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Royals 2011 Top 60 Prospects: #48-43

A littler later than expected, here is the latest installment of our trip through the amusement park that is the Royals' Minor League System.  This installment closes out what I look at as organization filler or guys who you have to do a lot of dreaming on.  Most of the players featured this week I can see making an appearance at some point in the big leagues but probably will always be the 24th/25th player on a roster.  Starting with the next installment, we'll begin to see some players who are, in my opinion, somewhat exciting.

60. Pat White--OF

59. Brain Fletcher--OF

58. Murray Watts--1B

57. Leonel Santiago--RHP

56. Justin Trapp--SS

55. Brandon Sisk--LHP

54. Mike Mariot--RHP

53. Wilian Avinazar--RHP

52. Shin Jin-Ho--C

51.Keaton Hayenga--RHP

50. Orlando Calixte--SS

49. Yowil Espinal--SS

48. Kevin Pucetas--RHP--DOB:12/27/84

Year Age Lg Lev Aff ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2006 21 NORW A- SFG 2.17 15 15 70.2 1.075 7.3 0.3 2.4 7.6 3.16
2007 22 SALL A SFG 1.86 27 23 145.1 0.998 7.7 0.4 1.3 6.4 4.95
2008 23 CALL A+ SFG 3.02 24 24 125.1 1.133 8.3 0.4 1.9 7.3 3.78
2009 24 PCL AAA SFG 5.04 28 28 159.0 1.403 9.8 0.8 2.8 5.4 1.92
2010 25 PCL AAA SFG 5.69 26 26 136.0 1.713 11.4 1.1 4.0 6.3 1.56
5 Seasons 3.73 120 116 636.1 1.287 9.1 0.7 2.5 6.5 2.57
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

Pucetas was the player to be named later for Jose Guillen.  For that reason, he will have a soft spot in my (and many other Royals fans) heart.  Pucetas has OK velocity on his fastball but he doesn't really do anything well.  He was battling in spring training for the 5th starter position for the Giants but lost out to Todd Wellermeyer.  He has a ceiling of a #5 starter and I suppose they could try him in the bullpen to see if his stuff plays up better there.  He'll go to Omaha for 2011.

47. Greg Billo--RHP--DOB:7/15/90

Year Age Tm ▴ Lg Aff ERA IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2009 18 Burlington APPY KCR 1.81 54.2 1.024 6.6 0.7 2.6 8.4 3.19
2010 19 Idaho Falls PION KCR 5.17 78.1 1.468 10.6 1.3 2.6 9.1 3.43
2008 17 Royals ARIZ KCR 5.65 14.1 2.023 13.2 0.6 5.0 8.2 1.63
3 Seasons 3.97 147.1 1.357 9.3 1.0 2.9 8.7 3.04
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

 

The Royals drafted Billo as an Illinois HS pitcher in the 28th Round of the 2008 draft.  He doesn't have overpowering stuff but he knows how to use his fastball with a change and curve.  He had a great 2009 in the Appalachian League but struggled in the Pioneer League in 2010--although part of that was due to bad luck.  He will be in the mix to start at Kane County in 2011 and could put up some good numbers in the more pitcher friendly Midwest League.

46. Henry Barrera--RHP--DOB:11/25/85

Year Age Tm Lg Aff ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2005 19 Royals ARIZ KCR 4.72 19 0 26.2 1.575 11.1 0.3 3.0 7.8 2.56
2006 20 Royals ARIZ KCR 5.48 16 0 23.0 1.609 7.8 0.0 6.7 11.7 1.76
2007 21 Burlington MIDW KCR 4.35 30 0 51.2 1.316 9.2 0.7 2.6 9.2 3.53
2008 22 Wilmington CARL KCR 2.81 42 0 57.2 1.231 7.3 0.3 3.7 12.2 3.25
2009 23 Burlington MIDW KCR 12.27 4 0 3.2 1.909 4.9 0.0 12.3 12.3 1.00
2010 24 2 Teams 2 Lgs KCR 2.45 22 0 33.0 1.091 7.1 0.3 2.7 9.5 3.50
2010 24 Wilmington CARL KCR 4.50 6 0 8.0 1.500 10.1 0.0 3.4 11.2 3.33
2010 24 Northwest Arkansas TL KCR 1.80 16 0 25.0 0.960 6.1 0.4 2.5 9.0 3.57
6 Seasons 3.91 133 0 195.2 1.334 8.3 0.4 3.7 10.3 2.80
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

 

Barrera seems like he's been around forever.  He was a 5th Round pick in 2004 (the Billy Butler draft).  He had a funky delivery coming out of high school that had to be reworked and the Royals moved him to relief.  The Royals thought enough of him to put him on the 40 man roster a couple of years ago.  He missed most of 2009 and part of 2010 with injury.  He came back in the 2nd half and pitched pretty well in relief at AA.  He's got good stuff, pretty good control but gives up a lot of fly balls.  He hasn't yet had a big problem with HRs but that could change as he faces more advanced hitters.  He will probably start 2011 at AAA but could see time with the big club. 

