Royals Prospect Colleran Turning Heads in Spring Training

2024 draft pick impresses with dominant minor league performance and strong spring showing

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:41pm

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The Kansas City Royals have a lot of young talent on their roster, including standout players like Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Bobby Witt Jr. But one prospect who has been turning heads this spring is reliever Dennis Colleran, a 2024 seventh-round draft pick out of Northeastern University. Colleran has quickly risen through the Royals' minor league system, dominating at every level, and is now making a strong case for a major league debut in 2023.

Why it matters

The Royals are rebuilding and looking to their farm system to provide the next wave of talent. Colleran's rapid development and impressive spring performance suggest he could be a key part of the team's future bullpen, providing a boost to their pitching staff as they aim to return to contention.

The details

Colleran was drafted by the Royals in 2024 after a roller coaster college career. But the Royals have helped him take his game to the next level, as he's seen his ERA cut in half from his final year of college to his first year of pro ball in 2025. Since then, the right-hander has continued to dominate in the minors, quickly working his way up to Double-A. This spring, he's been impressive, tossing 4 innings with 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 runs, and 3 strikeouts.

  • Colleran was the Royals' 2024 seventh-round draft pick out of Northeastern University.
  • In his first year of pro ball in 2025, Colleran went from Low-A to High-A and even pitched in one game at Double-A, going a combined 9-0 with a 2.85 ERA in 66 1/3 innings with 72 strikeouts.
  • Colleran represented the Royals in the Arizona Fall League in 2025, where he posted a 1.17 ERA over 7 relief appearances.
  • This spring, Colleran has impressed in 4 games, tossing 4 innings with 1 hit, 0 walks, 0 runs, and 3 strikeouts.

The players

Dennis Colleran

A right-handed relief pitcher in the Kansas City Royals' farm system, who was the team's 2024 seventh-round draft pick out of Northeastern University.

Maikel Garcia

A top infielder prospect in the Royals' organization who has dominated in the World Baseball Classic, representing the Royals on the biggest stage.

Vinnie Pasquantino

Another top Royals infielder prospect who has performed well in the World Baseball Classic.

Bobby Witt Jr.

The Royals' star infielder who has also played a key role for the team in the World Baseball Classic.

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What they’re saying

“Colleran was the Royals' 2024 seventh-round pick out of Northeastern and in his first year of professional ball in 2025, he went from Low A to High A and even pitched in one game at Double A, going a combined 9-0 with a 2.85 ERA in 66 1/3 innings with 72 strikeouts. He was so dominant that he represented the Royals in the Arizona Fall League, where he posted an impressive 1.17 ERA over seven relief appearances. He's on a fast track to the majors and I wouldn't be surprised if he makes his major-league debut sometime this year once his slider becomes more consistent and he throws more strikes.”

— Jim Bowden, Writer

What’s next

The Royals will continue to monitor Colleran's progress this spring as they determine if he is ready to make his major league debut sometime in 2023.

The takeaway

The Royals' farm system is stocked with talented young players, and Colleran's rapid rise through the minors and impressive spring performance suggest he could be the next homegrown arm to make an impact at the big league level as the team looks to return to contention.