2014 Royals Repository

[duncan_idaho]

With my 6,000th post on ChiefsPlanet (it only took me 12 years to get here), I bring you: The 2014 Kansas City Royals Repository.

To be discussed here: All things Royals, as they attempt to post another winning season and make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

25-man RosterAvailable HERE

AL Central Standings:

Link

Duncan's Top 20 Royals Prospects

Spoiler!

1) 3B Hunter Dozier ETA: 2015
Dozier started slowly at A+ Wilmington but caught fire in May and June, earning a mid-season promotion to AA Northwest Arkansas. Big, strong kid with good plate discipline skills and solid power who projects to be an above-average glove at 3B with solid power.

2) SS Raul (Adalberto) Mondesi ETA: 2017
Mondesis is the opposite of Dozier…. Started red-hot at Wilmington before back spasms derailed him for a few weeks and hasn’t gotten it going since coming back. Scouting reports have been great – defense and speed both improved over the offseason. Still a chance to be an elite SS, with 40 SB speed, plus glove, .300 average and some pop.

3) LHP Sean Manaea | ETA: 2015
Scouting reports outperform the stat line so far. Missing a ton of bats at A+ but not preventing runs like you’d expect to see. Needs to work deeper into games (gradually working about an inning deeper/month so far this year) and improve control. Walks are biggest concern right now, but could be elevated due to work on extra off-speed offerings. Still has No. 2 starter potential, could be higher if the great control he exhibited before his hip surgery eventually comes back.

4) RHP Kyle Zimmer| ETA: 2015
Should be NO. 1 on the list and is probably the Royals most VALUABLE current prospect, but he hasn’t thrown a ball in 4-5 weeks and had only been throwing for 2-3 weeks when he was shut down then.

5) LHP Brandon Finnegan| ETA: 2015
Top 2014 draft choice is an undersized lefty who will start at A+ Wilmington after anchoring CWS run for TCU. Good fastball, better slider, change that needs work to stick as a starter, but if he sticks, No. 2/No. 3 starter upside. Likely a top 10 or even top 5 pick if he doesn’t miss 1 start in the middle of the college season as a precautionary move.

6) RHP Miguel Almonte| ETA: 2016
Have heard some say Almonte is more advanced as a pitcher at A+ than Yordano Ventura was (comparison because both were cheap signs out of Latin America). Really advanced changeup and a curve that is working out well (where the ‘more advanced’ comment comes from). Fastball velo is good but not great – 92-94. Like Manaea, working on his second-best offspeed pitch and leaning less on his bread-and butter (changeup), which has hurt his numbers a bit.

7) RHP Christian Binford 2017
Reverse case of “don’t just scout stat lines.” Based on his stats at A+, you’d think he was an elite prospect, but there are questions about Binford’s stuff playing up at higher levels. Tall righty with great command of fastball, slider and a good and still developing changeup. None of those pitches profiles as better than average, though, limiting his likely upside to back-end rotation guy.

8) SS Orlando Calixte| ETA: 2016
I still like him more than many. Good combination of SS/MI skills and power. Started hot at NWA but in a slump at moment.

9)LHP Foster Griffin | ETA: 2019
Tall, projectable lefty taken in 2014 draft. Viewed as a great value in the sandwich round and probably would have been KC’s pick at No. 17 if Finnegan hadn’t fallen. High school arm who is going to take a while to develop.

10) RF Jorge Bonifacio| ETA: 2016
Hasn’t hit as well as expected in his second go-round at AA NWA. Power still sapped, and average skills have dipped. Once looked like he might be an option in RF at some point in 2015, now looks like 2016 is optimistic. Still young for his level.

11) 3B/2B Cheslor Cuthbert| ETA: 2016
Cuthbert has had better luck at NWA than Boni and is also extremely young for level. HE’s been moved to 2B since Dozier was promoted, which could put a new spin on Cuthbert’s prospects. If he sticks at 2B, bat plays up much better. Good OBP/plate discipline and solid power, but needs to continue improving contact skills

12) C Chase Vallot| ETA: 2020
Young (just 17) C with tremendous power. One of the top prep bats and a great value for KC where it got him. If he sticks at C, expect him to move slowly, but the bat may force the issue (or force him to another position).

13) C Zane Evans| ETA: 2017
GA Tech product has handled Wilmington better than most RH bats and probably is in line for a promotion to NWA sometime soon. Decent pop, decent skills behind the plate. Could be a nice reserve catcher.

14) RHP Scott Blewett| ETA: 2020
Tall, projectable righty with a fresh arm but some injury concerns on his shoulder that slipped him out of Round 1 of MLB draft. Big time potential.

15) CF Bubba Starling | ETA:
Bubba Starling has great tools. Bubba Starling (still) can’t hit. That’s all I have to say about that.

16) 1B Samir Duenez| ETA:
I still like him, even though the attempt to run him through full season ball at 17 did not go well.

