3 KC Royals prospects who should get a September callup

Tyler Gentry

The Royals have not really opened up the doors for their Triple-A outfielders to jump to the major-league club. The club added Velazquez and Bubba Thompson this summer, adding some more lottery ticket acquisitions to the outfield. But, if the Royals want to see some more of their internal options in the outfield, Tyler Gentry should be the first man up.

MLB Pipeline ranks Gentry as the Royals' eight-best prospect in their midseason rankings with a glowing profile of the 24-year-old Gentry. "No Royals prospect took a bigger step forward in 2022 than Gentry" they said in his profile. "He went from a fringe-prospect and likely fourth outfielder to someone who could hit his way into a starting outfield job in the big leagues by the end of 2023."

Gentry looks like that player they described since July 2. He has a .977 OPS, 23 walks to 22 strikeouts, and seven home runs in 30 games. The righty is looking like the player described as "another product of the Royals’ successful hitting development program". That is not a huge stretch, evident by Gentry's plate approach and efficient pouncing upon the pitches best for him.

The bat has come around for the Alabama alum, but his fielding has always been a plus for him. His arm power slots best for right field, but he can work at either corner.

Gentry is also Rule 5 eligible this winter, making his joining the Royals' 40-man roster this offseason a near certainty anyways. He is outperforming the Triple-A competition and looks ready. If a door opens via injury or other means, Gentry has done everything to earn a callup in September.

CJ Alexander

This isn't a becasue CJ Alexander is knocking down the door. Rather, this move serves as his much needed audition for the 2024 Royals.

The 27-year-old Alexander is often the forgotten part of a certain 2022 trade. The Atlanta Braves sent him, Drew Waters, and Andrew Hoffman in exchange for the 35th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. While Waters was the clear prize of that trade package. Alexander drought some more depth to a Royals farm system lacking a prospect at third base above Double-A.

Alexander, a non-prospect in the Braves system, made a great first impression. He hit 10 home runs and 44 RBIs in 46 Double-A games, with an .808 OPS to boot. Alexander may not have become a sure-fire big leaguer in 46 games, but that performance was a step in the right direction.

Alexander started the 2023 season in Omaha with similar production, not skipping a beat. He had 10 home runs in 44 games, plus a .509 slugging and .796 OPS. He could get it done at the plate. Even Royals legend George Brett endorsed Alexander during his 2023 spring training. That is the man any Royals prospect should want in their corner.

Alexander has not been performing at a high level since returning from the IL on July 14. But there are some biographical metrics that make him a callup candidate. First, his age. He is slightly above the average age of Triple-A batters while he started the season below that line. The Royals are going to get younger this offseason, hopefully. Will Alexander hurt or help their efforts there? That remains to be seen.

Also, Alexander was Rule 5 eligible last year and remains so this year. Will he be safe? Chances are yes, as Alexander has not been knocking down the major league door. But, he has plus-power at the plate, defensive versatility, and control through his prime playing years.

The Royals calling up Alxaner would signal a much deeper youth movement to close out the season. He could easily replace Matt Beaty in the field, and fans know Beaty is not in the team's future plans. That decision regarding Alexander is not final. A late-season debut would allow him to sink or swim, with little to lose on the Royals' end.

Anthony Veneziano

I am a known Anthony Veneziano fan. He is a player steadily rising through the Royals system, with various degrees at each level. His 2022 Double-A season put his prospect status on ince, but the lefty looks legit once again. Veneziano is a shining example of the minor-league pitching turnaround, and Veneziano vocally enjoys the changes.

“The energy is different,” Veneziano said. “The plans are a little bit more hand-in-hand with what I think. From Day 1, I just felt the confidence [coaches] have in me. And that gives me the confidence to believe that I’m good.”

These new pitching coaches and curated development plans saw Veneziano dominate in Double-A this season. He made eight starts with a 25.4 K-BB%, a 2.13 ERA, and sub-1 WHIP. All that production made him one of the Texas League's best pitchers, after being one of the worst the season prior.

He now has more starts in Triple-A than Double-A this season, and a settled-in Veneziano looks promising. In 10 starts since June 4, he has a 2.90 ERA, a 9.14 K/9, and a solid 64% strike percentage. He has occasionally rough outings, but few pitchers are dominant in every start. As the Royals struggle to pull together a proper starting rotation, Veneziano is their best option.

Cue the Rule 5 line. Veneziano was Rule 5 eligible last season, but his horrendous season ensured he stayeed with Kansas City. Now though, he looks ready for his MLB debut. Teams, contender or not, love controllable left-handed starters with a three-pitch mix. Another team will give Veneziano a shot at the rotation following the Rule 5 draft. If the Royals are smart and trust their new pitching development, they need to call up Veneziano and give him a shot. That includes 2024 and beyond.