TRT Prospects - The New Top 20

It's that time of the season for a new top 20. It's a little more difficult to do a midseason list, as while stats from the year need to be included, you have to remember that there is still two more months to go, along with instruct reports and winter leagues. More in depth scouting reports will be included in the offseason list, but I'll do my best to give an accurate representation of the player in a short paragraph for each. With that said, I finally put together a list I feel comfortable with...

Sorry this took so long to put together my very few readers. It got half way done and then -- here's a shocker -- poof, it was gone. Got frustrated and had to do it over. Here it is though, criticize away...

#1 - Mike Moustakas, 3B
Ht: 6' 0" | Wt: 200 | Bats: L | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees | Age: 19
2008 Stats: .244/.306/.410, 12 HR, 12 2B, 54/25 K/BB

Sure, the #2 overall pick in 2007 didn't exactly have a stellar first half of the season, but let's not pretend like his overall line is a true indicator of his abilities. Moustakas had an awful April (.190/.253/.226) but has followed it up with two good months, and has come out of the all-star break scorching hot (.932 OPS). In the middle of all that, he's moved over to third base where his defensive skills play better. Kind of interesting that the Royals would give up on him over at shortstop so quickly, but the chances of him staying there were slim to none anyways. His upside still resembles an all-star hitter at whatever position he ends up at, with the ability to hit for a high average and hit for a lot of power.

#2 - Eric Hosmer, 1B
Ht: 6' 4" | Wt: 215 | Bats: L | Throws: L
Team: None | Age: 18
2008 Stats: None

The Royals selected the most devastating high school bat again with their selection of Eric Hosmer with the #3 overall pick in 2008. Hosmer's bat has been compared to players such as Casey Kotchman, Adrian Gonzalez, and Josh Hamilton. He's also a good defender around the bag, and some even suggest his athleticism could allow him to play a corner outfield spot. Hosmer isn't signed yet, and it's likely to go right down until the deadline to get him signed with his agent by Boras. But I expect it to eventually get done and for him to get a few AB's in before the minor league season is over.

#3 - Daniel Cortes, RHP
Ht: 6' 6" | Wt: 230 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Northwest Arkansas Naturals | Age: 21
2008 Stats: 3-3, 3.64 ERA, 12 starts, 59.1 IP, 63/26 K/BB, 0.62 GB/FB

Cortes entered the 2008 season as the #2 pitching prospect in the system, but now ranks as the top pitcher upon the promotion of Luke Hochevar. Cortes missed about a month with a quad injury, but it hasn't hampered his pitching since his return in mid-May. Aside from a walk rate that is still a tad too high, Cortes has strong numbers across the board, including an increased strikeout rate from a year ago. His fastball regularly clocks in the mid-to-upper 90's and has the best curve in the entire system. If he can continue to refine his control, Cortes could sit near the top of the Royals rotation sooner than later.

#4 - Carlos Rosa, RHP
Ht: 6' 1" | Wt: 185 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Northwest Arkansas Naturals/Omaha Royals/Kansas City Royals | Age: 23
2008 Stats: NWA: 4-2, 1.20 ERA, 8 starts, 45 IP, 42/7 K/BB, 1.31 GB/FB
OMA: 3-1, 3.60 ERA, 6 starts, 30 IP, 28/5 K/BB, 1.90 GB/FB
KC: 0-0, 2.70 ERA, 2 appearances, 3.1 IP, 3/0 K/BB, 0.00 GB/FB

Raw stuff has never been a problem for Rosa, but the ability to strike batters and control it was. Not anymore, as he's seemed to "figure it out" and used his abilities to dominate on the mound in 2008. Rosa lit the Texas League on fire before being promoted to Omaha, where aside from the very first inning he pitched with the O-Royals, has been almost equally as good. He also got a brief taste of the big leagues with Kansas City and did everything asked of him. Rosa is armed with a fastball that regularly registers 93-96 and compliments it with a strong slider and changeup. With a continued strong showing in Omaha, Rosa might not even be eligible for this list come December. Either way, he's an exciting young pitcher that possesses the talent to become a solid #2 or #3 in the rotation, or even the ability to move to the back of the bullpen.

#5 - Tim Melville, RHP
Ht: 6' 5" | Wt: 205 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: None | Age: 18
2008 Stats: None

Melville entered his senior season at Holt HS as the top prep pitcher in the country, and while he actually was falling because of poor pitching (relative to level of competition) and diminished stuff. But he started showing that great stuff again toward the end of his season and reclaimed the title of the top high school pitcher in the draft. Before the draft, Melville and his family sent out a letter to all 30 clubs in baseball and told them he was going to school if he wasn't paid top 10-15 money. Surprisingly, the Royals nabbed him in the fourth round with every intention to pay him the money he wants to keep him away from North Carolina. He's still unsigned, but indications are that he could sign the dotted line before August 15th. Melville is armed with a fastball that ranges 91-94 and a projectable frame that could add velocity. He's got a plus curve too, and a changeup that scouts just think he needs to throw more before it's a potential plus pitch as well.

