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.

[tmw4h5]

Thanks a ton for the information, guys.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

My understanding of the qualifying offer is that the Royals get the same pick regardless.

Rules:
- If you sign a player who holds a qualifying offer, you surrender your first round pick, unless you have a pick in the top 10, in which case you would surrender your second pick (whether second round, a comp pick or a competitive balance pick).
- The surrendered pick simply vanishes. Everyone behind it moves up a spot. For example, the Orioles' 17th pick would cease to exist, and the Royals would actually move up from the 18th pick in Round 1 to the 17th pick.
- The team that lost the player gets a compensation pick AFTER the first round but before the competitive balance round.

So, how does this break out for KC?

If the Orioles sign Ervin Santana, KC will get:

Pick No. 17 in Round 1 (assuming none of the 4 teams in front of them sign another player with a QO, like Kendrys Morales, Nelson Cruz, Stephen Drew)
Pick No. 34 (Comp Round pick - for Santana - could slide down if more QO guys are signed)
Pick No. 39 (Competitive Balance pick - could slide down a few slots as QO guys are signed)
Pick No. 57 (round 2 pick - could slide up if someone like the Mariners - who have a protected round 1 pick - signs Nelson Cruz or Stephen Drew)

Four picks in the top 60 is pretty sweet. Lot of money to play with in the draft.

Here's a link to the current draft order.

I would feel bad for Erv if he ends up in Baltimore. Not a good fit for him, at all.

Its mostly the same, but if someone other than Toronto gets Santana, then our sandwich pick improves by one pick because the vanished pick would be a 1st rounder. If Toronto signs, then the vanished pick is a 2nd rounder.

[Three7s]

Orioles would be pretty stupid to go after him with the small ballparks prevalent in the AL east, including their own, but then again, they've never been smart in the FA market.

[C3HIEF3S]

MLB Trade Rumors says that the Orioles aren't close to a deal with Santana at this time. That seems like it would just be asking for trouble with Santana pitching in Camden Yards. Hell, not only there, but Yankee Stadium and Fenway too.


I probably just repeated what has been said about 100 times already, but I can't help it, i'm ready for baseball!

[Three7s]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

MLB Trade Rumors says that the Orioles aren't close to a deal with Santana at this time. That seems like it would just be asking for trouble with Santana pitching in Camden Yards. Hell, not only there, but Yankee Stadium and Fenway too.


I probably just repeated what has been said about 100 times already, but I can't help it, i'm ready for baseball!

100 times? I just said it a post ahead of yours! But yes, the Orioles are a horrifically stupid franchise when it comes to signing free agents.

[duncan_idaho]

If you check Orioles boards at all (which I've done a few times this offseason - checking in on Manny Machado and Dylan Bundy for fantasy purposes, mostly), you'll notice that a portion of their fanbase seems ready to revolt because they haven't spent any money.

If they don't sign at least on FA SP of note, I think they're going to have some trouble on their hands with at least some of the fans. Could be motivating them here....

[Infidel Goat]

Isn't today the deadline to trade Bonaficio?

Otherwise, we pay most of his salary anyway and a new team could pick him off the waiver wire for league minimum.

Surely there is a taker for him...

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Infidel Goat

Isn't today the deadline to trade Bonaficio?

Otherwise, we pay most of his salary anyway and a new team could pick him off the waiver wire for league minimum.

Surely there is a taker for him...

I think they're only on the hook for 1/6 of his salary at this point, or about 600k. Same situation as Luke Hochevar last year, when many of us - myself included - were calling for them to cut him loose.

On to Santana news...

Orioles, Mariners, Dodgers, Yankees and Indians have all checked on Santana in the past few days, according to a tweet.

Recent news seems to be that both the Blue Jays and the Orioles are NOT the teams driving closer to a deal with Ervin. Not sure what that means.

Today should be interesting.

[chefsos]

I'll agree with you guys that Santana is not a good fit in Baltimore. Also, even if they do it and his elbow is of any concern at all, his will be the longest physical in the history of mankind.

[gblowfish]

Today is Alex Gordon's 30th Birthday!
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/tea...evel=%27ALL%27

[BlackHelicopters]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

Today is Alex Gordon's 30th Birthday!
http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/tea...evel=%27ALL%27

Happy Birthday Alex!

[alnorth]

Latest Santana news:

MLBTR's Tim Dierkes reports (via Twitter) that there's "no way" Santana signs today. Dierkes' source says that there are three to four teams with serious interest.

I'm increasing our odds of retaining him from 1 in 10,000, to 1 in... hmm... the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.

That is (looking it up...) according to Wikipedia, somewhere between 100 and 400 billion. Sounds about right. I'll split the difference and say our odds of re-signing Santana is 1 in 250,000,000,000

[C3HIEF3S]

Dayton Moore preseason press conference at 130 on 610.

[WhawhaWhat]

Dayton gets questioned about Ervin Santana, he responds saying they signed Vargas and Chen to fill the roles of veterans on the rotation.

Idiot Josh Vernier then asks a question about the young starters. No follow-up on if Santana even has an offer on the table from the Royals.

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Dayton gets questioned about Ervin Santana, he responds saying they signed Vargas and Chen to fill the roles of veterans on the rotation.

Idiot Josh Vernier then asks a question about the young starters. No follow-up on if Santana even has an offer on the table from the Royals.

Maybe he didn't ask the question because everyone knows that they don't.