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.

[Mr. Laz]

Luke Hochevar out for season
Updated: March 7, 2014, 2:40 PM ET
By Jerry Crasnick | ESPN.com

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The Kansas City Royals suffered a significant blow to their bullpen Friday when they learned that reliever Luke Hochevar will undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and miss the 2014 season.

Hochevar, 30, went 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA last season while striking out 82 batters in 70 1/3 innings. His injury will weaken a Kansas City bullpen that led the American League with a 2.55 ERA last year and ranked sixth in the AL with 491 strikeouts.


Royals reliever Luke Hochevar, who felt a twinge in his right elbow during Monday's outing, will need Tommy John surgery and will miss the 2014 season.
The Royals initially diagnosed Hochevar's injury as a sprained ulnar collateral ligament. But manager Ned Yost said subsequent tests revealed that Hochevar's UCL might be as much as 65 percent torn. Hochever had previously suffered a 20-45 percent tear in 2010 and was able to come back and pitch without undergoing surgery.

Yost said he expects the procedure to take place sometime in the next two weeks.

"It's inevitable that this thing is going to go, so it's in everybody's best interests that we just go ahead and do it now,'' Yost said. "With a 50 percent tear and as much as a 65 percent tear, he wouldn't be even what he was last year. So it would be a constant battle -- a constant, every time on the mound: 'Is this the day?'

"It's common sense. What's best for our organization and what's best for Luke Hochevar is to go ahead and do it now.''

Hochevar, the first overall pick in the 2006 MLB draft, is one of the senior members of the Kansas City roster along with Billy Butler and Alex Gordon. He's making $5.2 million this season and will be eligible for free agency in November.

"This is a kid who's played his heart out for the Royals in this rebuilding process,'' Yost said. "He's given us everything he's got. He's a phenomenal young man, he's a tremendous teammate, and you really, really want to see him be a part of this. It's extremely hard.''

General manager Dayton Moore and Yost said the Royals will probably fill the void in their bullpen from within. The Royals' contingent of setup and middle relievers in front of closer Greg Holland includes Aaron Crow, Kelvin Herrera, Louis Coleman and Wade Davis from the right side and Tim Collins and Francisley Bueno from the left.

"We're going to look internally first,'' Moore said. "We feel like we have the depth and the numbers necessary. I don't know if it'll be as outstanding as Luke was last year. But we have some talented arms. You plan worst-case scenario, so we're constantly looking.''

[BlackHelicopters]

****.

[kcchiefsus]

Serves them right for wasting money on the loser.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

You are assuming that if the Royals didn't spend $5 mil on Hochevar that they would have spent it somewhere else.

yep, i agree with that... and while that may be the case, you still want to see wiser decisions on that front.

[BlackHelicopters]

About time to hear from the non tender folk.

[Mr. Laz]

#Royals Chen on Hochevar "The first thing he said to me was that he felt like he let the team down."
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[alnorth]

According to a scout on twitter, Sean Manaea looks really good. Obviously healthy and recovered from the injury that scared some teams off in the draft, throwing 93-94, easy delivery, great command. Starting to look like a steal. If all goes well, we could put him on the Kyle Zimmer progression plan.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by alnorth

According to a scout on twitter, Sean Manaea looks really good. Obviously healthy and recovered from the injury that scared some teams off in the draft, throwing 93-94, easy delivery, great command. Starting to look like a steal. If all goes well, we could put him on the Kyle Zimmer progression plan.

Nice to hear some good news today.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Nice to hear some good news today.

Yup, sucks about Hoch for sure, though. I know people around here don't like him too much, but he's still a very good setup man, and it still hurts this team greatly this coming season.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

#Royals Chen on Hochevar "The first thing he said to me was that he felt like he let the team down."
Expand

I agree. Now give us that money so we can use it on Santana.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

I agree. Now give us that money so we can use it on Santana.

[CaliforniaChief]

Sources: Ervin Santana now seeking a one-year deal, and wants to sign as quickly as possible.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 8, 2014

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Sources: Ervin Santana now seeking a one-year deal, and wants to sign as quickly as possible.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 8, 2014

Figures

[Simplicity]

Please get Ervin back.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Sources: Ervin Santana now seeking a one-year deal, and wants to sign as quickly as possible.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 8, 2014

Oh Geeze. ..