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Kansas City Royals Top 20 Prospects in Review

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This 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.