Royals’ Farm System Is Deeper Than It May Appear: Royals Pipeline

Does the Royals farm system deserve more credit?

Apr 7, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals ball bag on the field prior to the game against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The 2026 MLB Draft was nearly two months ago, and since then, we have gotten a small sample size from some of the prospects in this year’s class.

In the latest episode of “Royals Pipeline,” hosts Jared Perkins and Kevin O’Brien are joined by Overslot founder Joe Doyle to break down the Kansas City Royals’ 2026 MLB Draft class and the farm system as a whole.

Doyle was among those who liked what Kansas City did in this year’s draft, including the decision to select Zion Rose with the sixth overall pick. While Rose went earlier than many expected, Doyle pointed to his offensive upside and ability to make hard contact, along with the Royals’ ability to save money throughout the rest of the draft.

One name the hosts and Doyle discussed was third-round left-hander Max Yell. Doyle views Yell as one of the most underrated prospects in the class, along with a handful of later-round arms. He believes the variety of pitchers selected could eventually help strengthen the Royals’ organizational pitching depth.

The conversation then shifted to the overall state of Kansas City’s farm system. Doyle believes the Royals’ system is deeper than many realize. One name he highlighted was Josh Hammond, who Doyle believes could eventually become a relatively unanimous top-100 prospect across industry rankings.

Names such as Blake Mitchell, Ramon Ramirez and Sean Gamble were also brought up as players who could eventually develop into impact major leaguers. The biggest concern the hosts raised was that much of Kansas City’s best talent is currently in the lower levels of the minor leagues.

Doyle also highlighted names such as Angel Beltré Gomez and Camden Johnson. However, one weakness he mentioned within the Royals’ farm system is the lack of impact infield depth, specifically at shortstop and second base.

When looking at the American League Central, Doyle pointed to the Detroit Tigers as a team the Royals should be most concerned about. With Detroit’s combination of young talent, a strong front office and continued player development, the Tigers could become a long-term threat in the division.

All of this and much more is discussed in the latest episode of “Royals Pipeline” on the KC Sports Network.