KC's top Minors players on hand for big series

KANSAS CITY -- Fourteen members of Kansas City's farm system, dressed in suits and ties, lined Kauffman Stadium's backstop watching the Royals take batting practice, undoubtedly envisioning themselves in the same spot one day.

Kansas City honored their 2014 Minor League award winners on Friday before the start of its pivotal series against the Tigers.

"I am absolutely ready to be here in uniform, this is where we want to all end up," said Hunter Dozier, the 2014 Class A Advanced Wilmington Player of the Year, 2013 Idaho Falls Player of the Year and the Royals' first-round pick in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft.

"It's a gorgeous ballpark, a great time to be here, fighting for a playoff spot, it's exciting around here."

On Sept. 4, Kansas City handed out Pitcher and Player of the Year honors for all seven levels of its developmental teams.

The pitchers honored were: Aaron Brooks (Triple-A Omaha), Andy Ferguson (Double-A Northwest Arkansas), Glenn Sparkman (Class A Advanced Wilmington), Jake Junis (Class A Lexington), Torey Deshazier (Rookie Advanced Idaho Falls), Nik Stephenson (Rookie Burlington), Yimaury Pena (Dominican Summer League).

The players honored, including Dozier, were: Whit Merrifield (Omaha), Lane Adams (Northwest Arkansas), Frank Schwindel (Lexington), Ryan O'Hearn (Idaho Falls), Logan Moon (Burlington), Meibrys Viloria (Dominican)

Adams is the only award winner on the Royals' roster.

"We had a lot of good players at Double-A, anyone could have had the award, but just to be chosen Player of the Year at Arkansas, it's a good honor and I'm happy to receive it," Adams said.

Of the 14 standouts, only Dozier cracked MLB.com's Top 20 Royals prospect list, ranked at No. 4.

"It's gonna be an unbelievable night ... Hopefully one day, we'll all be out here," