3 key storylines for Royals Spring Breakout

This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers' Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- This weekend brings a new twist to Spring Training. Major League Baseball is launching the inaugural Spring Breakout, and the Royals are gearing up for their prospects to face a roster full of Brewers prospects at 3:05 p.m. CT on Sunday at Surprise Stadium.

The Royals’ Spring Breakout roster features prospects from all levels. You’ll be able to listen to the Spring Breakout game on MLB Digital (MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App) and follow along live on Gameday.

Here are three Spring Breakout storylines we’ll be watching on Sunday:

1. Blake Mitchell and the catching depth
The Royals’ No. 1 prospect, Mitchell is about to embark on his first full professional season after he was drafted No. 8 overall in last year’s MLB Draft as a high school catcher. He has legit power and his arm is a cannon, and we should see both on display in Spring Breakout.

Mitchell leads a group of young catching prospects, and Carter Jensen (No. 11) and Ramon Ramirez (No. 15) are both also on the roster. Depending on how the Royals configure their lineup and bench, there’s a chance we at least see all three at the plate.

We don’t know Kansas City’s pitching plans yet, but there’s a chance Mitchell could catch for right-hander Blake Wolters, the club’s No. 7 prospect. The two are already creating a strong relationship by rooming together this spring, and Mitchell has said he loves catching Wolters much more than he’d like facing the high-powered young arm.

They’re both young with a long way to go, but it’s a future battery the Royals are very excited to see grow in the coming years.

2. Minor Leaguers on the cusp of Kansas City
Two players on the 40-man roster but no longer in big league camp are on the Spring Breakout roster: Outfielder Tyler Gentry (Royals' No. 10 prospect) and reliever Will Klein (No. 19).

Both should help the Major League team this year.

Gentry has one of the strongest arms in the team’s system and he has the power potential to stick in one of the corner outfield spots. If he continues the production he showed in the second half of last year with Triple-A Omaha, when he had a .901 OPS with a 133 wRC+, Gentry will force his way to Kansas City.

The same goes for Klein, who can be a power arm in Kansas City’s bullpen. His name came up time and time again in the first few weeks of Spring Training, when coaches and evaluators were asked about a player who could help in 2024.

3. The new guys
There are five members of the Royals’ 2023 Draft class on their Spring Breakout roster, including Mitchell and Wolters. The others:

OF Carson Roccaforte (No. 17)
LHP Hunter Owen (No. 23)
RHP Hiro Wyatt (No. 26)

Roccaforte played in 31 games last season after the Draft and posted a .779 OPS, but this could be the first time we see Owen and Wyatt on a bigger stage if they’re lined up to pitch. The Royals had a strong Draft last year across the 20 rounds, and many of those players are expected to move fast, including Owen, who brings a great presence and tempo to the mound in addition to his four-pitch mix.