*** Official 2018 Royals Repository ***

[duncan_idaho]

The season is upon us, even if spring is not.

2018 MLB Draft Picks
#18
#33 - Compensation (Eric Hosmer)
#34 - Compensation (Lorenzo Cain)
#40 (Competitive Balance Round A)

018 Draft Names to Watch

RHP Kumar Rocker, N Oconnee HS, Georgia.

Spoiler!

Possibly goes top 10 but is a big, physical SP with ace potential. Moore and co. will be all over him if he slips a bit and could offer top 10 money at No. 16

OF Jarred Kelenic, Waukasha West HS, WI

Spoiler!

Kelenic is the top prep bat, toolsy OF. Royals would be ecstatic to have shot at him.

1B Triston Casas, American Heritage HS (FL).

Spoiler!

Tremendous raw power, best in HS bats. Royals typically like HS arms or HS bats with "special" tools. He qualifies.

RHP Carter Stewart, Eau de Gallie HS (Ga).

Spoiler!

Another big, physical specimen with huge upside. More likely to be available mid-first than Rocker.

ANY Any, Any (Any). Any current top projected pick who slides for injury concerns. Includes current top prospect prospect SP Brady Singer, U of Florida.

Current Prospects to Watch:

OF Seuly Matias - Huge tools. Hit 2 HR in Lexington (A) season opener.

1B Nick Pratto - Top pick in 17 has advanced approach and good glove; needs to start tapping into power in first full year in minors. Also at Lexington.

OF Michael Gigliotti - Good defender in CF, good OBP skills, plus baserunner. Next mainstay in CF for KC, IMO. Advanced college bat also starting at Lexington.

OF Khalil Lee - Probably has highest upside in Royals' system. Could hit 30 HR in majors, could steal 30 bases. Plus defensive ability in RF. Nice test at Wilmington this year.

3B Emmanuel Rivera - Really nice approach and good contact skills. Power is still developing. Also getting a good test at Wilmington.

SP Foster Griffin - Made nice strides in 2017. Needs to continue to progress in 2018. Could be a lefty version of Jakob Junis (good breaking ball that he can really manipulate, OK fastball, good command).

1B Samir Duenez - Duenez still is intriguing, hoping for a step forward in his power production this year at Northwest Arkansas, which would turn him into a legit prospect.

Others to keep an eye on:
SP Gerson Garabito (Wilmington), OF Marten Gasparini (Lexington), C MJ Melendez (Lexington), RP Tyler Zuber (lexington), RP Richard Lovelady (Omaha), SP Dan Tillo (Lexington), SS Nicky Lopez (NWA), SP Scott Blewett (NWA), OF Brewer Hicklen (Idaho Falls),

In general, Lexington and Wilmington are the most interesting spots to watch. Nice depth and a lot of interesting pieces at both.

[jd1020]

Originally Posted by tk13

Indians making a move to try and improve their awful bullpen. Got Brad Hand and reliever Adam Cimber, but they gave up a ton to get him. Gave up their top prospect Francisco Mejia.

Interesting move in an AL that is so top heavy. Feels like Brad Hand had been in trade rumors for years now, they finally pulled the trigger.

Cubs were linked to Hand and I'm glad they didn't pay up for him. He's been shit lately, giving up like 8 runs in his last 9 IP.

Those are 2 really good relievers though and both locked up for a good long time.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Still relief pitchers don't normally net that.

Chapman did, but they Cubs were desperate. I guess the Indians are too, but you have to wonder if this helps them get past the big three in the AL.

I'm surprised they did this, but I guess the argument could be made they're going to make the playoffs because of this terrible division, so at least give yourself a shot. Maybe they can get in a short series where you don't need as many relievers and use Miller and Hand to try and shut the other guys down.

[WhawhaWhat]

Once Mejia trade is done, Padres will have 10 players among our Top 100 Prospects including the No. 2 prospect in the game. This is a '12 Royals/'15 Cubs type of farm system at this point.

