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.

[AndChiefs]

Originally Posted by cmh6476

great :|

Just because you don't have the ability to hit doesn't mean you can't teach how to hit.

<----Optimist

[RockChalk]

Originally Posted by AndChiefs

Just because you don't have the ability to hit doesn't mean you can't teach how to hit.

<----morAn

[KCUnited]

Holy shit, I was looking up potential replacements for Sveum at 3rd and read that the Human Turbine Dave Owen is Dir of Player Development for Detroit. Another kick to the balls.

[BeMyValentine]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Have we checked with Hosmer? Is this OK?

And how does Dyson feel about this?

[CaliforniaChief]

What a malaise.

[gblowfish]

The only thing Sveum knows about major league hitting is, he couldn't do it.

And does this mean that Pedro is on the outs now? I thought George Brett liked Pedro?

I'm looking forward to the Comedy Gold of listening to Baghdad Hud trying to polish the turd for the next few weeks. Should be some serious spin meistering!

[petegz28]

Why are you replacing the hitting coach when the leader in the leader of the team, Yost, claims the problem is there is a void in leadership???

[DeezNutz]

Going to have to sacrifice Ned just to shake things up.

[Sure-Oz]

Anyone else rooting for a disaster roadtrip so we can stop caring...what a worthless move the players suck

[Fish]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Going to have to sacrifice Ned just to shake things up.

Decapitated Ned head rolling down the stadium stairs like an Aztec sacrifice...

[1moreTRich]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Seriously, though, the Aoki acquisition was solid. Who else was out there? Nelson Cruz for $8M per? Who needs his 19 HRs and 182 OPS+?

Not Kansas ****ing City, that for sure.

I was fine with the Aoki get too, but that was on the basis that he would get on base (aka not strike out) be fast and be able to score runs, even if his D wasn't great. He is on pace for 80 strikeouts right now (last year he had 40 and the year before that he had 55). Point being, we did not get the advertised guy. My question is how does a guy that has been a solid OBP guy for his career suddenly start striking out all the time. Does our system f up guys that quickly, geez?

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

What did Dyson say or do?

As the story goes, CRYson, Hosmer and some other non descript, light hitting player showed up at the 810 Zone at Harrah to watch the Mayfield fight. The place had been packed since 7pm. Fight was around 11pm.
They weren't allowed in. As revenge for that "snub" Dyson, Hosmer and others encouraged other players (Danny Valencia- who had a big hit the previous night) to boycott talking to 810.
That took about 20 seconds to hit Twitter and reveal the players as ridiculously soft and petulant, much like their manager and GM, who the previous day had a hissy fit because the press continued to ask the age old question: "Why is Poostakous not being sent down?
And he wanted to talk about the pitching.

The result of that is the Royals have gone 3-7 since showing their collective asses to the world.

[gblowfish]

Originally Posted by 1moreTRich

I was fine with the Aoki get too, but that was on the basis that he would get on base (aka not strike out) be fast and be able to score runs, even if his D wasn't great. He is on pace for 80 strikeouts right now (last year he had 40 and the year before that he had 55). Point being, we did not get the advertised guy. My question is how does a guy that has been a solid OBP guy for his career suddenly start striking out all the time. Does our system f up guys that quickly, geez?

Aoki is Dyson, except he speaks Japanese instead of Mississippi. You can knock the bat out of either guy's hand.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by Fish

Decapitated Ned head rolling down the stadium stairs like an Aztec sacrifice...

Death by stoning with Aoki as his only defense.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Fish

Decapitated Ned head rolling down the stadium stairs like an Aztec sacrifice...