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.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Anyong Bluth

Butler with the groundout to right field... . #fat'nKC

JFC Butterball....

Worst DH ever...

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

No, people would and should complain about him because he ****ing sucks. He doesn't get on base. He has absolutely no power, despite playing a power position in RF, and his defense is below average.

He is the very definition of terrible.

Yep. Color me completely unimpressed with Aoki. He provides this offense with very little.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by Fish

JFC Butterball....

Worst DH ever...

- Nice hustle Country Fatass

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by Fish

JFC Butterball....

Worst DH ever...

Caller on the radio this AM said 1B coach Rusty Kuntz should wear a pork chop around his neck when Belly bats, to speed his pace down the line.

[MVChiefFan]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

610 had some discussion (they were just speculating) this morning about the Royals making a move to sign Kendrys Morales and cutting Billay loose.

Again, they were just speculating, but they thought it would take about $8MM right now to get him to come finish out the 2014 season with the Royals. He'd be a 3/4 year rental. They said, the Royals don't plan to re-sign Belly after this season anyway (which I agree with). Hmm. Well, would you?

Well, it can't hurt! I mean, dear God, Butler has to know he's playing for another contract next year... yet he still sucks!

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Caller on the radio this AM said 1B coach Rusty Kuntz should wear a pork chop around his neck when Belly bats, to speed his pace down the line.

How about we shoot for the moon and just make 2nd base a Gates mixed plate.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Caller on the radio this AM said 1B coach Rusty Kuntz should wear a pork chop around his neck when Belly bats, to speed his pace down the line.

Just have Dyson run in front of him with a pork chop on a stick. Like a dog after a bone.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

- Nice hustle Country Fatass

Sadly, he actually ran hard on that play

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by KevB

Sadly, he actually ran hard on that play

Yep, Billay is just slooooow. Harmon's Killebrew's last season in baseball was with the Royals as a DH. I saw him hit a screaming line drive off the 385 sign in right center at Kauffman, and the center fielder almost threw him out at first. His knees were shot. Billay is almost that slow now, and is 15 years younger then what Killebrew was back then.

[TLO]

I'm still feeling really good about the win last night. Our offense picking up Shields for once. Let's see if it carries over to tonight.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Yep, Billay is just slooooow. Harmon's Killebrew's last season in baseball was with the Royals as a DH. I saw him hit a screaming line drive off the 385 sign in right center at Kauffman, and the center fielder almost threw him out at first. His knees were shot. Billay is almost that slow now, and is 15 years younger then what Killebrew was back then.

Yeah - I watched him get thrown out at Royals Stadium in his only season at KC ('75). Harmon hit a shot down the 3rd base line that hook around the left field wall. He barely made it into 2B sliding. He get's up, grabbing at his knees and laboring for air. Then, next up, I think Jim Wohlford, hits a deep gapper that rolls to the Right Center Field wall. Harmon hoofs it to 3B and is pumping his arms but going no where as he turns 3B. Wohlford is already already at 2B before Harmon is 10 ft off of 3rd. The throw is waiting on Harmon before he gets to Home, and Harmon crumbles like someone shot him in the back. My Dad was laughing his ass off, and I actually thought he may have died of a grabber en route to Home.

Dude was 39 and completely out of shape when he got to KC. I actually felt bad for him as he was the butt of many a joke in KC.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Aoki: .264/.320/.318

Love the look of that flashy slash. Mediocre OBP, highlighted by lesser slug. That takes a special kind of suck.

Be Royal.

Well, somebody needs to tell him through his interpreter, it's very hard to hit American Baseball with Eyes Closed...

[Sure-Oz]

@JonHeymanCBS: #jays will focus on rentals more than samardzija this summer. Shields (if available) high on list. blog on @CBSSports

[Sure-Oz]

@jazayerli: If Shields gets traded to Toronto-or anywhere else-that almost has to mean Moore got fired. I expect this FO to hold him to the bitter end.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Well, somebody needs to tell him through his interpreter, it's very hard to hit American Baseball with Eye Crosed...

FIFY