#6 - Daniel Duffy, LHP
Ht: 6' 3" | Wt: 185 | Bats: L | Throws: L
Team: Burlington Bees | Age: 19
2008 Stats: 4-3, 3.43 ERA, 8 starts, 39.1 IP, 51/10 K/BB, 0.55 GB/FB

Despite only having one season under his belt, Duffy entered the 2008 season as the top left-handed pitching prospect in the Royals system and has done nothing but enhance that opinion. Duffy wasn't assigned to Burlington until May, mostly to limit his innings, but he's lit the league on fire by posting a 3.43 ERA and striking out 11.69 batters per nine innings. The lefty has a fastball that can reach 95, but comfortably sits in the 87-93 range with both his two-seamer and four-seamer. Duffy also has a changeup, slider, and curveball, of which the changeup is probably the most advanced at this point. Continued refinement of fastball command will go a long way for Duffy, and could make him a top shelf prospect in baseball as soon as next year.

#7 - Blake Wood, RHP
Ht: 6' 5" | Wt: 240 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Wilmington Blue Rocks/Northwest Arkansas Naturals | Age: 22
2008 Stats: WIL: 3-2, 2.67 ERA, 10 starts, 57.1 IP, 63/15 K/BB, 1.00 GB/FB
NWA: 1-3, 6.39 ERA, 7 starts, 31.0 IP, 32/10 K/BB, 0.57 GB/FB

Two years after being drafted, Wood is finally pitching a full season of baseball, and doing it pretty dang well. No, the ERA with the Naturals is not sexy (a BABIP of .370 against will do that to you), but the strikeout numbers and walk numbers are still very good and probably more important in determining his future. Wood sports the Royals top minor league strikeout number with 95 already. With a mid-90's fastball, a hard curve that grades as plus, and an improving changeup, Wood could join the Royals rotation sometime next year, or like Carlos Rosa, could move to the back of the bullpen.

#8 - Joe Dickerson, OF
Ht: 6' 1" | Wt: 190 | Bats: L | Throws: L
Team: Wilmington Blue Rocks | Age: 21
2008 Stats: .313/.394/.466, 12 HR, 9 3B, 10 2B, 45/30 K/BB, 23-for-36 SB

It has taken a few years, but it looks like Joe Dickerson is evolving into the sort of player the Royals hoped he would be when they drafted him in the fourth round in 2005. Dickerson has enjoyed an extremely successful season with the Blue Rocks, as he's fifth in the Carolina League in average, seventh in on-base percentage, and third in stolen bases, among other statistics. Dickerson has good very good contact skills at the plate to go along with some pull power when he turns on a pitch, and he's also got good speed that plays well in the outfield. Whether he can play center field could be somewhat of a mystery, because he's not going to push teammate Derrick Robinson out of that position anytime soon. It might not matter much if he continues to hit...

#9 - Julio Pimentel, RHP
Ht: 6' 1" | Wt: 190 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Northwest Arkansas Naturals | Age: 22
2008 Stats: 3-9, 5.84 ERA, 17 starts, 91 IP, 67/29 K/BB, 1.17 GB/FB

The Texas League hasn't been too kind to Pimentel, who's really struggled for a majority of the 2008 season. The strikeout rate bumped up slightly, but the ground ball rate is way, way down from a year ago. There hasn't been any reports of lingering injury or drop off in stuff, so it does seem quite odd that he'd have this kind of struggle. When he's on, Pimentel has a fastball that sits in the low 90's and touches 95 with run action in on right-handed batters. He compliments it with a changeup, his best pitch, and a curveball that he is continuing to tighten up. If the curve does not improve, a move to the bullpen might be in his best interest when he could become a dominate fastball/changeup reliever in the mold of Fernando Rodney. For now though, the possibility of him being a starter isn't gone, and a good second half of the season could do him wonders as he climbs the ladder.

