The Kansas City Royals have translated a handful of solid international prospects from the Dominican to full-season ball in recent years. Many of those DSL standouts became Complex League leaders before moving their way up to Low-A and beyond. Players such as Emmanuel Reyes and Luinder Avila have been among those standouts in recent years to find success in upper levels. Others such as Austin Charles have been stateside draft prospects to standout in the Complex League as well. It’s much more of a crapshoot, but the Complex League can be a great starting point for the next wave of top prospects in the Royals farm system.
Looking back at 2024, there are some notable Royals prospects that should be ready to make the jump to Low-A next season.
Ramon Ramirez (Catcher)
We can get the more obvious name out of the way first. Ramirez wasn’t nearly as successful in the Complex League as he was in his Dominican debut. However, he still looked solid. In 49 games, Ramirez slashed .265/.379/.459 with seven home runs. He saw a serious uptick in strikeouts but not enough to become alarming. Ramirez has a strong approach at the plate and has consistently shown the potential for plus power as he continues to develop. Defensively, it’s less clear where Ramirez will end up. It hasn’t been a liability behind the dish to this point but he may be more of a first baseman in the long-term.
Josi Novas (Shortstop)
It was an abysmal 2024 season for Novas. He entered the year with some hype after a strong showing in 2023. That season, he slashed .324/.437/.450 with three home runs and eight stolen bases. Novas has a large, 6-4 frame. His power/speed combination is tough to ignore even with the drop in production this season. The issue in 2024 was strikeouts — up to 46.2%. That mark is severely alarming and Novas could end up more like Erick Peña than say … Seuly Matias. After two years in the Complex, Novas will likely replace Austin Charles and Daniel Vazquez in the Columbia infield next season. The tools are the draw here more than the recent production.
Weskendry Espinoza (Right-handed Pitcher)
Espinoza has a wicked fastball with great life. He spent 2024 in the Complex League pitching to a 3.74 FIP in 25.0 IP. He held opponents to a .200 average with 27 strikeouts and nine walks allowed. Since the start of 2023 he’s allowed just one home run (in the DSL). He pitched exclusively as a reliever in 2024 and likely profiles that way moving forward as well. With a great fastball and promising breaking ball, Espinoza is the next notable international arm to know for the Royals, following Oscar Rayo and Emmanuel Reyes into the low minors.
