Royals Select Three Players to 40-Man Roster
KANSAS CITY, Mo.¡ªThe Kansas City Royals announced today they selected left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron and right-handed pitchers Luinder Avila and Eric Cerantola. Kansas City¡¯s Major League Reserve List is now at 37.
Cameron, 25, split last season between Double-A Northwest Arkansas (16 starts) and Triple-A Omaha (9), and went 7-6 with a 3.08 ERA (44 ER in 128.2 IP) and 149 strikeouts, pacing all Royals minor leaguers in strikeouts while finishing with the 3rd-lowest ERA. He was crowned the International League Pitcher of the Month in August after he combined to go 2-1 with a 1.71 ERA (6 ER in 31.2 IP) and 36 strikeouts across 5 starts (his first full month with Omaha). In three seasons with the Royals organization, he has pitched to a 3.97 ERA (133 ER in 301.2 IP) while striking out 380 batters (11.3 K/9, 29.9 K%) in 68 starts. A graduate of Central High School in St. Joseph, Mo., he was selected in the 7th round of the 2021 MLB Draft from the University of Central Arkansas, and signed by scout Matt Price.
Avila, 23, has spent each of his first six professional seasons in the Royals organization, reaching as high as Triple-A Omaha in 2024. The Venezuela native made 20 starts last season, including 19 at Double-A Northwest Arkansas, and combined to post a 4.14 ERA (40 ER in 87.0 IP) with 85 strikeouts (8.8 K/9, 22.4 K%). He was an Arizona Fall League Fall Star selection earlier this month after allowing 5 earned runs in 14.2 innings pitched (3.07 ERA) while striking out 17. The right hander owns a 4.48 lifetime ERA (208 ER in 418.0 IP) across 103 games (80 starts) since signing as an international free agent on March 3, 2018, by scouts Jos¨¦ Figuera and Joelvis Gonzalez.
Cerantola, 24, has spent each of his first four pro seasons in the Royals organization, posting a 3.62 ERA (74 ER in 184.0 IP) across 83 games (23 starts). In 2024, he pitched in 37 games (7 starts), split between Double-A Northwest Arkansas (24 games, 7 starts) and Triple-A Omaha (13 games), and logged a 2.97 ERA (24 ER in 72.2 IP) with 101 strikeouts (12.5 K/9, 31.4 K%). He was one of six minor leaguers to pitch in fewer than 75.0 innings last year while striking out at least 100 batters. The right hander was selected by the Royals in the 5th round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Mississippi State University and signed by scout Cody Clark.