Kansas City Royals Top 20 Prospects in Review
by John Sickels on Jul 31, 2008 4:20 PM EDT
Email
PrintThis list was originally posted November 9th, 2007. THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST. THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1) Mike Moustakas, SS, Grade B+
HItting .257/.320/.432 for Class A Burlington. However, in his last 30 games it's .322/.396/.534. Seems to have figured something out.
2) Luke Hochevar, RHP, Grade B
5.38 ERA with 60/42 K/BB in 105 innings for the Royals. Flashes a lot of potential, but still erratic.
3) Billy Buckner, RHP, Grade B
Traded to Arizona. 4.73 ERA with 63/39 K/BB in 110 innings for Triple-A Tucson. Status hasn't changed much, could be a nice fourth starter or a decent reliever.
4) Dan Cortes, RHP, Grade B
4.41 ERA with 77/39 K/BB in 84 innings for Double-A Northwest Arkansas, 76 hits allowed. Doing OK but not as dominant as last year.
5) Julio Pimentel, RHP, Grade B-
5.56 ERA with 80/38 K/BB in 115 innings for NW Arkansas, 142 hits allowed. Not doing well, ratios have slipped from last year, not getting as many grounders.
6) Chris Lubanski, OF, Grade B-
.246/.311/.462 with 13 homers and 98 strikeouts in 301 at-bats for Triple-A Omaha. His speed is gone and he is selling out his swing for power. Stock continues to slip.
7) Danny Duffy, LHP, Grade B-
2.73 ERA with 77/17 K/BB in 63 innings for Class A Burlington, 49 hits allowed. Very impressive component ratios, only weakness is strong fly ball tendency.
8) Blake Wood, RHP, Grade C+
Did great in the Carolina League (2.67 ERA, 63/15 K/BB in 57 innings), but has been hit hard since moving up to Double-A (6.59 ERA, 54/22 K/BB in 56 innings, 71 hits).
9) Blake Johnson, RHP, Grade C+
4.80 ERA with 72/28 K/BB in 116 innings for NW Arkansas, 135 hits allowed. Decent GO/AO ratio, but has given up 17 homers and too hittable overall.
10) Carlos Rosa, RHP, Grade C+
Combined 2.53 ERA with 83/17 K/BB in 93 innings between NW Arkansas and Omaha. Having a fine season, getting rounders but unlike these other guys he hasn't been excessively hittable and can dominate on occasion.
11) Justin Huber, 1B, Grade C+
Traded to Padres. .225/.296/.333 for Triple-A Portland (yuck), .246/.303/.393 in 33 games for the Padres. Plate discipline has been pretty weak this year.
12) Craig Brazell, 1B, Grade C+
Playing in Japan.
13) Jeff Bianchi, SS, Grade C+
Hitting .247/.282/.429 for Class A Wilmington. Still just 21, but all the injuries seem to have robbed him of something.
14) Tyler Lumsden, LHP, Grade C+
Lumsden is 3-10, 7.18 with a 32/49 K/BB in 84 innings for Omaha, 112 hits allowed. Stick a fork in him. At least as a starter, maybe he could do something in relief.
15) Sam Runion, RHP, Grade C+
5.75 ERA with 11/9 K/BB in 41 innings for Burlington in the Midwest League, then 2.19 ERA with 17/3 K/BB in 25 innings for Burlington in the Appalachian League. Was overmatched early but doing better at the more appropriate level.
16) Jarod Plummer, RHP, Grade C+
4.42 ERA with 60/14 K/BB in 55 innings for NW Arkansas. Not as dominant as last year at the same level.
17) Adrian Ortiz, OF, Grade C+
.308/.334/.386 with 29 steals for Class A Burlington, but with 15 caught and poor plate discipline. Just promoted to Wilmington, is 2-for-8 so far. Like the speed but still pretty raw.
18) Mitch Maier, OF, Grade C
.316/.366/.470 with 12 steals for Omana. Is 3-for-15 in the majors so far. Potential fourth outfielder I think.
19) Matt Mitchell, RHP, Grade C
3.72 ERA with 63/22 K/BB in 97 innings for Class A Burlington, 102 hits allowed. Fine command, but dominance ratios aren't great at this point.
20) Derrick Robinson, OF, Grade C
.241/.300/.310 with 49 steals in 97 games for Wilmington. Great speed, but otherwise not much of a hitter.
The Royals have added speed and athleticism and projectable pitching to the system, but still lack hitting aside from Moustakas and Kila Kaaihue, having a resurgance this year in Double-A. We will have to see how 2008 draft guys rank, and this list will look a lot different once the season is over and we have more data to workwith. It's interesing how many prospects have simply not done what they were expected to do.
7 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
the most prospect-y of prospects
by the way, what a depressing list
This space intentionally left blank.
Heck
Back in the fall, Mr. Sickels wrote that Brazzell was “old but I’d love to give him some at-bats.” Doesn’t he know that that would be a total waste of time when there’s a defensive stud like Ross Gload at first? There’s no point.
Around the same time, he also said that “I don’t think that 98 at-bats spread out over 38 major league games is a fair test of Huber’s skills.” I guess Sickels just isn’t quite the expert that some people over at RR are… That way too much of a test for Huber, I hear.
OMG Banny. FWIW I am only crdtng u w/3 runs allwd bc of DDJ OMFG
by Matt Klaassen on Aug 1, 2008 1:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Huber sucks a pinch-running
Therefore, he is not good.
Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com
Duffy
Glad to see Danny Duffy doing well. I met him when Burlington came through the Quad-Cities earlier this year and he is one of the nicest players I’ve ever met. He stood outside the bus for half an hour and chatted with me and another fan.
Having seen about one-third of the Naturals games, I’d say Carlos Rosa was the most impressive player in a Naturals uniform this year. Pimentel seems inconsistent from one inning to the next, perhaps he’d benefit being in the bullpen. Cortes shows flashes and would probably benefit from another year starting out at Double-A. I hope his inconsistency is just inexperience vs. an injury.
Other than Kaaihue, the position players have been nothing to discuss.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
