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.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Agreed, they should not have put themselves in that position, but if in some bizarre stupid turn of events you find yourself in that position where you failed to limit your young pitchers innings and you made it to the postseason, then you have to just own your stupidity and keep him throwin'. No one will care if he's healthy and pitching well the following August, 9 games out.

I don't think that's a bad take, but I get why they did what they did.

They're trying to build for the long term and are set up to make several playoff runs, not just one. Protecting Strasburg is a key part of that.

The flip side of the argument is that he pitches, hurts himself in that postseason, and then everyone is all over them for abusing a pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery and potentially ruining his career and the team's future.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Wade Davis is out of the fifth starter competition. He's moving to the back end of the bullpen.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) March 8, 2014

Thank god.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I don't think that's a bad take, but I get why they did what they did.

They're trying to build for the long term and are set up to make several playoff runs, not just one. Protecting Strasburg is a key part of that.

The flip side of the argument is that he pitches, hurts himself in that postseason, and then everyone is all over them for abusing a pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery and potentially ruining his career and the team's future.

Yeah, i.e. like Shanahan getting RGIII hurt. I still would've pitched him though. History is littered with teams that never get back... it's hard to throw that opportunity away.

[C3HIEF3S]

Colon hits one to right-center and plates 2. Ties it up at 5.

[Coach]

Tie game!

[chiefsfan987]

That was interesting....

[chiefsfan987]

There we go! Royals take the lead.

[C3HIEF3S]

There has been 3 reviews in this game so far. All calls have stood as called on field.

[chiefsfan987]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

There has been 3 reviews in this game so far. All calls have stood as called on field.

I don't know why they don't just go to a 5 man ump crew and the 5th guy just sit in the press box with the media and be the replay guy. I don't understand why they have to go to New York to get the official ruling. Replay would be a lot quicker if you already had a guy on site just watching the game.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by chiefsfan987

I don't know why they don't just go to a 5 man ump crew and the 5th guy just sit in the press box with the media and be the replay guy. I don't understand why they have to go to New York to get the official ruling. Replay would be a lot quicker if you already had a guy on site just watching the game.

I thought there was a 5th umpire doing that? I may be wrong, but that's what the Brewers announcers said... who could very well be misinformed.

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by nychief

Sure. But jason vargas is jason vargas, he is a no. 3 on decent team and 4/5 on a good team... and who the **** knows what we will get out of the kids. Shit, zimmer is already shut down. Duffy already has TJ... Until DM produces ONE major league starter (something he has not done) color me skeptical.

This is an all in year, no matter what DM says....

Also, why are we suddenly depending on young pitchers a year after trading away our best position prospect in a generation for two year rental starter? Why didn't we depend on these types of gambles last year and keep Myers? Oh because DM didn't have a contract extension....that is why. JS got us over .500 and got DM his money.

I can't argue with that. It was very short term thinking.

[chiefsfan987]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

I thought there was a 5th umpire doing that? I may be wrong, but that's what the Brewers announcers said... who could very well be misinformed.

Maybe that's the way they are doing it in spring training, I don't know. During the regular season all replays are going to be reviewed in New York.

[chiefsfan987]

This sports weekend sucks. KU/KSU/Mizzou/Sporting KC and the Royals all lose.

[Coach]

Season's over.....

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by chiefsfan987

Maybe that's the way they are doing it in spring training, I don't know. During the regular season all replays are going to be reviewed in New York.

Alright yeah that would make sense. The NHL holds all reviews in Toronto so i'd imagine it would be similar to that.

In the NHL there's a team that sits in a room watching games and waiting for reviewable plays. They are on top of the plays and are working on the call before the ref even goes to call Toronto.