Who are the most improved players in the Royals' system? – Farm to Fountains

Every player has weaknesses in their game. Yes, even Bobby Witt Jr. But what Bobby and countless others who have made it to the majors have done is improve many of those weaknesses, turning some of them into strengths. Bobby, for example, has increased his walk rate and decreased his strikeout rate in each year of his major league career. He has increased his exit velocity, barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, and much more. Some players in the Royals’ minor league system have taken major steps forward this season. They have turned glaring weaknesses into serviceable areas of their game, and even into strengths in some cases. This is a credit to their coaches and the Royals’ player development personnel, but most importantly, to the player’s hard work and preparation in the offseason. Some of the Royals’ top prospects have made marked improvements this season and have been rightfully praised by many avid Royals fans. However, there have also been some under-the-radar prospects that deserve that same level of praise.

Carter Jensen (C) – Royals’ No. 8 prospect

2023 season stats (High-A): .211/.356/.363, .719 OPS, 20 2B, 4 3B, 11 HR, 18.5 BB%, 24.1 K%, 109 wRC+

2024 season stats (High-A): .271/.386./.435, .821 OPS, 15 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 15.2 BB%, 22.1 K%, 135 wRC+

2024 season stats (Double-A): .231/.354/.436, .790 OPS, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 14.6 BB%, 25.0 K%, 122 wRC+

Carter Jensen’s plate approach has been well-documented over the past few years. The man is not afraid to draw a walk, making him an instant favorite among the Royals’ faithful. Not only has Jensen maintained his impressive walk rate as he’s worked his way through the minors, but he is also hitting for a better average, which has taken his game to the next level. With his profile at the plate, I thought hitting for a .240 average this year would be huge for his growth. He decided to blow that out of the water this season, skyrocketing his average to .271 in Quad Cities before a recent promotion to NW Arkansas. There is a lot to look forward to with Jensen as he inches closer and closer to Kansas City.

Gavin Cross (OF) – Royals’ No. 5 prospect

2023 season stats (High-A): .206/.300/.383, .683 OPS, 21 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 10.3 BB%, 27.8 K%, 91 wRC+

2024 season stats (Double-A): .273/.354/.418, .772 OPS, 18 2B, 0 3B, 10 HR, 10.8 BB%, 23.3 K%, 116 wRC+

I almost didn’t put Cross on this list, given the unique circumstances of dealing with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever last year and the negative impact it had on his play. However, the improvements are too drastic to ignore. He’s had a slight increase in his walk rate and a pretty significant decrease in his strikeout rate. The main improvement has been his overall batting average, but that has mainly been raised through hitting more singles this season. While that shows growth in choosing better pitches to swing at, making better contact, etc., it would still be encouraging to see him hit the ball to the gaps more often and generate a little more lift on the ball to increase his power profile. I have hopes that Cross will be promoted to Omaha before season’s end, and get the call-up to Kansas City in 2025, with the Royals still in need of outfield help.

Luca Tresh (C) – not ranked

2023 season stats (Double-A): .228/.313/.362, .675 OPS, 11 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 11.3 BB%, 18.9 K%, 80 wRC+

2024 season stats (Double-A): .271/.349/.462, .811 OPS, 15 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 9.9 BB%, 24.1 K%, 125 wRC+

Tresh was drafted in the 17^th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of North Carolina State. He started hot out of the gate in 2022, earning a promotion to NW Arkansas that season. Last season was an outlier, as he saw decreases in nearly every statistical category. He has gotten back to his steady ways this season, hitting more doubles and the same amount of home runs as last season in 98 fewer plate appearances. Tresh has shown a lot of promise outside of the 2023 season but is stuck in a catching logjam within the Royals’ system. Time will tell whether he will get his opportunity to prove himself in Omaha and Kansas City.

