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.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by seaofred

Was Dozier promoted to AA?

Couldn't be more proud of my little brother getting moved up to AA today! Much deserved and excited to see what this next step brings!

— Devin Dozier (@dozierredraider) June 16, 2014

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Couldn't be more proud of my little brother getting moved up to AA today! Much deserved and excited to see what this next step brings!

— Devin Dozier (@dozierredraider) June 16, 2014

Isn't there a good 3rd base prospect already at AA? Duncan ???

[penbrook]

Since start of play on 5/29, @Royals are tied with @Athletics for most runs in AL (93). Entering that day, KC was last in AL in runs scored.

[penbrook]

By the way Dale Sveum was hired as the new hitting coach on May 29.

[penbrook]

This isn't a coincidence. Dale Sveum has literally by himself turned the Royals team around.

[seaofred]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Couldn't be more proud of my little brother getting moved up to AA today! Much deserved and excited to see what this next step brings!

— Devin Dozier (@dozierredraider) June 16, 2014

Thanks.

[kcchiefsus]

I'm certainly no expert on baseball but it seems to me like in most situations a hitting coach wouldn't make this big of a difference. Could it perhaps be that the previous coach just had everybody doing something funky with their swing, stance, etc. that was messing with them? So possibly Sveum has them back to doing what they're comfortable with?

I have absolutely no clue, just throwing something out there.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

Isn't there a good 3rd base prospect already at AA? Duncan ???

Cheslor Cuthbert.

He's below Dozier on the organizational chart at this point, though. And he's not a lock to stick at 3B. He's actually like a year younger than Dozier if I recall correctly.

It makes sense to move Dozier, though. He's an advanced college guy with a really strong approach who is slugging over .500 in the Carolina league since May 1. His really slow start in April has been completely overcome, it appears.

Cuthbert is a guy who might have to move to 1B/LF/RF eventually. They might be panning to do that now.

They also can split time between the two guys at 3B and DH, if necessary. I don't think Cuthbert is ready for a promotion to Omaha (He has a .700ish OPS at NWA, that's driven in large part by his OBP).

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

I'm certainly no expert on baseball but it seems to me like in most situations a hitting coach wouldn't make this big of a difference. Could it perhaps be that the previous coach just had everybody doing something funky with their swing, stance, etc. that was messing with them? So possibly Sveum has them back to doing what they're comfortable with?

I have absolutely no clue, just throwing something out there.

If anything it would have to do with approach. Working counts, looking for pitches in a certain area, etc.... I have noticed Infante basically refusing to swing at any first pitch lately to the point he's stepping back out of the box as the pitch is thrown. I don't recall him doing that before.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Cheslor Cuthbert.

He's below Dozier on the organizational chart at this point, though. And he's not a lock to stick at 3B. He's actually like a year younger than Dozier if I recall correctly.

It makes sense to move Dozier, though. He's an advanced college guy with a really strong approach who is slugging over .500 in the Carolina league since May 1. His really slow start in April has been completely overcome, it appears.

Cuthbert is a guy who might have to move to 1B/LF/RF eventually. They might be panning to do that now.

They also can split time between the two guys at 3B and DH, if necessary. I don't think Cuthbert is ready for a promotion to Omaha (He has a .700ish OPS at NWA, that's driven in large part by his OBP).

Do you think one of those two could be a September call-up?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

Do you think one of those two could be a September call-up?

Dozier would need to absolutely destroy the ball at NWA, force his way to Omaha, and keep it up there.

It's possible but unlikely.

The biggest thing working in Dozier's favor is that he has an EXTREMELY advanced approach. Guys like that can sometimes move faster than others.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

I'm certainly no expert on baseball but it seems to me like in most situations a hitting coach wouldn't make this big of a difference. Could it perhaps be that the previous coach just had everybody doing something funky with their swing, stance, etc. that was messing with them? So possibly Sveum has them back to doing what they're comfortable with?

I have absolutely no clue, just throwing something out there.

From what I've been told, it had more to do with Grifol being in over his head than anything else. He's all about the swing and lower half feeling good and doesn't focus as much on approach or prep.

Sveum's philosophy is quite a bit different. Head and hands (a more classic focus for hitting) and preps better.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Dozier would need to absolutely destroy the ball at NWA, force his way to Omaha, and keep it up there.

It's possible but unlikely.

The biggest thing working in Dozier's favor is that he has an EXTREMELY advanced approach. Guys like that can sometimes move faster than others.

So, he could feasibly replace Moose if not sometime in 2015 then definitely in 2016?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

So, he could feasibly replace Moose if not sometime in 2015 then definitely in 2016?

Promoting him to NWA now is a move that attempts to get him ready for at least a mid-season callup in 2015, to me.

Also means they're probably not looking at a big splashy move like bringing in Adrian Beltre to handle 3B.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

I'm certainly no expert on baseball but it seems to me like in most situations a hitting coach wouldn't make this big of a difference. Could it perhaps be that the previous coach just had everybody doing something funky with their swing, stance, etc. that was messing with them? So possibly Sveum has them back to doing what they're comfortable with?

I have absolutely no clue, just throwing something out there.

You are right that normally a hitting coach does not make much of a difference and they are usually convenient scapegoats. The only way they might make a difference is if they are doing something really bizarre to screw up the players.

Its difficult to know if that was the case here, because baseball teams are not going to throw guys under the bus even if they privately think he was a terrible coach and they had to get rid of him. From what little information we have been able to get though, Grifol's approach to teaching hitting was apparently really odd.