What a season the Kansas City Royals ' High-A affiliate, the Quad Cities River Bandits, just had. After finishing 70-57 on the season, the River Bandits advanced to the Midwest League Division Series.
They took on the South Bend Cubs, winning the series in the first two games. The River Bandits won 8-3 in the opener, followed by a 3-1 win that sent them to the Championship Series.
The Quad Cities River Bandits went up against the Dayton Dragons and, in the same fashion, finished the series in two games. They won the first game 4-0 before being crowned Midwest League champions with a 2-1 victory Tuesday.
The River Bandits' roster was crawling with talent this season, featuring a handful of the Royals' most highly regarded prospects. Kansas City 's No. 5 prospect, Blake Mitchell, not only turned in a strong 2026 campaign, but he arguably had the biggest swing of his professional career in Tuesday's win.
The catching prospect came to the plate in the top of the eighth inning with two outs, a runner on third base and Quad Cities trailing 1-0. Then, on a 2-1 count, the left-handed hitter roped a pitch high and deep to right field, clearing the wall for a go-ahead two-run home run .
This wasn't a short-porch home run by any means. Mitchell hit the ball 431 feet to give Quad Cities the lead, shortly before the team secured the win.
Mitchell logged 381 at-bats this season, all with the River Bandits. In that sample, he slashed .234/.414/.459 with an .873 OPS, along with 23 home runs and 75 RBIs. What stands out about the prospect at the plate is his ability to get on base and draw walks. Mitchell totaled 113 walks this season.
What a way to cap off a season with a go-ahead home run to give your team the lead in the championship game. Eyes will be on former first-round pick Mitchell as he continues to make his way through the Royals organization.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/royals/onsi as Royals Prospect Blake Mitchell Comes Up Huge in River Bandits' Championship Win .
