Season Update Part 2: Lexington Legends, 6-18-2015

Until recently, Lexington’s pitching was a true strength. Thing is, the numbers don’t always tell the whole story.

While the team’s pitching overall has recorded a second-to-last 4.11 ERA in the South Atlantic League, there have been quite a few strong performances from both starters and relievers. Here’s just a little info on a few of those who have stood out to me the most:

RHP Evan Beal (2.05 ERA in 26 1/3 IP) has acquitted himself well after his 21^st round selection in 2014. Despite obvious struggles with control (16 BB thus far in 2015), he has also averaged a strikeout per inning and is mitigating the damage in preventing those base-runners from crossing the plate.

Lefty Matthew Strahm (2.08 ERA in 26 IP, 38 K, 12 BB) earned every bit of his recent promotion to High-A Wilmington. Rangy and almost whip-like in his delivery, Strahm showed good sink and tail on his fastball and solid command over his off-speed selections. A 21^st round selection in 2012, Strahm is likely to greatly surpass his draft position. Most impressive, this season: his 3 shutout innings in relief at Kannapolis on May 27^th in which he struck out 9 of a possible ten batters faced. Keep an eye on his progress.

Another youngster on this significantly talented team, Scott Blewett was KC’s 2^nd round pick last year. He’s had only 4 starts in pro ball, all this year, but he’s allowed only a total of 4 runs in those starts (17 IP, 4 BB, 20 K). It’s a little early to project what he’s going to show us this season, but he’s another one to keep an eye on. Guys like Blewett will keep Lexington in many a game.

LHP Emilio Ogando (2.70 ERA in 46 2/3 IP, 17 BB, 38 K) was a 12^th rounder in 2014, and has done nothing but put up strong numbers since he debuted in Rookie-League Idaho Falls last year. Appearing in 13 games so far in 2015 (3 starts), Ogando has shown an ability to perform well in both roles. He also has a solid tailing fastball and consistently keeps the ball low. I would expect his groundout rate to increase as the season progresses.

RHP Pedro Fernandez (3.25 ERA in 44 1/3 IP, 46 K) has been an important swingman for the Legends in 2015. In 11 games he’s made 6 starts for the team, recording a fantastic 0.95 WHIP as well as a K/BB ratio slightly over 3/1. In addition, batters are hitting only .183 against him. While he’s allowed a meager 2 homers in those 11 games, he’s shown himself to be a fly-ball pitcher throughout his career. As he climbs the ladder, this might end up hurting him significantly.

2012 sixth rounder Zach Lovvorn (3.56 ERA in 65 2/3 IP, 11 BB, 47 K) has been a stalwart in the Legends’ rotation. He’s allowed slightly more than a hit per inning, but has limited the damage by keeping his walks down and keeping his head with runners on. He’s also 6 innings or more in 5 of his last 10 starts, giving relief to the relief corps. Lovvorn has a bit of projectability left, and could end up sitting 93-94 on his velocity, and already shows a solid-plus changeup to go with easy arm action and good movement on his fastball (seems like a recurring trend with Legends pitchers).

That’s a quick view at some of our Legends staff, and there’s more to come soon as the season moves on. 

2014 Lexington Legends Preview: Part Three

An ongoing look at Royals prospects likely to make up the 2014 Legends roster

FEB 8^th, 2014-Continuing on with a look at prospective players for our Lexington Legends in 2014, there are a lot of possibilities to consider.

One caveat concerning the Legends, this year: besides the young rookie-league prospects from the three rookie teams in Kansas City's organization, there are also a number of players who could likely be returning to Lexington for at least the first part of the season. There are a number of reasons for this (further experience in Class A needed, player too young to advance to High-A at this time, need to work on specific skills before facing higher-level players, etc.), but they are the sorts of reasons used to consider in the handling of players at all levels.