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) July 19, 2018

[OKchiefs]

Is JJ Cooper pretty well respected? I read on another forum that he was on the radio talking about our farm system. He apparently said the track record of prospects in A ball that strikeout as much as Seuly Matias is not good. He also had a pretty negative view overall on our system.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

Is JJ Cooper pretty well respected? I read on another forum that he was on the radio talking about our farm system. He apparently said the track record of prospects in A ball that strikeout as much as Seuly Matias is not good. He also had a pretty negative view overall on our system.

Yea I heard him...he basically said that the Royals are a long way away from being any good. I thought he was pretty fair for the most part.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

Is JJ Cooper pretty well respected? I read on another forum that he was on the radio talking about our farm system. He apparently said the track record of prospects in A ball that strikeout as much as Seuly Matias is not good. He also had a pretty negative view overall on our system.

He is. BA is much more conservative with younger, high upside prospects, so Cooper’s comments are not surprising.

Matias will be interesting. His K rate portends flameout, but his power production portends great success. Teenagers who hit 20 HR at full season ball, let alone the 30+ Matias is likely to reach, have a great success rate.

[Mecca]

So if you buy into prospect rankings does this mean we are going to have San Diego/White Sox world series coming soon?

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

He is. BA is much more conservative with younger, high upside prospects, so Cooper’s comments are not surprising.

Matias will be interesting. His K rate portends flameout, but his power production portends great success. Teenagers who hit 20 HR at full season ball, let alone the 30+ Matias is likely to reach, have a great success rate.

Am I wrong in thinking the best comp is Joey Gallo? Because if so, that's not a good thing.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

Am I wrong in thinking the best comp is Joey Gallo? Because if so, that's not a good thing.

Ozuna

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Ozuna

Who, at age 19 in the SAL and NY Penn Leagues, hit .258/.306/.532 with 22 HR.

Great comparison. He also struck out 35 percent of the time.

Matias needs to work on his K rates, but there’s plenty to be excited about, and the raw power is undeniably a weapon.

[Prison Bitch]

I actually stole that comp from someone online somewhere, who mentioned the K rates

It wasn't me

[Prison Bitch]

Has anyone laughed at the Twinks dynamic duo of Buzton & Sano dropping the biggest fart-bomb in the history of the BA prospect rankings????


2011: Hosmer (8th), Moose (9th)
2015: Buxton (2nd), Sano (11th)



Year 4 our guys went to WS. Year 5 won WS
Year 4 for Twinks = losing record, hurt, demoted, both negative WAR

[OKchiefs]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Who, at age 19 in the SAL and NY Penn Leagues, hit .258/.306/.532 with 22 HR.

Great comparison. He also struck out 35 percent of the time.

Matias needs to work on his K rates, but there’s plenty to be excited about, and the raw power is undeniably a weapon.

Seems like a lot better numbers than the .213 Matias is hitting. It's not just the strikeout numbers, he simply doesn't put the ball in play or get on base nearly enough. I believe he was hitting in the .230-.240 range around a month ago. He's sitting at around .115 for his last 10 games and probably pretty similar for the past month.

I'm also not that excited about someone with raw power and not much else. IMO that has little value in Kauffman stadium where a player has to be able to get on base consistently.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by OKchiefs

Seems like a lot better numbers than the .213 Matias is hitting. It's not just the strikeout numbers, he simply doesn't put the ball in play or get on base nearly enough. I believe he was hitting in the .230-.240 range around a month ago. He's sitting at around .115 for his last 10 games and probably pretty similar for the past month.

I'm also not that excited about someone with raw power and not much else. IMO that has little value in Kauffman stadium where a player has to be able to get on base consistently.

In case you missed it we are back into the era where everyone hits HR's no matter the stadium.

[OKchiefs]

Sorry, one more quick question. Matias, Melendez, and Pratto seem to all have alot to work on and prove, although they all have shown promise of varying degrees. Do you promote them next year, or keep them at the same level until they prove that they can make consistent contact? All 3 seem to have horrible averages for their level.