SURPRISE, Ariz.—The Kansas City Royals today selected Zion Rose, a right-handed hitting outfielder out of the University of Louisville, with the 6th overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft. He is the third player selected by Kansas City 6th overall in franchise history, following Jac Caglianone in 2024 and Zack Greinke in 2002.
As a junior this season at Louisville, Rose, 21, slashed .417/.491/.646 (60-for-144) with 13 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs, 24 stolen bases and 47 RBI across 36 games, 23 of which were multi-hit efforts. Additionally, he drew more walks and hit-by-pitches (25) than strikeouts (15). He stole 55 bases on 61 attempts over his final two seasons in college, and as a sophomore in 2025, he recorded 32 extra-base hits (16 2B, 3 3B and 13 HR) and 31 stolen bases, one of just six NCAA Division I players to reach both of those marks.
Rose was named to the 2025 and 2026 All-ACC First-Team as a sophomore and junior, respectively, which came after he was named to the Freshman All-America First Team by Perfect Game in 2024.
The selection of Rose makes him the 11th 1st-round pick out of Louisville in program history (first to the Royals) and the highest pick out of Louisville since Henry Davis went No. 1 overall to the Pirates in 2021. He is the highest Louisville outfielder selected since Corey Ray in 2016 (5th overall, Milwaukee).