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.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

All the same.

Not really, but okay.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

Not really, but okay.

Well the point of my post wasn't really directed at who replaced Ervin but one that I think will have a beastin' year. As I think Vargas will most likely have similar production to Ervin this year. But I'm pulling for Ace to surpass both.

[CaliforniaChief]

I wish Santana the best. It really is win-win in a classic sense.

We got a good year from him, a comp-pick, and replaced him with what seems to be a pretty good SP on a 4 year deal.

Ervin gets to play for a contender, ATL got him on a 1 year deal, and he can earn a long-term contract.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Moose is quietly morphing into the new Brandon Wood.

or Dallas McPherson

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Moose is quietly morphing into the new Brandon Wood.

You know what's sad about Brandon Wood?

He wishes he had as much success in MLB as Moustakas. Pretty low standard to hold to...

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

or Dallas McPherson

I thought that guy was gonna be a mega-star.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

or Dallas McPherson

Moose and Hoz are getting dangerously close to the McPherson/Kotchman level of busts. Hoz better get his ass in gear and stop grounding singles, he pulled that same crap last season until June. Without 20hr power e is another Kotchman. Or Loney

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Moose and Hoz are getting dangerously close to the McPherson/Kotchman level of busts. Hoz better get his ass in gear and stop grounding singles, he pulled that same crap last season until June. Without 20hr power e is another Kotchman. Or Loney

Please chill.

[Prison Bitch]

Hoz is 24 already. When Kotchman was 24 he hit .296-11-68 (840 OPS) with 53/43 walks/K. And 37 doubles. It's not that crazy to make the comparison.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Hoz is 24 already. When Kotchman was 24 he hit .296-11-68 (840 OPS) with 53/43 walks/K. And 37 doubles. It's not that crazy to make the comparison.

If Hosmer consistently hits around 15-20 HR with 35 doubles, he will have more power than Kotchman ever registered year-to-year.

Still, Kotchman is a pretty realistic FLOOR (or worst-case scenario) for Eric Hosmer. Which I wouldn't necessarily call a bust (Bust is a guy who never makes an impact/is not even an MLB regular), because it's a solid MLB starter that will play 10+ years in the league.

Hosmer also hit more HR last season than Kotchman ever did in his career (in fact, Hosmer's disastrous 2012 season still saw him hit as many HR as Kotchman ever did in a season) and has had much more early succcess (both his rookie and 2013 seasons would have been the best years of Kotchman's career).

Lot of things more worth worrying about than Hosmer, I think. Early power is not really indicative of anything other than early power, to be honest (see Justin Upton last year or even Hosmer two years ago, when he hit 5 HR in April but finished with his career low in bombs, or Chris Shelton, etc) and there's no guarantee it will stay if observed or not come if not observed.

[Prison Bitch]

Hoz took off last summer so I have faith he'll do it again, he's too good not to. He's a bit more like a poor man's Wil Clark who averaged .296-23-96 vs Hoz at 277-18-77 per 162 games. Hoz should start being a consistent 20s HR guy and he looks like a carbon copy defensively. He will need to get his walks up, 52 per 162 so far vs Clark at 77 per. Once he does he'll be a 3-4 WAR guy I think.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Hoz took off last summer so I have faith he'll do it again, he's too good not to. He's a bit more like a poor man's Wil Clark who averaged .296-23-96 vs Hoz at 277-18-77 per 162 games. Hoz should start being a consistent 20s HR guy and he looks like a carbon copy defensively. He will need to get his walks up, 52 per 162 so far vs Clark at 77 per. Once he does he'll be a 3-4 WAR guy I think.

I think .300/.360/.500 is the end target for Hosmer. Ideally, that's what you'd be getting.

HR and RBI will take care of themselves if he's putting up that type of triple slash.

[Prison Bitch]

The key is getting Butler on track. He's critical obviously.

I see a lot of DM bashing on my facebook feed. I don't know why, he's gotten us to respectability instead of those 62-100 disasters under Baird. 7 quality starts out of 8 games so far is pretty amazing. I remember about 15 years of horrible pitching and those days are way gone. It seems DM understands pitching very well, and it's just too expensive to acquire power in this market so I think he's probably doing the best with what he has. Plus Butler & Moose are really letting him down in that dept

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

The key is getting Butler on track. He's critical obviously.

I see a lot of DM bashing on my facebook feed. I don't know why, he's gotten us to respectability instead of those 62-100 disasters under Baird. 7 quality starts out of 8 games so far is pretty amazing. I remember about 15 years of horrible pitching and those days are way gone. It seems DM understands pitching very well, and it's just too expensive to acquire power in this market so I think he's probably doing the best with what he has. Plus Butler & Moose are really letting him down in that dept

After watching Billy continue to hit into double plays, it's almost frustrating enough to consider having him bat lead off. At least that way it would only be one out when he grounds out to the shortstop in the first inning. (Yes, this is sarcasm.)

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

The key is getting Butler on track. He's critical obviously.

I see a lot of DM bashing on my facebook feed. I don't know why, he's gotten us to respectability instead of those 62-100 disasters under Baird. 7 quality starts out of 8 games so far is pretty amazing. I remember about 15 years of horrible pitching and those days are way gone. It seems DM understands pitching very well, and it's just too expensive to acquire power in this market so I think he's probably doing the best with what he has. Plus Butler & Moose are really letting him down in that dept

Moore isn't perfect, but he's done a lot of good things since becoming the GM.

He has brought talent into the farm system in diverse ways. He has signed key players to extensions. He has at least broken even in his trades (barring outcome of Myers/Shields) and he has made a lot of shrewd pickups.

He's been patient in initial development with guys when they were bad and could afford it.

Ultimately, if Hosmer/Butler/Gordon/Perez/Moustakas don't produce (at least 3 of those guys), it doesn't much matter how many other good moves Moore makes. They've done everything they can to support those guys and allow them to develop. Up to them now.

Hardest things and most expensive things to acquire are power and top of rotation starting pitching.