KC Royals top prospect suffers injury, set for surgery in spring training

Injury is an unavoidable part of sports, and every spring training carries the looming risk of setbacks before the season even begins. The Kansas City Royals felt that sting over the weekend as top catching prospect Blake Mitchell suffered the organization's first significant long-term injury.

According to MLB.com's Anne Rogers, Royals manager Matt Quatraro confirmed that Mitchell broke his right hamate bone and will undergo surgery, sidelining him for an estimated 4-6 weeks. The injury occurred before Mitchell could even make his Cactus League debut, delaying what would have been his first major-league camp experience.

KC Royals fans will have to wait to see Blake Mitchell in action

A former two-way high school standout, Mitchell was Kansas City’s top pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, making him one of the more polarizing selections of the class. Prep catchers come with plenty of risk, but Mitchell quickly rewarded the Royals’ gamble with an impressive 2024 season. He earned Kansas City’s George Brett Hitter of the Year Award after slashing .238/.376/.439 with 18 home runs over 106 games at Single-A Columbia, before a late-season promotion to High-A Quad Cities. His 135 wRC+ led all Royals full-season minor leaguers and ranked as the best among teenage catchers at that level.

Mitchell’s prospect stock continues to rise, even as 2024 first-rounder Jac Caglianone now holds the top spot in Kansas City's farm system. He enters 2025 as MLB Pipeline’s 48th-ranked overall prospect, sitting sixth among catchers. His 60-grade power and 70-grade arm make him a potential "homegrown franchise catcher," a label Pipeline has already attached to him.

The Royals opened Cactus League play Friday with a win over the Texas Rangers, and two other catching prospects stepped up in Mitchell’s absence. Carter Jensen, considered Kansas City’s best fantasy catching prospect per Baseball America, drew a walk and scored a run. Luca Tresh, a 17th-round pick in 2021, went 2-for-2.

For now, Kansas City still has plenty of catching depth in camp, with veterans Brian O’Keefe and Luke Maile heading the other non-roster invitees. However, with only Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin on the 40-man roster, catching depth could become an emerging storyline this spring. If no clear third option emerges, the Royals may need to make a move before Opening Day to ensure they have enough depth behind the plate.