Royals officially sign ’25 MLB draftees. Meet the organization’s newest prospects
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals signed 20 of 22 MLB Draft picks, including first-rounder Sean Gamble.
- Top prep hitters Sean Gamble and Josh Hammond headline draft class.
- Royals also added four undrafted free agents.
The Kansas City Royals have officially signed their 2025 MLB Draft class.
On Monday, the Royals announced that 20 of the 22 selections have joined the organization.
Last week, KC selected outfielder Sean Gamble with the 23rd overall pick. He signed for $4 million, a source confirmed to The Star.
Gamble has a unique story. He grew up in Des Moines, Iowa but left home at age 14 to pursue his baseball dreams. He enrolled at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida to train with elite athletes.
The Royals raved about Gamble’s versatility. This season, Gamble hit .413 with four home runs and 30 RBIs while showcasing strong defense.
“You know we look at him to be a top-of-the-order leadoff guy that can really run,” Royals scouting director Brian Bridges said. “He’s a 70-run (grade), so (we’re) real excited. Former hockey player and he played hockey all the way up to the eighth grade and decided he wanted to play baseball.”
The Royals also signed infielder Josh Hammond on Monday. He was taken 28th overall as the club’s Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) selection. KC signed Hammond for $3.2 million, a source confirmed to The Star.
Hammond attended Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina. He hit .471 with six home runs, 28 RBIs and 40 hits in 29 games. The Royals believe his raw power will translate well to the pros as he continues to build his frame.
“We’ll give him a chance to play some shortstop,” Bridges said. “He can really swing the bat. He has a top-of-the-scale arm.”
The Royals selected five players on Day 1 of the MLB Draft. They were able to also sign RHP Michael Lombardi (Tulane), LHP Justin Lamkin (Texas A&M) and Cameron Millar (Alhambra High School).
Additionally, KC signed the majority of their Day 2 selections from Rounds 4-20. The lone unsigned players are right-handed pitchers Grayson Boles and Dylan Wood. Both high school players, they were selected in the 18th and 19th rounds, respectively.
The Royals also signed four undrafted free agents: OF Hunter Ensley, RHP Max Poirier, LHP Cory Ronan and LHP Ryan Ure.
Here is a look at the signed 2025 Royals draftees.
OF Sean Gamble | Round 1 | IMG Academy
INF Josh Hammond | PPI | Wesleyan Christian Academy (North Carolina)
RHP Michael Lombardi | Round 2 | Tulane
LHP Justin Lamkin | Competitive Balance Round B | Texas A&M
RHP Cameron Millar | Round 3 | Alhambra High School (California)
OF Nolan Sailors | Round 4 | Creighton
RHP Aidan Jimenez | Round 5 | Arkansas
INF Tyriq Kemp | Round 6 | Baylor
RHP Bryson Dudley | Round 7 | Texas State
C Brooks Bryan | Round 8 | Troy
RHP Shane Van Dam | Round 9 | NC State
RHP Max Martin | Round 10 | UC Irvine
RHP Hunter Alberini | Round 11 | Arizona
RHP Matthew Hoskins | Round 12 | Georgia
INF Tyson Moran | Round 13 | F.E. Madill Secondary School (Canada)
INF JC Vanek | Round 14 | Chipola College
INF Connor Rasmussen | Round 15 | Tulane
RHP Randy Ramnarace | Round 16 | University of New Haven
OF Luke Nowak | Round 17 | UIC
RHP Kamden Edge | Round 20 | Northern Oklahoma Junior College
OF Hunter Ensley | Undrafted | Tennessee
RHP Max Poirier | Undrafted | Foothills Composite High School (Canada)
LHP Cory Ronan | Undrafted | Hawaii
LHP Ryan Ure | Undrafted | Oklahoma State University
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 11:02 AM with the headline "Royals officially sign ’25 MLB draftees. Meet the organization’s newest prospects."
