1
Signed
Jac Caglianone
1B/LHP, Florida
Scouting Report
Bats: L / Throws: L
Age: 21
Slot Value: $7.21m
Signing Bonus: $7.5m
The Royals took the best raw power in the entire draft class in Caglianone. In three years with the Gators, the 21-year-old slashed .355/.447/.760 with 75 home runs. In 2024, he silenced some of the concerns regarding his hit tool, hitting .419 with an 8.2% strikeout rate. The ceiling here is immense, and Caglianone could quickly find his way to the big leagues as early as 2025. In a media Zoom call on Sunday, “Cags” expressed gratitude that the Royals will allow him to continue to pitch as well as hit as he moves into the pro ranks.
The talent is certainly most impressive at the plate, but Caglianone can touch the upper 90s on the mound as well. The two-way talent has given him the nickname “Jactani” throughout his NCAA career thus far. For the Royals, it represents the continuation of a slight pattern in recent years. The team drafted prep pitcher Frank Mozzicato in 2021, followed by a college hitter, Gavin Cross the next season. In 2023, they opted for a prep talent in Blake Mitchell, and have followed that up here dipping once again into the college ranks in the first round.
As for my personal take on the selection, I believe the ceiling and makeup of the player are both well worth it. The power is off the charts, and Caglianone is a competitor through and through. At the same time, I have some reservations regarding the aggressive nature of Jac’s game at the plate. He struggled with extremely poor chase rates in college and may have a more difficult time finding success despite those in the pro ranks. Only time will tell, and the Royals seem more than up to the task.
2
Signed
David Shields
LHP, Mt. Lebanon HS (PA)
Scouting Report
Bats: B / Throws: L
Age: 17
Slot Value: $2.28m
Signing Bonus: $2.3m
The Royals followed up their first-round pick with a prep lefty in Round Two. David Shields, a 17-year-old (one of just a few in this year’s class) pitcher out of Pennsylvania offers an impressive blend of ability and potential on the mound. Royals Director of Amateur Scouting, Brian Bridges, raved about his command on Sunday’s media call. “This guy is in the zone, and the most important thing is being in the zone,” Bridges said. “We have the people in player development who can help him get to his ceiling.”
Shields throws a three three-pitch mix, featuring a fastball, curveball, and changeup. The heater was touching 95 mph in looks last summer, but more often sits 90-92. Bridges mentioned Mike Soroka when discussing the long-term upside for Shields. Soroka was throwing 88-90mph when he was drafted by the Braves back in the 2015 MLB Draft. Shields is committed to the University of Miami but will almost certainly forgo that commitment to sign with the Royals this week. In Shields, the Royals get yet another high-upside teenage arm alongside last year’s selections Blake Wolters and Hiro Wyatt.
3
Signed
Drew Beam
RHP, Tennessee
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: L
Age: 21
Slot Value: $1.03m
Signing Bonus: $1.09m
Beam was fantastic for the Volunteers throughout his college career. He was a workhorse in the Tennessee rotation, compiling 262.2 IP across three college seasons. This season across 19 starts, Beam pitched to a 4.22 ERA across 102.1 innings of work. He struck out 99 and walked 27. Beam offers a rather high floor as a starter, with many seeing him as a future fifth starter at worst. Much like yesterday’s second-round selection, Bridges praised Beam’s command, stating “One thing he has done is throw a lot of strikes.” Beam has been up to 96 mph with his fastball and rounds out his pitch mix with a curveball and a cutter. It’s a high floor built on command, and the Royals will now get to work on his pitch tempo while they work him toward the major leagues.
4
Signed
L.P. Langevin
RHP, Louisiana-Lafayette
Scouting Report
Bats: L / Throws: R
Age: 21
Slot Value: $696,300
Signing Bonus: $597,500
Langevin is the second Ragin’ Cajun in the last two years to join the system after Kansas City selected Carson Roccaforte in 2023. Bridges called his fastball “disappearing” and praised the analytics and data behind the pitch. The fastball sits 92-94mph but has touched higher at times. The high spin rates are what makes it most dominant, generating sky-high whiff rates. He pairs the fastball with a solid changeup and a breaking ball. This season, Langevin pitched to a 3.73 ERA with 106 strikeouts across just 62.2 innings of work.
5
Signed
A.J. Causey
RHP, Tennessee
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 21
Slot Value: $505,000
Signing Bonus: $477,500
Causey likely joins Beam and former teammate, Jared Dickey, in the farm system (once he signs). The 21-year-old pitches from a side-arm slot and compiled 272 strikeouts across 216.0 innings in his NCAA career. Causey has a low-90s fastball that usually faces high contact rates, but leans more heavily on an elite changeup. It helps Causey to succeed well against left-handed hitters. Rounding out the pitch mix is a slider that offers high spin rates. He has unique makeup as a pitcher, and Bridges praised that uniqueness. “It’s not a fun at-bat,” Bridges said. “We’ve kind of gotten away from those type guys.” He’s a potential high-leverage reliever who throws a high amount of strikes.
