The Royals may not be very good in 2011 — as the recent trade of star pitcher Zack Greinke would seem to indicate — but give them credit: there will be no shortage of minor-league star power in spring training.

The team announced Monday that six players ranked in Baseball America’s list of the organization’s top 10 prospects — including first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and left-handed pitcher John Lamb — will be among the 23 nonroster players invited to this year’s camp in Surprise, Ariz.

“This is something each and every one of them has earned based on how they performed last year,” general manager Dayton Moore said. And while it remains unclear how many have a legitimate chance to make the club — Moore has stated numerous times that he will not rush players, nor put limitations on them — that hasn’t kept him from imploring all of them to come ready to compete for a spot on this year’s big-league roster.

“I want every player to come to spring training with the expectations of going north with our team,” Moore said. “We’ll look at our players, be open-minded with them and evaluate them on a day-to-day basis.”

In addition to Hosmer, Moustakas and Lamb, who are ranked by Baseball America as the club’s first-, third- and fourth-best prospects, three impressive left-handed pitchers will also head to Surprise. Mike Montgomery (No. 5), Danny Duffy (No. 7) and Chris Dwyer (No. 8) will compete for positions, along with No. 9 prospect Aaron Crow, a right-hander who is already on the 40-man roster.

However, they aren’t the only ones hoping to make the team, obviously. In addition to players with major-league experience like infielder Joaquin Arias, outfielder Brett Carroll and right-handers Zach Miner and Luis Mendoza, also included on the list of nonroster invitees are several young relievers who Moore has already stated can make the club, like righty Louis Coleman and lefties Blaine Hardy and Tim Collins.

The hope, Moore said, is that all of the aforementioned players gain some experience and show enough to merit a spot on the opening-day roster or a big-league call-up at some point this season.

“You’d like these guys to be in spring training so when they come to the major leagues, it won’t be the first time they’ve been around the staff and other players,” Moore said. “The transition won’t be as rough.”The Royals will begin their 32-game exhibition schedule Feb. 27 against the Texas Rangers.