Gallagher runs the show behind the dish in Lexington (photo Clinton Riddle)

Following up from my previous post on the infielders at The Bank, here’s a look at what’s going on behind the plate for our latest Legends squad.

As any baseball enthusiast worth his/her salt would know, a large part of building strong defense involves having a catcher who knows his craft well. A strong arm, quick reflexes, and an understanding of the opposing hitters’ weaknesses are all important components of a catcher’s game. Weakness in any one of these areas can often be overcome, though any catcher must know how to call a game effectively in order to avoid getting bumped to first or third (for example).

With that in mind, the Legends of 2013 are firmly set at catcher. I’ve covered our three current catchers on my blog in short blurbs, though KoK will provide more frequently updated info on their site. It all starts with Cameron Gallagher:

Cam Gallagher

2012 (@ Burlington)

36 games, 139 PA, 13 runs, 35 hits, 10 doubles, 3 HR, 15 RBI, .276 BA, .756 OPS

Gallagher behind the plate (photo Clinton Riddle)

In terms of batting, Gallagher has enough pop to knock 15-18 over the fence this year; in the coming years he should certainly develop ML-average power for the position, batting near-league average or just over (around .270). He hasn’t shown much interest in walking, but neither has he struck out a great deal. In 70 career games in the minors, he’s walked 21 times against 36 strikeouts in 282 PA. He goes to the plate looking to swing, and odds are very good that he’s going to put the ball in play. In 25 at-bats this year he’s gone down on strikes once.

He can handle the running game rather well; in 5 games this year he’s thrown out 7 of 11 would-be thieves, which is a very small sample size but indicative of his awareness and arm strength. He fared much worse in 2012, with a paltry 26% caught-stealing percentage, but I see that as being more a matter of adjusting to pro ball.

Also something to keep in mind: Gallagher’s pedigree is excellent. An Aflac All-American after his junior year in high school, he was drafted in the 2^nd round in 2011. His brother Austin plays in the Dodgers system and his father Glenn pitched for the Jays organization after being drafted in the 3^rd round in 1981.

Shin Jin-Ho

Shin on the field (photo Clinton Riddle)

The 21 year-old Korean native (the first Korean-born player in Royals history) is a sizable backstop, as well. At 6’2”, 200, Shin is fairly mobile and can block in the dirt reasonable well. His lateral movement could use some work, and he may never be more than fringe-average in terms of quickness and agility. In 143 career minor-league games he has thrown out only 20% of stolen base attempts, a figure that alone could doom him to backup duty permanently without serious improvement. He has also made 23 errors and allowed 33 passed balls in 142 games behind the plate; also, a number that relegates him to the bench.

He has shown a little bit of power in his four seasons of pro ball, with 31 doubles and 13 homers in 175 total games, and he has both the time and the physical ability to develop more. He will likely always strike out more than you’d care to see, but it should be noted that Shin is thought of more highly than his numbers might suggest he should be. As he is only 21 this year, and since it traditionally takes a bit longer for catchers to progress up the ladder, I’ll take a ‘wait and see’ attitude with him. He has enough of an eye at the plate to cut down on the Ks and perhaps draw a few more walks, but thus far his ceiling appears to be as a steady backup to a starter who rarely misses his turn.

Alexander Marquez

2012 (@ Burlington):

21 games, 51 PA, 6 hits, 0 doubles, 0 HR, 4 RBI, .143 BA

The youngest catcher for the Legends, Marquez is a defensive specialist in-the-making (photo Clinton Riddle)

OK, first off: he was 19 in 2012, he made it into only 21 games as a sub, and didn’t exactly have many opportunities to prove himself. In 2011 he made it into 17 games as catcher while the AZL Royals used 5 other catchers at different times throughout the season. Even now, he appears forever stuck behind Shin and Gallagher, and that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

Marquez is the youngest catcher on the roster (at 20), and has been the bullpen catcher for the Legends thus far. He has plenty of time to grow and develop, assuming there’s a spot open ahead of him.

