KC Royals News: Pre-arb deals, Blake Mitchell's future prospect ranking, Hunter Harvey at CVCC

The Kansas City Royals' pitchers and catchers reported to spring training today, and position players are due for the first full workout on February 17. With the team's camp in Surprise, Arizona, now officially open, the Royals will begin narrowing down their list of players to make the Opening Day roster, hoping to secure another shot at the playoffs in 2025.

From pre-arbitration agreements to future prospect rankings, here is a Royals news roundup for February 12.

KC Royals News: Royals agree to terms with arbitration-eligible players

On February 11, the Royals announced they had officially agreed to terms with eight pre-arbitration players on renewed deals for this season. According to the team's social media post, infielders Nick Loftin, Michael Massey, and Vinnie Pasquantino, outfielder Drew Waters, and pitchers Eric Cerantola, Steven Cruz, Daniel Lynch IV, and James McArthur have all reached new deals for the 2025 season.

While the exact amount of each player's agreed salary was not confirmed, the league minimum salary for 2025 is $760,000. Pre-arbitration players are also eligible to earn bonuses from the annual $50 million pool, which is divided and allocated based on their performance and achievements during the season.

There are a total of 24 pre-arbitration players on the Royals' 40-man roster, excluding Bobby Witt Jr., whose pre-arbitration years were bought out by the 11-year, $288.7 million deal that he signed last winter.

KC Royals News: Hunter Harvey throws to CVCC Baseball

On February 7, Royals reliever Hunter Harvey paid a visit to Catawba Valley Community College to throw live at-bats to the Redhawks, an NJCAA Division II baseball team in North Carolina. CVCC posted the update to their social media, thanking Harvey and Bryson Hammer — a minor league pitcher in the Colorado Rockies organization — for their involvement.

After starting the 2024 season with the Washington Nationals, Harvey joined the Royals via trade at the deadline. Unfortunately, the 30-year-old reliever landed on the IL after just six appearances for Kansas City, and he didn't return for the rest of the season. Harvey ended 2024 with a 4.44 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 28 holds, and 1 save in 50.2 innings of work split between the Nationals and Royals.

KC Royals News: Blake Mitchell predicted to rise to No. 1 prospect in organization

Going into the 2025 season, Jac Caglianone sits comfortably atop the list of top prospects in the Royals organization — but who will earn the No. 1 spot in two years? On February 5, MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis, and Sam Dykstra projected who will be each club's No. 1 prospect in 2027, and for the Royals, catcher Blake Mitchell got the nod.

"The 2023 eighth overall pick hit 18 homers in 106 games for Single-A Columbia and finished with a 135 wRC+ (best among teenaged catchers in the Minors) in his first full season, and he might just be getting going," they wrote. "Mitchell’s power projects as plus, and he’s athletic behind the plate with a strong throwing arm. With two more years of development, he could be in line to replace Salvador Perez, who has a club option for 2026, behind the dish in Kansas City."

According to MLB Pipeline, Mitchell is currently the No. 48 prospect — eighth-ranked catcher — in MLB, and the No. 2 prospect in the Royals organization, only behind Caglianone.