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]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I've always contended that you can start to draw some conclusions after the first twenty games of an everyday starter. It's BS, but that's generally my own personal rule of thumb.

I like May 1st. Its an arbitrary date on the calendar, but its simple and clean.

I also can't draw any strong conclusions from a month, a bad player isn't suddenly good and a good player isn't suddenly bad, but I am more willing to support pulling the trigger on a player who started out the year on a very short leash and really sucked in April.

I'm OK with sending down Moose in May, but I'd need to see Butler suck for at least half a season before I start reducing his AB for the 2nd half. (and in any case there's no way we should exercise that 2015 option)

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

You mean taking all 3 straight down the shitter, with the bases loaded in a 0-0 game in the 8th? You mean you didn't enjoy watching that?

That was abysmal

[Anyong Bluth]

At least in happier news the starting pitching rotation looks good, and actually stronger top to bottom, even with the loss of Santana. Ace seems like he will be a rising badass. Fastest pitch from his 1st start clocked at 102.4mph!
It feels weird to say, but Hochevar will be sorely missed this year.

[Mother****erJones]

Ventura against Sale will be good for years to come!

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

rally house too

Kansas Sampler is actually owned by Rally House. When you go to the Kansas Sampler web site it just takes you to Rally House.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Mother****erJones

Ventura against Sale will be good for years to come!

With the luck the Royals have had with young pitchers you can't help but think, "This is too good to be true".

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

It looks like Matt Fields could do what Billy does. He's batting .469 (I know, small sample size) at Omaha. He hit 31 homers at AA last year.

That statement is a great example of why you can't just look at stats for minor leaguers. You have to look at age, and the scouting profile matters, too.

Matt Fields is a great example of an older guy who you just can't get that excited about. Yes, he hit 31 HR in a very hitter friendly league/park... he also hit .227, struck out 181 times (that's a 40 percent K rate) and posted an OPS under .800 (hard to do when you hit 30 bombs). And is 28 years old.

There's actually very little that indicates Fields could do what Billy does. He has extreme K problems at AA and he's an extremely old minor league player. Yes, he hits some HR, but he also is selling out to do so.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

There's actually very little that indicates Fields could do what Billy does.

You don't think Fields could pop up to the catcher and ground out to the SS?

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

That statement is a great example of why you can't just look at stats for minor leaguers. You have to look at age, and the scouting profile matters, too.

Matt Fields is a great example of an older guy who you just can't get that excited about. Yes, he hit 31 HR in a very hitter friendly league/park... he also hit .227, struck out 181 times (that's a 40 percent K rate) and posted an OPS under .800 (hard to do when you hit 30 bombs). And is 28 years old.

There's actually very little that indicates Fields could do what Billy does. He has extreme K problems at AA and he's an extremely old minor league player. Yes, he hits some HR, but he also is selling out to do so.

Crash Davis

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

You don't think Fields could pop up to the catcher and ground out to the SS?

Billy uses the 2nd baseman not the SS... Get it right!

[TLO]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Calvin Pickering changed his name again?

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

He's passing the test in Omaha so far, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him as part of the plan in the OF in 2015. Maybe even sooner if Maxwell does not make a positive impact again or if when Cain gets hurt.

Fixed your post.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

It sucks bad as a Royals fan, but Butler sucks. You don't pay a DH 8 million with this payroll. He is fat and unathletic.

Repost.

[seaofred]

Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat

Calvin Pickering changed his name again?

what ever happened to him? I was at his first game and was really impressed, then never really heard about him again.

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by seaofred

what ever happened to him? I was at his first game and was really impressed, then never really heard about him again.

He hit around .220 for the Royals and got bounced, changed his name to Kila Ka'aihue, hit more HRs in the minors, got called up to the bigs and hits around .220 again, now he's apparently changed his name again and is hitting HRs in the minors.