. Not just a few years from now, but next season. 

The Royals minor league system has a wide array of talent 

After the current generation of home grown Royals players earned their promotion in the big leagues, the club’s minor league system saw a couple rough years. But with some excellent recent drafts and key international signings, the Royals’ farm system has been replenished with a lot of high-level talent. 

With legitimate power threats, defensive wizards, speed demons, and game-changing hurlers, the Royals have several prospects that could play their way to an MLB promotion in 2027. For a team working on a limited budget, that could be the difference between ending up in the basement of the AL Central and taking first place.   

Blake Mitchell 

Since being selected as the eighth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Blake Mitchell has had a decent amount of hype surrounding him. But thanks to a few unfortunate injuries during his first few seasons in the minor leagues, Mitchell has run into a little trouble hitting that next level in his development. But that doesn’t mean that his unlimited potential has faded away. In fact, his 2026 season showed that he may have finally turned the corner. 

In 381 at-bats with High-A Quad Cities, Mitchell blasted 23 home runs and drove in 73 runs. But scouts always figured that his power would eventually come around. It’s his 113 walks that demonstrates how elite his plate discipline really is.

The biggest thing that is holding him back is his 45% strike out rate. As a disciple of the three true outcomes, Mitchell may always strike out at an ridiculous pace. But if he is able to cut down on the swing and miss, he could slug his way onto the big league roster fairly quickly.

Carson Roccaforte 

While he has always boasted elite defense, Carson Roccaforte has not always enjoyed a lot of success at the plate. After being selected by the club in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Roccaforte really struggled to adjust to minor league pitching in his first full-season in 2024. But over the last two seasons, he’s begun to figure things out on offense and become a more complete player. It’s why Royals fans could see him roaming the outfield at Kauffman Stadium in 2027. 

Roccaforte really saw his power swing develop throughout the 2026 season. With 35 home runs across two minor league levels, the 24-year-old prospect boasted a solid .857 OPS in 540 at-bats.

However, he has a similar flaw to his game as Mitchell. Roccaforte struck out 181 times this season, eclipsing his 162 strikeouts in 2025. But as long as he hits his fair share of home runs and brings his impressive defensive skills to the ballpark every day, the Royals may be willing to overlook his high whiff rate.

Luke Pelzer 

When you’re a 17th round pick, there isn’t a whole lot of fanfare surrounding your development as a professional ballplayer. But Luke Pelzer has been making a very strong case for some of the spotlight to be focused on him.

Since making his debut in the Royals minor league system last season, Pelzer has done nothing except rake at every level he’s played at. With a unique skillset and a strong performance on the field, he could entice the Royals to give him a chance in the big leagues in 2027.

Through his first 489 career at-bats in the minors, Pelzer is sporting an incredible .352/.430/.483 slash line. While his 30-grade power has resulted in just four home runs so far, it shouldn’t make a difference in how Pelzer is able to impact a game.

Much like Chandler Simpson of the Tampa Bay Rays, Pelzer is a speedy contact hitter who can wreak havoc on the bases. His 42 steals in 50 attempts in 2026 certainly showcased that dynamic ability. That is something that the Royals could use in 2027.  

L.P. Langevin

It’s not everyday that you see a pitching prospect boast a strikeout per nine rate of 17.2 in a single season. With 106 strikeouts in 55.1 innings this season, L.P. Langevin launched himself into relevancy.

After being named the Dan Quisenberry Reliever of the Year in the Royals organization, Langevin has quickly become a name to watch out for in 2027. There is just one catch. Langevin possesses some extremely shaky command of his pitches. 

With 35-grade control, the right-handed pitcher doles out free passes to batters like he’s giving out candy on Halloween. In 40 appearances for High-A Quad Cities in 2026, Langevin walked 39 batters. Regardless of his ability to strike out batters, that’s almost impossible to overlook, especially if Langevin is brought into late-game situations. But if he can trim down on those walks and keep the strikeouts up, he could be an interesting name for the Royals to call on later in the 2027 season.  

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