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.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

It's possible... will depend on how much deeper TCU goes, how long it takes to sign him, and how he performs once he is signed.

I wouldn't say it's likely, but if the stars align, he could give them some help late.

He's pretty close to a finished product. Changeup is MLB average, fastball and slider are plus, according to every report I can find.



True.

I had just finished reading an article breaking Finegan down in which it talked about the "significant time" he missed this year because of the shoulder and how concerning that was, so I was probably a little more sensitive to that than I otherwise would have been.

It's kind of sad how lazy some of these "draft guys" are when it comes to that.

Leaving one start early, being skipped as a precaution, and coming back even stronger is not missing a significant part of the season.

My wife, the TCU grad, is extremely excited about Finnegan joining the Royals. If it gets me more time at the K because of it, I'm sold

[duncan_idaho]

Looking at the Day 1 picks, I think Chase Vallot is probably my favorite pick.

He's got the arm and pop time to stick behind the plate, apparently has tremendous raw power (won the HR derby at the Perfect Game showcase, which included all the elite HS guys) ... and lost 20 pounds before the start of baseball season because he realized he needed to.

He's a project, but if he can stick behind the dish, the bat is intriguing.

Oh, and he won't turn 18 until August and has not grown up as a baseball prima donna like some you could mention.

EDIT: I should also mention that all 4 of the Day 1 draft picks are top 40 talents according to many. I think Keith Law has them all in his top 34. If the Royals can sign all of them (and they've done a good job gauging who is signable over the past several years), that's a pretty good indicator.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Looking at the Day 1 picks, I think Chase Vallot is probably my favorite pick.

He's got the arm and pop time to stick behind the plate, apparently has tremendous raw power (won the HR derby at the Perfect Game showcase, which included all the elite HS guys) ... and lost 20 pounds before the start of baseball season because he realized he needed to.

He's a project, but if he can stick behind the dish, the bat is intriguing.

Oh, and he won't turn 18 until August and has not grown up as a baseball prima donna like some you could mention.

EDIT: I should also mention that all 4 of the Day 1 draft picks are top 40 talents according to many. I think Keith Law has them all in his top 34. If the Royals can sign all of them (and they've done a good job gauging who is signable over the past several years), that's a pretty good indicator.

And my guess is he'd be ready by the time Sal is gone, correct?

[Mother****erJones]

Blewett is my favorite pick of yours

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Three7s

And my guess is he'd be ready by the time Sal is gone, correct?

He should be knocking on the door by the time Perez is in his last year or two of this contract.

2015 - A
2016 - High A
2017 - AA
2018 - AAA
2019 - MLB

Of course, that's assuming he hits enough at each level to progress, and his defense is good enough at each level to progress.

Catchers sometimes take more time to move.

Side note on Vallot: Sounds like a pretty mature, mentally tough kid. He was able to perform over the past year and a half while his mother dealt with breast cancer. Pretty nice family story.

[Strongside]

Move Perez to 1st, Hosmer is leaving. Put Vallot at home.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Strongside

Move Perez to 1st, Hosmer is leaving. Put Vallot at home.

Just HOW IN THE ****!!!!! are you planning to replace the 1 HR per year from Hosmer leaving? How!?

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Royals: Where bulldog is an attribute

#Royals scouting director Lonnie Goldberg on Finnegan, "He’s got the make-up, the command and the bulldog in him that we were looking for."

— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) June 6, 2014

BullDog Finnegan!! Now we will have a Moose and a Bulldog on the team.

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Our number one...

Didnt we pick some guys with arm troubles last year too?? royals give me a headache!!

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

Didnt we pick some guys with arm troubles last year too?? royals give me a headache!!

No.

[Chiefsplanet Royals fan]We keep spending first-round picks on guys with arm problems![/Chiefsplanet]

[Reality]Sean Manaea never had arm problems (hip surgery - completely fine and recovered). Brandon Finnegan missed one start in his college career due to shoulder stiffness, as a precaution, and has pitched BETTER since skipping that start. He does not have an injury history. [/reality]

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Just HOW IN THE ****!!!!! are you planning to replace the 1 HR per year from Hosmer leaving? How!?

Easy. Sign Cubs pitcher Travis Wood to play 1st or DH. He has as many HR as our current 1b and DH combined

[Halfcan]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

No.

[Chiefsplanet Royals fan]We keep spending first-round picks on guys with arm problems![/Chiefsplanet]

[Reality]Sean Manaea never had arm problems (hip surgery - completely fine and recovered). Brandon Finnegan missed one start in his college career due to shoulder stiffness, as a precaution, and has pitched BETTER since skipping that start. He does not have an injury history. [/reality]

That is right we picked a guy in a full body cast on life support with our first pick last year. Next year will be a blind catcher-just to show the fans they are thinking outside the box.

[siberian khatru]

Must-read interview on Brett's days as hitting coach:

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...%E2%80%99.html

[Kidd Lex]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

Must-read interview on Brett's days as hitting coach:

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...%E2%80%99.html

Refreshing honesty from the organization. Loved the read, thanks for sharing.

[Don Corlemahomes]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Easy. Sign Cubs pitcher Travis Wood to play 1st or DH. He has as many HR as our current 1b and DH combined

Oh **** you!