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.

[SPATCH]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Don't Stop Believin would be highly ironic. Or accurate, one of the two if not both.

Yes, the song seems highly applicable. Sends a not-so-subliminal message to casual fans. Might be effective, actually? (<-- not a good thing. Increased complacency, etc.)

Would make the diehards sick if the losing continues, though.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by the_spatula

Yes, the song seems highly applicable. Sends a not-so-subliminal message to casual fans. Might be effective, actually?

Would make the diehards sick if the losing continues, though.

Fun song to play when we're down 9-2 in the sixth to the Astros!

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by alnorth

Yost wants 12 pitchers, so the Royals are probably going to try to get through the first month or two without a backup middle infielder.

edit: in an emergency (like if someone is hurt on the road or gets tossed out of a game), they might have Valencia or Moose play 2nd.

:slaps forehead:

Roster construction continues to be a massive problem.

Cain is going to draw a TON of walks hitting 8th, if he shows any plate discipline at all. Teams are going to pitch around him to get to Escobar, especially in late innings, knowing KC can't pinch hit for him.

So glad they're hanging on to Dyson, though! (rolls eyes)

Franklin would be an interesting trade target if the Mariners are not asking too much for him. Jack Z is terrible, so KC might be able to get a nice discount there. I'm still concerned about the way FRanklin fell off after his hot start (he was flat-out awful from like July 1 on), but he's a young guy with upside.

[Bowser]

But Dyson is FAST, and stuff.

Someone needs to make a video of Dyson jumping over a car so all the hand wringing can come to an end with him.

[duncan_idaho]

So I can't get over this today...

One of the guys in my fantasy keeper league did NOT keep Andrew McCutchen today.

This is an auction/keeper league. He could have kept McCutchen for $20. To compare, Miguel Cabrera went for $49 the last time he was open in the auction, two years ago, and was kept this season for $57.

What the hell?

[Prison Bitch]

Twins uber-prospect 3B Miguel Sano (#8 overall) has TJ surgery and is out for the year. First, great news since I hate that franchise. Second, it shows taht there's no such thing as ANY prospect.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

So I can't get over this today...

One of the guys in my fantasy keeper league did NOT keep Andrew McCutchen today.

This is an auction/keeper league. He could have kept McCutchen for $20. To compare, Miguel Cabrera went for $49 the last time he was open in the auction, two years ago, and was kept this season for $57.

What the hell?

I have no answer to that. Were you able to nab him?

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Bowser

I have no answer to that. Were you able to nab him?

We're adding two expansion teams that will do an expansion draft for keepers from the available FA pool.

McCutch will be the first pick.

Comparisons:

This guy kept Brett Gardner (19), Nick Markakis (11), Josh Hamilton (28), Alexei Ramirez (11), Jon Lester (29), Johnny Cueto (16), David Wright (34) and Aramis Ramirez (30) as well as Yu Darvish (28).

W
T
F

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Twins uber-prospect 3B Miguel Sano (#8 overall) has TJ surgery and is out for the year. First, great news since I hate that franchise. Second, it shows taht there's no such thing as ANY prospect.

Yeah, not an injury that should give a position player any long term issues... but it does put him out until probably mid-season next year.

Also, Nick Franklin's line in the second half last year:

.194/.280/.333
6 HR
10 2B
1 3B

Pair that with him being an average defender at 2B and below average at SS, and his market might be smaller than the M's expect. Might be a good chance to buy low on the guy.

I'd see if the Royals could do it for a package that largely involves one of the middle relievers (Crow, Collins, Herrera, Davis, Hochevar) and some extra pieces (maybe a Jason Adam?)

[Prison Bitch]

That's a killer in his development though.

[Bowser]

Holy shit. And don't even feel guilty taking his money at the end of the season. He's earned his future beatdown, lol.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Twins uber-prospect 3B Miguel Sano (#8 overall) has TJ surgery and is out for the year. First, great news since I hate that franchise. Second, it shows taht there's no such thing as ANY prospect.

Good to see that we are finally in full agreement on something. Piss on the Twins.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Holy shit. And don't even feel guilty taking his money at the end of the season. He's earned his future beatdown, lol.

Yeah, we're up to 14 teams now. $150 buy in each makes the pot $2100. Winner gets 40-45 percent of that. 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th also get payouts. Rest goes to CBS league fees.

I'm kind of the Kevin McCarthur of this league... keep finishing 2nd or 3rd.

The guy that dropped McCutch only has $94 on auction day (out of $300) and only has one top 50 player (Darvish) on his roster. This is from a team that finished 2nd overall last year.

He also neglected keeping Matt Carpenter ($4) and Shin Soo Choo ($22).

[POND_OF_RED]

Moose just got his first homer of the spring on a 2-2 pitch. So ready for warm weather and baseball.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Also, Nick Franklin's line in the second half last year:

.194/.280/.333
6 HR
10 2B
1 3B

What was Escobar's line?