Robert Emrich / MiLB.com
In talking with Royals director of player development Scott Sharp regarding the club’s recent Organization All-Stars story, there were plenty of quotes that just couldn’t be fit into the piece — not just about players who were selected, but also about players who Sharp thought were worth mentioning, such as top prospects Kyle Zimmer and Raul Mondesi. You can read the full story here and check out some more from Sharp below.
Sharp on what it meant to Brett Eibner to stay healthy:
“No question, the more he can be on the field, the better off we were going to be. Keeping guys healthy, giving them 440 at-bats in a season — that’s 500 plate appearances for him, he had not had that before. No question, very excited that he was able to go out and have as much playing time as he did.”
Sharp on what happens when Lane Adams gets hot:
“Another guy that is a tremendous outfielder, good instincts, good jumps, can invigorate a team and a lineup. When he’s going, he’s one of those guys that, when he’s hot, it’s tough for the team to lose. There are guys who can swing the bat and do well personally, and it doesn’t necessarily elevate the team. When he’s playing well, the team without question is going to be playing better as a whole. That’s just the way it works.”
Sharp on the year shortstop Mondesi had:
“Talking about age for level, 17 years old for half of the year in the Sally League, played the other half obviously at 18. .261 batting average, .311 on-base, 47 RBIs, just a tremendously gifted player, playing at a very high level at a very young age. Most 17-year-olds are juniors in high school, and he’s playing in the Sally League and leading off and at times hitting third in the lineup.”
On whether the organization is excited about Yordano Ventura‘s prospects in 2014:
“No question we are. You get a little taste of what he’s capable of doing. The expectations are high, I’m excited for him — you always want to see, when you know a kid at 16 and 17 years old, at 5-foot-9, 140 pounds, throwing 85 [mph], and you see them develop into a 5-foot-11, 190 pound guy who’s throwing 101. You’re excited for them and you have high expectations obviously.”
On Zimmer, their top prospect:
“I know statistically Kyle probably didn’t have the year some people would expect, but when we moved him up to Double-A there was tremendous growth. For me, he’s got to go in the conversation with Ventura. I know the bulk of his statistics wouldn’t say that over the year but when you go 89 innings pitched, 113 strikeouts and then you send him to Double-A, and it’s 18 innings and 27 strikeouts, and Double-A hitters hit .162 off him in a very small sample size.”
Sharp on 18th-round pick Frank Schwindel and where he might play in 2014:
“Frank Schwindel had a good year. Catcher/first base, power in his bat, the ability to play two positions, he’ll get a chance to do both [in 2014].”
