Royals promote pitcher Shane Panzini to Triple-A Omaha amid Rule 5 buzz

With the minor-league season winding down, organizations are shuffling players to either bolster the big-league club or give prospects a late chance to strengthen their case.

The Kansas City Royals made one such move in late August, promoting right-hander Shane Panzini from Double-A Northwest Arkansas to Triple-A Omaha.

The Royals are bumping up another forgotten pitching prospect to close out 2025

Panzini was another prep player selected high in the 2021 MLB Draft class that included catcher Carter Jensen and pitcher Ben Kudrna. Panzini was selected in the draft's fourth round out of Red Bank Catholic in Red Bank, New Jersey.

It took a few seasons of Panzini to get things rolling professionally, however. Between 2022 and 2024, he struggled across Low-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities, making 46 starts with a 5.20 ERA and matching 5.20 FIP. Command issues, namely, too many walks and home runs, hampered his progress, though his strikeout stuff kept him firmly on the radar of die-hard Royals prospect watchers.

In his age-23 season, Panzini looks to have turned a corner. He opened the year back in Quad Cities and immediately resembled a different pitcher. Used more as a bulk arm than a traditional starter, he posted a stellar 2.76 ERA with a 29.8% strikeout rate, earning a promotion to Double-A for a larger workload. Over 13 games (10 starts) with the Naturals, the sample may be modest, but the consistency stood out—he maintained an above-average 27.0% strikeout rate while cutting his walk rate to a career-low 8.7%.

July was his best month this season, recording a 1.40 ERA within four starts, including a 4.1 shutout start against the Arkansas Travelers on July 24. Panzini struck out six batters in that start, the second-most of his Double-A body of work.

So what’s changed? It all comes back to velocity. Panzini has always had above-average extension and a quirky over-the-head delivery that helped his 91–93 mph fastball play up. But in 2024, he’s sitting more in the 92–97 mph range as a starter, with both his curveball and slider ticking up as well. Whether that’s the product of offseason work or simply better overall health, the results speak loudly. His curveball remains a strong complement with true 12–6 break, while his slider still lacks some of the bite evaluators want. Even so, Panzini has shifted his trajectory from being viewed as a reliever-only arm to once again being a legitimate starting prospect.

The looming Rule 5 Draft adds extra urgency to Panzini’s stint in Triple-A. A strong finish could catch the eye of a team willing to stash him as a two-pitch reliever in the majors right now. Kansas City, however, wants more evaluation time, looking to see if he can consistently handle multi-inning work against more polished competition.

This promotion isn’t just a reward for Panzini’s recent performance but a vote of confidence in his growth. If he can carry his Double-A success into the tougher Triple-A environment, he could soon earn a spot on the Royals’ 40-man roster and put himself on track for a major league debut in 2026.