Kansas City Royals Potential September Call-ups

Oct 15, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals catcher

celebrates with fans on top of the dugout after game four of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals swept the Orioles to advance to the World Series. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals appear headed to their first division title in 30 years, and their first ever Central crown, with a 13.5 game lead over the Minnesota Twins. With 10 days to go before September, general manager Dayton Moore must now be considering who to call up from the minor leagues when rosters expand from 25, to every player on the 40-man roster.

In years past, the KC Royals used roster expansion to get a look at top prospects, and to reward career minor-leaguers with a taste of The Show. With the Kansas City Royals positioning themselves for home field advantage throughout the playoffs, September call-ups will, necessarily, be focused more on players who can help the team win: both in the stretch run, and by earning a spot on the playoff roster. 

Twenty five man playoff rosters are likely to be built a little differently than the one we’ve seen most of the regular season. For one thing, playoff series have more built in rest days (for travel) than the regular season. This change means that playoff teams will rarely use more than four starters, and use fewer relievers, due to more rest.

Another difference is that every game is more meaningful. Managers are less likely to “let a game go” when trailing by a large margin. They also want to pull out all the stops to bring home a precious win. In recent years, these strategic strategic differences between the playoffs and regular season have typically caused teams to trim down their pitching staff in favor of more specialty bench players. The Kansas City Royals, in fact, did this in 2014 to add base-stealing demon Terrance Gore to the bench.

However, the 2015 KC Royals could choose to go with a heavy pen with the idea of avoiding the third time through the order penalty given some of the struggles of starters Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy this season.

So, Kansas City Royals fans, when you see a player up from the minors this September, remember he is probably there to help win games and audition for the playoff roster. The following slide show will consider candidates with these goals in mind:

Next: Slam Dunk Certain To Be In Kansas City

Sep 25, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Kansas City Royals base runner Terrance Gore (0) scores a run against the Chicago White Sox during the eighth inning at U.S Cellular Field. Kansas City defeats Chicago 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

The Base-Stealing Specialist

I didn’t list AA player Terrance Gore as a “slam dunk” callup, simply because the Kansas City Royals already have two fast backup outfielders in Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando. Also, NW Arkansas has already qualified for the AA playoffs, and the big club might not want to strip their AA team of a major contributor.

KC Kingdom

Terrance Gore has experienced a breakthrough, of sorts at the plate this season, hitting .279/.366/.299 at Northwest Arkansas. That’s a significant improvement for a career .243/.346/.276 minor league hitter. Gore brings another dimension of base-stealing to the table for the Kansas City Royals than even the speedy Jarrod Dyson. The 24-year-old Terrance Gore has swiped 204 bases in the minor leagues, including 68 at Lexington (Full-season A) in 2013.

What’s really impressive about Terrance Gore is his stolen base rate. Opposing teams have caught Gore a mere 19 times while he racked up those 204 career steals. To put this in perspective, Gore’s 91.7% career stolen base rate is better than Hall-of-Fame thief (and all time stolen base leader) Rickey Henderson (80.7%), and Tim Raines (82.4%) when they were minor leaguers. Consider, also, that Rickey Henderson and Tim Raines played BEFORE pitchers widely utilized the slide step (created, in part, to handle the 80’s rabbits).

The 5’7, 160 pound Terrence Gore is an exceptional base running weapon, that might be as good as anyone in baseball history in this one facet of the game.

That’s why I expect to see him with the KC Royals in September, and I also expect him to make the playoff roster. Heck, its also possible Gore DOESN’T get a September call-up, and still wins a spot in October. Management could decide they want him to play in the minor-league playoffs (NW Arkansas won their first-half division title) rather than sit on the bench for the Kansas City Royals.

Next: Bullpen Help

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May 28, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Troy Patton (29) throws during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Bullpen Help

The Kansas City Royals have other minor-league candidates that could provide a break to tired bullpen arms by eating garbage-time innings in September (and give management a peek at prospects for next season, or—in a few cases—audition for a role on the playoff roster).

The most intriguing name on this list is oft-injured top prospect Kyle Zimmer.

Kyle Zimmer:

The word is that the 23-year-old Kyle Zimmer has the stuff, he’s just suffered a series of injuries that have slowed his progress. Zimmer, however, is dominating in AA NW Arkansas, with a 2.55 ERA and a 9.4 K/9 after a late start to the season due to yet another injury.