17)LF/RF Elier Hernandez| ETA:
Hernandez still pops up in scouting reports but still is very raw and toolsy.

18) RHP Pedro Fernandez| ETA:
Pop-up player on the same track as Ventura and Almonte. Similar signing, similar profile. One to watch over next few years.

19) SS Marten Gasparini| ETA:
Royals’ most expensive international signing likely moves to CF eventually, but his speed and athleticism are intriguing abilities. Early reports from complex ball are very positive on him.

20) RHP Niklas Stephenson| ETA:
Interesting pop-up candidate who found 10 more MPH on his fastball by using a weighted ball during workouts over the winter. Now sits mid-90s with fastball and is dominating at rookie ball (after having an ERA over 8 there a year ago). Likely promoted to a higher challenge soon.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Jeff Francoeur thinks that doesn't sound so bad...

But seriously, their backup is Brendan Ryan. Not hard to see a situation where Beltran/Teixeira/Jeter are sitting with injuries and the Yankees have multiple black holes in their lineup.

The only downside with them signing Tanaka and still having Sabathia, is it pretty much removes any possibility of them losing 100 games.

Seriously, just pretend those 2 pitchers don't exist, and take a good, hard look at that team.

If you've been following the Royals for the last 15 years, doesn't it look familiar? AND they play in the AL East?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The only downside with them signing Tanaka and still having Sabathia, is it pretty much removes any possibility of them losing 100 games.

Seriously, just pretend those 2 pitchers don't exist, and take a good, hard look at that team.

If you've been following the Royals for the last 15 years, doesn't it look familiar? AND they play in the AL East?

... Unless Tanaka is Daisuke Matsuzaka. No. 4/5 pitchers don't prevent teams from losing 100 games.

[alnorth]

For Tanaka's sake, I hope the Yankees blew away the Dodgers, because if the Dodgers were in the same ballpark, then he made a VERY stupid decision. I know with those kinda players media exposure and endorsement deals are a big factor, but he would have had plenty of that in LA, and the Dodgers should be good.

In New York, at best, he won't be blamed when they struggle, but if he looks just a little wobbly or pitches like a #3, he's going to get a lot of hate.

[KevB]

Matt Garza signing with Brewers, 4 yr/$52M deal

I have to think that's quite a letdown for Erv. If Garza signs for $52M, I'd be shocked if Erv got much more than that, perhaps in the $70M range.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by KevB

Matt Garza signing with Brewers, 4 yr/$52M deal

I have to think that's quite a letdown for Erv. If Garza signs for $52M, I'd be shocked if Erv got much more than that, perhaps in the $70M range.

Wow. You have to wonder whether we could have made a serious run at him had we not inked Vargas.

[duncan_idaho]

Garza signs for 4/$52?

That makes me think we might see Santana sign for $10/11 million a year.

Garza doesn't carry the first-round pick compensation weight with him, which actually is worse than Garza's injury issues, by most estimates.

4/45 seems like it might actually happen for Santana now. Wow. Unless Garza's medical exams are just a disaster...

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Garza signs for 4/$52?

That makes me think we might see Santana sign for $10/11 million a year.

Garza doesn't carry the first-round pick compensation weight with him, which actually is worse than Garza's injury issues, by most estimates.

4/45 seems like it might actually happen for Santana now. Wow. Unless Garza's medical exams are just a disaster...

Garza's medical records scared off a lot of teams. I wouldn't say this sets a precedent just yet.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Garza's medical records scared off a lot of teams. I wouldn't say this sets a precedent just yet.

Right. But unless Garza's medicals have been worse than expected (they've been expect to be a negative all along, but less of a negative than losing a comp. pick, according to what I'd read), it might.

Will be interesting to watch.

[SPchief]

I said it at the beginning of the offseason and I'll say it again. Offer 3/$45 and see what happens

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by SPchief

I said it at the beginning of the offseason and I'll say it again. Offer 3/$45 and see what happens

I think I laughed that off at the time, but it looks like a possibility now.

[Mecca]

I doubt the Royals will be offering Ervin anything but that'd be nice if he came back, don't expect it at all though.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by SPchief

I said it at the beginning of the offseason and I'll say it again. Offer 3/$45 and see what happens

We probably already offered at least that much before moving on to Vargas and Infante.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Right. But unless Garza's medicals have been worse than expected (they've been expect to be a negative all along, but less of a negative than losing a comp. pick, according to what I'd read), it might.

Will be interesting to watch.

I think teams that would be scared off by medical records would generally have a lot more money than teams that would be scared off by the draft pick. I think he'll get at least 5/60, probably more.

[SPchief]

Originally Posted by alnorth

We probably already offered at least that much before moving on to Vargas and Infante.

Offer it again

[alnorth]

Looks like Chris Getz is going to be stealing money from the Blue Jays this year, though its just a minor league contract.