 

45. Jose Bonilla--C--DOB:8/4/88

Year Age Tm Lg Aff PA AB SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2007 18 Royals ARIZ KCR 5 5 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 .000
2008 19 Royals ARIZ KCR 121 112 5 0 5 22 .357 .405 .625 1.030
2009 20 Burlington MIDW KCR 387 351 6 4 29 92 .217 .281 .311 .591
2010 21 2 Teams 2 Lgs KCR 333 285 3 3 38 70 .242 .346 .340 .687
2010 21 Burlington MIDW KCR 332 284 3 3 38 70 .239 .344 .338 .682
2010 21 Omaha PCL KCR 1 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000 2.000
4 Seasons 846 753 14 7 72 186 .246 .323 .367 .689
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

Bonilla is one of the many young catching prospects in the Royals system.  He had a somewhat disappointing 2010 in Burlington.  He did improve his OPS from the previous year by about 90 points but that only brought it to  682.  He is supposed to be pretty good defensively so if he can put some offense together, he has a very good shot at a major league career.  The question will be where he can get playing time.  Lucas May, Manny Pina, Sal Perez, and Wil Myers are all going to need to play everyday but keeping Bonilla at Low-A for a third year seems self-defeating.

44. Edgar Osuna--LHP--DOB:11/25/87

Year Age Lg Aff ERA G GS IP WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2006 18 GULF ATL 0.92 6 2 19.2 0.814 6.9 0.0 0.5 8.2 18.00
2007 19 APPY ATL 2.47 13 6 54.2 1.207 9.1 0.7 1.8 10.9 6.00
2008 20 SALL ATL 3.38 30 14 125.1 1.221 8.8 0.6 2.2 9.7 4.35
2009 21 2 Lgs ATL 4.02 27 26 150.0 1.273 9.4 0.7 2.1 6.3 3.00
2009 21 CARL ATL 4.33 14 14 72.2 1.321 10.2 0.5 1.7 6.9 4.00
2009 21 SOUL ATL 3.72 13 12 77.1 1.228 8.6 0.8 2.4 5.7 2.33
2010 22 3 Lgs KCR 4.41 25 23 126.2 1.358 10.3 1.6 1.9 6.2 3.22
2010 22 ARIZ KCR 0.00 1 1 3.0 1.000 9.0 0.0 0.0 12.0
2010 22 TL KCR 2.95 17 17 94.2 1.162 9.4 1.0 1.0 6.1 5.82
2010 22 PCL KCR 9.62 7 5 29.0 2.034 13.3 3.7 5.0 5.9 1.19
5 Seasons 3.65 101 71 476.1 1.255 9.3 0.9 2.0 7.8 3.91
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

Osuna was last year's Rule V pick for the Royals.  At the end of Spring Training, the Royals offered him back to the Braves who basically said "you can keep him".  Not exactly a ringing endorsement.  Osuna looked like he make the Braves regret that decision by going out and dominating the Texas League.  But then he went to AAA and got absolutely torched.  Osuna's game is based on a very good change and very good control.  There are big questions about how well he will fare against more advanced hitters.  He doesn't strike out many hitters and gives up a lot of flyballs so his margin for error is very, very thin.  He will look for a little redemption at AAA in 2011.

 

43. Rey Navarro--SS--DOB:12/22/89

Year Age Tm Lev Aff PA AB SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2007 17 Missoula Rk ARI 225 212 6 3 6 41 .250 .274 .283 .557
2008 18 Missoula Rk ARI 323 291 17 9 25 77 .258 .323 .385 .708
2009 19 South Bend A ARI 493 451 12 4 27 85 .262 .308 .339 .647
2010 20 2 Teams A+ KCR,ARI 510 472 7 7 19 62 .237 .268 .331 .599
2010 20 Wilmington A+ KCR 421 393 5 5 11 44 .237 .260 .331 .590
2010 20 Visalia A+ ARI 89 79 2 2 8 18 .241 .307 .329 .636
4 Seasons 1551 1426 42 23 77 265 .251 .293 .337 .630
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 11/23/2010.

The Royals acquired Navarro from the Diamondbacks for Carlos Rosa early in the 2010 season.  Navarro had been a 3rd Round pick for the D-Backs out of Puerto Rico and was their 12th rated Prospect going into 2010 by Baseball America.  He had a rough year with the bat but part of that was due to bad luck (and another part was due to his ability to take a walk all but vanishing.  After the Royals drafted Christian Colon, he mainly played 2B.  I'm assuming he still has the defensive chops that he was reported to have coming into 2010.   He is still just 20 so there is some time for things to come together.  He may go back to Wilmington in 2011.