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.

[tk13]

Apparently Kendry Morales has signed with the Twins.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by tk13

Apparently Kendry Morales has signed with the Twins.

Twins? wtf

[CaliforniaChief]

Morales would have been an improvement over Billy Butler, but you know they weren't going to DFA him and there's absolutely no trade value there.

Credit the Twins for trying.

[KCUnited]

Finnegan on the bump for TCU right now on ESPNU.

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Finnegan on the bump for TCU right now on ESPNU.

"He's grabbing his shoulder and wincing in pain!"

[Infidel Goat]

Finnegan today against Pepperdine:

6.1 IP
3 hits
2 runs (both in the 7th inning)
2 earned runs
2 walks
7 strike outs
2.12 ERA on day

TCU is up 3-2 in the eighth, and Finnegan would get the win if they hold on.

[confused]

Brandon Finnegan will be our # 1 starter in the future. I love the pick.

[C3HIEF3S]

Way too early to tell if you ask me. The MLB draft is such a crapshoot, even in the high rounds.

I'd be willing to bet we aren't the only team in recent years with draft picks like Christian Colon and Bubba Starling in our system.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Way too early to tell if you ask me. The MLB draft is such a crapshoot, even in the high rounds.

I'd be willing to bet we aren't the only team in recent years with draft picks like Christian Colon and Bubba Starling in our system.

Starling was an understandable miss in many ways, but analysts pretty much hated the Colon pick from the start. That one hurts, especially considering how tightly the Royals were linked to Sale.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

, but analysts pretty much hated the Colon pick from the start. That one hurts, especially considering how tightly the Royals were linked to Sale.

That's not true, I've got the BB America handbook right here and they said he was "the best college bat available" in the draft and someone who should move quickly through the system into 2B at the big league level. His problems have been developmental (GEE WHIZ IMAGINE THAT!) as his career stalled at AA for whatever reason. He had a major weight gain that is attributed by some as the cause.

[CaliforniaChief]

Yeah, I almost wonder had the Royals drafted Sale, if he wouldn't be the set-up man in the bullpen.

In Omaha.

Our development is just god-awful putrid.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Yeah, I almost wonder had the Royals drafted Sale, if he wouldn't be the set-up man in the bullpen.

In Omaha.

Our development is just god-awful putrid.

The Chiefs and the Royals are similar in that fashion, to a degree. I firmly believe that had we drafted Russell Wilson instead of Donald Stephenson, that Wilson would currently be our third string QB. Hell, Pioli may have even cut him after TC.

Bringing out the best in their draft prospects doesn't seem to be a strong suit for either team. They hit on some, but miss and twice as many as they hit on.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

That's not true, I've got the BB America handbook right here and they said he was "the best college bat available" in the draft and someone who should move quickly through the system into 2B at the big league level. His problems have been developmental (GEE WHIZ IMAGINE THAT!) as his career stalled at AA for whatever reason. He had a major weight gain that is attributed by some as the cause.

Here's a pretty unflattering pre-draft evaluation. When you hear things like, "plays above his tools," it's pretty clear that his ceiling is limited. Dude was viewed by some as a utility infielder at best, not someone worthy of going #4 overall.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/0/v7189...lege-shortstop

[SPATCH]

Twins DFA Jason Kubel to make room for Morales.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Here's a pretty unflattering pre-draft evaluation. When you hear things like, "plays above his tools," it's pretty clear that his ceiling is limited. Dude was viewed by some as a utility infielder at best, not someone worthy of going #4 overall.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/0/v7189...lege-shortstop

Colon was a consensus top 15 pick in that draft, and it was pretty uneven after the big 3 (Harper, Taillon and Machado were on a clear and different level). There was a lot of back and forth about who the fourth best player in that draft was. Basically, anybody after those first three and before 15-20 could have been taken at 4, and no one would have really been surprised.

The Royals took a middle infielder with a high floor who they thought could move quickly and at least have a plus bat at a MI spot. Universal thought was that he was a lock to stick at 2B and probably could stick at SS for at least a few year in the majors.

The Royals have not done a great job developing him, but the weight gain seems to be the biggest issue. He packed on about 20 pounds during his second offseason with the Royals and has never hit the ball with authority since.

He's also probably a guy that would have been exposed more if he hadn't had the opportunity to play with trampoline bats in college.

The painful thing about that pick is that apparently Chris Sale and Matt Harvey were the backup options. Ouch.