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.

[Mecca]

This is about money plain and simple.
Posted via Mobile Device

[gblowfish]

If Boni is going to be disgruntled, move him. Don't need that kind of attitude in the clubhouse. Be nice if we could deal him for something that might help us a year or two down the road.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

This isn't a strange move; it's a ****ing stupid one.

[alnorth]

http://msn.foxsports.com/kansas-city...ignment-020114

"Teams will be interested in (Bonifacio)," Royals general manager Dayton Moore told FOXSportsKansasCity.com. "He has a great desire to play.

"He wanted to get a lot of playing time, and with the signing of (Omar) Infante and with the way our roster likely was going to shape up, there was just no guarantee that was going to happen."

[Wilson8]

Emilio Bonifacio, who the Royals designated for assignment in a surprise move today, could make an interesting candidate for the Yankees' open bench infielder job, Mike Axisa of River Ave. Blues writes. If they want to acquire him, though, they'll likely need to do so via trade, since the Dodgers also need infield help and could make a trade for him themselves.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Hopefully KC will get a player of value with multiple teams interested in Emilio.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

Crap, hope we get a decent prospect.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by alnorth

... and also, if this is NOT about payroll and we were just getting rid of a grumpy malcontent, then we now have some money to burn, and I expect the Royals to use it.

In addition to a trade-off in bodies, Chen for Bonifacio, it also represented a financial move, as well. Bonifacio was set to earn $3.5 million this year, but now that can used instead to cover most of Chen's 2014 earnings.

http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/new...nt_id=67352690

[Cephalic Trauma]

Smells like a financial move covered up by the "We did it with Emilio's best interest in mind" excuse.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

Smells like a financial move covered up by the "We did it with Emilio's best interest in mind" excuse.

If he gets on with another team and is a utility guy it will wreak of that

[Cephalic Trauma]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

If he gets on with another team and is a utility guy it will wreak of that

Agree.

This just highlights the troubles of being a small market team with a tight budget. We will have years with a good amount of talent, but lack the sufficient amount of depth to compete over the course of a 162 game season. It's utterly depressing.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

Smells like a financial move covered up by the "We did it with Emilio's best interest in mind" excuse.

Exactly, there are a lot of guys that are pissed they aren't starting.....good organizations don't dump talent that makes their team better just because a guy isn't thrilled about playing time. He'd get plenty of time considering he can play damn near every position on the field. One injury, that is inevitable in a long season, puts him in the starting lineup.

[Sure-Oz]

Yeah the depth is def hurt by this move and the timing just is horrible as well.

Hilarious that some of us thought maybe we'd have a chance at Santana.

Same as it ever was.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Cephalic Trauma

Agree.

This just highlights the troubles of being a small market team with a tight budget. We will have years with a good amount of talent, but lack the sufficient amount of depth to compete over the course of a 162 game season. It's utterly depressing.

That's why you draft well and make solid under the radar moves. Other small market GMs do it every year.

I don't know if I particularly like this move because I liked Boni. It hurts our depth, but at least Infante can still play pretty much all of the same positions if needed. In theory, we should be able to replace a utility guy though.

[Wilson8]

Winter Leagues stats on Royals infielders -

Emilio Bonifacio - Dominican Winter League - .289 average
Pedro Ciriaco - Dominican Winter League - .292 average
Christian Colon - Puerto Rico Winter League - .284 average
Irving Falu - Puerto Rico Winter League - .195 average

[Wilson8]

Time line – Royals infield offseason…

11/20/2013 Kansas City Royals selected the contract of 2B Christian Colon from Omaha Storm Chasers
11/20/2013 Kansas City Royals designated Infielder Irving Falu for assignment
11/25/2013 Kansas City Royals release Infielder Irving Falu.
12/14/2013 Kansas City Royals signed free agent SS Brian Bocock to minor league contract
12/16/2013 Kansas City Royals signed 2B Omar Infante
12/18/2013 Kansas City Royals trade OF David Lough for 3B Danny Valencia.
12/28/2013 Kansas City Royals sign free agent 2B Jason Donald to minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
01/17/2014 Kansas City Royals avoid arbitration with $3.5MM contract with Emilio Bonifacio.
02/01/2014 Kansas City Royals designate 2B Emilio Bonifacio for assignment.