The baseball season is slowly coming around as we are just 52 days until the Royals first spring training game. 2011 is going to be a interesting year at the major league level to say the least but the real excitement for the Royals in 2011 is going to happen at the minor league level. With the influx of talent I thought I would take this time to make my 2011 minor league predictions.
The Call Ups - Minor leaguers that will be called up this season.
Mike Moustakas after June
Tim Collins Makes the ML roster
Louis Coleman
Lorenzo Cain
Jeremy Jeffress
Danny Duffy
David Lough
Mike Montgomery September Call up
Eric Hosmer September Call up
Chris Dwyer September Call up
Positional Breakout Performer
Brett Eibner CF - Possibly the best athlete in the system since Beltran, Eibner has big time power and decent patience. I look for him to impress at the high A level and earn a bump up to AA to join Colon and Myers at NW Arkansas.
Starting Pitcher Breakout (outside the top 4)
Crawford Simmons - Simmons is a crafty lefty who should be able to handle Low A hitters with his great control and pitchability.
Minor League Playoff contenders
NW Arkansas
Omaha
14 for 77 Minor League Player of the Year
Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer- The two studs will share the award after repeating what they did in 2010. I expect Myers will crush AA pitching in Coors Arvest field while Hosmer will push his way to a September call up.
14 for 77 MILB Pitcher of the Year
Chris Dwyer - Dwyer's low to mid 90s fastball combined with his organization best curve will help him pick up where it left off in the Texas League last season prior to his injury. Dwyer great season will be rewarded with a September call up after joining the crew in Omaha for a playoff run.
While there are sure to be some bumps in the road for some Royal minor leaguers there is actually room to improve from last seasons stellar performance. Names like Cuthbert, Yambati and Ventura could see action for the first time in full season ball while Ordonzzi, Jeffress and Marks will be added to the depth of an already strong system. My new goal of this blog is to get as much video as possible of the Royal minor leaguers in their pursuit of a major league dream. Kane County, NW Arkansas and Omaha will all be on the agenda again in 2011 hopefully multiple trips will allow me to bring the few readers I have a better idea of the prospects that are in the system.
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Considering how the Royals like to keep the arbitration/free agent clock from ticking too soon, it might be a little optimistic to expect see Hosmer, Dwyer and Montgomery in September. Maybe one of the pitchers.
ReplyDeleteI also think Teaford will make the Royals starting rotation this spring. If not on the opening day roster, then by Memorial day.