On pure numbers, he’s well ahead of Shin. In 60 games at the position he’s made 7 errors (though this comes along with 22 passed balls), and apart from an abysmal year in 2010 when as a 17 year-old first-year player runners stole on him at will, he has thrown out over 30 percent of attempted thefts.

Beyond this, I cannot speak intelligently on his other abilities; I have not seen him in any capacity other than in the ‘pen.

So there we are. Long story short: Gallagher could be one of the better catchers in the SAL, though perhaps not an All-Star quite yet. Shin is still a couple of years away from a real breakthrough, offensively. Marquez is blocked by the two of them, for now, but deserves a shot at least as a defensive late-inning sub. 

best tools will likely be his raw right-handed power and arm strength.

Despite being big (6’3 and over 200 pounds), he has soft hands and a strong throwing arm. He made just two errors (and two passed balls) in 30 games for Burlington (rookie ball) this season. Gallagher threw out six of 23 base stealers (26%).

Gallagher came out of high school in Pennsylvania and is expected to move slowly through the system (due to his lack of experience in a shorter high school season). In his second season of rookie ball, he hit .276 with ten doubles and three homeruns in 127 at-bats. He struck out just 16 times compared to ten walks.

He’s not real athletic and his value is tied to whether he can stick at catcher. He’s a slow baserunner. Gallagher’s potential rides on his power potential, which was an eye-opening asset heading into the 2011 draft.

I expect Gallagher will finally advance to full-season ball in 2013, probably with new Low-A affiliate Lexington. He is currently participating in Instructional League at the Royals spring training complex in Surprise, Arizona.

Check out this video of Gallagher taking batting practice during the 2010 AFLAC All-American practice:

Burlington went 3-4 this past week.

Outside of Starling, catcher Cameron Gallagher returned to the Royals lineup. In his first two games back from the catcher’s interference injury, he went 4-for-10 with two RBIs.

A few 2012 draft picks have been playing well for the Royals. Kenny Diekroeger is in the midst of a six-game hitting streak, as he went 9-for-26 (.346) with three homeruns, four runs scored, and seven RBIs. Starter Colin Rodgers made two starts and allowed two runs on six hits and two walks over 6.2 innings.

Idaho Falls also went just 3-4 over the past week.

Andrew Ferguson made two starts for the Chukars and allowed just two runs over those outings. In 12.2 innings, he allowed seven hits and three walks while striking out 12. Alec Mills, a 2012 draft pick out of Tennessee Martin, made two relief appearances (totaling 3.1 innings). He allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out four.

Ethan Chapman, another 2012 draft pick for the Royals (out of Cal State San Bernardino), has been on a tear. He is currently in the midst of a six-game hitting streak. Over the past week, Chapman was 13-for-28(.464) with five runs scored. He has struck out just once. Rainier Bello started the week very hot, by going 4-for-9 with five RBIs in the first two games.

Parker Morin is in the midst of a three-game hitting streak, where he is 7-for-12 (.583) with two doubles, a triple, a homerun, four runs scored, and four RBIs. His homerun came off former UNC closer Mike Morin (who was also a 2012 draft pick). Adalberto Mondesi, the son of Raul Mondesi, posted three multi-hit games this week and overall went 8-for-26 (.308) with five runs scored.

Clint Robinson and Max Ramirez both collected two hits, with Ramirez driving in three runs. Tony Abreu went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Feb 29, 2012; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Chris Dwyer (33) poses for a picture during the Royals photo day at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE

NW Arkansas took the pitcher’s duel over Arkansas, 1-0. The Naturals were outhit 2-3, but picked up the game’s lone run on a wild pitch in the 6th inning.

Chris Dwyer allowed just one run on two hits over seven innings. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

Wilmington was rained out in Carolina on Friday night. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday. Jason Adam will start the first game against Mike Rayl with Tyler Sample starting the second game against Will Roberts.

Prior to the game, it was announced that Jake Kuebler (who has spent part of the season on the “DL”) was released. Taking his place is first baseman Matt Fields, who was just signed from the independent Frontier League. He had nine homeruns in 31 games (which led the league), but he has yet to hit at Frawley Stadium.

