The best KC Royals prospect at each position going into 2025

The best KC Royals pitching prospects going into 2025

Right-handed starting pitcher: Ben Kudrna

• MLB Pipeline: No. 3
• Baseball America: No. 4
• Just Baseball: No. 5

Armed with a three-pitch mix that includes a pair of breaking pitches that are as strong as anyone else's in the Royals' system, Kudrna is nearing his first look at the big league level. This past season, the right-hander made it up to Double-A despite the fact that his numbers weren't exactly knock-your-socks-off material.

All told, the 21-year-old made 22 starts (and one relief appearance), going 6-8 with a 4.21 ERA. He punched out 119 batters and walked 53 through 115.1 innings of work. The walks and his command in general are an early concern, but he's still young and has plenty of time get the control under, well, control.

Left-handed starting pitcher: Noah Cameron

• MLB Pipeline: No. 12
• Baseball America: No. 8
• Just Baseball: No. 6

Most prospect ranking lists will tell you that Kudrna is the prized pitching prospect in this system, but true ball knowers are well aware of the fact that Cameron really holds that distinction. The southpaw made 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A this past season while striking out over 10 batters per nine innings and walking 2.5.

Both of those numbers outpaced Kudrna and earned Cameron a spot on the Royals' 40-man roster as they looked to protect him from the upcoming Rule 5 Draft. The 2021 seventh-round pick is the closest Royals pitching prospect to the big leagues, and there's no reason why he shouldn't make his debut in the coming season.

Relief pitcher: Eric Cerantola

• MLB Pipeline: No. 29
• Baseball America: N/R
• Just Baseball: Honorable Mention

There aren't many true relief-pitching prospects in the Royals' system, but Cerantola stands out above the field. The right-hander began the 2024 campaign as a swingman but shifted to a short-stint reliever down the stretch and his numbers immediately began to improve.

In 13 relief appearances out of the Royals' Triple-A affiliate's bullpen, Cerantola posted a 3.77 ERA with 20 strikeouts and eight walks in 14.1 innings of work. The sample size is not very big, but it's enough to get prospect evaluators interested. Moving forward, his high-strikeout stuff is likely going to play up out of the 'pen, and the Royals' late-season moving of him to a relief role may indicate how they view his future playing out.