KC Royals Prospects: Langevin debuts, Jensen rises, Roccaforte promoted

If Kansas City Royals fans think watching 162 games a year is a grind, imagine trying to keep up with four full-season affiliates on top of that. Minor-league baseball is arguably more entertaining and accessible than ever, and it remains the best stage for seeing MLB’s future stars in their formative years. But as exciting—or even special—as each game can be, keeping tabs on the farm system can easily feel like a full-time job on its own.

Let's take a look at some headlines involving Royals prospects, especially as farmhands will be front and center come the trade deadline.

Pitcher L.P. Langevin makes High-A debut with perfect inning

The Royals' 2024 draft class continues to look better with just over a year of hindsight, and one of the biggest early gambles from Kansas City’s front office is already showing signs of paying off. That pick was Quebec native L.P. Langevin, selected in the fourth round.

The Louisiana-Lafayette alum was a high-upside selection, featuring one of the most deceptive fastballs in the class—a major reason he struck out nearly 40% of opposing hitters in college. An oblique injury delayed the start of his professional season, landing him on the 60-day IL. But once he returned, the Canadian righty did not disappoint in his debut with the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits.

Langevin needed just 11 pitches to strike out the only three Peoria Chiefs batters he faced. His 70-grade fastball did most of the damage, but he punctuated the outing by finishing off infielder Michael Curialle with a sweeping breaking ball.

There’s still a long developmental road ahead—especially when it comes to determining whether he’ll start long-term or shift into a bullpen role—but Sunday’s outing was undeniably impressive. Add in 2 2/3 scoreless innings in the Arizona Complex League, and Langevin earned a well-deserved spot on the MiLB Prospect Team of the Week.

Catcher Carter Jensen joins Baseball America's Top 100 prospects

Catcher Carter Jensen is hardly a new name to die-hard Royals fans. The local product is not only supplanting Jac Caglianone as the closest impactful position prospect to The Show—he's also stepping into the spotlight vacated by the Florida slugger following his graduation from prospect status.

Baseball America recently moved Jensen into their overall Top 100 prospects, and the timing couldn’t be better: he’s been mashing for Triple-A Omaha.

The Park Hill High School alum has played just 15 games at the level, but the 22-year-old doesn’t look overwhelmed in the slightest.

His strikeout rate is higher than his career norm, but he continues to draw walks and has already launched seven home runs with a 171 wRC+ across 67 plate appearances. A 1.085 OPS and .424 ISO aren’t likely to hold over a full season, but the early returns—and underlying metrics—have made quite the first impression.

Outfielder Carson Roccaforte moves up to Double-A after red-hot July

MLB Pipeline called outfielder Carson Roccaforte “the Royals’ best center-field prospect, a defense-first player who has good instincts,” and the past month has shown he can get it done at the plate, too.

The 66th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft was a bit underwhelming in 2024 with Quad Cities, but he’s quickly turned things around in 2025. After sustaining his defensive prowess and making clear strides offensively, Kansas City finally pulled the trigger and promoted Roccaforte to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

With months of Double-A action still ahead, Roccaforte has a solid runway to acclimate to the level—and he’ll have plenty of eyes on him. The Royals’ current crop of Triple-A outfielders includes uninspiring options like Drew Waters, MJ Melendez, and Tyler Gentry. Fans are eager to see someone force their way onto the 26-man roster and become undeniable.

Roccaforte is another left-handed-hitting, glove-first player, so Royals fans may understandably feel some déjà vu after watching Kyle Isbel five times a week. Still, Roccaforte arguably has a higher offensive ceiling with a similar defensive floor. If he handles Double-A competition well, he’ll be a name to watch closely in 2026.