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.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

Hey guys - is that I-70 series first game the ESPN game tonight, anyone know?

If I'd posted this in the Cards thread, I'd have got my answer by now.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

How about that dude from Kentucky with a shit ton of power? Probably too early in the first, but maybe in the second?

But damn if drafting 1B doesn't seem stupid. Too easy to find players for the position, contrary to the way the Royals treat Hosmer.

AJ Reed? I can't see that, as he is clearly 1B-only.

The thing with Schwarber - or Conforto out of Oregon State - is that they profile as able to stick in LF. Both are good OBP players with power, which would fit in well with the current group of guys at A+ and AA.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

AJ Reed? I can't see that, as he is clearly 1B-only.

The thing with Schwarber - or Conforto out of Oregon State - is that they profile as able to stick in LF. Both are good OBP players with power, which would fit in well with the current group of guys at A+ and AA.

I have no clue how teams can try to draft to complement existing prospects given the very, very uncertain nature of player development in MLB. So I'd be going with someone with at least one tool that I view as "can't miss."

If that means he plays 1B but has "can't miss" power, so be it...

I'm probably wrong, and that's OK, but I'm pissed at the baseball world right now.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

If I'd posted this in the Cards thread, I'd have got my answer by now.

It is, part of a regional line up.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I have no clue how teams can try to draft to complement existing prospects given the very, very uncertain nature of player development in MLB. So I'd be going with someone with at least one tool that I view as "can't miss."

If that means he plays 1B but has "can't miss" power, so be it...

I'm probably wrong, and that's OK, but I'm pissed at the baseball world right now.

It's generally a bad proposition. Especially in baseball, you're better off taking the best guy, period, and not worrying about how he fits into your system. If you end up with surplus, you trade it.

But Moore definitely drafted to fill gaps in the organization in 2009 (Aaron Crow) and 2010 (Christian Colon). To be fair, they got pretty good value on Crow. He just happened to fit in with the Hosmer/Moustakas/Montgomery/Lamb group in terms of age, and was a power RHP. And Colon... was in the mix for being a top 10 pick (it wasn't a shocker)... but I think if he's not a SS/2B of that same age, they don't draft him. They were trying to fill a perceived hole in their wave/system by drafting him.

There's some thought they didn't take Sale instead of Colon because they already had so much LHP and he wanted too much cash for a commodity they thought they had covered (LH starter).

Anyway, with 3 picks in the top 40 or whatever, I think they can afford to take another college bat, preferably one with some power, if it comes available with a player who makes sense at any of those spots.

[Pepe Silvia]

I've noticed you guys have been having fun with Aoki pics recently so I thought I would add one that I just found.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by PackerinMo

I've noticed you guys have been having fun with Aoki pics recently so I thought I would add one that I just found.

He takes fastballs to the nuts in pregame. It's his warm-up ritual.....

[Ceej]

Aoki dumping on any hopes of the playoffs.

[ChiefsCountry]

Its crazy how the hell did Aoki go from over a 3 WAR player to what he is. Only the Royals it seems.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

Hey guys - is that I-70 series first game the ESPN game tonight, anyone know?

Yep. You can watch from the ATL tonight.

[TLO]

Frenchy > Aoki?

[C3HIEF3S]

@610SportsKC: RT @BNightengale The #Royals are bringing back RHP Blake Wood, a former mainstay in pen, claiming him off waivers from the #Indians

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

@610SportsKC: RT @BNightengale The #Royals are bringing back RHP Blake Wood, a former mainstay in pen, claiming him off waivers from the #Indians

Print Em'

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

@610SportsKC: RT @BNightengale The #Royals are bringing back RHP Blake Wood, a former mainstay in pen, claiming him off waivers from the #Indians

Who???!!!!!!

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Tonight.....you