Team Outlook

A just over .500 finish last season was good for a middle of the pack finish in the improving AL Central. Top prospect Carter Jensen debuted and showed every reason to believe he’s the future of the catcher position for the Royals. The 2025 season also brought one of the more interesting teenage full season debuts with Kendry Chourio. They have a number of other pitching prospects, such as David Shields and Drew Beam, among others, that fill out the middle of their prospect list. They added Josh Hammond and Sean Gamble in the draft, adding some interesting prep bats into their system. This adds upside to a farm system that has been catcher heavy at the top over the last couple seasons, but with Jensen set to graduate things should look different in the coming years.

About Our Top 20 Lists

Prospects Live, led by its evaluating team & Director of Scouting Rhys White, is proud to begin rolling out its annual offseason system reports. The team combines industry feedback, our live looks, film, and available data to compile each org. We believe this effort has enabled us to present you, the reader, with our best possible view of the prospects in the organization.

We have constructed this list using the Overall Future Potential (OFP) scale. There is no perfect equation for ranking prospects or assigning value to them, but we believe this method is the best possible approach. Every prospect on this list has been graded based on the tried and true 20-80 scouting scale. An 80 is the highest tool and OFP grade on the scale, reserved for MVP-caliber players or tools. Conversely, a 20 is reserved for non-prospects (NPs). A 50 OFP falls in the middle, indicating our evaluators deem this player a future average major league player. Below the 50 OFP tier are the 45s and 40s, comprising a large majority of players on each list. These are specific-role players, such as platoon hitters, utility players, or low-leverage relievers. Above the 50 OFP tier are the 55s and 60s. A 55 represents a future above-average player, and a 60 OFP designation is reserved for future All-Star caliber players.

In addition to the tool grades and OFP, we will also include a ‘Risk’ associated with each prospect. We use this to better communicate to you, the reader, whether a grade is more aggressive or conservative in nature. The evaluation team has worked hard to apply both the grades and risk components to better illustrate how each individual prospect stacks up in their respective system and in the baseball ecosystem.

Evaluators: Brandon Tew, Daniel Barrand, Gabriel Estevez, Grant Carver, Jacob Maxwell, Matt Seese, Mitch Stachnik, Nate Jones, Neal Dave

Find all the Top 20 Lists here:

2026 Team Prospect Lists – Prospects Live

Top 20 Prospects at a Glance

1. Carter Jensen, C – 60 OFP
2. Kendry Chourio, RHP – 50 OFP
3. Josh Hammond, SS – 50 OFP
4. Ramon Ramirez, C – 50 OFP
5. Sean Gamble, OF – 50 OFP
6. Asbel Gonzalez, OF – 50 OFP
7. Blake Mitchell, C – 45 OFP
8. David Shields, LHP – 45 OFP
9. Drew Beam, RHP – 45 OFP
10. Luinder Avila, RHP – 45 OFP
11. Ben Kudrna, RHP – 45 OFP
12. Blake Wolters, RHP – 45 OFP
13. Mason Black, RHP – 45 OFP
14. A.J. Causey, RHP – 45 OFP
15. Justin Lamkin, LHP – 45 OFP
16. Yandel Ricardo, 3B – 45 OFP
17. Javier Vaz, 2B – 40 OFP
18. Carson Roccaforte, OF – 40 OFP
19. Hiro Wyatt, RHP – 40 OFP
20. Jose Cerice, 3B – 40 OFP

Scouting Reports

Find Scouting Reports, Tool Grades and Dynasty Outlooks in each toggle section

Expand All Reports

1. Carter Jensen, C – 60 OFP

HT: 6-1 WT: 210 H/T: L/R
Highest Level: AAA
ETA: 2026

OFP: 60

Risk: Low

Hit: 55
Power: 60
Field: 50
Throw: 60
Run: 40

Scouting Report

Drafted in the 3rd round, 78th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft with an overslot deal to pry him from his commitment to LSU, Carter Jensen turned heads in his MLB debut in his 5th season with the org, slashing .300/.391/.550 with an XBH rate of 50%, slugging 6 doubles and 3HRs in just 20 games with the Royals. A burly LHH with a split stance at the plate, Jensen utilizes a double toe tap to time up his swing as well as load. A bat first C, Jensen has a quick, compact swing that utilizes his power effectively, showcasing pole to pole plus power in his debut stint with the big league club, coinciding with a 58.3% hard hit rate as well as an average EV of 95.4, his barrels leaving the yard in a hurry. Aside from his impressive power, Jansen also showcased a seasoned batter’s eye as well as notable bat-to-ball skills, posting an 83.8 Z-Contact% as well as only chasing 28.1% of pitches outside of the zone, both impressive marks for a player with little experience against big league arms. Defensively, the Royals top prospects looks to be the heir to Salvador Perez, donning the tools of ignorance as Perez gets more time at 1B and DH. A big target for his pitchers, Jensen keeps everything in front of him, allowing 0 past balls in his MLB debut stint. Additionally, he’s a capable receiver with soft hands behind the dish, as well as a skilled blocker, squaring up dirt balls and centering them back towards the front of the plate consistently. Under the tutelage of Perez, Jensen should continue to improve and quickly become an asset behind the dish in many different facets of the game, already sporting a bazooka attached to his right shoulder, cutting down potential base stealers with ease. – Nate Jones

2. Kendry Chourio, RHP – 50 OFP

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