Kane County collected just four hits, as they lost to Clinton, 6-1 to start the second half in the Midwest League. Daniel Mateo had two of those hits.

Robinson Yambati gave the Cougars four solid innings of relief. He allowed one run on three hits.

KC Royals second round draft pick in 2011, catcher Cameron Gallagher, was taken out in the first inning after a catcher’s interference call just five batters into the game. Hopefully he is okay. 2012 draft pick Beau Maggi replaced him and went 0-for-2 with three walks.

Some key names:

2011 first round pick Bubba Starling will be in Burlington, North Carolina to start his professional career. He’s been in Arizona working with the Royals as he refines his skills. Starling has a ton of upside, but he’s raw. Bryce Harper is younger and already excelling in the big leagues, but Starling had his attention diverted between football, basketball and baseball. He’s the best athlete in the entire Royals organization, but there’s some risk that baseball acumen never matches his tools. If it does, though, his potential is limitless.

This year’s first round pick, Kyle Zimmer, will stay in Arizona to start out as he nurses hamstring and groin injuries from the end of his college season. Once he’s recovered there, he’ll likely end up in Idaho Falls but could end up in Kane County. He might be able to get five or six starts in this year.

Two key international signees will start in Idaho Falls, as outfielder Elier Hernandez and shortstop Adalberto Mondesi (the Torpedo Boat). Both were among the top Dominican players available last July. They have a ways to go, as Hernandez, the elder, doesn’t even turn 17 until November.

2011 draft picks Bryan Brickhouse, Kyle Smith (both pitchers) and shortstop Jack Lopez are in Idaho as well, and while there hasn’t been an official announcement that I’ve seen that he’s signed, 2012 second round pick left-handed pitcher Sam Selman out of Vanderbilt is listed on the Chukars roster.

Last year’s second rounder, catcher Cameron Gallagher, will join Bubba Starling in Burlington. They’ll be joined by other names like pitcher Jake Junis, shortstop Humberto Arteaga and 2012 draftees Colin Rodgers (a left-handed pitcher from the third round) and outfielder Fred Ford (seventh round). The ninth round pick, Daniel Stumpf (another lefty) will be in Burlington as well. Their fourth round pick, Ken Diekroeger, signed earlier today and could possibly go to Idaho Falls.

Other notables:

The Royals have nine of their top ten picks from 2012 signed. The official announcement is still pending on Selman but it’s safe to assume he’s in the fold. Catcher Chad Johnson is still listed as being in Arizona, and pitcher Zach Lovvorn and outfielder Alexis Rivera are there too. Alfredo Escalera-Maldonado signed but, seeing as how he’s the youngest player selected in the draft, he’ll probably be in Arizona receiving further instruction.

The full roster assignments as of Thursday are linked below:

• Arizona Royals
• Burlington Royals
• Idaho Falls Chukars

For those near Pulaski, Virginia or traveling that way, Bubba Starling should be in the lineup on June 19th for the Burlington Royals first game at 7:05 p.m. EST on the road against the Pulaski Mariners. He’ll debut in Burlington against Elizabethton on the 22nd.

I believe Perez is the Royals starting catcher of the present and future, but it doesn’t hurt to keep tabs on the rest of the in-system options on the way. Salvador is going to need some days off and inevitably, given the demands of the position, he’s going to get dinged up, hurt, or concussed* in the coming years.

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Starling was the first position player selected in the 2011 amateur draft after gaining notoriety by being both a football and baseball star with tales of 500 foot homers and 300 yard rushing games.  He has scholarships at the University of Nebraska to play quarterback and the outfield, so if he passes up the Royals, he will be in Lincoln for the next three years before another team can select him.

The Royals are likely to offer Bubba, a Scott Boras client, anywhere from $7.5 to $10 million to sign.  Eric Hosmer’s $6 million figure in 2008 is the franchise record.

We discussed Bubba and the deadline on the Royalman Report last night and noted that big bonuses usually go down to the end, the next CBA and moving the date up to allow players to get on the field sooner.

But Bubba isn’t the only Royals pick in the spotlight today:

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