Royals Pitching Prospect Justin Lamkin Shines in Third Week of Arizona Fall League

The lefty turned heads in his latest start

Texas A&M Aggies' Justin Lamkin (33) pitches as Auburn Tigers take on Texas A&M Aggies during the SEC baseball tournament at Hoover Met in Birmingham, Ala., on Thursday, May 22, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

One of the Kansas City Royals' top pitching prospects, left-hander Justin Lamkin, is being recognized for an impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League.

In the third week of the 2026 Arizona Fall League season, Lamkin had a flawless outing, tossing 4 1/3 perfect innings and striking out four. As a result, the 22-year-old has been named the Arizona Fall League's latest Pitcher of the Week.

Through three starts this fall, Lamkin has a 3.97 ERA and nine strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings. The Royals' No. 8 prospect on MLB Pipeline has also posted a 0.71 WHIP and a .128 batting average against, the fourth- and third-best marks in those statistical categories so far in the Arizona Fall League. While the young hurler's success this fall comes from a small sample size, it could be a crucial next step in his long-term development as part of Kansas City's farm system.

Outlook on Justin Lamkin heading into 2027

Jun 19, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; Texas A&M Aggies starting pitcher Justin Lamkin (33) throws against the Florida Gators during the third inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Royals selected Lamkin in the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M University. The 6-foot-4 lefty made his minor league debut this year, posting a 2.04 ERA in eight starts. He also racked up 53 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings during his first season in the minors.

Lamkin started 2026 at High-A and was promoted to Double-A in May. But after just two Double-A starts, the 22-year-old landed on the injured list in late May. A left shoulder injury sidelined the southpaw for the rest of the minor league regular season. That makes the top prospect's stint in the Arizona Fall League even more important as he looks to make up for lost time this year.

The left-hander is also working on developing a curveball this fall, according to MLB.com's Sam Dykstra. Depending on how that experiment goes, Lamkin may have a new weapon in his pitch arsenal for his second season in the minors. Either way, after making just 11 starts so far in 2026 across the minors and Arizona Fall League, the Royals will undoubtedly hope to get a full season out of their talented pitching prospect next year.