#10 - Michael Montgomery, LHP
Ht: 6' 5" | Wt: 180 | Bats: L | Throws: L
Team: Surprise Royals | Age: 19
2008 Stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 appearances, 5.1 IP, 6/1 K/BB, 9.00 GB/FB

The Royals nabbed hard throwing southpaw Michael Montgomery with their sandwich pick in the 2008 draft. Montgomery was a pitcher with helium all spring as his velocity picked up and topped out at 94 late in the spring. Along with the fastball, he started to show an advanced feel for a changeup that sat around 80, and a sharp, if inconsistent, curveball in the low 70's. Montgomery has some mechanical issues that need to be ironed out as they hamper his command, but that's hardly abnormal for a high school pitcher.

#11 - Derrick Robinson, CF
Ht: 5' 11" | Wt: 170 | Bats: S | Throws: L
Team: Wilmington Blue Rocks | Age: 20
2008 Stats: .246/.301/.314, 4 3B, 13 2B, 68/23 K/BB, 39-for-46 SB

It hasn't clicked yet for him, but many still think that at some point everything will come together for this freak athlete. Robinson's stats throughout his pro career haven't been stellar, but you can't expect too much in a guy who hasn't even thought baseball was his #1 sport until two years ago. Robinson has top end speed and ran a 6.19 in the 60-yard dash two years ago at the Perfect Game National, the fastest time ever recorded at the event. His speed plays extremely well in center field and is already a plus defender out there. Many believe that there will be some thunder in the bat along the lines of Kenny Lofton when things start to click for him, and that may just be a matter of time. When and if things do starting coming together, Robinson could be an exciting, dynamic player at the top of the lineup for many years.

#12 - Daniel Gutierrez, RHP
Ht: 6' 1" | Wt: 180 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees | Age: 21
2008 Stats: 1-1, 2.43 ERA, 8 starts, 37 IP, 49/9 K/BB, 1.61 GB/FB

It has been a bumpy road for Gutierrez as a pro up to this point, but it looks like he has finally settled in and is quickly rising up charts. He has been through a lot after being drafted and signed as a 33rd round selection, including missing part of the 2007 season due to some trouble. Despite missing nearly a month of action, the 21-year-old has had some truly dominant outings thus far, even if his innings have been limited. Gutierrez has a fastball that regularly hits the low-90's, and touches higher than that, and mixes it with a curveball that flashes plus. The changeup is coming around too, and if that can become an above-average pitch, we are looking at a guy who could start to fly through the system.

#13 - Tyler Sample, RHP
Ht: 6' 7" | Wt: 245 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Surprise Royals | Age: 19
2008 Stats: 0-0, 2.45 ERA, 2 starts, 3.2 IP, 7/4 K/BB, 2.00 GB/FB

Sample didn't start the year at the top of the of the Colorado prep charts, but by the end of the season he was firmly on top. Sample has a massive frame at 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds, and is already the owner a fastball that sits 90-93 and hits 95. What sets Sample apart from others that just throw hard is his knuckle-curve, that's already an above average pitch that could become even better with some pro coaching and getting out of that altitude. His command is still weak and his changeup also lags quite aways behind at this point. While he is certainly a project for the Royals, the upside with Sample is enormous if they can get him straightened out.

#14 - Blake Johnson, RHP
Ht: 6' 5" | Wt: 200 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Northwest Arkansas Naturals | Age: 23
2008 Stats: 6-6, 4.22 ERA, 16 starts, 89.2 IP, 53/20 K/BB, 1.64 GB/FB

Unlike some of his peers, Johnson is not going to wow you with his pure stuff. But he's considerably more polished than the aforementioned as well. Johnson is proficient at throwing strikes and keeping unnecessary runners off base which he needs to do to succeed. He's added velocity since he was drafted four years ago, and his fastball sits in the 89-93 range that he can cut or tail. Johnson's strikeout weapon is a sharp curveball, which is among the best in the system because he can locate the pitch. Whether or not Johnson can be a successful starting pitcher may hinge on whether his changeup can become an above average pitch. If it does, he has the talent and arsenal to be a #4 type starter very soon.

#15 - Johnny Giavotella, 2B
Ht: 5' 8" | Wt: 185 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees | Age: 20
2008 Stats: .314/.388/.371, 4 2B, 12/8 K/BB, 4-for-7 SB

The first thing you'll notice about Giavotella is his size. He's pretty small, but guess what? He can hit, he can talk walks, and he can even pound the ball a little bit when he gets his hips turned. He hit over .340 every season at the University of New Orleans, and took more walks than strikeouts all three years as well. He doesn't have a tool that really stands out and gets the most out of his ability. Scouts praise him for his -- wait for it...wait for it -- grit and desire to play the game. Giavotella is polished and should move through the system very quickly even if his upside isn't great.

