Carson Roccaforte was taken with the 66th overall pick by the Royals in the 2023 draft. Royals Director of Scouting, Danny Ontiveros, called him a “potential five-tool player” in center field and some of that showed up in 2023. He will almost certainly stick in center and offers plus defensive value with a good bat as well.

Season Stats:

2023 (Low-A): .257/.377/.356, 15.6% BB%, 25.4% K%, 116 wRC+

Before a slump took away some of the shine in the last week of the season, Carson Roccaforte looked like an early steal from the 2023 MLB Draft. He reached base in his first 23 games for the Low-A Columbia Fireflies, a streak that was only broken when he recorded an out as a late-inning pinch hitter. He showed up with outstanding defense in center field, great speed on the basepaths, and a nice propensity for creating good contact with the baseball.

The only aspect of Roccaforte’s game that didn’t truly shine through in a limited sample at Low-A in 2023 was his power. In college, he slugged .551 over 178 games with 28 home runs and 47 doubles. The Royals seem to believe they can get even more power out of Roccaforte as he matures at the plate. If so, the path to becoming a five-tool center fielder is there. His stance and game remind of a young Cody Bellinger.

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 55/60

Game Power: 40/50

Raw Power: 45/55

Speed: 55/55

Glove: 55/60

Arm: 50/50

Best Case Scenario:

The best-case scenario around Carson Roccaforte is a true five-tool center fielder of the future. The Royals have had a hard time finding reliable production from center field ever since Lorenzo Cain departed in free agency. Roccaforte is the best center-field prospect that the team has had since. To reach this ceiling, the power has to develop without sacrificing much of his approach.

Roccaforte is still rather young for a college prospect, much like Cayden Wallace taken before him. He was just 21 years old in 2023. If he’s able to move through the system like Wallace did last year, he could reach the major leagues as early as 2025.

Worst Case Scenario:

The worst case for Roccaforte is probably a faster Kyle Isbel with better patience at the plate. His defensive ability — like Isbel — should give him a safe floor as a center fielder as he progresses through the system. Good defensive outfielders with speed and patience at the plate still have a lot of value. It’s for this reason that Roccaforte ranks so highly in our Royals prospect rankings. He has a high ceiling paired with what I see as a rather safe floor. Of course, he could lose some of his approach as he works through the minors, which could dampen some of that floor and further hurt his overall future prospects.