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.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by Sure-Oz

Here's hoping the Royals continue to lose

Not this yet ...but pretty damn close.

[Prison Bitch]

The best thing for the Royals would be to petition the NL for admittance o that shit league so we can win. 8-4 vs them this year, and Milwaukee-Pitt-Cinci-STL are contending with blah teams. As for what they should do personnel wise, who cares.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Right, but it was all about pacifying the fan base at that moment. Payroll went up 21 millions between 2012 and 13. Banner weren't going to be flown and things heating up until the season actually started and they had a solid April which is what they needed to cool things down a bit.

I think I remember an article on this topic where someone inside the Royals organization acknowledged they were aware and worried about what might happen if they flopped right off the bat during the 13 season.

Yeah... but the reason it went down in the first place was because they brought up all the young guys, Hosmer, Moose, Cain, Escobar, etc. Rookies don't make any money. It was up around the 75-80 million range when they had Meche and Guillen.

I don't know if they've ever been intentionally cheap under Dayton. That's probably been the biggest achievement of his regime. People put so much stock in that payroll number yet the Royals are constantly outdone by several teams every year that spend less. Not that I wouldn't love for the Royals to spend more, but Dayton's spent all this money, plus MLB record amounts in the draft and look where we are now. You should be able to win with a 90+ million dollar payroll.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by tk13

Yeah... but the reason it went down in the first place was because they brought up all the young guys, Hosmer, Moose, Cain, Escobar, etc. Rookies don't make any money. It was up around the 75-80 million range when they had Meche and Guillen.

I don't know if they've ever been intentionally cheap under Dayton. That's probably been the biggest achievement of his regime. People put so much stock in that payroll number yet the Royals are constantly outdone by several teams every year that spend less. Not that I wouldn't love for the Royals to spend more, but Dayton's spent all this money, plus MLB record amounts in the draft and look where we are now. You should be able to win with a 90+ million dollar payroll.

You should. The key thing is not do moronic shit like keeping 3 relievers who make a combined $15 million, or nearly 1/5 of your payroll.

[Hootie]

Look...I like Yordano. He's awesome. But there is no ****ing way in god's name with his throwing motion that he doesn't tear that UCL within the next year. No ****ing way.

[Valiant]

I believe we are close. Billy/Hos/aoki/moose need to be traded for whatever they can get. Plus cash considerations. What about Arizona 1st and 3rd basemen? Basically we are paying all the salaries and dumping our turds as only needing a change of place.

Trade one of our ace closers.

I would try and resign shields. His maturity and approach rubbed off on the other players even on his down year. 2 year extension.

can yost, players need someone new that does not baby our batters about how special they are.

Dayton, I am not sure what you can do. His picks have mostly flopped. But who can you bring in.


I would love cerner guys to own the team. MLB would not allow it. Good Ole boys network. If they did probably force them to sell skc.

[New World Order]

We need a Yoenis Cespedes/Yasel Puig. Surely there has to be Cuban prospect we could sign that could come in and make an impact immediately.

Or not? Time for another 8-10 year plan?

[WhawhaWhat]

Originally Posted by New World Order

We need a Yoenis Cespedes/Yasel Puig. Surely there has to be Cuban prospect we could sign that could come in and make an impact immediately.

Or not? Time for another 8-10 year plan?

Cespedes got 4 years and $36 million, Puig got 7 years and $42 million. The Royals don't typically even pay MLB level guys that kind of money.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I'm all for going all in behind Marty. Let's do what we can to put a fire under Glass.

I get your point, but....... Does this man look like he gives a ****? No, he's a profit-driven man, and he doesn't care about anything or anybody. I'm sure he'd sell his kids and grandkids in slavery of various forms if he thought he could make a buck. He is the poster-child for evil ownership. Truly a bad person, and I'm sure his family ONLY likes his money, not him.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Hootie 2.0

Look...I like Yordano. He's awesome. But there is no ****ing way in god's name with his throwing motion that he doesn't tear that UCL within the next year. No ****ing way.

I wouldn't bet on him staying healthy long-term, but you can never really tell with elbows. He could blow out tomorrow or 10 years from now.

The one thing he really does have on his side is that he's never missed significant time with an injury. In fact, him skipping the start earlier this year is the first time I can remember him missing a start with injury.

But yes, like most hard-throwing pitchers, he eventually will have to get TJ surgery.

[duncan_idaho]

I'm just going to leave this here (backs away slowly)

Wilmington hitters have expanded the zone so much today. Would guess over 10x; helping Sims out.

— CJ Wittmann (@CJWittJr) July 21, 2014

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by Valiant

I believe we are close. Billy/Hos/aoki/moose need to be traded for whatever they can get. Plus cash considerations. What about Arizona 1st and 3rd basemen.

Part of me thinks this is a hidden troll moment in your post. I'm not sure there is any combination of 4 Royals the Dbacks woukd take for Paul Goldschmidt. I can promise you it would not be the 4 you mentioned. Goldschmidt is everything Hos and Moustakas aren't and Billy Butler is worthless in the NL.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

I'm just going to leave this here (backs away slowly)

Wilmington hitters have expanded the zone so much today. Would guess over 10x; helping Sims out.

— CJ Wittmann (@CJWittJr) July 21, 2014

I'm slow. What does this mean?

[DeezNutz]

Evidence that the developmental process is completely ****ed up. Hitters at that level showing zero strikezone awareness and/or plate discipline.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I'm slow. What does this mean?

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Evidence that the developmental process is completely ****ed up. Hitters at that level showing zero strikezone awareness and/or plate discipline.

Yup. Exactly.

It's an organizational issue that doesn't appear to have been addressed or fixed. I heard JJ Picollo blathering about this on a podcast the other day. Not awe-inspiring. Basically, heavy on patience and "individual approach" and light on accountability.

So pretty much exactly the Royals' problems in a nutshell.