For the purposes of this post, I'm looking only at rookie-league players. Here's a look at four more players who could be hitting the Sally this year (or returning to the league for an encore):

Hitters

Desmond Henry, OF

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'1” Wt: 175

Born: July 7^th, 1993 in Los Angeles, California

School: Centennial HS (Compton, CA)

Drafted: by the Texas Rangers in the 4^th round of the 2011 MLB Draft

Signed out of high school for $200,000 by the Rangers in 2011, Desmond Henry was acquired in the trade that sent Tommy Hottovy to the Rangers. Henry has outstanding speed (6.47 in the 60 at the 2010 Area Code Games, an easy 80 on the scouting scale), excellent range in the outfield, and his arm could grade out as 'plus' at his peak. Simply put, he's one to watch. Remember Terrance Gore, last year? Very similar, only Gore is likely stronger than Henry (even given the size difference). Henry swiped 20 bags with Burlington in the Appalachian League in 2013, batting .244 in 48 games. He was suspended in 2012 after an arrest on a charge of possession of alcohol by a minor, but it seems that this was an isolated incident. He may not ever produce much in the way of power (4 doubles, 2 HR in 2013), but players who are this fast are rarely required to do so. Keep an eye out for him.

Ramon Torres, 2B

Bats: B Throws: R

Ht: 5'10” Wt: 155

Born: January 22^nd, 1993 in Moncion, Santiago Rodriguez, Dominican Republic

School:

Drafted: NDFA in 2009 by the Kansas City Royals

Torres spent 26 games here with the Legends last season, and is known to have line-drive skills with the bat and solid pitch recognition. He has steady defensive skills, though his previous numbers definitely seem to refute that assessment (13 errors in 42 games at short with Burlington). I see him more as a second baseman than as a shortstop, and that certainly doesn't affect the outlook on him as a prospect. Torres has good speed on the bases, hits his share of doubles (41 in 233 career games), and walks nearly as much as he strikes out. Mind you, he rarely strikes out; 116 Ks in 965 career PA is pretty darn good. He's pretty much a lock to start the year in Lexington, and I expect him to contribute in a significant way to the Legends.

Cristian Cano, OF

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 170

Born: February 9^th, 1994 in Cartagena, Columbia

School:

Drafted: NDFA by the Kansas City Royals in 2011

Cano has a lot of projection left, possesses above-average speed and solid bat control, and has a solid-average arm from the OF. He definitely projects better as a left-fielder than if he were in right, as he doesn't have the sort of arm strength you'd ideally like to have in RF. He's got plenty of time to develop (he turns 20 tomorrow), and as he adds a bit of size he could become a gap-to-gap guy with a lot of doubles. Can might very well be an 'under-the-radar' type of prospect.

Brandon Dulin, 1B-DH

Bats: L Throws: R

Ht: 6'3” Wt: 225

Born: December 29^th, 1992 in Lee's Summit, Missouri

School: Metropolitan Community College-Longview (Kansas City, MO)

Drafted: by the Kansas City Royals in the 12^th round of the 2013 MLB Draft

Dulin has prototypical size for a 1^st baseman, but his 6 triples and 5 steals in 46 games in the Arizona League last year are surprising. He's a powerfully-built hitter who manages to play an agile 1^st base, with an above-average arm for first. He can turn on the ball very well and has easy plus power for his position. Dulin has some experience in the OF, but as he moves up the chain he's likely to play the majority of his games at the first sack. The best part, as far as I'm concerned, is that he's only 21 years old. Thus, he has some time to move up the chain and the 1^st base prospects ahead of him might be thinned out a bit before KC has to make a decision on him. I like his future, but with hitters this big there's concern over injury risk. Playing full-season ball will tell us a lot more about how well he'll adjust to the pro circuit.

And the Preview goes on and on...Part Four coming soon, with a look at pitchers after that. Also, will be happy to write posts by request. If you have a favorite player you'd like to read about in more detail, drop me a line and I'll make it happen. 

