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.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Team - Current - Opened
Det - 89.5 - 89.5
KC - 82.5 - 79.5
Cle - 80.5 - 80
Chi - 75.5 - 77
Min - 70.5 - 71.5

Wow, Minny at 70.5 seems like stealing money. I'd take the over on that all day long. The others make sense, although again I think we are a bit high

[KCwolf]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

That's more sensible. If it really rose to 82.5, I guess I would find that surprising. What are the division predictions? I'd imagine:

Detroit 88
Cleveland 84
KC 80
White Sux 78
Minny 75?

It's 82.5 ...... just bought a ticket in Vegas 3 days ago.

[alnorth]

Roster deadline is tomorrow night at midnight, but it seems like all the drama is now gone. Louis Coleman will probably be on the DL, allowing the Royals to keep Ciriaco for at least a couple weeks. Bueno is probably #12 in the bullpen, and we're going to try to sneak Peguero through waivers.

[alnorth]

yeah, I've read a couple stories about MLB's shiny new replay center in New York. Looks impressive.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

Here are some pictures of the MLB's new replay center for reviewed plays.

I pray they just bite the bullet and move to using the K zone next. THE number one thing that's ****ed-up, day-in and day-out, are the balls and strike calls at the plate.

And the ONLY thing the current group of blind-ass umps might argue is where the "midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants" and the "line at the hollow beneath the kneecap" are. And I'm sure some official needing his easy paycheck to keep coming-in will say no computer can do that!

[alnorth]

One thing about Twitter: it cannot, WILL NOT, miss an opportunity to make a "2 hole" joke.

— Sam Mellinger (@mellinger) March 28, 2014

[cabletech94]

so does anyone have tix to the home opener that can't go?
be glad to take them off your hands!!!

[WhawhaWhat]

Omar Infante remained in Arizona today, Dayton Moore says. That's not too encouraging for his chances for Opening Day.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) March 28, 2014

Cory Wade and PJ Walters will also be in Omaha. Jon Rauch has been released.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) March 28, 2014

A few minor-league assignments: Lamb in Omaha, Adam in NWA, Almonte/Manaea in Wilmington.

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) March 28, 2014

[alnorth]

Manaea should make it to AA by the end of the year. If all goes well, he could be on a fast track to Omaha by next year. The scouts really, really liked Manaea this spring.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Manaea should make it to AA by the end of the year. If all goes well, he could be on a fast track to Omaha by next year. The scouts really, really liked Manaea this spring.

Would be nice if Almonte made AA as well.

Have a feeling Infante going to the DL will happen sooner or later and Colon gets a lot of time at 2B this year, possibly SS if Escobar's shoulder is still bothering him.

[Nightfyre]

If manaea, zimmer, duffy and yordano all turn out, we will have a great window of cheap pitching that may let us lock up a couple real bats.

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Would be nice if Almonte made AA as well.

That would be really sweet.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by Nightfyre

If manaea, zimmer, duffy and yordano all turn out, we will have a great window of cheap pitching that may let us lock up a couple real bats.

If Duffy continues to struggle to get through innings, it might damage the hope of him becoming a viable starter. Can’t have a rotation guy that gets pulled after 4 every game. Replacement for Holland???

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by sedated

If Duffy continues to struggle to get through innings, it might damage the hope of him becoming a viable starter. Can’t have a rotation guy that gets pulled after 4 every game. Replacement for Holland???

We can't even begin to think about that until he fails. The value of a starter, even a #3 or #4, is a lot higher than a closer.

[alnorth]

Zimmer will stay in Arizona for about 8 more weeks, before heading off to AA or AAA. If all goes well, he could be available for the September call-ups.