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.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

I was already pissed because Billy popped out to the catcher with two on. And then, Valencia's bat never leaves his shoulder for three straight strikes.

Here's the play by play for the bottom of the 8th.

Defensive Substitution: Ryan Hanigan replaces Logan Forsythe, batting 8th, playing catcher.

Pitching Change: Jake McGee replaces Chris Archer.

1.Nori Aoki singles on a line drive to left fielder David DeJesus.

2.Eric Hosmer strikes out swinging.

3.Salvador Perez singles on a soft fly ball to center fielder Desmond Jennings. Nori Aoki to 2nd.

Coaching visit to mound.

4.Billy Butler pops out to catcher Ryan Hanigan in foul territory.

Coaching visit to mound.

Pitching Change: Joel Peralta replaces Jake McGee.

5.Alex Gordon walks. Nori Aoki to 3rd. Salvador Perez to 2nd.

6.Danny Valencia called out on strikes.

Pitcher
J. Peralta
Batter
D. Valencia

Speed Pitch Result
1 76 Curveball Called Strike
2 90 Fastball (Four-seam) Called Strike
3 80 Splitter Called Strike

The funny thing was that he stood there and argued with the ump as if all three pitches weren't right down the middle. The crowd was spitting fire at that point. I think I insulted his mother but I can't be sure.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Strongside

The funny thing was that he stood there and argued with the ump as if all three pitches weren't right down the middle. The crowd was spitting fire at that point. I think I insulted his mother but I can't be sure.

They pretty much have to keep Valencia or it will look like they gave David Lough away for nothing.

[Strongside]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

They pretty much have to keep Valencia or it will look like they gave David Lough away for nothing.

Heh. I mean...

[Prison Bitch]

Valencia should've been given a "code red" by his teammates after the game for that. Closed door team meeting, police themselves.



Hey Duncan: what on earth is up with Brent Eibner? I just looked up the Omaha stats and he is killign it. 5-5, 2hr and a double with 9 RBI Wednesday? I thought he was no longer a real prospect
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats...=true&sid=t541

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Valencia should've been given a "code red" by his teammates after the game for that. Closed door team meeting, police themselves.



Hey Duncan: what on earth is up with Brent Eibner? I just looked up the Omaha stats and he is killign it. 5-5, 2hr and a double with 9 RBI Wednesday? I thought he was no longer a real prospect
http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats...=true&sid=t541

He's kind of old, but I still considered him a prospect (had him in my top 15 in the OP).

He's had a lot of problems with strikeouts and making contact against RHP, but seems to have made some progress on that.

He's passing the test in Omaha so far, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him as part of the plan in the OF in 2015. Maybe even sooner if Maxwell does not make a positive impact again or if Cain gets hurt.

[DeepSouth]

It looks like Matt Fields could do what Billy does. He's batting .469 (I know, small sample size) at Omaha. He hit 31 homers at AA last year.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

It looks like Matt Fields could do what Billy does. He's batting .469 (I know, small sample size) at Omaha. He hit 31 homers at AA last year.

Calvin Pickering changed his name again?

[Great Expectations]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

He's kind of old, but I still considered him a prospect (had him in my top 15 in the OP).

He's had a lot of problems with strikeouts and making contact against RHP, but seems to have made some progress on that.

He's passing the test in Omaha so far, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him as part of the plan in the OF in 2015. Maybe even sooner if Maxwell does not make a positive impact again or if Cain gets hurt.

He also spent a lot of time pitching at Arkansas. He hasn't been a full time position player for very long.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

It looks like Matt Fields could do what Billy does. He's batting .469 (I know, small sample size) at Omaha. He hit 31 homers at AA last year.

Its beyond small sample size, I'm not even interested in a player's stats at all in the first 2 weeks of April, to the point where I don't even want to know what they are.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Its beyond small sample size, I'm not even interested in a player's stats at all in the first 2 weeks of April, to the point where I don't even want to know what they are.

This. Baseball fans are funny.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Calvin Pickering changed his name again?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by PGM

This. Baseball fans are funny.

Its different if its a scouting thing, if a hitter is not seeing the ball or is hacking away at pitches outside of the strike zone thats one thing. But if a player is doing what you want, you gotta give the results a month or so.

I'm always amazed at how quickly stats turn from "joke" to "serious thing we should draw conclusions from" for some people. After game 1, everyone pretty much agrees the stats are a joke, we all like to chuckle at a hitter batting zero or 1.000 or 0.500 or 0.667. But 8 games is different?

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Its beyond small sample size, I'm not even interested in a player's stats at all in the first 2 weeks of April, to the point where I don't even want to know what they are.

\
The 31 HR at AA last year has me keeping an eye on Fields.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Its different if its a scouting thing, if a hitter is not seeing the ball or is hacking away at pitches outside of the strike zone thats one thing. But if a player is doing what you want, you gotta give the results a month or so.

I'm always amazed at how quickly stats turn from "joke" to "serious thing we should draw conclusions from" for some people. After game 1, everyone pretty much agrees the stats are a joke, we all like to chuckle at a hitter batting zero or 1.000 or 0.500 or 0.667. But 8 games is different?

I've always contended that you can start to draw some conclusions after the first twenty games of an everyday starter. It's BS, but that's generally my own personal rule of thumb.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Try Kansas Sampler. Their web site has pretty much everything.

rally house too