Royals select high school pitcher Jack Slightom with No. 56 pick in MLB Draft
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- The Royals selected high-school pitcher Jack Slightom in the second round.
- Slightom, a 6-foot-5 right-hander committed to Cincinnati, has touched 98 mph.
- Slightom went 7-0 with a 0.38 ERA, 73 strikeouts and seven walks in 37⅓ innings.
The Kansas City Royals continue to reshape their pitching depth in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft.
In the second round, the Royals took prep pitcher Jack Slightom from Lyons Township High School in Willow Springs, Illinois. The 6-foot-5 right-hander is currently committed to the University of Cincinnati.
Slightom offers a projectable skill set. He has touched 98 mph with his fastball that also has some late carry in the strike zone. Additionally, Slightom has a slider and changeup in his arsenal that continues to develop.
The Royals can afford to take a chance on a high-school arm. Earlier in the draft, the club selected right-hander Taylor Rabe in the Competitive Balance Round A.
Slightom could follow in the footsteps of Royals top prospect David Shields. In 2024, Shields was also taken in the second round. He was originally committed to Miami but decided to join the Royals.
In two seasons, Shields has grown into a high-caliber pitching prospect. There is a chance Slightom can do the same given his physical tools.
Slightom was a two-sport star. He was a high-school quarterback that led Lyons Township to the Class 8-A state playoffs. When he gets into the Royals’s system, he will get a chance to focus purely on baseball going forward.
And the Royals hope it will unlock his full potential.
Slightom posted a 7-0 record with an 0.38 ERA in eight games as a senior. He posted 73 strikeouts and registered seven walks in 37 and 1/3 innings, per MaxPreps.
The Royals now have a trio of teenage pitchers in their system. Slightom joins Shields and Kendry Chourio as high-upside prospects on the rise.
Chourio will pitch in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Royals have selected three players in the 2026 MLB Draft so far. The club took University of Louisville outfielder Zion Rose with the sixth overall pick. Then, KC drafted Rabe with the 30th selection.
This story was originally published July 11, 2026 at 4:44 PM.
