Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross went deep twice for Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Thursday. The Royals' No. 5 prospect was 2-for-4 with four RBI to bring his season totals to 12 homers and 50 RBI to go with 23 stolen bases and a .275 batting average. The power display was impressive from Cross who offers 55-grade power and speed in his prospect profile. The 23-year-old has been at Double-A for all of the 2024 season but could push for a promotion to Triple-A by the end of this season. Cross is part of the future outfield plans in Kansas City and should be a prospect to monitor based on his potential five-category contributions.
Gavin Cross Launches Second Home Run In Past Three Games
Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross launched his 12th home run of the season on Sunday, part of a two-hit performance. The 22-year-old carries an uninspiring .699 OPS through 86 games with High-A Quad Cities this season, looking to build off the 1.070 OPS he posted across 29 games in 2022. Despite the struggles, Cross is considered Kansas City's top prospect, per MLB Pipeline. Cross boasts 55-grade power and 55-grade running ability, accruing 22 stolen bases this season. His offensive potential is noteworthy, especially if he sticks as a centerfielder. Still, Cross is likely a couple of years of development away from breaking through to the majors. There is nothing actionable for fantasy managers at this time.
Kansas City Royals minor league outfielder Gavin Cross, a 2022 first-round pick, is widely regarded as the top prospect in the club's farm system. The Virginia Tech product played so well through just 26 games at Single-A last season that he started 2023 in High-A. The quick promotion has resulted in an underwhelming stat line through the first month-plus of action, but there's still a whole lot to love about Cross' makeup. A lefty, Cross demonstrated improved bat control in his latter college years and even into pro baseball. There were also some indications that he had been able to cut down on strikeouts, but his 32.9 K% in 2023 suggests we may need to be a little more patient on that front. Defensively, he has the range needed to play in center field long-term but could probably handle a shift to right field if necessary. This past week was a big one for Cross as he went 9-for-24 with five home runs, 11 RBI, six walks, and 10 strikeouts. He also swiped two bags. Despite a strikeout rate that continues to be elevated, Cross' latest outings suggest that his offensive dominance is returning after a slow start to the season.
Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross hit his fifth home run of the season in a game for High-A Quad City. The 2022 first-round pick has homered in each of his last three games. This run of success comes after a slow start for the top prospect, as he had a .169 batting average and a 30.1% strikeout rate in April. The 22-year-old has plus speed, with seven stolen bases through 34 games. He's far from the majors, but this recent show of power is a sigh of relief for those who hold shares of Cross in dynasty leagues.
