It will be a few years before Sean Gamble sniffs the big leagues, but the Kansas City Royals have to be expecting big things. On Sunday, the Royals made Gamble the 23rd overall selection in the 2025 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Shane Van Dam recently returned from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for much of the 2025 season. He posted a 4.58 ERA in 16 games in 2024 before suffering the injury. Van Dam pitched in three games and limited opponents to a .233 batting average post injury.

The Royals were always going to eye upside with their first selections of the MLB Draft, and as the picks got closer on Sunday night, they zeroed in on hitters. Their first two picks fit the target.