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.

[DeezNutz]

I agree with the concept that anything "can" happen, but I also think it's imperative that a GM attempt to be as honest as possible in trying to assess what's most likely to happen.

With the Royals, it's such a flawed offensive team that I have a hard time envisioning them making the playoffs.

However, I think you can potentially buy and sell to keep in the race this year and improve for next. Example: Ian Kennedy. What's his price? Not FA eligible until 2016.

Plus the above example for a Taveras (which, admittedly, might be complete fantasy...).

Totally throwing shit against the wall, but I think the Royals cannot responsibly do nothing.

[TambaBerry]

Either way if we want a chance this season we have to add some power and I'd like a starting pitcher.

[Sure-Oz]

Sal can't hold out anyway

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by penbook

Release Butler and pay sal easy fix

Release Butler, use excess money to buy a Right Fielder. Don't pay Sal anymore. Sal is a player you absolutely do not want to pay. Because when his current contract runs out, he's likely going to be Joe Mauered, and will need to play DH or 1B. He's just too big, too tall, to be able to catch for the length of his career in just about any scenario you can envision. Then you can let him walk instead of overpaying. We aren't the Yankees or the Red Sox, that is what we have to do.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

I agree with the concept that anything "can" happen, but I also think it's imperative that a GM attempt to be as honest as possible in trying to assess what's most likely to happen.

With the Royals, it's such a flawed offensive team that I have a hard time envisioning them making the playoffs.

However, I think you can potentially buy and sell to keep in the race this year and improve for next. Example: Ian Kennedy. What's his price? Not FA eligible until 2016.

Plus the above example for a Taveras (which, admittedly, might be complete fantasy...).

Totally throwing shit against the wall, but I think the Royals cannot responsibly do nothing.

I hear ya on the "flawed offensive" part. I get so irritated with the number of base runners they leave stranded. But then last night, Butler gets the clutch HR and Ibanez (who's batting .167) hits that triple that scores Gordon. It's a freaking roller coaster.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by dingleberry

Either way if we want a chance this season we have to add some power and I'd like a starting pitcher.

Who would you bench to add a starting pitcher? In my opinion, starting pitching is the least of the Royals problems.

[Prison Bitch]

On MLB network just now, Eduardo Perez listed the Royals as his top buyer. Braden said Orioles. Amazingly we're only 2 out with 60 to go.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

On MLB network just now, Eduardo Perez listed the Royals as his top buyer. Braden said Orioles. Amazingly we're only 2 out with 60 to go.

Damn PB, Are you feeling OK today? That almost sounded optimistic. :-)

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Love to have Joc Pederson, but the Dodgers aren't a great fit for the trade.

Would love to see if Taveras could be stolen out of STL for Shields + Holland + a prospect.

Highly, highly unlikely. They are hesitant to include him for Price, who is better and controlled one year longer.

If you look at the wildcard standings, the Yankees currently lead the pack for the second wildcard and are on pace for 86 wins. To get to that mark, the Royals would need to go 34-26 in their final 60 games. That's a much more sutainable pace (.568) than what we were looking at the other day when I was talking about what it would take to get to 90 wins.

According to Baseball Prospectus, the Royals' odds have climbed 10 percent in just four days. Win a couple more in a row, and that's going to continue to trend that way.

[penbrook]

Apparently the Royals have followed Johnny Gomes all week. They want him

[TambaBerry]

Originally Posted by DeepSouth

Who would you bench to add a starting pitcher? In my opinion, starting pitching is the least of the Royals problems.

Need depth, Ventura and Duffy are unknowns late into the season.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by penbook

Apparently the Royals have followed Johnny Gomes all week. They want him

Brand new information right here.

[C3HIEF3S]

Dingleberry is spot on, adding depth to our starting pitching absolutely cannot hurt.

[teedubya]

Detroit has played 2 games less than us... and we are 6 games back from them currently. I put a voodoo hex on them to lose those two games whenever they are played. So, we good.

[DeepSouth]

Originally Posted by teedubya

Detroit has played 2 games less than us... and we are 6 games back from them currently. I put a voodoo hex on them to lose those two games whenever they are played. So, we good.

You da man. Although, I might have a little more faith in your "voodoo hex" if you were from New Orleans.