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.

[Mama Hip Rockets]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

The only starter who's been better than I expected is Vargas.

Shields has been slightly disappointing.
Guthrie has sucked.
Ventura has been good, but I thought he would be this good.
Duffy's been up and down.

How has Duffy not been better than expected? He wasn't even in the rotation at the beginning of the year, and now he's started seven games, given up 3 runs or fewer in 5 of those 7 starts, pitched a 2-hitter, has a 3.26 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. What more do you want?

[alnorth]

That 16-year old Italian kid we signed at SS for $1.3MM last year (now 17) who some think could be the best European baseball prospect ever, has been sent to Burlington. He would be, by far, the youngest player on the roster. (DOB 5/24/97)

[KCwolf]

Originally Posted by thurman merman

How has Duffy not been better than expected? He wasn't even in the rotation at the beginning of the year, and now he's started seven games, given up 3 runs or fewer in 5 of those 7 starts, pitched a 2-hitter, has a 3.26 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. What more do you want?

Unreachable Expectactions....... It gets old .... This team is on a roll w/7 outta 9 W's and getting back into the mix. Try and Ignore the Asshats and there are many that will never be happy ....

[Al Bundy]

Duffy and Vargas have been better than I expected.

[Discuss Thrower]

I've got beef with duncan right now.

[stonedstooge]

3 with the Sux and 4 with the tailspinning Tigers. Time to bitch slap them both

[Mother****erJones]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

3 with the Sux and 4 with the tailspinning Tigers. Time to bitch slap them both

Not with your no HR hitting asses.

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Mother****erJones

Not with your no HR hitting asses.

We do it with sac flies.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by CaliforniaChief

I'd rather deal Greg Holland to the Dodgers for Joc Pederson.

I'd rather do Davis for Pederson but this is the kinda trade the Royals need to make.

[KChiefs1]

If the Royals went 4-3 over the next two series would you be happy?

[Brianfo]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Of course, Nick Franklin has sucked hard at the MLB level for 3/4 of a season, whereas Pederson has not failed yet.

It's also fairly generous to call what Nick Franklin does "playing" middle infield.

At least give it a few more months before you start panicking about Infante. He's an established MLB vet who's coming off getting drilled in the face by a pitch and back spasms.

This. Infante will be fine. To compare to Chris gets is chiefs planet douchebaggery.

[Brianfo]

Originally Posted by stonedstooge

3 with the Sux and 4 with the tailspinning Tigers. Time to bitch slap them both

It's 3 and 3. Try to keep up.

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

It's 3 and 3. Try to keep up.

No we have 4 with the Tigers. You better keep up.

[C3HIEF3S]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

It's 3 and 3. Try to keep up.

When you try and correct someone, please do your research first.

Regarding our next 7 games that KCChiefs1 mentioned. I am expecting a 4-3 record over the next 7 games.

I hope that the Tigers can keep stumbling until we get to them. I'd give us the pitching advantage in Saturday and Sunday's games vs the Sox. Never know what to expect from Guthrie, but he is usually pretty good against the Sox.

I expect we take 2-3 from the Sox (winning the two games in which I am not in attendance of course ) and split with Detroit.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

I've got beef with duncan right now.

Shit, man. I thought we squashed that.

Here's a pic of Cristin Milioti being adorable... we good now?