6 days ago
2
The Kansas City Royals finished the 2025 season with an 82-80 record, falling short of their postseason hopes after making the playoffs in 2024, and now several prospects are knocking on the door as the front office looks to retool heading into 2026.
The Royals' biggest need remains clear, as their outfield ranked dead last in baseball with a 70 wRC+ and -1.4 fWAR in 2025, while the rotation has plenty of depth with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, and Noah Cameron all in the mix.
Advertisement
Here is a look at four prospects who could get the call and which one makes the most sense.
Ben Kudrna — RHP (No. 7)
Ben Kudrna is a 22-year-old right-hander and hometown kid who was the Royals' second-round pick in 2021 out of Blue Valley Southwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas.
He posted a 4.21 ERA across 20 appearances at Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2025 and finished strong with a 1.71 ERA over his final six starts, which helped him earn a spot on the 40-man roster in November.
He did struggle in four Triple-A appearances at the end of the year though, so he likely needs more seasoning at Omaha before he is ready for Kansas City.
Advertisement
Steven Zobac — RHP (No. 11)
Steven Zobac is a 25-year-old right-hander who had a breakout 2024 season with a 3.64 ERA across 126 innings, earning the Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year award in the organization.
Unfortunately, a knee injury derailed his 2025 campaign and he struggled to a 7.25 ERA across 14 starts when he was on the mound.
The Royals still added him to the 40-man roster because they see mid-rotation upside with his 93-95 mph fastball and plus slider, but he needs to prove he is healthy before earning a call-up.
Gavin Cross — OF (No. 24)
Gavin Cross is a 24-year-old outfielder who was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 Draft out of Virginia Tech, but his minor league journey has been up-and-down so far.
He slashed .219/.269/.358 with 11 home runs and a 26.6% strikeout rate in 2025 at Double-A, and while he has plus power potential, his struggles against breaking balls have kept him from advancing.
Advertisement
Given the outfield need he is someone to watch closely, but he needs more consistency at the plate first.
Javi Vaz — 2B/OF (No. 25)
Javi Vaz is a 25-year-old utility player drafted in the 15th round of 2022 out of Vanderbilt, and while he stands at just 5-foot-6, he has walked more than he has struck out over the past two seasons while playing multiple positions across the diamond.
A Spring Training finger injury slowed him in 2025, but his contact skills and versatility give him the highest floor in the system.
The Verdict
Given the Royals' roster construction, Javi Vaz makes the most sense to get the call first since the team has pitching depth and could use a versatile bench player who provides steady at-bats.
Cross is intriguing given the outfield need, but his Double-A struggles suggest he is not ready, and while Kudrna and Zobac are talented arms, there is no rush with the rotation depth already in place.
English (US) ·