2014 Lexington Legends Preview: Part Two

An ongoing look at players likely to make up the 2014 roster

FEB 2^nd, 2014-Continuing my look at prospective Legends hitters for the 2014 season, I'd like to state the obvious (yet again): there are quite a few promising hitters in the Royals system who are due to come up from the rookie leagues. Yes, I know that rookie-level ball is not the best measure of future potential; it certainly doesn't hurt, however, when you compare numbers with scouting reports, along with other factors (age, player's size/frame, background, etc).

And with that in mind, we soldier on:

Hitters

Alexis Rivera, OF

Bats: L Throws: L

Ht:6'2” Wt: 225

Born: June 17^th, 1994 in Ponce, Puerto Rico

School: Montverde Academy (Kissimmee, Florida)

Drafted: by the Kansas City Royals in the 10^th round of the 2012 MLB Draft

Another rather large teenager from the rookie leagues, Rivera has the makings of a power-hitting corner outfielder. His numbers last year at Idaho Falls weren't all that inspiring (8 doubles, 4 HR, 26 RBI in 57 games, .269 BA), but not all rookie-level leagues are created equal. He's powerfully-built, has great bat speed and a sound eye at the plate, skills which should give you a ready-made #3 or 4 hitter at the higher levels. While he draws a fair amount of walks, he has only gone down on strikes 66 times in 388 total pro at-bats; that's what is the most telling stat, to me. He's also managed 18 steals in those 105 games, but he's not going to be swiping a lot of bags as he advances. He simply isn't built for it. Another stat of interest: .333 BA in 45 AB with 2 outs and runners in scoring position. Not a big sample size, but something to note nevertheless.

Daniel Rockett, CF

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 200

Born: November 9^th, 1990 in Sugar Land, Texas

School: University of Texas at San Antonio

Drafted: by the Kansas City Royals in the 9^th round of the 2013 MLB Draft

Plus side: .310, 11 HR, 53 RBI in 58 games. Minus side: put up those #s as a 22 year-old in rookie ball. Grain of salt, and all that. Still, Rockett is someone to watch. He's athletic and pretty much gets all he can out of his ability, although I don't see him sticking in CF as he advances up the chain. He covers a fair amount of ground in center, but his ability would play up in left. He's 23 now, and he'll need to move quickly in order to keep from being passed by younger, more highly-regarded (or highly-drafted) players, but I fully expect strong numbers from him in his first year in full-season ball. Considering his age and ability (quick bat, solid glove and range), he could be heading to Wilmington in the Carolina League, leapfrogging Lexington altogether.

Cody Stubbs, 1B

Bats: L Throws: R

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 215

Born: January 14^th, 1991 in Waynesville, North Carolina

School: Tuscola HS (Waynesville, NC); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC); Walters State Community College (Morristown, TN)

Drafted: by the Boston Red Sox in the 29th round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft from Tuscola HS (Waynesville, NC), the Washington Nationals in the 14th round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft from Walters State Community College (Morristown, TN) and the Kansas City Royals in the 8th round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC).

Drafted three different times from 2009 to 2013, Stubbs certainly had his share of suitors. Each time he was drafted, it was earlier on than before (29^th round, 14^th round, 8^th round, respectively), and after his first year in the pros one can understand why. With good size a slight bit of projectability left, as well as developing lefty power and a strong arm for the position, Stubbs might soon find himself bypassing more experienced players already in the Royals system.

In 64 games at Idaho Falls last year, Stubbs batted .284 with 6 homers, 43 RBI, 13 doubles and even 7 triples. Those triples were more a product of power than speed, though he runs the bases well. He did strike out 61 times in 264 AB, so that's something which could work against him as he advances, and at 6'4” it will probably take a little time and work to cut down on those Ks. At 23, he's another player who'll have to move quickly if he's going to keep from being passed on the organizational ladder. Stubbs has the tools to do just that.

