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We’re around a month into the Minor League Baseball season, and there have already been performances and trends to keep watching down in Kansas City’s farm system.
MLB.com caught up with Royals director of player development Mitch Maier on a few of those performances:
Right fielder Jac Caglianone?
Of course, we have to start with Caglianone, the Royals’ top prospect and No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list. The slugging first baseman made his debut in right field on April 24, signaling that Kansas City wants to increase his versatility as it starts to think about his fit on the roster.
Maier said the plan was to have Caglianone settle in at first base during Spring Training and the first couple of weeks with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Caglianone was shagging during BP in the spring and continued that with the Naturals, but he began working with special assistant and longtime outfield coach Rusty Kuntz on the finer details of outfield work before making his debut out there.
“Even early on with shagging, you could tell he reads the ball well off the bat,” Maier said. “He’s got a really good arm. … It's exciting. Down the road, we’ll see how it plays out, but it’s good exposure for him right now. There will certainly be things to work on as the game exposes him to different things, but the initial look -- the reads off the bat, the throws, the way he charges ground balls -- it’s all been good to see.”
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Maier added that Caglianone will play a few games per week in the outfield, with the rest of his reps coming at first base. Caglianone has a .938 OPS through 27 games in Double-A and hit two more homers this past weekend.
An early promotion for Wilson
After two full seasons in Double-A, infielder Peyton Wilson went back to the level again to begin 2025 -- and quickly showed the Royals he was done with it.
The Royals’ Competitive Balance pick (No. 66 overall) in 2021 out of Alabama, Wilson slashed .392/.505/.689 and stole eight bases in 19 games with the Naturals. He was promoted to Triple-A Omaha on April 28.
“We always knew there was a little bit more in there from a consistency standpoint,” Maier said. “He went out and took care of business. … He needs to be a multidimensional player who can help the team win in a lot of different ways, and he was ready for this next step. He earned it.”
Wilson, 25, fits the Royals’ mold. He’s a solid defender at second base who can move to the outfield when needed, and he’s a speedy player who understands small ball. He’s also a switch-hitter and much stronger than his 5-foot-9, 180-pound frame suggests.
He might be an interesting weapon for the Royals later on in the season or next year if he continues to show what he did in Double-A.
“Peyton is an extremely high-twitch player, extremely explosive,” Maier said. “And at times, he’s really aggressive. So without losing that aggressiveness and what is an elite tool because he is so twitchy and strong, we just needed to fine-tune the consistency of it. Controlling the at-bats, controlling the body and swing decisions. And he’s done a great job of that.”
How many stolen bases?
31 stolen bases in 25 games.
Nope -- not a typo.
Royals No. 23 prospect Asbel Gonzalez has been running wild with Single-A Columbia so far this season, showcasing his elite speed and bat-to-ball skills that the Royals have known about since Gonzalez signed with them during the 2023 international period.
The 19-year-old turned some heads in Rookie ball last season, and he is one of the Royals’ top center-field prospects and best baserunners, but now he’s doing it with a full-season affiliate. Gonzalez is slashing .404/.513/.436 through games on Saturday. He also has more walks (14) than strikeouts (10).
“The first thing with him is that he just gets on base,” Maier said. “He has good at-bats. He’s not trying to do too much, just hit the ball hard and use the middle of the field. That’s a big piece of allowing him to get on base, understanding who he is and what he’s trying to accomplish. And then once he gets there, he’s a really instinctual baserunner. He has a good feel and understanding for when he can go, when he can’t go. He’s not just running to run.”
Single-A can be an aggressive level for baserunning with so many young players getting their first taste of pro ball. But what Gonzalez, the Carolina League stolen-base leader, has done is still impressive. The Royals love to create chaos on the bases, and Gonzalez fits right in.
“Getting him out to the affiliate, it changes guys a little bit too -- you’re getting under the lights in front of fans, and you’re seeing him rise to the environment and showcase his tools,” Maier said. “He’s been fun to watch. He’s an exciting player.”