6
Signed
Tanner Jones
RHP, Texas A&M
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 21
Slot Value: $382,100
Signing Bonus: $379,900
Tanner Jones transferred to Texas A&M for the 2024 season after spending two seasons with Jacksonville State. He pitched to a 6.33 ERA over 48.1IP, striking out 47 with 19 walks. He’ll likely continue to start as he enters the system, but profiles most as a relief pitcher eventually. He creates good ride with his fastball and generates above-average spin rates with his breaking ball.
7
Signed
Dennis Colleran
RHP, Northeastern
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 20
Slot Value: $297,700
Signing Bonus: $247,500
Colleran throws absolute gas. His fastball hits triple-digits and he struck out 10.1 hitters per nine innings across two seasons with Northeastern. It’s a sinker and he pairs that with an average slider and an average splitter. If the Royals can use the fastball as a foundation and round out the rest of Colleran’s pitch mix, there’s a lot to like about his long-term profile as a reliever. He’s still young for a two-year college product, at just 20 years old, and should adjust well to professional ball as he continues to develop. With the fastball and traits, Colleran offers the potential for a fast-tracking reliever.
8
Signed
Nicholas Conte
RHP, Duke
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 22
Slot Value: $235,900
Signing Bonus: $157,500
Nick Conte missed time of late with Tommy John Surgery. He only appeared in seven games in 2024 with the Blue Devils, striking out 8 across 6.0 innings of work. Bridges called him “an elite spin” arm, generating great spin rates on both his fastball and breaking ball. He didn’t pitch much this season but succeeded in the strikeout department over the limited work he was given. Conte also pitched in summer ball after the season, pitching in the NECL. Across 11.1 innings of work, he struck out 24 while walking just two. The fastball has been up to 99 mph in looks from the scouting team and offers a lot of upside now post-surgery.
9
Signed
Canyon Brown
C, North Carolina A&T
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 20
Slot Value: $200,600
Signing Bonus: $197,500
Brown slashed .310/.414/.492 in 2024 for the Aggies. The CAA isn’t exactly an elite NCAA conference, but regardless Brown showed impressive ability throughout the season that led him to Kansas City here. He’s a defense-first catcher. Bridges called it a “plus-plus catch and throw profile.” Brown is just 20 years old and a bit young for the class, showing great athleticism behind the dish. “He’s pretty elite back there,” Bridges said of Brown in his closing remarks.
10
Signed
Nate Ackenhausen
LHP, Louisiana State
Scouting Report
Bats: L / Throws: L
Age: 22
Slot Value: $186.2k
Signing Bonus: $47,500
Ackenhausen has posted impressive strikeout numbers pitching in the SEC over the last two seasons. Across 73.2 innings of work, he’s struck out 95 against just 36 walks. The 5.65 ERA leaves some room for improvement, but pitchers this late in the draft are going more based on the arsenal and projectability rather than purely the game results. Bridges called Ackenhausen “one of the most polished senior left-handed pitchers” that he’s seen. It’s a smooth operation on the mound, and his arsenal offers a healthy amount of arm-side movement that makes him difficult for right-handed hitters. His sweeping slider sits in the low 80s and generates solid chase rates against lefties. It’s a full four-pitch mix with lots of high-spin offerings, including the fastball which has touched 2500 rpms.
11
Signed
Zachary Cawyer
RHP, Texas Christian
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 21
Signing Bonus: TBD
12
Signed
Tommy Molsky
RHP, Oklahoma State
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 21
Signing Bonus: TBD
13
Signed
Sam Kulasingam
3B, Air Force
Scouting Report
Bats: B / Throws: R
Age: 23
Signing Bonus: TBD
14
Signed
Kyle DeGroat
RHP, Wallkill HS (NY)
Scouting Report
Bats: L / Throws: R
Age: 18
Signing Bonus: TBD
15
Signed
Tyler Davis
LHP, Mississippi State
Scouting Report
Bats: L / Throws: L
Age: 22
Signing Bonus: TBD
16
Signed
Andrew Morones
RHP, Cal State Fullerton
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 23
Signing Bonus: TBD
17
Pending
Dane Burns
LHP
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: L
Age: 19
Signing Bonus: TBD
18
Pending
Corey Cousin
OF, Slidell HS (LA)
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 17
Signing Bonus: TBD
19
Signed
Dash Albus
LHP, Abilene Christian
Scouting Report
Bats: L / Throws: L
Age: 21
Signing Bonus: TBD
20
Signed
Carter Frederick
OF, Oklahoma
Scouting Report
Bats: R / Throws: R
Age: 22
Signing Bonus: TBD
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[…] Caglianone now signed, the Royals have reportedly agreed to $12,994,900 in signing bonuses for the class. The team’s 2024 draft pool sat at $13.02 million entering the draft. That […]