Royals Top 60 Prospects: #54-60

by nwroyal on Oct 23, 2009 10:37 AM EDT in Royals Minor Leagues Comment 15 comments

Well, here we go. I plan to rank 60--count 'em--60 Royals prospects. We will start at the bottom and work our way up. I was originally going to do prospects #46-60 in this post but for some reason the SB Nation format starts messing up at a certain point and won't let me squeeze all the reports in. So we will do #54-60 and the next installment should come at the beginning of next week. When we get to #30 we will slow down, go more in depth and do just a handful of players at a time. Some of these bottom guys there is precious little info on. So bring on your questions/comments/your own rankings.

60. Dylan Lindsay--RHP--Age: 17

He's not Mr. Irrelevant-he's Mr. A Long Way Off-literally and figuratively. As you read this, Lindsay is in South Africa-the country he is from-finishing high school. This spring is when the Royals scouts/staff (save the guy who signed him) will get their first live look at him. He is raw-perhaps even more raw than a Latin American talent and I'm guessing you will see Lindsay in the Arizona League in 2010.

59. Blaine Hardy--LHP--Age: 22

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	ERA	G	GS	IP	SO	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2009	--	Burlington	MIDW	A	KCR	2.05	36	3	92.1	94	0.953	6.9	0.3	1.7	9.2	5.53
2 Seasons						2.62	57	3	127.0	128	1.024	7.4	0.6	1.8	9.1	5.12

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/21/2009.

Hardy was a 22nd Round Draft Choice in 2008. A lefty with a below average FB, he makes up with a good curve and a changeup. He had a great year in Burlington last year and we'll see if he is still able to fool more advanced hitters.

58. Barry Bowden--RHP--Age:24

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	ERA	G	SV	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2009	24	2 Teams	2 Lgs	A-A_adv	KCR	2.64	43	10	1.011	5.6	0.4	3.5	11.4	3.25
2009	24	Wilmington	CARL	A_adv	KCR	4.50	5	0	1.000	7.2	0.9	1.8	12.6	7.00
2009	24	Burlington	MIDW	A	KCR	2.28	38	10	1.013	5.3	0.4	3.9	11.2	2.91
2 Seasons						2.26	65	17	1.014	5.7	0.5	3.4	11.8	3.47

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/21/2009.

We signed Bowden after he went undrafted coming out of Ole Miss in 2008. From what I've heard, his stuff isn't overwhelming but he knows how to use it. You will see me make similar comments with guys like Bowden, Hardy etc--the numbers look good at lower levels but the real test will be AA when they hit more advanced hitters in a more hitting friendly enviorment.

57. Rowdy Hardy--LHP--Age: 26

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2009	26	2 Teams	2 Lgs	AA-A_adv	KCR	2.74	23	16	0	108.1	1.292	9.2	0.6	2.4	5.6	2.34
2009	26	Wilmington	CARL	A_adv	KCR	1.88	12	6	0	48.0	1.271	9.8	0.4	1.7	5.4	3.22
2009	26	Northwest Arkansas	TL	AA	KCR	3.43	11	10	0	60.1	1.309	8.8	0.7	3.0	5.8	1.95
4 Seasons						3.34	92	80	1	511.1	1.193	9.3	0.5	1.4	5.2	3.68

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/21/2009.

The Royals had Hardy drop his arm slot this year and the results were mostly encouraging. He increased his K rate and was less hittable, but his walks went up. I'm guessing the hope is that he will become more comfortable and increase his control. He is now being groomed as a reliever. The odds are still against him but he's now trying to become the left handed Disco Hayes.

56. Matt Mitchell--RHP--Age: 20

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2008	19	Burlington	MIDW	A	KCR	3.47	25	21	0	116.2	1.209	8.9	0.7	1.9	5.9	3.08
2 Seasons						2.94	39	28	1	171.2	1.165	7.9	0.5	2.6	7.8	2.98

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/21/2009.

Mitchell was becoming an intersting prospect before injuring his elbow and undergoing surgery in August of 2008. He missed the entire 2009 season but is now throwing in Instructional League. Before surgery his FB hovered around 90 MPH and his offspeed stuff was OK. Not sure if he will start '10 in Wilmington or Burlington--but the competition for a rotation spot will be fierce at both those places.

55. Ryan Wood--SS--Age: 22

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	PA	AB	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
2009	22	2 Teams	2 Lgs	A-Rook	KCR	223	189	9	1	2	18	5	3	29	35	.206	.315	.296	.612
2009	22	Burlington	APPY	Rook	KCR	109	92	4	0	0	6	4	3	16	15	.174	.303	.217	.520
2009	22	Burlington	MIDW	A	KCR	114	97	5	1	2	12	1	0	13	20	.237	.327	.371	.699
1 Season						223	189	9	1	2	18	5	3	29	35	.206	.315	.296	.612

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/21/2009.