CJ Alexander (3B) – not ranked

2023 season stats (Triple-A): .220/.280/.423, .703 OPS, 17 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 7.6 BB%, 29.9 K%, 68 wRC+

2024 season stats (Triple-A): .315/.362/.580, .942 OPS, 23 2B, 5 3B, 15 HR, 6.6 BB%, 21.9 K%, 137 wRC+

Perhaps the winner of the most improved hitter in 2024, Alexander has done nothing but impress this year in Omaha. He is 2^nd in the International League in batting average and 3^rd in OPS. He has hit for more power and cut back on the strikeouts significantly. He even played his way into getting a short opportunity in Kansas City. He’s been about everything you could ask for as a guy who was included in a trade where Drew Waters was the centerpiece. It’s hard to say whether Alexander will get another opportunity in Kansas City, but he has certainly figured things out in Omaha.

Ryan Ramsey (SP/RP) – not ranked

2023 season stats (ACL, Low-A & High-A): 51.2 IP, 3.83 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, .226 OBA, 23 BB, 69 K, 3.00 K/BB

2024 season stats (High-A): 68.1 IP, 2.50 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .198 OBA, 26 BB, 74 K, 2.85 K/BB

Ramsey was a 13th-round draft pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of the University of Maryland. He finished his season in Quad Cities last year and held a 10.67 ERA in 14.1 IP. He has completely redeemed himself at the High-A level and then some. In his last two outings, he has pitched a total of ten scoreless innings with 11 Ks and 2 BBs. I’m not sure whether the Royals view him as a starter or reliever in the long term, but he has shown that he can be successful in either role.

Noah Cameron (SP) – Royals’ No. 17 prospect

2023 season stats (High-A & Double-A): 107.1 IP, 5.28 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, .272 OBA, 35 BB, 132 K, 3.77 K/BB

2024 season stats (Double-A & Triple-A): 87.0 IP, 3.31 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, .252 OBA, 25 BB, 104 K, 4.16 K/BB

Cameron started his 2023 season in Quad Cities in dominating fashion before struggling after a promotion to NW Arkansas. He especially struggled to limit hard contact, giving up 14 home runs in 72.1 innings. He seems to have corrected those issues so far in 2024, only allowing 7 home runs in 87 innings pitched. Cameron can attribute some of his success to adding a cutter to his pitch mix in the off-season, as well as keeping his fastball velocity steady throughout this season. His command in the zone has also been an improvement from last year. He has an impressive stat line so far in Omaha: 12.2 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 17 K. Needless to say, he’s a name to watch in 2025.

Anthony Simonelli (RP) – not ranked

2023 season stats (High-A & Double-A): 49.2 IP, 3.99 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, .243 OBA, 15 BB, 56 K, 3.73 K/BB

2024 season stats (Double-A & Triple-A): 53.1 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, .171 OBA, 22 BB, 66 K, 3.00 K/BB

Simonelli has been very impressive in his third full season of professional baseball. Like Cameron, he struggled after a promotion to NW Arkansas last season but has found his stride once again. What’s most impressive to me is the dip in opponents’ batting average from 2023 to 2024. Holding opponents to a .171 avg. is elite stuff, and it translated to his six innings pitched in Omaha this season. Simonelli has certainly done enough to warrant a second promotion to Omaha before the season is over.

Evan Sisk (RP) – not ranked

2023 season stats (Triple-A): 61.0 IP, 6.34 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, .283 OBA, 40 BB, 62 K, 1.55 K/BB

2024 season stats (Triple-A): 40.1 IP, 1.56 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, .158 OBA, 19 BB, 57 K, 3.00 K/BB

The award for most improved pitcher in the Royals’ system is an easy choice. Sisk is leagues better than he was last season, dropping his ERA by nearly five earned runs per nine innings. He has also cut his opponents’ batting average nearly in half. The Royals undoubtedly thought that Sisk would provide more value last season after being acquired in the offseason trade that sent Michael A. Taylor to the Twins. Sisk had been a solid reliever throughout the majority of his professional career prior to last season, but we are currently seeing his most dominant stretch of pitching to date. I think that the Royals were okay with letting Walter Pennington go because of how good Sisk has been as another left-handed relief option. It’s only a matter of time before Sisk gets his opportunity in Kansas City.

Image credit: Nicholas Badders/Omaha Storm Chasers