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 Prison Bitch

What are your early expectations for our record? I was asked by a friend this morning and I suggested 80-82. I think we won't go 15-4 vs Minny or whatever it was since their rotation looks much improved. That should shave off 5-6 wins from last year if we split with them. I'd guess most of the other records vs opponents will stay about the same. We were pretty injury-free last season and losing Santana will hurt, as will Hoch.

I still think 89-90 wins.

They will be just fine without low-leverage Luke.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

What are your early expectations for our record? I was asked by a friend this morning and I suggested 80-82. I think we won't go 15-4 vs Minny or whatever it was since their rotation looks much improved. That should shave off 5-6 wins from last year if we split with them. I'd guess most of the other records vs opponents will stay about the same. We were pretty injury-free last season and losing Santana will hurt, as will Hoch.

Hmmm I would be surprised as hell if our overall offensive production doesn't improve by quite a bit this year.

Pitching should be roughly the same. Ventura has a decent shot to match Santana's production.

80-82 wins would be very disappointing.

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I still think 89-90 wins.

They will be just fine without low-leverage Luke.

You think that's enough for a playoff spot or the division?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Three7s

You think that's enough for a playoff spot or the division?

It will be in the running, I believe.

Think the ceiling is a few wins higher than that. If everything goes right (Hosmer hits all year, Butler and Gordon return to form, Moose breaks through, every other hitter performs to average, Cain is healthy, Ventura is healthy and pitches like a RotY, team is healthy), the ceiling is actually pretty high.

[RockChalk]

Olney and Crastnick were talking about it on their podcast today. 92 wins was their expectation for us.

[Discuss Thrower]

And what if they actually win the division... Can they hang with any team in teh AL?

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Olney and Crastnick were talking about it on their podcast today. 92 wins was their expectation for us.

Nvm. 82 wins it is...

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

It will be in the running, I believe.

Think the ceiling is a few wins higher than that. If everything goes right (Hosmer hits all year, Butler and Gordon return to form, Moose breaks through, every other hitter performs to average, Cain is healthy, Ventura is healthy and pitches like a RotY, team is healthy), the ceiling is actually pretty high.

"I'll believe that when me shit turns purple and smells like rainbow sherbet"

...Sorry, too many years as a Royals fan.

[BlackHelicopters]

Coming up on the 29th season...

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

And what if they actually win the division... Can they hang with any team in teh AL?

When you get into 5-game and 7-game series, you really only need to have 2 great pitchers to be roughly even with anyone. If we win the division, we probably will have found someone who could pitch beside Shields.

We'd be heavy underdogs against a terrific-looking team like the Dodgers, but I'd give us at least a 35-40% chance in 7 games against them.

[tk13]

If Moose hits and Ventura delivers, we'll be good. Especially Ventura. Lot of pressure to put on a kid, but we have to develop a starting pitcher. We could have 9 Wil Myers in the lineup and it wouldn't matter.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I still think 89-90 wins.

They will be just fine without low-leverage Luke.

You obviously missed the exploits last year of Aaron "Negative WAR" Crow, Tiny Tim Collins walking every third batter and Kelvin "Chicks dig the long ball" Herrerra.


I do like the last one to at least step up this year.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Olney and Crastnick were talking about it on their podcast today. 92 wins was their expectation for us.

They should be committed to an asylum immediately, before they hurt someone or themselves.

[BeMyValentine]

The last time we ended above .500 we then had three straight seasons of 100 loss baseball.

It was the 1980's the last time we had back to back winning seasons.

[Deberg_1990]

I read a Star article a few weeks back where Butler was getting some work in at 1st base. I guess they want more lineup flexibility this year?