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.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Only if you trade for the player before the start of the season. Half-season rentals don't bring back the comp pick.

Are you still able to give a QO to trade deadline acquisitions?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Are you still able to give a QO to trade deadline acquisitions?

Nope.

edit: unless he isn't going to be a free agent after that year. If you trade for a guy with 4.5 years of service, then sure, after the next season you could since you'd have him for that entire final season.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Nope. edit: unless he isn't going to be a free agent after that year. If you trade for a guy with 4.5 years of service, then sure.

Right, makes sense... and that definitely changes the landscape of the deadline firesales. I wasn't under the impression that this was the case (on the QO and pick), but it's not something I disagree with.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Right, makes sense... and that definitely changes the landscape of the deadline firesales. I wasn't under the impression that this was the case (on the QO and pick), but it's not something I disagree with.

Yeah, its a brand-new rule with the new CBA. When they introduced the QO and new draft pick rules, they also required that you had to have the player for the entire season to extend a QO. They probably got sick of seeing the A's grind out all those free draft picks.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Yeah, its a brand-new rule with the new CBA. When they introduced the QO and new draft pick rules, they also required that you had to have the player for the entire season to extend a QO. They probably got sick of seeing the A's grind out all those free draft picks.

... and tired of seeing the Rays grind out picks out of Type B free agents...

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

3) Inability to track defensive effects. (Because defensive metrics are bad/unreliable, there is no good way to plug them into a projection tool. This hurts defensive clubs like the Royals in terms of projecting run prevention).

Yeah, if you want to optimistically believe we can beat the Tigers, you've got to hang your hat on defense. Its clear that the royals don't just have a good defense, they have an elite defense that can make mediocre pitchers look good.

We can barely measure that sort of thing in a way that is usable by WAR, there's still questions about dWAR and whether you need 2 or 3 full seasons, etc. Projections can't handle defense at all, they have to basically presume every team has a league-average defense and focus just on pitching and offense. If we really did have a league-average defense, we'd be in a lot of trouble.

Errors are easy to see, we all know that 4-out and 5-out innings lead to a lot of runs, but the Royals tend to give their opponents 8 or 9 "hard 3-out" innings, and our opponents usually give the Royals at least 2 "soft 3-out" innings per night. Those are innings where it wasn't really an error and they didn't really make a mistake, it would have taken a great play to make the out, but they didn't, so we've got a soft 3 outs to work with and do some damage. The other team doesn't get those, if you want to get on base against the Royals, you have to get a clear hit or take a walk.

[-King-]

It's like Duncan and Alnorth speak a totally different language in this thread sometimes....

[jbwm89]

So basically we should include the pick we will get when Shields walks when evaluating "THE TRADE".

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Yeah, if you want to optimistically believe we can beat the Tigers, you've got to hang your hat on defense. Its clear that the royals don't just have a good defense, they have an elite defense that can make mediocre pitchers look good.

We can barely measure that sort of thing in a way that is usable by WAR, there's still questions about dWAR and whether you need 2 or 3 full seasons, etc. Projections can't handle defense at all, they have to basically presume every team has a league-average defense and focus just on pitching and offense. If we really did have a league-average defense, we'd be in a lot of trouble.

Errors are easy to see, we all know that 4-out and 5-out innings lead to a lot of runs, but the Royals tend to give their opponents 8 or 9 "hard 3-out" innings, and our opponents usually give the Royals at least 2 "soft 3-out" innings per night. Those are innings where it wasn't really an error and they didn't really make a mistake, it would have taken a great play to make the out, but they didn't, so we've got a soft 3 outs to work with and do some damage. The other team doesn't get those, if you want to get on base against the Royals, you have to get a clear hit or take a walk.

We get into big trouble real fast if Cain cannot stay reasonably healthy. For as well as he projects on paper, I still contend that Dyson is a long-term defensive liability because of a lack of instincts (unless he moves to LF for extended play).

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by jbwm89

So basically we should include the pick we will get when Shields walks when evaluating "THE TRADE".

In that case, you need to devalue the pick by a couple years. Kinda like in the NFL draft we consider that next years 1st-rounder is worth this year's 2nd-rounder.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

We get into big trouble real fast if Cain cannot stay reasonably healthy. For as well as he projects on paper, I still contend that Dyson is a long-term defensive liability because of a lack of instincts (unless he moves to LF for extended play).

Agree.

Cain's defense is a key part of the equation.

One of the benefits of having Gordon and Aoki on the corners is that each has above-average range for a player at his position. On days Cain does not play, Gordon/Aoki should be able to make up a little of the difference.

I couldn't be more in agreement with you about Dyson. He's fast, but he's not a very good outfielder outside of that skill. I'd argue that Bonifacio is just as steady in CF, with the added bonus of being able to play multiple positions.

They really could have easily found Boni 2 starts a week in CF, 1 start a week at 2B, 1 start a week in either LF or RF, and a start a week at 3B. That's basically full time work.

The infield defense should be excellent on an everyday basis. Omar Infante is an average defender, and he's the "worst" defender out of that IF group.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

The infield defense should be excellent on an everyday basis. Omar Infante is an average defender, and he's the "worst" defender out of that IF group.

And yet, defensively Infante is still an upgrade over what we had previously at the position.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Zeke

And yet, defensively Infante is still an upgrade over what we had previously at the position.

Oh, totally is an upgrade. Chris Getz, for all the acclaim Yost heaped on him, was nothing more than an average defender. And that really was because he was sure-handed. Bad range and weak arm.

Infante has a bit better range and a stronger arm but is maybe not as sure-handed.

Just hard to stand out when you're in an IF that features Hosmer at first, Escobar at short, and Perez behind the dish (all of whom are excellent), as well as Moustakas (who, when in shape, is above-average with the glove).

[TLO]

Originally Posted by -King-

It's like Duncan and Alnorth speak a totally different language in this thread sometimes....

They're both awesome, and I'm glad we have them around. I get all my Royals news from this thread, and those two contribute a lot of information.

[DeepSouth]

Bonifacio was designated for assignment last Saturday. With only four days left before something has to be done with him, I'm surprised we haven't heard any rumors about his future. Anyone have any ideas?