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In fact, the KC Royals hope Zimmer can be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher in the near future. He’s got a 98 mile per hour fastball with late life, along with a plus slider, and developing curve. Kansas City Royals executive J.J. Picollo suggested that the  KC Royals are looking at Zimmer as a potential September call-up, even without AAA experience.

The only problem with this plan is that the Kansas City Royals only have one bullpen lefty, and might prefer to add another southpaw over Zimmer. That, of course, might keep him from the playoff roster, but doesn’t mean he can’t appear in KC in September. The front office might still want him to audition for a potential rotation spot in 2016.

Louis Coleman:

Poor Louis Coleman.

The 29-year-old reliever has pitched for the Kansas City Royals in parts of four different seasons with a solid career ERA of 3.25 and an ERA+ (ERA adjusted for park factors and opponent quality) of 127 (27% better than league average). Yet, the guy has been stuck in AAA Omaha all season despite his major-league track record, and a 1.87 ERA in Omaha this season.

Just what does he have to do to stay on the major-league roster?

At this point the answer is: wait for September.

At the very least, Coleman can eat bullpen innings to give rest to the guys who have been with the Kansas City Royals all season. With his track record, and recent AAA performance, I can’t see any reason why management won’t bring him to the big club other than the fact that he’s not on the current 40-man roster.

Yet, the team has Brian Flynn, Tim Collins, and Jason Vargas all on the 60-day disabled list who could make room for active players.

Troy Patton:

29-year-old Troy Patton is not on the 40-man roster, but he’s experienced major league success AND is left handed. That combination makes him a great September call-up candidate.

Patton has logged 165.0 major-league innings over six seasons with the Orioles and Padres. His career record is 5-4, with a 3.25 ERA and 7.2 K/9.

Troy Patton had an opt out clause that he could have exercised last Saturday, but he chose to remain with the club. The Kansas City Royals signed Patton in April, but he had to serve an 80-game suspension due to amphetamine use. In 20 innings for Omaha this season, Patton has produced a 2.24 ERA with 13 strikeouts.

As a lefty, he stands a puncher’s chance of finding his way to the playoff roster.

Mike Mariot:

26-year-old Mike Mariot has hung on the 40-man roster a couple of years now, but has never really stuck in Kansas City. He pitched 17 games in 2014 for the big club, with a pretty terrible 6.48 ERA. He’s also pitching two innings in KC this season, giving up one run.

Mariot, however, has enjoyed a solid minor-league career, posting a cumulative  3.37 ERA (mostly as a reliever).  He’s putting up strong numbers in Omaha this season, with a 2.41 ERA, a 10.0 K/9, and seven saves.

Yohan Pino:

31-year-old Yohan Pino is another guy with a smattering of MLB experience, that has failed to stick on a roster. He made 11 starts for the Twins in 2014, and one forgettable start for the KC Royals in 2015. Overall, however, Pino has posted a more-than-respectable 3.26 ERA in 19.1 innings for Kansas City this season.

The righty figures to return in September, given his prior experience and solid performance this season out of the pen. Oddly enough, Yohan Pino has pitched better for the Kansas City Royals than he has for Omaha. In AAA, Pino has a 4.68 ERA, working mostly as a starter.

Next: Outfield Help

Blue Rocks centerfielder Bubba Starling at the plate on April 13, 2014 (Jen Nevius).

Outfield Help

Even though the outfield seems pretty crowded with reserves Jarrod Dyson, Paulo Orlando, and Terrance Gore, along with starters Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain, Alex Rios, and Ben Zobrist, a number of outfielders are making so much noise in the minors they could find their way onto the Kansas City Royals roster in September.

Jose Martinez:

All we really need to know about Jose Martinez is that the guy is hitting .384/.452/.570 in 284 AAA at bats this season. Martinez deserves a look as a potential bench bat in October, and a look see at the major-league level to discover if he’s broken through at age 27.

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Jose Martinez signed with Kansas City Royals this winter after the Toronto Blue Jays gave up on him. He finished the 2014 season in the Independent Pioneer League. The biggest thing standing in his way is that he’s not on the 40-man roster. Yet, the KC Royals could dump Reymond Fuentes or Lane Adams in favor of the more-productive Martinez.

If Martinez comes up in September, and shows he can hit major-league pitching, would you rather give playoff bats to him, or a still-wallowing Alex Rios?

