Royals First-Round Pick Makes Bold Declaration On Fit In Kansas City
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It will be a few years before Sean Gamble sniffs the big leagues, but the Kansas City Royals have to be expecting big things.
On Sunday, the Royals made Gamble the 23rd overall selection in the 2025 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. The 19-year-old second baseman/outfielder from IMG Academy has a well-rounded skill set, headlined by his smooth swing and versatility on defense.
Second base and outfield are both noteworthy holes on the Royals' current roster. Within a few seasons, the success of Gamble could heavily correlate with whether or not Kansas City remains a playoff contender, because many of their current players will have hit free agency.
So it's a good sign that Gamble already sees the Royals as a perfect fit for his development, as he said Monday in his first comments after Kansas City selected him.
“Them and I really see eye to eye, they really care about you as a person and not just a player,” Gamble said, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com. “It’s a great group of individuals who really care about my success on and off the field, and I just thought it would be a great relationship from the start.
“ … When they called me and told me I was going No. 23, I was thrilled.”
The Royals don't necessarily know where they'll use Gamble yet, but they know they'll need him to be an offensive contributor, as they already struggle to generate offense, especially at the top of the order. That seems to be a challenge he's excited to embrace.
“Versatility is the name of my game, both offensively and defensively,” Gamble said, per Rogers. “If they need me in the leadoff spot to generate runs and steal bags, that’s what I want to do.
Within the next few days, Gamble should sign his first professional contract, clearing the path for him to begin his journey in the Royals organization.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
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