Hot Royals prospect's impressive resurgence demands strong 40-man consideration

Three years after the Kansas City Royals made Gavin Cross their top 2022 draft pick, the potential-packed outfielder will close out his second straight season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas when the Naturals wrap up their 2025 campaign at Frisco on Sept. 14.

Fortunately, and unless things change drastically between now and then, Cross is ending his fourth professional season with a bang — still wielding the strong bat he rediscovered in June, he's been named the top Texas League position player for the final week of August.

And deservedly so. Looking nothing like the slumping prospect who limped into June with a miserable .152/.167/.313 line, Cross scorched Amarillo's pitchers during the week for seven extra base hits — including three homers — drove in seven runs, and batted .379 in half a dozen games. It was the kind of performance the Royals envisioned when they snared him with the ninth overall 2022 pick and he debuted just weeks later by homering eight times and slashing .312/.437/.633 in 29 games split between the Arizona Complex League and Single-A Columbia.

More importantly, though, is that his hot week in Amarillo did nothing to diminish Cross' case to remain in the Royals' plans for the future. And that's critical considering the ominous fact that he'll be exposed to December's Rule 5 draft unless Kansas City adds him to its 40-man roster before then. Protect him and he stays; leave him off the 40-man roster, and another club will likely snatch him up.

Gavin Cross is bolstering his chances to stay with the Royals

Who the organization chooses to cloak in its protective 40-man bubble won't be known until the offseason, but Cross, who doesn't turn 25 until just about the time spring training opens in February, warrants a long, hard look.

But that wasn't necessarily the case when this season began.

Yes, Cross hit 15 homers, drove in 59 runs, and posted a .342 OBP — all full-season career-bests — last year, but in a 2023 campaign marred by a late-season battle with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, he hit a glaringly poor .203 and struck out almost 28% of the time. The Royals had reasons to be concerned.

Now, though, Cross is doing everything he can to allay any fears Kansas City's brain trust may have about his future with the club. He's followed up his excellent 2024 campaign and this season's disappointing start by slashing .265/.321/.469 in June, .306/.363/.458 in July, and .298/.375/.577 in August. Those three home runs he belted against Amarillo last week gave him a new career high (16), he's just two RBI short of setting a new career-best in that category, and he's stolen 20 bases.

And although his disastrous performance at the plate over this season's first two months means he won't finish with a stellar line (he's at .235/.292/.413 headed into this week's home series against Springfield at Arvest Ballpark), and he missed out on joining the Royals as one of their September roster expansion call-ups, Cross's sustained success since then, and his power and potential, should make the Royals, a club with plenty of outfield uncertainty, think twice if they're considering leaving him unprotected for the Rule 5 draft.