Frank Schwindel, C-1B-DH

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'1” Wt: 205

Born: June 29^th, 1992 in Livingston, NJ

School: St John's University (Queens, NY)

Drafted: by the Kansas City Royals in the 18^th round of the 2013 MLB Draft

Schwindel is solid at both catcher and first base, but his future (at the moment) appears to be at catcher. His arm rates plus as a first baseman, if he ends up there, and I could definitely see him as a plus defender at the first sack. He had 8 passed balls in 2013 with three errors, which are certainly indications that he needs work behind the dish. However, he threw out 39% of basestealers as well, so that's also a promising sign. Schwindel popped 6 homers and 14 doubles in 64 games at Idaho Falls, batting an even .300. While he only struck out 24 times (260 AB), he drew a pathetic 9 walks. One would think that most batters could draw nine free passes accidentally. Drawing walks is something that I watch closely, so nine doesn't cut it. Schwindel should head to Lexington for 2014, and his work behind the plate will interest me more than his work in the batter's box.

Dominique Taylor, OF

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'1” Wt: 190

Born: August 11^th, 1992 in Frankfort, Germany

School: Salt Lake Community College (Salt Lake City, UT); University of California-Irvine (Irvine, CA)

Drafted: by the Houston Astros in the 33^rd round of the 2011 MLB Draft from Salt Lake CC; by the Kansas City Royals in the 15^th round of the 2013 MLB Draft from UC-Irvine

Taylor might just be one of the late-round steals of last year's draft. At age 20, Taylor batted .322 with 8 homers, 37 RBI, 14 doubles, 50 runs scored and 13 steals in 62 games, impressive numbers even taking into account the offensively-inclined Pioneer League. Add to that only 29 strikeouts in 233 AB, and you can see that he had very little trouble adjusting at the plate to pro ball. I see him as an 'under-the-radar' type of player, though he likely won't go unnoticed by the pro and/or advance scouts for very long. Assuming they make a stop in the Sally League, I see Taylor and Zane Evans being Ethan Chapman-type guys for Lexington: great energy, good clubhouse presence, spark plugs in the batting order, always 100% in the field, fan favorites.

More to come, including more hitters on their way up, as well as pitching prospects who could take the mound at The Bank. 

2014 Lexington Legends Preview: Part One

A look at players likely to make up the 2014 roster

JAN 31^st, 2014-With the start of the 2014 SAL season due to get underway in a bit over 2 months, now is a good time to consider who might be making their way to Class A Lexington. With the considerable talent on our roster last season, this year could bring with it the promise of even more potential.

The Royals minor-league system consists of three rookie-level teams: the Arizona League representative, Burlington in the Appalachian League, and Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League. Kansas City has typically partitioned these three teams according to the organization's own talent assessment: the AZL Royals usually get the youngest players and/or those who need the most polish, Idaho Falls gets the most advanced rookie-level players, and Burlington seems to be the way station between those two teams. With that knowledge in mind, we're first going to look back at the Royals' top rookie team in Idaho Falls.

Hitters

Logan Davis, UT

Bats: L Throws: R

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 175

Born: August 23^rd, 1991 in Scottsdale, Arizona

School: Cactus Shadows HS (Cave Creek, AZ)

Drafted: by the Colorado Rockies in the 38^th round of the 2010 MLB Draft from Cactus Shadows HS

Drafted in 2010 by the Rockies, Davis opted instead to attend the University of San Diego to hone his game within a program with an excellent reputation. He ended up signing with the Royals as a non-drafted free agent and spent 2013 learning the ropes in the rookie league with the AZL Royals as well as the Chukars. Davis is the son of former MLB closer, All-Star and 1989 Cy Young Award winner (!) Mark Davis, who amassed 44 saves and a 1.85 ERA for the San Diego Padres in '89 and took home the hardware for his efforts. Davis the Younger has versatility in the infield and could end up at third if he is able to add a bit more muscle. He shows decent speed and a somewhat-advanced base-running sense. Davis is just getting his feet wet in pro ball, and as such could end up in extended Spring Training while he awaits assignment to Class A. A few more games at Idaho Falls would not be shocking, either.

