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.

[lewdog]

Supposed to see the boys take on the Padres today but rain showers everywhere here today. Game not cancelled yet but just my luck I'll drive there, arrive, and it will start to pour.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by 58-4ever

last time I checked, Vegas has the over/under on wins at 81.5. I can't tell if this is a pay your mortgage type bet or a trap.

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Mortgage

hmm, Bovada only has the over/under at 82 1/2. I can dismiss Vegas as "lol, dumb gamblers", but internet gamblers ought to be smart, they aren't dropping some money over a Vegas weekend.

Does that line seem crazy-low to everyone else? Are we just a bunch of wild-eyed optimists here, because if the over/under really should be that low, then we have a very big chance at a losing team, and I just have a hard time seeing that. Our defense and pitching won't decline that much, and our offense has got to see a huge improvement.

[alnorth]

Schoenfield agrees, he has an ESPN article on every team's over/under and he thinks the Royals are set too low. It looks like bovada had them at 81.5 just 2 days ago, so this article may have caused them to bump it up a game.

Screw it, I'm jumping on this right now at 82 1/2. I'm putting at least a couple hundred on the over and I'll be really pissed if that bet doesn't pay off.

[RockChalk]

Looks like we'll finally get some statistical data on how shitty a route-runner Dyson really is

http://regressing.deadspin.com/mlb-a...200504/@kylenw

[TLO]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Looks like we'll finally get some statistical data on how shitty a route-runner Dyson really is

http://regressing.deadspin.com/mlb-a...200504/@kylenw

That's what speed do?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by RockChalk

Looks like we'll finally get some statistical data on how shitty a route-runner Dyson really is

http://regressing.deadspin.com/mlb-a...200504/@kylenw

This is awesome, its too bad they won't get this in every park until 2015. As the article says, that really does look like the defensive holy grail, once we have this set up, by 2016 or 2017 we should really start to know a lot more about how much a player's defense is really worth in runs and wins. The only things we'd have left to do is to quantify a fielder's decision-making in a fielder's choice situation, and the influence the catcher has on the pitcher.

[C3HIEF3S]

Vargas with a 1, 2, 3 1st inning.

[alnorth]

Andy McCullough ‏@McCulloughStar 3m
#VargasPalooza goes off without a hitch: Two scoreless IP, 1 hit, 1 strikeout. Also, the rain has returned. I've never felt so cold.

Arizona, cold?

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Arizona, cold?

I think he said it's 62 degrees there. I would do just about anything for 62 degrees right now.

We're set for 5 more inches of snow here tonight.

[C3HIEF3S]

Maybin hits a 2-run bomb off of Penny. 2-0 Padres.

[C3HIEF3S]

Vernier: #Royals Colon w/ a beaut single up the middle, Dyson walks. Colon scores on Hosmer's ripped single to the right side. 2-1 SD, bottom 3.

[Ceej]

Anyone know if the Royals are scheduled to be on MLBN at any point?

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by C3HIEF3S

I think he said it's 62 degrees there. I would do just about anything for 62 degrees right now.

We're set for 5 more inches of snow here tonight.

same here, its March and I'm probably going to have to break out the snow-thrower tomorrow. Think I'll open a new a bottle of Templeton Rye tonight, to prepare for this frozen weekend.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by Ceej

Anyone know if the Royals are scheduled to be on MLBN at any point?

Like 6 or 7 times. I think the first time is next weekend. The Star had the complete list a few days ago. Try to search their archives.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Arizona, cold?

It's hard to explain if you haven't been out here in "cold" weather. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trading with you guys but it often feels much colder here than the posted temp in the winter. Not sure if it's due to the thin air or if your body just reacts differently to the climate.