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.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I would give Dayton a B+ for this off season. With potential to bump up if they add another veteran starting pitcher or wisely trade one of Hochevar or Davis.



If we don't make the playoffs this year, its a failure. No way around it.

Yep, that was an all-in bet to mortgage the future (Meyer) for now (Shields). 2014 or bust.

[CaliforniaChief]

So the Royals have Aoki in RF this season...and then he's a FA right? Either way, I would assume that they aren't as worried about Myers because they think Bonifacio might be ready in 2015?

[siberian khatru]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I would give Dayton a B+ for this off season. With potential to bump up if they add another veteran starting pitcher or wisely trade one of Hochevar or Davis.



If we don't make the playoffs this year, its a failure. No way around it.

You forget that in a little way, we've already won the World Series.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

So the Royals have Aoki in RF this season...and then he's a FA right? Either way, I would assume that they aren't as worried about Myers because they think Bonifacio might be ready in 2015?

Yes,that's right.

I could see an extension for Aoki for a year or two. Wouldn't be too expensive, and he's a good player.

I think Bonifacio needs at least two more years. But we will see. Depends on how he starts 2014. If he quickly movess to AAA, he might be ready by 2015.

[Nightfyre]

This is a pretty critical year for Bonifacio.

[alnorth]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

So the Royals have Aoki in RF this season...and then he's a FA right? Either way, I would assume that they aren't as worried about Myers because they think Bonifacio might be ready in 2015?

Hey, if you are all-in then F it, you're all-in. I think its why a lot of us didn't complain about getting only one year of Aoki, whether you agree with it or not, the plan is 2014 or bust.

We'll need to fill RF again in 2015.

[alnorth]

If anyone still wants to spend time hatching trade scenarios while we wait the miserable winter out, I've been reminded that we have a high-30's or low-40's draft pick in 2014 that we could trade. Anyone's guess what that is worth. (the new "competitive balance" draft picks in MLB can be traded, and we got one of them in the lottery)

edit: If anyone's wondering, we did well enough last year that the odds we'll get a type-A competitive balance pick in 2015 are going to be very, very low but we'll still have at least some numbers in the lotto simply because we're tiny little Kansas City.

[Nightfyre]

Given the following players are pretty much set in stone:
C Perez
1B Hoz
2B Infante
LF Gordon
CF Cain
DH Butler

You are looking at maybe a corner outfielder, shortstop or third baseman to add a bat to the lineup. You could also look to add a pitcher, but I kind of hope we take a stab at Santana on a one-year deal assuming he doesn't find a suitable suitor.

[C3HIEF3S]

A true blue fan & STH for 30+ years has passed away. We thank "Front Row" Dave for his commitment to the #Royals. He will truly be missed!

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) December 20, 2013

Pretty sad news today, the Royals have lost one of their most loyal, longtime fans. I don't know if anyone here had personally met him or not, but from the looks of the comments on the Royals facebook page he was an amazing person.

I took a trip down to KC for my first 2 Royals games @ The K this past June. During the second game I see an usher or someone pushing this guy in a wheelchair down the aisle right in front of me, and the friendly, elderly usher who had been talking to me throughout the game looks over to me and mentions how big of a fan this man was. Tells me all about how he had been a season ticket holder for years and years and tells me how he hadn't missed a home game in that time.

RIP Dave

[Sure-Oz]

Sucks to see that guy go. Always saw him at the games, great fan

[PHOG]

I'm in, it's the most fun the Royals have been in decades, here's to the WS!

[PHOG]

As far as a grade, power hitter, -, rf, +, 2B, =, 3B, =, 1B, =, CF, =, LF,C,=,so, let's talk shortstop...trade material..bring in the perrenial All-Star!

[lewdog]

I'm feeling the fever for this year!

Ordered up some Spring Training tickets last night.

[ChiefsCountry]

Its our year!

[Shogun]

Our Time?