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.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Just one game, but Valencia looked like warm barf at 3rd today. One was a ball down the line that he didn't even react to. Honestly, it looked like he didn't even see the play.

As opposed to cool barf?

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

As opposed to cool barf?

Room temperature barf

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

As opposed to cool barf?

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

Let's only show pics of his wife. Agreed?

[KCUnited]

Valencia was actually getting heckled by the crowd, which is amazing considering the afternoon crowd is made up of Canadians over 65.

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Let's only show pics of his wife. Agreed?

Yes

[TomBarndtsTwin]

Our infield depth is sure looking great right now. Would be nice to have that Bonifacio guy right about now . . . . .


Nice move, GMDM.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by TomBarndtsTwin

Our infield depth is sure looking great right now. Would be nice to have that Bonifacio guy right about now . . . . .


Nice move, GMDM.

I'm usually not much into Conspiracy theories but I believe the Royals intentionally created the "lack of infield depth" issue to exaggerate the fact Billy Butler is eating up a spot on the roster that has no flexibility. If it were not for Butler, the Royals could keep Ciriaco or Donald and rotate other players into the DH position. I believe this will be Butler's last year with the Royals as the team goes for more flexibility.

[Mecca]

I don't buy into that, they just didn't want to pay Bonifacio 3 mill to be a super sub even though it would have made complete sense. If you want to talk conspiracy he would have taken Dyson's spot and for some reason this front office will not move on from Dyson.

[Sure-Oz]

DM was stupid for getting rid of bono...dude would've been a great back up and is needed

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

DM was stupid for getting rid of bono...dude would've been a great back up and is needed

That's how they created the "lack of infield depth" situation. They release the ultimate utility guy, trade David Lough for a third baseman that has not played 2nd or short, and are determined to keep both Maxwell and Dyson on the team. No position left for infield depth.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by lewdog

KCUnited and I were at the game last night and that hit was as bad as I've seen, but it seems the outcome is going to be better than expected. He might be pitching in a few months again? The sound of the ball hitting his face was louder than I ever thought a baseball hitting human flesh could sound. Almost as loud of the ball coming off the bat. It was downright gruesome and everyone was glad they called the game.

My friend who was at the game compared it to the sound an axe makes when you sink it into the chopping block.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Mecca

I don't buy into that, they just didn't want to pay Bonifacio 3 mill to be a super sub even though it would have made complete sense. If you want to talk conspiracy he would have taken Dyson's spot and for some reason this front office will not move on from Dyson.

This front office is apparently obsessed with Dyson's ability to pinch run for Billy Butler late in games. And his ability to play a mediocre CF in relief of Cain.

We all know DM loves LFBGwPC (Lightning Fast Black Guys who Play Center Field).

Re: Billy and the DH spot

The obsession with rotating hitters through the DH spot is annoying. The teams that got decent offensive production out of that spot are the teams that had a full-time DH.

A Royals team without Billy Butler is a Royals team that is worse hitting the baseball/worse offensively, any way you slice it. And also extremely LH-dominant.

They would need to acquire another quality RH bat to replace Billy, and odds are that bat will be even more expensive than he is (If you want to get one that can hit 3-4-5.)

[Mecca]

Valencia I atleast get in that they wanted insurance for Moustakas. But Bonifacio can do everything Dyson does and more so the fact that Dyson is here and he's not speaks to how much they love Dyson.

[KevB]

Let the spin begin:

Poor David Glass

So Royals are going to lose money this year, somehow. Even if that were true (I don't believe it), how about the last several years when we've been playing a bunch of young guys? It's just so tiresome to be a fan of this organization, damn.