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. [Reply]
Originally Posted by suzzer99:
Yep - Dayton gets ripped on here. But he had that one right.
It's funny because we saw him in '15 and I was like - yeah the guy's fast, and he did hit one homer a long way (which maybe was '16 I forget), but mostly he looks clueless at the plate. Scouts know what's up though.
Not every guy with those tools becomes a star (see Gasparini, Marten), but not many without those tools become stars.
Always bet on talent first. Bet on talent from a pro household second. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
Compare an infield of... Moose, Esky, Gio & Hos (2012)
with
Whit, Mondesi, Lopez and O'Hearn (2019).
It’s 50/50. Mondesi/Lopez >>>>>>> Escobar/Gio
Merrifield is established ... as valuable as leak Hosmer and Moose. But also older.
O’Hearn is the wildcard. If he can be a power-hitting version of Merrifield (older college guy who didn’t make prospects lists but works his way into an above-average MLB hitter), that’s a much better group.
Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower:
Keep. Fucking. DOUBTING.
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
It’s 50/50. Mondesi/Lopez >>>>>>> Escobar/Gio
Merrifield is established ... as valuable as leak Hosmer and Moose. But also older.
O’Hearn is the wildcard. If he can be a power-hitting version of Merrifield (older college guy who didn’t make prospects lists but works his way into an above-average MLB hitter), that’s a much better group.
On que!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The biggest question this offseason for me is what they decide to do with Whit. Word of his excellency is starting to get around. If the Royals deal him for the right price, this is going to start feeling an awful lot like 2011 (especially after the 2019 draft). [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
The biggest question this offseason for me is what they decide to do with Whit. Word of his excellency is starting to get around. If the Royals deal him for the right price, this is going to start feeling an awful lot like 2011 (especially after the 2019 draft).
I'm fine with holding out for a trade offer like what Duncan has suggested (multiple top 100, including a top 25). Merrifield is worth at least that, so don't just give him away.
I'm just afraid that Moore will hold on to Merrifield regardless of the return because of the misguided belief that we can compete in 2020. I don't think I'll be able to handle that if it happens, I might literally have an aneurysm. I imagine some on here would enjoy that happening. [Reply]
I'm just afraid that Moore will hold on to Merrifield regardless of the return because of the misguided belief that we can compete in 2020.
I've said it several times before, and I'm sure I'll say it several times again, but people need to quit taking Moore's public comments at face value.
Before the 2013 season, he said it was unlikely they'd expand payroll. They ended up trading Wil Myers for James Shields and Wade Davis. They also paid $12 million for E. Santana.
They started the 2014 season saying the same thing. As well as the 2016-2017 seasons.
At this moment, KC is in the middle of negotiations to renew a TV contract with Fox Sports. A contract that could accelerate our path back to contention. Of course Moore isn't going to say "Oh yeah, we're gonna suck until maybe 2021, if we're lucky." [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
I've said it several times before, and I'm sure I'll say it several times again, but people need to quit taking Moore's public comments at face value.
Before the 2013 season, he said it was unlikely they'd expand payroll. They ended up trading Wil Myers for James Shields and Wade Davis. They also paid $12 million for E. Santana.
They started the 2014 season saying the same thing. As well as the 2016-2017 seasons.
At this moment, KC is in the middle of negotiations to renew a TV contract with Fox Sports. A contract that could accelerate our path back to contention. Of course Moore isn't going to say "Oh yeah, we're gonna suck until maybe 2021, if we're lucky."
I hope you're right, I'm just worried about what pressure from David Glass might do after supposedly losing money the past couple of years. [Reply]
I suspect somewhere down the road, people will talk about how the Royals blew their chance to trade Merrifield just like they blew their chance to trade Soria (first time around).
Even though, if Merrifield is not traded, it will be for the same reason they didn’t move Soria... that they didn’t get a value that made it worthwhile. [Reply]
Originally Posted by duncan_idaho:
I suspect somewhere down the road, people will talk about how the Royals blew their chance to trade Merrifield just like they blew their chance to trade Soria (first time around).
Even though, if Merrifield is not traded, it will be for the same reason they didn’t move Soria... that they didn’t get a value that made it worthwhile.
You don't see the possibility of Moore holding on to Merrifield regardless of the potential return? [Reply]
Padres are in a pickle. They tried to force one of their prospects, Franmil Reyes, into a corner outfield spot. His bat has now caught on fire but there's a catch - he's really not a corner outfielder. He's a first baseman.
The Pads are now talking about trading him since Hosmer is blocking him - and fans are seething. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
At this moment, KC is in the middle of negotiations to renew a TV contract with Fox Sports. A contract that could accelerate our path back to contention. Of course Moore isn't going to say "Oh yeah, we're gonna suck until maybe 2021, if we're lucky."
This really is a huge deal. Right now, we have one of the worst TV contracts in American sports, despite having very good ratings. They need to get as much as they can. [Reply]