Hunter Dozier, 3B

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 220

Born: August 22^nd, 1991 in Denton, Texas

School: Stephen F. Austin State University (Nacogdoches, TX)

Drafted: by the Kansas City Royals in the 1^st round of the 2013 MLB Draft

Dozier has been a polarizing pick among the experts, to be sure. Jeff Passan tweeted the response of a scout in Texas to KC's selection of Dozier at 8^th overall:

Heard some good things about Hunter Dozier from a scout in Texas this week ... but another scout already texted: "This is a big reach."

Jim Callis reported a slightly more dramatic reaction to the Dozier selection, writing for Baseball America:

“The commentators at the main desk during MLB Network’s telecast reacted with such shock that the daughter of one Royals official asked her father why the team picked Dozier. Local radio hosts called for the dismissal of Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore and the rest of his front office.”

Now that's funny.

So let's get this out of the way: Dozier being selected in the top 10 was viewed as a secure pick. The Royals didn't want to run the risk of not being able to sign their 1^st pick of the year, and so they made the 'safe' choice. Also, it allowed them financial room to sign their 34^th-overall pick (Sean Manaea, LHP), so by taking a chance on Dozier at #8 they were able to land the lefty as well.

OK, fine. That having been said...

This kid has a great bat. In 54 games with the Chukars last year, Dozier smacked 24 doubles and 7 homers, driving in 43 and scoring the same in the process. He showed a good eye at the plate and made consistent contact, qualities which should carry over to the higher levels with little difficulty. One thing I wonder about is, he's already right about where he should be in terms of his size. Mind you, he's a chunk of muscle. He's an avid weight-lifter, which is both good and bad (see: Gabe Kapler). The scouting reports on Dozier were generally careful to point out that he has probably reached the apex of his physical development, however, and at his size he could ultimately be a DH-only guy. He is roundly praised for his intangibles and makeup, and along with his age (22) should push him through the minors quickly. IF he can maintain his flexibility and range, then he could man the hot corner in the majors. If not, it's the 1B-DH slot for him. The only way he doesn't come to Lexington this season is if he leapfrogs The Sally on his way to High-A Wilmington (which wouldn't be a huge shock).

Zane Evans, C

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'2” Wt: 209

Born: November 29^th, 1991 in Bethlehem, Georgia

School: Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)

Drafted: By the Kansas City Royals in the 4^th round of the 2013 MLB Draft

Evans was a promising two-way player in college ball, but his future demands that he play the field. In his case, that means donning the tools of ignorance. He had a strong fastball/slider combo in college, bringing it in the mid-90's often. However...

While Evans has a solid bat and will probably end up producing above-average pop for a catcher, there are concerns that he may be a defensive liability at that position. He is, at best, a fringe-average glove at the present. If he can progress defensively, he could end up as a Mike Napoli-type guy: solid power, mixes in some games at first and DH with some appearances behind the plate. Evans tore up the Pioneer League in 41 games, knocking 18 doubles and driving in 31 to go along with his spectacular .352 BA. At age 21, you'd expect a very small learning curve. Still, that's a heck of a year. Evans is, like Dozier, a batter who could end up taking a lot of AB as a DH and first baseman, and if his bat continues to progress he could be a 20-HR guy in the majors. Rookie-level ball is a poor measuring stick for measuring future success, of course, but Evans could hardly have given a better effort in his debut.

