4 KC Royals prospects who lost their shine after a rough 2024 season

Outside of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, the seasons for the KC Royals’ minor league affiliates have wrapped up and are in the books. The 2024 Storm Chasers are shaping up to be one of the best teams in franchise history, with an upcoming postseason run and several entries into the record books. They weren’t the only affiliate to find success in the win-loss column, as High-A Quad Cities and Low-A Columbia both finished with records above .500. Meanwhile, Double-A Northwest Arkansas just missed the playoffs with a 66-71 record.

But frankly, most Royals fans could care less about an affiliate’s record by season’s end. It may be unfair, but that’s generally the case in my experience. Instead, casual fans are more likely to focus on the highs and lows of 2024 first-round pick Jac Caglianone or how catcher Blake Mitchell is exceeding expectations. After all, it’s rare for an entire minor-league team to make it to The Show, so investing attention in higher-ceiling prospects is the smarter long-term play. Professional baseball can be a cruel game sometimes, can’t it?

KC Royals prospects made strides as a whole, but a few stumbled in 2024

Let’s say you take a cursory glance at the organization’s top 30 prospects when the season starts and again after the All-Star break. That list, crafted by educated evaluators, gives a solid overview of which Royals minor leaguers have a chance to make a major league impact. But after that mid-season update, there’s usually a bit of a lag.

Prospects can either rebound from a tough start, maintain their performance, or fall apart as the season winds down. Once September ends, we get the full picture of a player's season—no more trends or splits, just the final stats. Flip over the baseball card and see where they landed. Here are some notable prospects who fell short in 2024 and now have doubters to prove wrong in 2025—if they get the chance.

KC Royals Prospect: 3B Trevor Werner

A seventh-round pick out of Texas A&M, Werner surprised many with his impressive professional debut in Low-A last year. He blasted eight home runs and posted a staggering 214 wRC+ over 31 games, making it seem like anything was possible for Werner in 2024. Unfortunately, that potential also included a near-worst-case scenario, which unfolded in High-A.

Werner was older than much of his competition in Quad Cities, but his performance was held back by an alarming 35.4% strikeout rate. He slashed .200/.292/.339 with an 84 wRC+, and while his power is undeniable—hitting 11 home runs and driving in 53 RBI—that strikeout rate is one of the worst in the Royals' system. Until his plate approach improves, it’s hard to consider Werner a top-30 prospect.