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.

[Simplicity]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Tanaka's risk is that he translates as a no 3 or 4 rather than a no 2.

Santana has the inconsistent performance risk AND is older and slider -dependent. I'd rate his injury risk much higher over the course of that deal.

You can't really say Tanaka is going to translate to anything yet because he's never pitched a inning in the MLB... American baseball is on a whole other level than oversees.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Simplicity

You can't really say Tanaka is going to translate to anything yet because he's never pitched a inning in the MLB... American baseball is on a whole other level than oversees.

The Japanese league has proven it is about on par with AAA, maybe even slightly better in some aspects. So you can project with some comfort level.

Its a risk, for sure, but I just think there's a little less risk with Tanaka. All things equal, I'd prefer him. Younger, more upside, less injury concern, more consistent.

But there's also the fact Santana probably gets 1/2 of what Tanaka does by the time the posting fee is included...

[alnorth]

If someone out there is really willing to pay 25 AAV over 6 years for Shields, then do the QO, and get the draft pick.

[SPchief]

Originally Posted by alnorth

If someone out there is really willing to pay 25 AAV over 6 years for Shields, then do the QO, and get the draft pick.

Won't happen on the AAV IMO. But Fans should probably be prepared that Shields won't be here after this year. I'm ready for it, Duffy needs to bring his A game (he will). And I'm excited for Ventura

[TLO]

If the Royals signed Tanaka I'd probably die from shock.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

If the Royals signed Tanaka I'd probably die from shock.

So would David Glass.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

If the Royals signed Tanaka I'd probably die from shock.

Oh, they won't. But they're not going to sign Santana either. All talking in hypotheticals there.

If you're signing one of them to a big, long-term contract, I think Tanaka is the better bet, is all.

[Shogun]

Just met Mr. Penny. Seems like a nice guy. Hes in town

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by Shogun

Just met Mr. Penny. Seems like a nice guy. Hes in town

You didn't jump-punch him did you?

[WhawhaWhat]

Penny, whose deal was first reported by @ChrisCotillo, has been working out in Lenexa since last September

— Pete Grathoff (@pgrathoff) January 16, 2014

[Infidel Goat]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Honestly, I'd invest in neither and make a real run at Tanaka if I'm going to give a huge deal to a pitcher I want to try to slot at the front of my rotation..

If Shields wants $25M per year for five or six years, he'll definitely be playing somewhere else. For kicks, I looked at Baseball Reference's 10 historic pitchers most similar to Shields through 31. Of the 10 players, Kevin Brown was the only one who arguably performed anywhere near to the level that one would hope to make such a contract worthwhile.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Infidel Goat

If Shields wants $25M per year for five or six years, he'll definitely be playing somewhere else. For kicks, I looked at Baseball Reference's 10 historic pitchers most similar to Shields through 31. Of the 10 players, Kevin Brown was the only one who arguably performed anywhere near to the level that one would hope to make such a contract worthwhile.

Isn't his No. 1 comp Zack Greinke? Thought I saw someone say that somewhere yesterday.

[DeepSouth]

Don't you have to assume that some of the young pitchers in the Royals system actually make it to the big leagues?

Would a starting five in 2015 be so bad if it was;

Zimmer
Vargus
Guthrie
Duffy
Ventura

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

Don't you have to assume that some of the young pitchers in the Royals system actually make it to the big leagues?

Would a starting five in 2015 be so bad if it was;

Zimmer
Vargus
Guthrie
Duffy
Ventura

Expecting all of them to be successful is wishful thinking.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

Don't you have to assume that some of the young pitchers in the Royals system actually make it to the big leagues?

Would a starting five in 2015 be so bad if it was;

Zimmer
Vargus
Guthrie
Duffy
Ventura

I think it's a safer to bet against with the track record. Zach Greinke is the only starting pitcher in the past 15 years to pan out from our minors... and even that was tumultuous.

Before Greinke, the last Royals pitcher to come from our minor league system and be successful at the big leagues?

Jose Rosado. And his stay was short.