Elier Hernandez, OF

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht: 6'4” Wt: 200

Born: November 21^st, 1994 in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic

School:

Drafted: NDFA by the Kansas City Royals in 2011

Hernandez is a fascinating prospect: great natural ability, tools are all a bit rough, high-risk/high-reward sort of player. At 6'4”, 200, Hernandez is one large teenager. He moves very well for his size, shows flashes of brilliance with the glove, runs the bases well and puts a real charge in the ball with the bat. The Royals went after him with a purpose, signing him for slightly more than $3,000,000. He's got tremendous fast-twitch reflexes, which bode well for his future at the plate, and he put up big numbers in Idaho Falls (15 2B, 8 3B, 44 RBI, 44 R in 66 games). Granted, 2013 was a repeat in rookie ball, but he was only 18 years old. There's no real reason for him to go back to the rookie league in 2014, so look for him in Lexington after (perhaps) some time in extended ST. He's going to be exciting to watch.

That's just a few of the players who could be patrolling the field at The Bank. Part Two will take a further look at potential Legends bats for 2014 coming out of Burlington and the Arizona League. Stay tuned. 

KC To Pickup PDC With Lexington...Possibly, Perhaps, Maybe

SEPT 17th, 2012-Following up on yesterday's post regarding Lexington's break-up with Houston (long-distance relationships can be tough; let's be fair), news out of Illinois and the Midwest League could have bearing on the future of the Legends and perhaps even professional baseball in Central Kentucky. Please keep in mind that I am speculating here. I am not Nostradamus, I have never claimed to be Nostradamus, and therefore I could be way off-base. But that's OK; I've been wrong, from time to time. 

As reported by the Peoria Journal-Star:

All 30 Major League teams have standard PDCs with all their affiliates. The contract lengths typically are two or four seasons and expire after even-numbered calendar years. The Cougars' contract with the Kansas City Royals also expires at the end of this season.(emphasis added by yours truly)

Here's why that matters:

The Chicago Sun-Times reported on August 21st that the Chicago Cubs are planning to end their affiliation with the Peoria Cubs, their Class A affiliate in the Midwest League. The fact that either Peoria, Chicago or both could be fined six figures for discussing new PDCs with other teams before the September deadline notwithstanding, it's appearing more and more like this will happen. 

Meanwhile, in Kane County, their affiliation with Kansas City is ending as well. There have been rumors among Kane County fans that Peoria and Kane County would end up switching major league affiliations...

BUT...

While Lexington is also without an affiliation, they would appear to be in the mix to become KC's next Class A affiliate (at least on the surface). One problem with KC coming to Lexington (leaving Kane County without a parent club) is that Kane County has been a big draw at the gates, historically. Last year they AVERAGED 6,000 per game, and all things being equal it's reasonably logical to assume that they won't come close to those numbers in Lexington. Maybe I'm wrong about that, but baseball just doesn't seem to be the draw in Lexington that it is in places like, oh, say Kane County?

Another thought: with the Reds and Cardinals both bordering Kentucky, this has always seemed to be National League country. Kansas City would not only be moving it's Low-A affiliate farther away, it would also be sending them straight to the front-line of a century-long pissing contest between Cincy and St Louis fans, where they would likely end up being non-combatant casualties. That's kind of a long, meandering way of saying that they'd take a pretty big hit in gate receipts and merchandising as compared to what they were bringing in while playing in Kane County. 

Of course, there are tons of Cards fans in Illinois as well. But I digress...

I guess the thing about minor league baseball and parent club affiliations is this: it doesn't really seem to matter much in the long run who your team is ultimately sending prospects to. If you've got a strong front office, good field staff and an effective promotions department, you're gonna sell tickets. You're also going to sell hats, t-shirts, cards, pennants, souvenir bats and balls, etc. If I had the last say in what organization ended up signing a new PDC with Lexington, I'd probably say that Cincinnati would make the most sense. But that's in a perfect world, and this isn't a perfect world. If it was, the Cubs would still have fans who remember what it was like to see the World Series trophy hoisted triumphantly in The Friendly Confines in ANY other environment than one involving an overpriced gaming system, a 60" flat-screen and a pile of pizza boxes housing a young middle-class family of cockroaches. 

Time will tell who ultimately comes here and adopts Lexington as their new Class-A. Until then, I'm liable to spout any number of ridiculous theories as to who it will be. You've been warned.