Royals top prospects Blake Mitchell, Gavin Cross get taste of Cactus League action
The Kansas City Royals showcased two of their top prospects against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. The Royals started former first-round picks Gavin Cross and Blake Mitchell in Cactus League play.
Both players were called upon due to Friday’s split-squad games. The Royals’ away matchup against the Cincinnati Reds was canceled due to rain.
Cross, who was selected ninth overall in the 2022 MLB Draft, drew the start in center field. Meanwhile, Mitchell made his first spring start as the designated hitter. The duo joined Royals stars Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez in the lineup.
“It was good. We practiced with the guys this morning,” Cross said. “Obviously, I know a lot of them, but the ones I didn’t know, I got to meet. It was fun.”
Cross, 23, went 0 for 3 in the Royals’ 6-1 loss to the Guardians. However, he did make a sliding catch to take away a base hit.
Mitchell struck out three times. However, the Royals’ top overall prospect enjoyed his experience with the big-league club.
“I was trying to have fun tonight,” Mitchell said. “That was the main focus, just go have fun. You know, I wasn’t worried about nerves or anything like that. I knew the adrenaline was going to be pumping.”
The Royals drafted Mitchell with the eighth pick in the 2023 draft. Mitchell, 19, is looking to make the jump from high school. He was a former two-time Gatorade Texas Player of the Year and has a well-rounded skill set.
Mitchell made his professional debut in rookie ball last July. He appeared in 13 games in the Arizona Complex League. According to MLB.com, Mitchell is ranked No. 94 among the top 100 prospects in the sport.
“The experience has been great, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Mitchell said. “You know, I love being out here, and I love playing baseball every single day. I love being around these guys. So, I love every second of it.”
Mitchell will headline a contingent of Royals prospects in Sunday’s Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Surprise Stadium. Cross is also expected to play and is excited to showcase his talents on a larger scale.
Last season, Cross missed time with an illness. He got sick and didn’t finish his first full season in the minor-league system. He played 94 games with High-A Quad Cities before being promoted to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Cross hit .206 with 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, 23 stolen bases and 73 hits. He recorded 42 walks but struck out 113 times. He was elevated to Double-A in August and appeared in two games before becoming ill.
As a result, he missed the remainder of the 2023 season. It was a sharp end to a tough year adjusting to professional baseball.
“It was hard. It was tough. I got sick, and I didn’t have a good year,” Cross said. “But mentally, I felt like I grew a lot. Obviously, I hadn’t ever really struggled a lot and then I got six straight months of struggling. It was eye-opening and something I will lean on and learn from especially this year. I feel really good, and I think what happened last year will help make me a better player and better person for sure.”
The Royals look forward to watching both players progress. Mitchell is one of three top catching prospects in the Royals organization. He sits alongside Carter Jensen (No. 10) and Ramon Ramirez (No. 15) on the top-30 list.
Cross is listed as the top-ranked outfielder in the Royals system. He spearheads an outfield prospect core that includes Tyler Gentry, who is on the 40-man roster, and Carson Roccaforte (No. 17) among others.
“I love Blake. He is a good kid, and we hang out a lot,” Cross said. “(We) do stuff on and off the field together.”
