- News Home
- Blogs
- Awards
- Minoring in Business
- Players of the Week
- Top 50 Prospects
- Releases
- RSS News Feeds
- Archive
- Events Home
- Winter Meetings
- Playoffs
- Promotional Seminar
- Job Fair
- All-Star Games
- First-Year Player Draft
- Rookie Career Development
Before the 2007 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.
Editor's Note: The Royals on Dec. 14 traded right-handed pitcher Billy Buckner to the Diamondbacks for switch-hitting infielder Alberto Callaspo. In our organizational season preview, the key word was patience. If Royals fans could be patient, the talent already in the system would start helping the Major League club and the Dayton Moore-led front office would start bringing in more young talent, both through the draft and internationally, to add depth. All of this, however, would take time. There were some obvious positive developments. Alex Gordon and Billy Butler, the organization's top two offensive prospects, not only made it to the big leagues, but made strong contributions and appear to have long-term positions in Kansas City. Luke Hochevar, despite an uneven 2007 season, got a September callup, meaning the Royals' last three top picks have all reached Kansas City. Not surprisingly, the Royals went high-school heavy in this year's draft, with six of their first seven picks coming from the prep ranks. Strides were also made with a new Dominican Academy, and the Royals' DSL team finished 10 games over .500. There may not be as much depth between the guys who just made it to KC and the guys just starting out, but five of the organization's seven stateside clubs finished at or above the .500 mark, another reason for hope among Royals fans. Organizational Players of the Year PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Chris Lubanski, OF:
Blake Wood, RHP:
POSTSEASON SELECTIONS
Craig Brazell, 1B: All the first baseman did was lead the Royals organization and all Minor League Baseball with 39 home runs. He led the Minors in total bases as well, with 326. He also topped the Royals in RBIs (91) and was second among full-season players with a .315 average. Among Minor League leaders, he was tied for third in hits (171), third in extra-base hits (77) and fourth in slugging (.601).
Rowdy Hardy, RHP: Hardy, a non-drafted free agent signed out of Austin Peay, made his full-season debut a memorable one. Pitching all year for Wilmington in the Carolina League, he led the Class A Advanced circuit with 15 wins while finishing second with a 2.48 ERA. He led the Royals organization in both categories. He walked just 16 in 167 innings, leading to a miniscule 0.96 WHIP. Climbed the Ladder
Billy Butler, OF: When Butler hit .419 this spring, it was pretty evident his bat was ready for the bigs. But there wasn't a spot for him, and the organization wanted him to continue to work on his outfield defense. So he spent a month in Omaha, hit .337, and then got the call, only to be sent down two weeks later. He was up for good by late June and has hit close to .300 as a designated hitter, outfielder and first baseman, the last a role that could be his in 2008.
Julio Pimentel, RHP: A converted outfielder who came to the Royals in the Elmer Dessens trade a year ago, Pimentel spent last year in the bullpen. He did a little relieving early this year before settling into Wilmington's rotation for good at the end of May. He ended up winning 12 games and posting a 2.65 ERA, good for third in the Class A Advanced Carolina League. Command always has been an issue, but he walked a reasonable 43 in 152 innings this year, greatly increasing the likelihood of further promotion as a starter.
Billy Buckner, RHP: The Royals' second-round pick in 2004 has moved steadily up the chain, pitching just well enough to get a bump up with a 4.40 ERA heading into the season. (To be fair, he made 33 starts in hitting-haven High Desert). He began 2007 in Double-A Wichita and ended it in the big leagues. Most of his year was spent in Triple-A Omaha, and had he thrown enough innings, his 3.78 ERA would have been third in the Pacific Coast League. He made 11 relief appearances for Omaha before joining its rotation, eventually getting the call to Kansas City in August. Kept Their Footing
Luke Hochevar, RHP: On the surface, it didn't look like a successful season for Hochevar, based on his 4-9 record and 4.86 ERA combined between Wichita and Omaha. He was much better in his final four starts of the year in Triple-A, with a 2.88 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 25 IP. He received a September callup and tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings in relief in his first two outings. In the end, the 2006 No. 1 overall pick is in the big leagues just over a year after being drafted. Next year will show whether he was rushed or if he's truly ready for the bigs.
