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.

[alnorth]

The Angels gave Mike Trout $1MM. That is a record 1-year contract for a 2-year player.

He isn't arbitration-eligible so the Angels didn't have to do that, most teams give their best 2-year players only a very small increase over the minimum. More than likely the Angels are trying to build up some goodwill to convince him to sign a really long-term deal.

[Prison Bitch]

Like that would change anything, that's peanuts

[TLO]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The Angels gave Mike Trout $1MM. That is a record 1-year contract for a 2-year player.

He isn't arbitration-eligible so the Angels didn't have to do that, most teams give their best 2-year players only a very small increase over the minimum. More than likely the Angels are trying to build up some goodwill to convince him to sign a really long-term deal.

Dude is going to break the bank.

[Prison Bitch]

Last night Jack Harry said Duffy is the clear choice for #5 and management seems to agree. While I don't dispute that it seems really odd to me that Ventura wouldn't be a better option. I would be shocked if he's not in the rotation for good at some point this year, so why pull the "Wade Davis experiment" again and put guys in the rotation when better alternatives already exist?

[CaliforniaChief]

I'm not sure if that's precisely how it works. RT @PapaJerwickNow: did Escobar have the baby yet?

— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) February 27, 2014

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Last night Jack Harry said Duffy is the clear choice for #5 and management seems to agree. While I don't dispute that it seems really odd to me that Ventura wouldn't be a better option. I would be shocked if he's not in the rotation for good at some point this year, so why pull the "Wade Davis experiment" again and put guys in the rotation when better alternatives already exist?

Neither Ventura or Duffy have proven much yet in the majors. How can you say that one would for sure be better than the other?
And this "Wade Davis experiment", who were these already existing better alternatives last year? Hoch?

[Prison Bitch]

Bruce Chen?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Last night Jack Harry said Duffy is the clear choice for #5 and management seems to agree. While I don't dispute that it seems really odd to me that Ventura wouldn't be a better option. I would be shocked if he's not in the rotation for good at some point this year, so why pull the "Wade Davis experiment" again and put guys in the rotation when better alternatives already exist?

Jack Harry is about a good a source for Royals news and predictions as Tiger Board is to get a pulse of the general Missouri fan base.

I would bet Ventura stands a better chance of opening the year in the rotation than Duffy. Ventura isn't going to face the innings limits that Duffy will. He can likely give them 200 IP with no problem. Duffy is probably limited to 150. Even if Danny came out of the gate in style and dominated, he's likely getting shut down in August or September, when they will really need him.

We've discussed it before, but if 10 starts early from Chen ensures Duffy is available down the stretch, I'm OK with that. Would much rather have Duffy's upside available for potential playoff situations. Either way, it's hard to see Duffy making more than 24-25 starts. Which means you have to fill in from somewhere.

[blake5676]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Jack Harry is about a good a source for Royals news and predictions as Tiger Board is to get a pulse of the general Missouri fan base.

I would bet Ventura stands a better chance of opening the year in the rotation than Duffy. Ventura isn't going to face the innings limits that Duffy will. He can likely give them 200 IP with no problem. Duffy is probably limited to 150. Even if Danny came out of the gate in style and dominated, he's likely getting shut down in August or September, when they will really need him.

We've discussed it before, but if 10 starts early from Chen ensures Duffy is available down the stretch, I'm OK with that. Would much rather have Duffy's upside available for potential playoff situations. Either way, it's hard to see Duffy making more than 24-25 starts. Which means you have to fill in from somewhere.

This is pretty much exactly how I see it as well. As long as they don't keep Ventura down for a service time related reason, I think he's likely to be the number 5 out of the gate. And I say that fully hoping that both will spend the majority of the year in the starting 5, save for Chen and his 8-10 starts throughout the season. I'm just not certain (haven't heard) whether he'll be used like last year out of the pen early and starting in the summer or vice versa.

On another note...can't wait to flip on the radio in 30 minutes and hear the crack of the bat!!

[siberian khatru]

"Wade Davis Experiment" sounds like a great name for a shitty band.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by siberian khatru

"Wade Davis Experiment" sounds like a great name for a shitty band.

Like the name of a half baked Alan Parsons coverband

[sedated]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Duffy is probably limited to 150. Even if Danny came out of the gate in style and dominated, he's likely getting shut down in August or September, when they will really need him.

Would they ever consider doing a 6-man rotation for a while to slow down Duffy’s innings? Or is that not important enough to risk getting the other starters out of whack?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by sedated

Would they ever consider doing a 6-man rotation for a while to slow down Duffy’s innings? Or is that not important enough to risk getting the other starters out of whack?

That is FAR, FAR too progressive and forward thinking for this front office or managerial team to tinker with it.

Besides, it would also limit the starts you have Shields making. It honestly would probably be better to use a spot starter to skip them once a month or something like that.

[TLO]

Spring Training baseball!

I'm so excited for the season I think I'll listen to this on the radio for a while.

[SPchief]

Nice to hear Lebfavre on the radio on the drive home