How the Kansas City Royals’ prospects fared in Sunday’s MLB Spring Breakout game

The Kansas City Royals got a good look at their future on Sunday.

Some of the Royals’ top prospects participated in Major League Baseball’s inaugural Spring Breakout game against Milwaukee Brewers prospects at Surprise Stadium.

Fans on hand got a chance to watch No. 1 Royals prospect Blake Mitchell in action. He was joined by Cayden Wallace (No. 3), Ben Kurdna (No. 4) and Gavin Cross (No. 8), among others.

The Brewers featured top prospect Jackson Chourio. He is expected to make his major-league debut this season and recently signed an eight-year deal worth a guaranteed $82 million.

He was joined on Milwaukee’s roster for the game by 6-foot-7 teammate Jacob Misiorowski, who attended Grain Valley High School.

The Royals pulled off a 4-3 victory over the Brewers. Wallace scored the winning run in the shortened seven-inning game. He scored on a walk-off wild pitch from Brewers pitcher Justin Yeager.

Here are three takeaways from the fun exhibition showcase:

Trevor Werner stars on big stage

Werner didn’t take long to leave a sizable impression.

He drilled a solo home run over the left-field wall in the fourth inning. He rebounded from an 0-2 count and took advantage of a fastball from Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson.

“I had faced that guy (Henderson) before in this past season,” Werner said. “I kind of knew a little bit about him. You know, he got me down to two strikes pretty quick, but just kept fighting off pitches and finally got the one I wanted. I put my swing on it and it worked out.”

The homer was the Royals’ first hit in the game. Werner, who is the Royals’ No. 20 prospect, has raw power in his arsenal. He hit 14 home runs in his final season at Texas A&M.

The Royals selected Werner in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft. He continued his power surge with nine home runs, 40 RBIs and a .703 slugging percentage across two minor-league levels.

“It’s been a good first spring training,” Werner said. “Just a lot of firsts with everything and going through it with all the guys in the org has been awesome. We have a great group of guys here.”

Uneven performance for Royals’ pitchers

Pitcher Mason Barnett got the start for the Royals Sunday afternoon.

But the organization’s reigning Paul Splittorff Pitcher of the Year struggled to command the strike zone against the Brewers.

Barnett allowed two hits, two runs (one earned) and three walks. He also hit two batters.

The Royals turned to No. 21 prospect Noah Cameron in the second inning. Cameron fared better in his 2 1/3 innings, allowing a run but striking out two. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning by striking out Brewers catcher Wes Clarke.

“It felt great,” Cameron said of his outing. “It was definitely a pleasure to be out there and just represent the organization, and obviously getting the win today.”

The Royals also called upon Chandler Champlain (No. 12-ranked KC prospect) and Will Klein (No. 19). Both spent time in big-league camp this spring. The duo allowed one hit and recorded three strikeouts in three combined innings of work.

“I just try to do whatever I can to get ready to compete,” Champlain said. “I felt good. I felt like I was in a good spot.”

Spring Breakout draws good reviews

The Royals’ prospects seemed excited to play in Sunday’s Spring Breakout game.

The exhibition served up a chance to see the club’s next generation of athletes do their thing. Fans arrived early to watch and stayed afterward to gather autographs from the prospects in attendance.

“It’s a blast,” Champlain said. “Obviously, for us, we get to face these guys throughout the year. I think it’s better for the fans to understand in minor-league ball, you know, the competition.

“There are a lot of guys in minor-league ball that are going to be big-leaguers one day. To see them start at a younger age, I think, is really special. I think it’s a great thing for baseball.”

The Royals didn’t feature all of their top prospects in the game, but those who did participate garnered some valuable experience. And a couple even turned in some highlight plays.

Outfielder Carson Roccaforte (No. 17) made a diving catch in the third inning while Daniel Vazquez (No. 28) showed his arm strength at shortstop. And KC prospect Brett Squires left an impression with a two-run single that tied the game in the fifth inning.

“It’s awesome to be in the dugout with other top prospects in the organization and to be on the field with another organization’s top guys too,” Werner said. “(We) had a pretty good crowd today out there and had great weather. So, it was a lot of fun.”