At some point, the Kansas City Royals are going to have to accept Rios as a sunk cost and stop giving meaningful at bats to an unproductive player. Jose Martinez could be the beneficiary.

Brett Eibner:

Eibner is yet another athletic guy in the KC Royals system with a slow-developing bat. A second round draft choice for the Kansas City Royals in 2010, Eibner has struggled to develop his hit tool as a career .238 hitter. However, he shows a nice combination of athleticism, plate patience, and power.

Brett Eibner has enjoyed a career-year in AAA Omaha this season, slashing .304/.363/.534 with 18 home runs and 32 walks in 374 AAA plate appearances. He plays centerfield for the Stormchasers, so you expect he could fill in at all three outfield positions in Kansas City.

Eibner is yet another guy not on the 40-man roster, but the 26-year-old has earned a chance in Kansas City. I expect Dayton Moore will give a former 2nd round pick a look-see with the KC Royals after putting up a strong year in AAA before risk losing him as a minor-league free agent this winter.

Bubba Starling:

The franchise’s 22-year-old golden child has finally hit in the minors, after facing a low level of competition as a high-schooler at Gardner, Kansas.

Turning down a football scholarship to Nebraska after the Kansas City Royals made him the 5th overall pick in the 2011 Draft, Starling’s hit tool has been slow to develop.

Yet, this spring he smashed High A Wilmington (a very tough home park for hitters) by slashing .386/.471/.614. He has continued to hit a solid .269/.332/.440 after the KC Royals promoted him to AA NW Arkansas.

Dayton Moore could decide to promote Starling to Kansas City, in the hopes that he might hold down a starting job in 2016 (with RF Alex Rios’ contract expiring). I don’t see Starling as a candidate for a playoff roster spot. Heck, I think the idea of Starling playing right field for the Kansas City Royals next season could be a bit of a stretch.

Next: Infield Help

Jul 9, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert (19) makes a catch to end the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 8-3. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Infield Help:

The Kansas City Royals could use some infield help after third baseman Mike Moustakas has sort of suffered a second-half crash, and second baseman Omar Infante has never really gotten going at the plate all season.

This need will depend on whether manager Ned Yost decides to use Ben Zobrist as an infielder, or outfielder, when Alex Gordon returns. In short, who sits down: Omar Infante, or Alex Rios?

Cheslor Cuthbert:

Cuthbert has enjoyed a strong season at AAA Omaha this season. After hitting .259 in the first half, Cuthbert has upped his season slash line to .280/.343/.423. More importantly, Cheslor Cuthbert looked good in during a couple of brief call-up to Kansas City. He simply looked like a guy with the tools to succeed in the major-league when he hit .240/.269/.360 in 26 Kansas City Royals at bats.

The big thing that could bring Cuthbert to Kansas City in September, and maybe earn him a roster spot for the playoffs, is that he’s a right hand hitter that primarily plays third base. He could fill in for Moose against a tough lefty in a critical situation.

Christian Colon:

Colon is a 25-year-old middle infielder whom the KC Royals drafted 4th overall in 2010. Now unlikely to justify his draft status, he is a versatile player who can play both short, second, and third base.

Christian Colon has hit fairly well in brief appearances with the Kansas City Royals over the last two seasons (.276/.331/.366 in 135 plate appearances). Yet, he’s never been able to stick in Kansas City. Last season, Dayton Moore replaced him on the World Series roster with Jayson Nix.

That move suggests the Kansas City Royals front office still doesn’t have great confidence in Colon, especially when you consider that he’s seen little time with the big club despite Omar Infante hitting a pathetic .216/.232/.298 this season.

Conclusion:

There are a few more candidates that could see the field for the Kansas City Royals come September. The team might like Whit Merrifield‘s versatility (but, why bring him up when you’ve got the ultimate spare part in Ben Zobrist), or think 22-year-old Miguel Almonte is better suited to play Brandon Finnegan in 2015 than Kyle Zimmer. Outfielder Reymond Fuentes might get the call simply because he’s on the 40-man roster, rather than Brett Eibner or Jose Martinez.

Exactly who gets the call will depend a lot on how Ned Yost wishes to construct his playoff roster. I could very much see Yost dropping fifth starter Jeremy Guthrie and the unproductive Alex Rios, which could open up more opportunity to the above players.

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