Chris Lubanski, OF: A perennial slow starter, the 2003 first-rounder actually had the best April of his career with Wichita, hitting .321 and slugging .580. He was bumped up to Triple-A, the first midseason promotion of his career, at the end of June. He struggled in the PCL, hitting just .208 and striking out 48 times in 49 games. That being said, he's just 22 years old with 168 Triple-A at-bats under his belt. Even if he spends all of 2008 in Omaha, he could still be big-league ready at age 24.
Justin Huber, 1B/OF: What else is this guy supposed to do? It may seem like he's been a prospect forever, but he's still just 25 years old. He missed a month with a hamstring injury this year, but still managed to hit 20 homers in 84 games and slug .537. Playing some outfield in an effort to become more versatile, he received a somewhat surprising September callup. Veteran Mike Sweeney is a free agent at the end of this year, but with Butler possibly moving to first base and the outfield situation crowded as ever in KC, it's hard to see how Huber fits into the Royals' plans.
Blake Johnson, RHP: Another player who joined the organization late last year in the Elmer Dessens trade, Johnson (a second-round pick for the Dodgers in 2004) resembled the pitcher who had a promising season in 2005 more than the one who scuffled in 2006. Pitching in Wilmington's rotation, he posted a 3.28 ERA in 131 2/3 innings -- good for sixth in the Carolina League -- and finished with a very tidy 1.15 WHIP. The Texas League should be a good test for the 22-year-old in 2008. Slipped a Rung Jeff Bianchi, SS: This was going to be a big year for the 2005 second-round pick, the year he stayed healthy and moved up to full-season ball. After opening the year in extended Spring Training recovering from shoulder surgery, he joined Burlington in the Midwest League at the end of April. He was a mainstay in the lineup for the rest of the season, picking up 368 at-bats in 99 games, nothing to sneeze at considering he'd had just 140 in his first two summers. It's also encouraging that he hit .330 over his last 28 games and finished the year with 15 stolen bases. But the strong finish brought his average up to just .247 with a .611 OPS. Bianchi will be just 21 next season and seemed to make positive adjustments late in the year, but the 2008 season will be a big one for him to start living up to his potential. Tyler Lumsden, LHP: The White Sox sandwich pick in 2004, Lumsden made quite a splash last year when he joined the Royals in the Mike MacDougal trade, posting a 3.06 ERA in seven outings for Wichita. The thought was he'd move up to Omaha this year and be on call when the big club needed him. He did indeed move up to Triple-A, but never got that call. Instead, the lefty made 24 starts for the O-Royals, finishing with a 5.88 ERA.
Mitch Maier, OF: Things seemed to be going so well for Maier, the Royals' first-round pick back in 2003. A year after being eligible, and not taken, in the Rule 5 Draft, Maier had a terrific 2006 and found himself in the big leagues for 13 at-bats and, more importantly, on the 40-man roster. He didn't have an awful year in Omaha, his first at the Triple-A level, but he failed to build on last season's success by hitting .279 with a .749 OPS. He struggled in the second half and did not get a September callup, leading to questions about his future in the organization. On the Radar
Rowdy Hardy, LHP: He might have trouble breaking a plate of glass with his fastball -- rumor has it he once struck out a batter on one pitch, a la Bugs Bunny -- but he showed his 2006 debut was no fluke. Between Idaho Falls last summer and Wilmington this year, Hardy is 20-8 with a 2.58 ERA in 247 1/3 innings. Perhaps the most remarkable stat -- and maybe the biggest reason for his success -- is his walk total in that span: 21. Next year will be a big test to see if his pinpoint command and off-speed stuff can succeed at higher levels.
Mike Stodolka, 1B: Last year was the experiment: a former first-round pick as a pitcher taking a stab at hitting. He hit .284 with an .845 OPS in High Desert, leading him to be featured in our organizational preview, in which we wrote, "He'll have to show he's no fluke by hitting Double-A pitching." Well, he's no fluke. He played all year in Wichita at age 25 and hit .291. His .409 OBP was second in the Texas League and his .871 OPS was fifth best. He may prove to be no more than a lefty platoon hitter, but even that would be quite a triumph.
