Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45

Red Bank Catholic High School in southern New Jersey has had a number of players drafted over the years, but none before the ninth round, when eventual big leaguer Ryan Kalish was selected and signed by the Red Sox back in 2006. Panzini, who threw very well at a number of summer showcase events, is poised to easily surpass Kalish, if he is signable.

Panzini largely pitches off of his fastball, and it’s one of the best ones in the area. He’s up to 95 mph consistently and he throws it with plus life. It has high spin and it’s heavy, missing bats consistently, even against top competition. Some scouts feel there’s much more velocity to come. The strong, athletic right-hander will have to continue to refine his secondary stuff so good hitters don’t just sit on the fastball. Panzini did land his solid slider for strikes at events like the Area Code Games, a pitch that could be above-average in time, and he folds in a get-me-over type of curve. He mixed in a few changeups, but not consistently.

While his breaking stuff can have some downward tilt to it, he’s struggled to land it in the strike zone in the past and some scouts see some reliever risk. The other two things that could hold Panzini back are the fact he’ll be nearly 20 when the Draft rolls around and his commitment to the University of Virginia. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Panzini was part of the trio of prep pitchers the Royals took high in the 2021 Draft, with his selection in the fourth round following Frank Mozzicato (first) and Ben Kudrna (second). It took Panzini until 2025 to reach the upper levels of the Minors, mainly because of a lat/oblique injury that caused him to miss significant time in ‘24. He bounced back well in ‘25, moving up three levels from High-A to Triple-A and ending the year with a 3.39 ERA in 26 games (17 starts) and 109 innings. In Double-A, where he made 13 appearances (10 starts), Panzini had a 27 percent strikeout rate and an 8.7 percent walk rate.

With the injury slowing him down some, it wasn’t until 2025 that Panzini looked and felt healthy, and his velocity started to pop. His above-average fastball sits comfortably in the mid 90s and flashes into the upper 90s with good vert. Panzini has two breaking balls: an upper-70s curveball that has good depth and grades as slightly below average right now but could be above average down the line, and a mid-80s slider that is average and gets sweepy at times -- he’s working on tightening it up. Panzini is still developing a changeup that he doesn’t use much. Alongside health, Panzini has really worked on his body the last few years and is taller, leaner and stronger. He moves better now, which has helped to smooth out his delivery.

Panzini made so many starts in ‘25 because he needed to throw innings following the injury, and then the Royals needed more depth in Triple-A when he made it up there at the end of the year. But it’s likely that Panzini returns there this year and makes the reliever transition; that’s where he can make an impact at the big leagues, and it can be in multi-inning stints with his arsenal.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Panzini became the highest Draft pick out of Red Bank Catholic High School in southern New Jersey when the Royals selected him in the fourth round in 2021 and signed him for well-above slot at $997,500. He fit right in with the two high school pitchers the Royals took in earlier rounds, Frank Mozzicato and Ben Kudrna, and the three pitched in instructional league together last fall. The Royals viewed Panzini as an under-the-radar pick based on how many arms were in the Northeast last year and were thrilled to get him in the fourth round because of his ceiling.

Pitching largely off his fastball, Panzini hovers around 94-95 mph consistently and throws the pitch with plus life and high spin. Although there’s not much projection left in his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame, some believe there is more velocity in there. Panzini has a slider that could be above average in time, and he mixes in a changeup, though not consistently. He threw that pitch in the Royals’ fall camp and flashed some deception with it, which should help him get through a lineup multiple times.

Panzini will need to learn how to land his breaking balls for strikes consistently to eliminate the reliever risk some scouts saw during the Draft process. He could fill a bullpen role with his fastball/slider combo and aggressive mindset, but he also has a durable frame that will be able to log innings. The Royals love his quiet competitiveness and plan to start him, taking their time to see what they have, but he could be someone who does move quickly as things begin to click.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

Red Bank Catholic High School in southern New Jersey has had a number of players drafted over the years, but none before the ninth round, when eventual big leaguer Ryan Kalish was selected and signed by the Red Sox back in 2006. That is until Panzini went all the way in the fourth to the Royals and signed for well-above slot at $997,500.

Panzini largely pitches off of his fastball, and it was one of the best ones in his area during his prep days. He’s up to 95 mph consistently, and he throws it with plus life. It has high spin and it’s heavy, missing bats consistently, even against top competition. Some scouts feel there’s much more velocity to come. The strong, athletic right-hander will have to continue to refine his secondary stuff so good hitters don’t just sit on the fastball. Panzini did land his solid slider for strikes at events like the Area Code Games, a pitch that could be above-average in time, and he folds in a get-me-over type of curve. He mixed in a few changeups, but not consistently.

While his breaking stuff can have some downward tilt to it, he’s struggled to land it in the strike zone in the past, and some scouts see some reliever risk. As a young pitcher just getting going in pro ball, Manzini will be given ample time and space in the Kansas City system to iron out those concerns.

Awards

TEX Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
06/15/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Kansas City Royals Prospects.
	01/27/2026	Kansas City Royals invited non-roster RHP Shane Panzini to spring training.
	08/26/2025	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Omaha Storm Chasers from Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
	08/26/2025	Omaha Storm Chasers activated RHP Shane Panzini.
	05/27/2025	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Northwest Arkansas Naturals from Quad Cities River Bandits.
	09/25/2024	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Surprise Saguaros.
	08/13/2024	Quad Cities River Bandits activated RHP Shane Panzini from the 60-day injured list.
	06/13/2024	Quad Cities River Bandits transferred RHP Shane Panzini from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
	08/29/2023	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Quad Cities River Bandits from Columbia Fireflies.
	08/29/2023	Quad Cities River Bandits placed RHP Shane Panzini on the 7-day injured list.
	08/29/2023	Quad Cities River Bandits activated RHP Shane Panzini.
	05/24/2022	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Columbia Fireflies from Royals Organization.
	05/24/2022	Columbia Fireflies activated RHP Shane Panzini.
	08/17/2021	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to Royals Organization.
	07/19/2021	Kansas City Royals signed RHP Shane Panzini.
	06/15/2020	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to PG National 1 - Black.
	06/15/2020	RHP Shane Panzini assigned to PG National 1 - Black.