#16 - Chris Lubanski, LF
Ht: 6' 3" | Wt: 230 | Bats: L | Throws: L
Team: Omaha Royals | Age: 23
2008 Stats: .238/.310/.418, 8 HR, 3 3B, 11 2B, 79/24 K/BB

Now here's a guy who's gone through a complete transformation from five years ago when he was drafted. Lubanski was drafted fifth overall in 2003 as a toolsy center fielder who could really run and projected to hit for enough power to be a 20/20 guy in the Majors. Since then, he's filled out his frame to the point where his speed is gone, but has a lot of raw power in the bat. Problem? He can't make enough contact to where that power really matters all that much. Lubanski by all accounts maintains a legendary work ethic and certainly has the talent of a MLB player. But until he can prove to make more contact, it's going to be tough to project him as more than a fourth or fifth outfielder.

#17 - Edward Cegarra, RHP
Ht: 5' 11" | Wt: 175 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees/Wilmington Blue Rocks | Age: 19
2008 Stats: BUR: 2-4, 2.67 ERA, 8 starts, 54 IP, 53/5 K/BB, 1.06 GB/FB
WIL: 2-4, 4.81 ERA, 7 starts, 43.0 IP, 21/8 K/BB, 0.94 GB/FB

The best arm to come from the Royals' Dominican academy in the last few years belongs to Edward Cegarra. A very advanced pitcher for his age, Cegarra was sent to the Midwest League as an 18-year-old and held his own before falling off in the final month. He was sent back to Burlington in 2008, and thoroughly dominated the league posting a better than 10/1 K/BB ratio. Cegarra's stint in Wilmington hasn't gone quite as swimmingly, but he's more than holding his own at only age 19. He throws a fastball that tops out around 93 and he locates it very well. His go to offspeed pitch is a curve that could grade out as plus in the future. Cegarra is still aways away from contributing, but with his current talent and youth, he clearly has a bright future ahead of him.

#18 - Matthew Mitchell, RHP
Ht: 6' 3" | Wt: 205 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees | Age: 19
2008 Stats: 5-6, 3.86 ERA, 12 starts (16 app), 72.1 IP, 51/13 K/BB, 0.69 GB/FB

The Royals grabbed Matt Mitchell in the 14th round last year and it's already looking like something of a steal. Mitchell led the Arizona League in ERA and was fifth in the league in strikeouts with 72 en route to the AZL Royals pitcher of the year honors. Mitchell isn't dominating like he did last year, but he's doing pretty well for a 19-year-old with only two reliable pitches at this point. Mitchell throws his fastball in the upper-80's regularly, topping out at 92, with a little tail. His palmball changeup is his best pitch and is already something of a strikeout pitch. His curve still has a way to go, mostly in tightening it up so it's not so loopy and easy to identify. With some improvements to his game, Mitchell could resemble Rays' pitcher Andy Sonnanstine in time...

#19 - Jason Taylor, IF
Ht: 6' 0" | Wt: 210 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees | Age: 20
2008 Stats: .208/.348/.361, 9 HR, 4 3B, 4 2B, 57/50 K/BB, 27-for-35 SB

In something of a surprise selection, the Royals selected Jason Taylor in the second round back in 2006. It didn't help when he struggled in the Arizona League in his pro debut. Things took a turn for the worst though in 2007, when Taylor missed the entire season after getting into some trouble for violating team rules. Some were ready to give up on Taylor, but he's surprised many in 2008 by showing a good blend of power and speed, along with taking a ton of walks. While his average is low (a .234 BABIP has something to say about that), Taylor is showing off some of the skills that could make him a Major League ballplayer someday.

#20 - Sam Runion, RHP
Ht: 6' 4" | Wt: 220 | Bats: R | Throws: R
Team: Burlington Bees/Burlington Royals | Age: 19
2008 Stats: 2-5, 5.75 ERA, 5 starts (9 app), 40.2 IP, 11/9 K/BB, 1.40 GB/FB

With the second pick in the second round of the 2007 draft, the Royals nabbed talented but raw right-hander Samuel Runion out of high school in North Carolina. While his pro debut didn't go extremely well, he posted excellent peripherals that boded well for the future. That was, until the Royals scrapped his go to strikeout pitch in his slider and replaced it with a curve. So now 2008 has rolled around, and Runion got sent to the Midwest League in mid-May. It didn't go very well, because although he had a good fastball, he couldn't get his offspeed pitches over for strikes. Recently he was reassigned to the Appalachian League where he'll likely pitch for the rest of the season. As mentioned earlier, Runion does have a good fastball that induces plenty of ground balls, and it sits in the low-90's. His curve and change show promise, but they both still need work before becoming reliable pitches for him. Runion has plenty of upside, but has a long ways to go.