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.

[tk13]

Jon Heyman is reporting that the Twins have made a 3 year offer to Ervin Santana. But for now he still prefers the 1 year deals. Heyman says it may take a few days to sort itself out.

[cabletech94]

Originally Posted by tk13

Jon Heyman is reporting that the Twins have made a 3 year offer to Ervin Santana. But for now he still prefers the 1 year deals. Heyman says it may take a few days to sort itself out.

there's no excuse to let one of our (and i'm using the term loosely) assets go to a division rival. none. even if his season is ready for an implosion. no excuse.

[C3HIEF3S]

Easy 1, 2, 3 inning for Duffy.

[Coach]

Nice. Getting fisted by Colorado.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by nychief

Sure. But jason vargas is jason vargas, he is a no. 3 on decent team and 4/5 on a good team... and who the **** knows what we will get out of the kids. Shit, zimmer is already shut down. Duffy already has TJ... Until DM produces ONE major league starter (something he has not done) color me skeptical.

This is an all in year, no matter what DM says....

Also, why are we suddenly depending on young pitchers a year after trading away our best position prospect in a generation for two year rental starter? Why didn't we depend on these types of gambles last year and keep Myers? Oh because DM didn't have a contract extension....that is why. JS got us over .500 and got DM his money.

Zimmer is shut down? Did I miss something?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

Zimmer is shut down? Did I miss something?

Unless he knows Zimmer and is breaking news, nope. Its hard to make sense of most of that incoherent bunch of babbling.

[Nightfyre]

Zimmer got shutdown last year due to shoulder soreness. Which is really NBD.

[Kidd Lex]

Jfc, thought something happen to Zimmer. Smdh

[duncan_idaho]

Zimmer is not shut down. They are starting him slowly this year because he's on an innings limit and they are going to delay ramping it up a little bit so he's not at his innings limit and shut down in September.

[nychief]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Zimmer is not shut down. They are starting him slowly this year because he's on an innings limit and they are going to delay ramping it up a little bit so he's not at his innings limit and shut down in September.

He had a tender elbow last august, then again this spring. It is worrisome.

[alnorth]

Not a surprise, but Dwyer will be optioned to Omaha.

Andy McCullough ‏@McCulloughStar 1m

The Royals view Chris Dwyer as one of their top 2 options to fill a rotation void early in the year. The other is loser of Duffy v. Ventura.

[alnorth]

Rany pointed out a worrying downside to not having a backup middle infielder that I hadn't considered. Its fine to say that Escobar can start every day and that you'll just dial Omaha whenever needed, but if we don't have a backup, then Escobar has to finish every game.

If he bounces back and hits like 2012 thats fine, but if Escobar repeats his crappy 2013 season, then our opponent could take advantage of that late in the game, walking someone to get to Escobar knowing that Yost won't pinch-hit for him.

[alnorth]

The Braves are now in on Santana. They didn't want to give up their draft pick for him, but they already lost one pitcher recently, and a 2nd Brave pitcher got hurt today.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by cabletech94

there's no excuse to let one of our (and i'm using the term loosely) assets go to a division rival. none. even if his season is ready for an implosion. no excuse.

I don't think we will sign him for spite.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by alnorth

The Braves are now in on Santana. They didn't want to give up their draft pick for him, but they already lost one pitcher recently, and a 2nd Brave pitcher got hurt today.

Wow, Kris Medlen with a right forearm strain as the early diagnosis. He's already been Tommy John'd once a few years ago. They are going to be hurtin' for pitching.