The Kansas City Royals have arrived at Spring Training, and the games have already started in the Cactus League over the weekend. Looking to build off their postseason appearance a year ago, optimism is sky-high around a core that includes Bobby Witt Jr., Vinne Pasquantino, and Cole Ragans.
But while several young players are trending upward, injuries are a quick way to throw a bucket of cold water on that optimism. The Royals have already been bitten by the injury bug in the opening weeks, and they got concerning news involving one of their top prospects as they prepare for the 2025 season.
Royals Top Prospect Blake Mitchell to Miss Significant Time With Injury
According to MLB.com’s Anne Rogers, Royals top catching prospect Blake Mitchell has a broken hamate bone and will undergo surgery sometime this week. Royals manager Matt Quatraro also said that the recovery time for the injury will be about four to six weeks.
#Royals top catching prospect Blake Mitchell has a broken right hamate bone, manager Matt Quatraro said. Surgery is scheduled for sometime this coming week, and it’s a 4-6 week timeline for recovery.
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) February 22, 2025
Mitchell is listed as the Royals No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and was the eighth overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. The 20-year-old did most of his work at Low-A Columbia last season, hitting .238/.376/.439 with 18 home runs, 50 RBI, and 25 stolen bases on 32 attempts in 106 games.
After reaching High-A Quad Cities for a five-game cameo at the end of the 2024 season, Mitchell was expected to begin there this season with MLB Pipeline (No. 48) and Baseball America (No. 75) ranking him in their top 100 prospects list for the upcoming season.
The good news is that the Royals weren’t counting on Mitchell at the major league level. Royals legend Salvador Perez will enter his 14th season for Kansas City and is coming off his ninth All-Star appearance last season. Kansas City also has Freddy Fermin as the backup catcher with Luke Maile, Luca Tresh, and Brian O’Keefe as non-roster invitees to Spring Training.
While Mitchell’s start to the season could be delayed, there’s still a chance he could make his way through the Kansas City organization this season. But the injury is still a disappointing start for a prospect with a bright future.