The Royals drafted Wood this year as a Senior out of U. of EastCarolina. He had a great Senior season posting an 1112 OPS. He played 2B in college but the Royals want to give him a shot at SS. His numbers weren't great at both Burlingtons--but his stats actually improved moving to Low-A and it looks like he was somewhat unlucky. We'll see how his glove develops at SS but the bat might give him some value.

54. Eduardo Paulino--RHP--Age: 24

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2009	23	Wilmington	CARL	A_adv	KCR	3.63	26	22	0	138.2	1.212	8.4	1.0	2.5	5.5	2.15
4 Seasons						3.43	74	62	0	362.1	1.148	8.1	0.8	2.2	6.2	2.84

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/21/2009.

The Royals signed Paulino out of the Dominican in 2006. I don't have much info on his stuff. His numbers have been pretty good--but it is a little alarming to see his K rate dropping as he moves up the system. Also, his numbers away from Wilmington were not very good.

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Comments

good stuff

by royalsreview on Oct 23, 2009 12:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

looks good

can’t wait to see the rest.

does anyone know if there’s a convenient, concrete way to look at the different hitting/pitching environments across the minor league teams? maybe an historical OPS+ for visiting team’s players – at least that would show where the stadium falls within the league. (or an OPS+ of all minor league teams at all levels — that sounds like it could be juicy, or impossible/irrelevant)

i just think it would be handy to have an MLE-like gauge for transition b/t pitcher-friendly stadium/league and hitter-friendly ones, since it seems to be such a factor for these players.

Blank

by benfunke on Oct 23, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

the closest thing

I know of is at minorleaguesplits.com

you can adjust for park factors and also luck on balls in play. For example, go check out what happens to Johnny Giavotella when you adjust for both of those.

by nwroyal on Oct 23, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

right

forgot about park factors, thanks

Blank

by benfunke on Oct 23, 2009 2:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Baseball Think Factory

Here are the 2008/2006-2008 minor league factors. It looks BTF has not released the 2009 ones yet.

by Gopherballs on Oct 23, 2009 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

thanks, that's perfect

maybe i’ll make a list in a new post so we can all have a future reference

Blank

by benfunke on Oct 24, 2009 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, Rowdy's that far down?

I know his style is off-beat, but I thought his numbers would move him further up the prospect list, especially considering that the Royals’ system isn’t all that rich.

Chaim Mattis Keller New York City's # 1 Royals fan!

by cmkeller on Oct 23, 2009 1:37 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

a couple of things

I was pleasantly surprised as I looked a little closer at Rowdy’s stats this year. Coming into 2009 he was a non-prospect to me. At the bottom of a list like this—there is very little difference between prospect #54 and #44. But I have a hard time ranking him very highly since his ceiling looks to be as a lefty specialist.

by nwroyal on Oct 23, 2009 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But as a lefty specialist, does he look like he can get MLB hitters someday?

I mean, I understand the ranking. The ceiling on him isn’t that high unless he completely outperforms all expectations and past comparables, but if he looks like someday he could be a lefty Chad Bradford, does that precipitate a move to the top 20 of this list? I know a lefty specialist isn’t that important in the grand scheme (see Yimmy Yobble), but if he is MLB bound, doesn’t that mean he should be ranked higher?

As a sidenote, I love the underdog and would love to see him and Disco Hayes dominate MLB for years. My analytical side says no way for either of them unless they have pinpoint command. My underdog love probably explains my undying love for the Royals. That, or I’m a glutton for punishment.

by AxDxMx on Oct 24, 2009 2:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I get your point

But he isn’t a guy who you know will make the big leagues in some capacity—Carlos Rosa would be a guy that I would feel pretty safe in saying will be around awhile—but he isn’t likely to be a top starter or an ace reliever. Hardy is someone who is still pretty iffy if he will even see the big show. But as you said, I’m rooting for him and Hayes.

As Rany has talked about—side arm/submariners may be a different breed altogether—they may not need the same kind of stuff. But I want to see a little bit more from him.

by nwroyal on Oct 24, 2009 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's all I was wondering

Unless our system is a lot stronger than I think it is, I just felt like anyone below the top 30 was pretty much a never gonna make the Bigs kind of player, and the others are just fringe players anyway. Thanks for the info!

by AxDxMx on Oct 24, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

blaine hardy

i would like to see him groomed as a starter…but it doesn’t seem likely. personally i think that is his best chance at becoming an ML player. command of three average type pitchers could let him become a #4/#5 type. perhaps there is some deception in his delivery which helps him and helps his stuff play up in the ‘pen, i don’t know for sure.

i think Paulino’s calling card is control. he was still recovering from surgery early in the year, but was walking less than 1 per nine in the second half. i don’t have anything on his stuff either, unfortunately.

and while i only go 25 deep on my list, i would have Mitchell a little higher. still will only be 21 next year. i know he doesn’t really project as a strikeout guy, but i found it suspicious that he led the AZL in K’s and then could only strike out 5.5 per nine in the MWL….only to have Tommy John just after the season in ‘08. so i think he’d be in the 30-40 range for me.

baseball rules.

by doublestix on Oct 23, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs