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.

[Unsmooth-Moment]

I don't know why we would want Howard. He doesn't really improve our lineup. Byrd should be the guy we target.

[Sure-Oz]

Not sure I want to trade Hererra for Byrd, but they may need to if they can keep this going steady till next thursday. Need another bat and he may be the best one out there esp in OF

[Hootie]

If teams covet Herrera I would trade him for anything.

The Royals have the best bullpen in baseball by a mile. We need Herrera about as much as I needed chlamydia three times.

[DeezNutz]

Byrd is controlled for next year, too, and owed only $8M.

****, we might see Balboni's record threatened.

[Hootie]

I wonder what Milton Bradley is up to

[duncan_idaho]

I think the bigger sticking point with Byrd - at least for KC - is probably that he wants that 2016 option turned into a guaranteed year rather than a team option to waive his no-trade to KC.

But I'd make the trade. Hell, I've been beating that drum for 6 weeks.

Where on the scout board is Philadelphia scouting Herrera being discussed? I looked through the likely threads and didn't see it.

[CaliforniaChief]

What's y'all's take on Matt Kemp? Is he a change of scenery candidate or legitimately a one-hit wonder who's done?

You know the Dodgers won't mind eating significant money here.

[Hootie]

if the Dodgers are gonna eat that contract it's going to take quite the prospect package for Kemp IMO

[Hootie]

the fact that NFL teams scouted Kaepernick and Tebow and one dipshit team decided taking Tebow over Kaepernick was a good idea pretty much cracks me up

[Three7s]

If a team is willing to trade a power bat for a reliever, you make that trade every time. If it's on the table, Moore needs to do that and now.

[DeezNutz]

I could very well be wrong, but I don't think the price for Kemp is going to be incredibly high. In fact, that's a team whom I could see coveting a Herrera to make a WS run. It's Kemp's contract that will be the primary hurdle.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Unsmooth-Moment

I don't know why we would want Howard. He doesn't really improve our lineup. Byrd should be the guy we target.

Even while having a terrible year, he has more HR and RBI than anyone in the Royals lineup. Obviously so does Byrd.

If they don't pick up Butler's option he could be the DH next year. Really the only reason I'd entertain the idea is they seem really desperate to dump him, and eat the contract while doing it. It's the type of thing the A's do... pick up guys late in their career cheap and get a good year or two out of them. Like they did with Frank Thomas. Of course if Butler's actually about to start getting hot it'd be a waste of time.

[CaliforniaChief]

Don't get me wrong, Marlon Byrd would be a very nice addition to this lineup. But if, as Deez suggests and I agree (why I raised it), Kemp could be had for a decent price, you could COULD be landing someone with superstar potential who needs a change of scenery from a place that has become toxic and is one outfielder too many.

He's a midwestern guy, right? I wouldn't mind seeing him in CF for us if the Dodgers would eat significant salary.

[C3HIEF3S]

Have the Royals had scouts at Dodger games? We at least know for sure that Byrd is on the Royals radar. Also, that's a great point Deez/CaliforniaChief.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

Don't get me wrong, Marlon Byrd would be a very nice addition to this lineup. But if, as Deez suggests and I agree (why I raised it), Kemp could be had for a decent price, you could COULD be landing someone with superstar potential who needs a change of scenery from a place that has become toxic and is one outfielder too many.

He's a midwestern guy, right? I wouldn't mind seeing him in CF for us if the Dodgers would eat significant salary.

He's played plenty of games in RF too. I'd be all for that. The problem is he's signed through 2019 at 20+ million a year. The Dodgers love to spend money but I'm not sure if they'd eat all of that.