ChiefsPlanet - Royals *** Official 2016 Royals Repository, Version 1 ***

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bowser (Post 12245597)

Jesus, 6-6 and 210 pounds. That kid is a bean pole, lol.

Making room for Bubba in Omaha?

According to this, Bubba's not doing so well at AA

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...e79809892.html

Welcome to the first edition of Royals on the Farm, our weekly look at each level of Kansas City’s minor-league system. We’ll keep you up to date in this space on the top prospects who might become future stars with the Royals.

(Statistics through Tuesday’s games.)
Class AAA Omaha

The evolution of Brett Eibner continues in his third season with the Storm Chasers. A career .244 hitter in the minors, the center fielder is hitting over .300 for the second straight season with a .309/.411/.537 slash line, including 10 home runs and 28 runs batted in. Perhaps the biggest development for the 2010 second-round pick is his improved plate discipline. In 41 games this season, Eibner has walked a team-high 27 times. His previous high was 57 walks in 120 games for Class A Wilmington in 2012. … Not to be overlooked in Omaha’s outfield, Jorge Bonifacio is hitting at a .313 clip atop the lineup in his first year at Class AAA. Since an 0-for-4 night Saturday dropped his average to .301, the 22-year-old right fielder has six hits in 13 at-bats. However, the younger brother of former Royal Emilio Bonifacio will need to cut down on his team-high 46 strikeouts in 166 at-bats. ... Second baseman Christian Colon has five hits in 19 at-bats since being optioned from the Royals on May 18.
Class AA Northwest Arkansas

Right-hander Alec Mills keeps making his case as the best player of the Royals’ 2012 draft class. The former 22nd-round selection pitched six shutout innings on Sunday against Tulsa, lowering his ERA to 2.06 (sixth-lowest in the Texas League). It was his first start since a brief call-up with the Royals for a May 17 doubleheader against the Red Sox. He gave up one run in two-thirds of an inning that day, but he’s been lights-out for the Naturals. Mills is tied for second in the league with 49 strikeouts and hasn’t given up a home run in 48 innings this season. ... Speaking of strikeouts, righty Jake Junis jumped into the league lead Tuesday night with six strikeouts (in five shutout innings of a 2-1 win at San Antonio) to give him 52 this season. Opponents are hitting just .223 against Junis, who is having by far his best season since the Royals drafted him in the 29th round in 2011. He also owns career lows in ERA (3.08) and WHIP (1.07).
Class A Wilmington (Advanced)

Not much has gone right so far for the Blue Rocks (13-30), who entered Wednesday 2 1/2 games clear of the worst record in the Carolina League. One of the lone bright spots the past few weeks has been the play of center fielder Alfredo Escalera. The 21-year-old Puerto Rican, an eighth-round draft pick in 2012, was hitting just .225 on May 18 but has raised his average to .275 after a 12-for-22 clip. ... Center fielder Brandon Downes is hitting a solid .260 but has a league-high 61 strikeouts in 150 at-bats.
Class A Lexington

With Salvador Perez under contract through the 2021 season, Legends catcher Chase Vallot could become a viable trading chip for the Royals in the near future. Vallot, the 40th pick of the 2014 draft, is tied for third in the South Atlantic League with seven home runs. He missed nearly a week before returning to the Legends’ lineup Tuesday, going went 1-for-3 to raise his slash line to .284/.403/.543. ... After a disastrous start to 2016, righty Scott Blewett is starting to look the part of his 2014 second-round draft status. He pitched five shutout innings against Greenville on Sunday to lower his ERA under 5.00 for the first time this season. Walks have been the biggest problem for Blewett (2-4, 4.74), who has surrendered 25 in 43 2/3 innings.
The Top 10

A look at how the Royals’ top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America, have fared this season:

1. SS Raul Mondesi: The 20-year-old was hitting .250 in 25 games at Northwest Arkansas when MLB suspended him 50 games on May 10 for failing a drug test.

2. RHP Kyle Zimmer: When he’s been healthy, the former first-round pick has had success this season, posting a 1.59 ERA in 5 2/3 innings between Wilmington and Northwest Arkansas. However, Zimmer hasn’t pitched since May 17 due to an injured shoulder.

3. OF Bubba Starling: The Gardner, Kan., native and 2011 first-round pick hasn’t played since May 19 and is in the midst of a 3-for-39 slump over his past 10 games with Northwest Arkansas.

4. RHP Miguel Almonte: The 23-year-old righty has 22 walks and a 4.67 ERA in 34 2/3 innings at Omaha.

5. RHP Nolan Watson: It took nine games, but the 33rd pick of last year’s draft finally has an ERA under 10 thanks to five shutout innings on May 19. The righty is 1-4 with an 8.80 ERA for Lexington.

6. RHP Ashe Russell: The 21st overall pick of last year’s has yet to play in 2016 and will likely rejoin Burlington of the rookie-level Appalachian League when the season opens in late June.

7. SS Marten Gasparini: The Italian is struggling mightily in low-A ball, hitting just .161 in 112 at-bats.

8. LHP Matt Strahm: He’s been very consistent for Northwest Arkansas, maintaining an ERA in the mid-2s all season. His 48 strikeouts are fifth-most in the Texas League.

9. RHP Scott Blewett: He’s lowered his ERA in each of his past four starts, allowing eight earned runs in 21 innings.

10. IF Cheslor Cuthbert: The 23-year-old Nicaraguan was hitting .333 with Omaha before getting called up to the majors. He owns a .255 average in 14 games with the Royals.