Shushkewich: Royals’ prospect Langevin striking out batters at very impressive rate
ABC alum L.P. Langevin (Quebec, Que.) is striking out batters at a phenomenal rate for the Kansas City Royals’ High-A Quad Cities River Bandits this season.
July 7, 2026
By Tyson Shushkewich
Canadian Baseball Network
The Kansas City Royals have recently embraced adding Canadian flavour to their farm system.
Earlier this season, right-hander Eric Cerantola (Oakville, Ont.) made his MLB debut with them. The organization also drafted Tyson Moran (Wingham, Ont.) in the 13th round last summer. In addition, the Royals signed right-handers Ryan McDonagh (Milton, Ont.) and Max Poirier (Nanaimo, B.C.) as undrafted free agents last year, while left-hander Jordan Woods (Oakville, Ont.) joined the organization in 2022.
Another Canadian in the Royals’ organization is right-hander L.P. Langevin, who has emerged as one of the top names in the group. The Quebec City, Que., native was a strikeout machine at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2024 which prompoted the Royals to select him in the fourth round that summer.
This season, Langevin has continued the strikeout-heavy approach that made him a standout member of the Ragin' Cajuns bullpen. He currently owns a 17.6 K/9 with the High-A Quad Cities River Bandits. Among pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched, he leads all minor leaguers in K/9, while his 46.1% strikeout rate also ranks among the best in professional baseball.
Among Royals minor league pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched, Langevin ranks fifth with a 2.43 ERA—just ahead of fellow Canadians Eric Cerantola (2.67), who was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants yesterday, and Ryan McDonagh (2.72)—while his 3.48 FIP is fourth in the organization.
Langevin also owns a 1.080 WHIP and has allowed just 2.7 hits per nine innings, surrendering only nine earned runs across 33 1/3 innings. His 65 strikeouts rank second on the River Bandits' pitching staff, despite pitching fewer innings than several of the club's starters.
Opposing hitters have managed just a .093/.284/.176 slash line against the right-hander, good for a minuscule .460 OPS. While his .182 BABIP suggests some good fortune, his ability to consistently miss bats has played a major role in his success.
Langevin has been putting up video game-like numbers, but while he's striking out hitters at an elite rate, his elevated walk rate is likely the biggest reason he remains in high-A.
This isn't a new issue for the right-hander. He posted a 9.28 BB/9 across 21 1/3 innings last season, and he owns a 7.02 BB/9 this year after issuing 26 walks. Despite frequently putting himself in difficult situations, the Quebec native has consistently found ways to escape trouble.
There is, however, an encouraging trend. Langevin issued 20 walks over April and May combined, but since the calendar turned to June, he has surrendered just six free passes across 12 1/3 innings. It's a small sample, but one that suggests meaningful progress.
Langevin faced a significant hurdle at the beginning of his professional career.
A lat-strain early last season delayed his debut until early July, and while he continued to pile up strikeouts, the walks contributed to a 5.91 ERA (14 earned runs in 21 1/3 innings). Similar struggles followed him to the Arizona Fall League, where he walked 12 batters while striking out 11 across just 6 2/3 innings.
If Langevin can continue to rein in the free passes, as his June numbers suggest he can, he has the potential to skyrocket through the Royals' farm system in much the same way Garrett Hawkins (Saskatoon, Sask.) has done with the San Diego Padres’ organization since early 2025. The Royals have been adding Canadian talent at a high rate over these past few years, and Langevin looks like he could be the next breakout candidate in the pipeline.