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 Sure-Oz

No but if they are 10 games back close to the deadline they better field offers

Fine, put him on the market when they are 10 games back. You said you hoped he was on the market now, which is silly.

[DeepSouth]

What's the deal with Jimmy Paredes? He's playing 3rd in Omaha. He's a switch hitter. He's batting .317 against righties and .294 against lefties. Couldn't the Royals platoon him and Valencia. Paredes against righties, Valencia against lefties? That would replace Moose's left handed bat if he's sent down.

Duncan, would love to hear your take?

[alnorth]

Complete list of regulars with a worse weighted OPS than Moose: Nate Schierholtz, Zack Cozart, Brad Miller (not the NBA player), Jedd Gyorko

— Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) May 13, 2014

Someone always has to be the worst, but you'd hope a team trying to make the playoffs could avoid having one of the 5 worst.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

What's the deal with Jimmy Paredes? He's playing 3rd in Omaha. He's a switch hitter. He's batting .317 against righties and .294 against lefties. Couldn't the Royals platoon him and Valencia. Paredes against righties, Valencia against lefties? That would replace Moose's left handed bat if he's sent down.

Duncan, would love to hear your take?

Gio is already up, and he's a better option right now as our plan B. Paredes might be plan D after trying Valencia full-time.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Fine, put him on the market when they are 10 games back. You said you hoped he was on the market now, which is silly.

Shouldve clarified that

[DeepSouth]

I can't find Gio's splits (righty versus lefty) at Omaha. But, the Royals have no lefties coming off the bench other than Dyson. Peredes would give them a left handed bat. Which, would mean more if Moose is sent down.

[Ceej]

Man, it sure would be nice to start a winning streak, or hot streak tonight.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

I can't find Gio's splits (righty versus lefty) at Omaha. But, the Royals have no lefties coming off the bench other than Dyson. Peredes would give them a left handed bat. Which, would mean more if Moose is sent down.

Gio's a better option on offense right now. The only reason we have a platoon now is because of Moose, but if the Royals are comfortable with Gio's defense at 3rd (which is an open question, I don't know if they are), then I'd rather have Gio play every day.

I'm not worried at all about having only one left-handed bat off the bench.

[Why Not?]

At this point, I would rather see Brett ".000" Hayes at 3b. Something, anything different has to be done.

[gblowfish]

"Give Moose a Special Blue Participation Ribbon, and an embossed certificate of participation he can hang in his bedroom. Take him to a nice lunch on the Plaza. Tell him that although he has disappointed us, we still love him and want him to succeed. Tell him to keep trying, hold his head up, and soon he'll be back here contributing to the organization like we know he can. Tell him he's only a few hours away, and he can bring his laundry here on weekends if he likes. Then give him a little kiss on the cheek, and put him in a very nice rental car, and let Billy Butler drive him to Omaha. I'll decide whether Billy drives the car back tonight or not." - GMDM

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Gio's a better option on offense right now. The only reason we have a platoon now is because of Moose, but if the Royals are comfortable with Gio's defense at 3rd (which is an open question, I don't know if they are), then I'd rather have Gio play every day.

I'm not worried at all about having only one left-handed bat off the bench.

Fair enough. I would rather have Gio full time at 3rd than Moose. And not to kick a dead horse, but I don't believe Valencia is a full time player. He bats consistently better against lefties than righties. We're talking an average of 100 points better.

[CaliforniaChief]

This is like the parent who refuses to discipline the child. Not that Moose needs discipline (other than the plate variety), but it's obvious to all that he needs to be demoted, needs to be dealt with, something to shake him up...but the Royals just won't count to 3 and actually bring him to the bus station.

[alnorth]

I don't generally believe in "sending a message", nor do I usually believe that some players might "not care" or "not try hard enough". This situation is pretty simple and cut and dried for me. I'm sure Moose is upset, worried, and trying as hard as he can, but he's killing us right now.

He looks so bad that I also don't think he has to face MLB pitching, it looks like AAA pitching could be enough of a challenge for him. Maybe he'll figure it out and maybe he needs time to rediscover his swing, but at this point he needs to do that in games that don't count.

If he can OPS over .900 in Omaha for a full month, then we can talk about his return, if that ever happens.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

This is like the parent who refuses to discipline the child. Not that Moose needs discipline (other than the plate variety), but it's obvious to all that he needs to be demoted, needs to be dealt with, something to shake him up...but the Royals just won't count to 3 and actually bring him to the bus station.

But,but,but........his defense.........

[gblowfish]

Maybe we should send Moose to AA Northwest Arkansas. Make him do yard work at David Glass' house to help work off that $5 million we've paid him so far.