Kila Kaaihue, 1B: A 15th-round draft pick in 2002, Kaaihue has shown glimpses of power in the past. In 2005, he hit .304 with 20 homers and 90 RBIs, but it was in the hitting paradise that is High Desert. The jump to Double-A was a tough one for Kaaihue, who hit .199 in 103 games for Wichita in 2006. He dropped to Class A Advanced Wilmington, to start 2007, but managed to get back to Double-A for 70 games. Combined, he still hit just .248, but the power returned with 21 homers in 451 at-bats. He also had just two more strikeouts (78) than walks (76) while posting a .359 OBP. He fell short (by one) of his younger brother Kala's home run total in the Braves organization, but the Royals saw enough to send him to the Arizona Fall League to see if he can play his way onto the 40-man roster.
Daniel Cortes, RHP: Acquired last year in the Mike MacDougal trade, the right-hander struggled in his introduction to the organization. This year, however, was a different story. The 20-year-old made 24 starts for Class A Advanced Wilmington, posting a 3.07 ERA, striking out 120 in 123 innings, and holding opposing hitters to a .226 average. He was third in organization in ERA and second in strikeouts. Those marks placed him fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Carolina League, and it seems he's translating his raw talent into consistent success.
Jarod Plummer, RHP: A Dodgers 22nd-round draft pick in 2002, Plummer came to the Royals just before the 2006 season in return for Wilson Valdez. He went on to win 12 games, save 10 and strike out 117 in 97 2/3 innings across 40 outings (all but six in relief). Almost all of that success came in High Desert, where good pitchers often go to die. This year was more of the same. Pitching entirely out of the bullpen, Plummer saved 11 games for Double-A Wichita and finished with a 3.08 ERA, striking out 90 and walking 16 in 79 innings while holding hitters to a .217 batting average and earning a late promotion to Omaha. It would be surprising not to see him added to the 40-man roster this offseason. 2007 Draft Recap
1. Mike Moustakas, SS: The Royals made Moustakas the draft's No. 2 overall pick and signed him just moments before the Aug. 15 deadline. Playing shortstop and occasionally designated hitter, he was able to get 11 regular-season games in with Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League, hitting .293 with 10 RBIs in 41 at-bats. He appeared in two playoff games as well, going 0-for-7. He'll get a further taste of professional ball in the instructional leagues this fall. Most feel that shortstop will not be his ultimate position, and a move could be made sooner rather than later. 2. Sam Runion, RHP: While first-round pick Madison Bumgarner got most of the attention for North Carolina high school pitchers, Runion was no slouch. He made 12 appearances (51 IP) for the Royals' club in the Arizona Rookie League and while he compiled a 5.82 ERA and .310 batting average against, he did strike out 51 while walking just 17. His best outing was his next-to-last, when he tossed six innings of two-hit shutout ball, striking out six and walking none. 3. Danny Duffy, LHP: Duffy had a dominant senior high school season in California and started sneaking up draft charts late in the year, finally landing in the third round. If his debut is any indication, he could be one of the big steals of the draft. The southpaw finished sixth in the AZL with 63 strikeouts in just 37 innings. Had he pitched enough to qualify, his 1.45 ERA would have easily won him the league's title. The AZL hit just .178 against Duffy, making him a very interesting arm to follow in 2008. Others of note: 14th-rounder Matt Mitchell, a right-handed pitcher, led the AZL with a 1.80 ERA while his 72 K's were good for fourth in the league. 1B Clint Robinson (25th round), came out of Troy University and hit .336 with 15 homers and a league-leading 66 RBIs for Idaho Falls in the Pioneer League. OF Adrian Ortiz (fifth round) did well for the Chukars as well, hitting .326 and stealing 17 bases. RHP Greg Holland (10th round) had six saves, six wins and a 3.48 ERA coming out of Idaho Halls' bullpen, with 37 K's in 33 2/3 innings. OF David Lough (11th round) hit .337 in 86 at-bats for Burlington in the rookie-level Appalachian League. OF Patrick Norris (16) played with Lough in Burlington and finished second in the Appy League with 30 steals while hitting .294. Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
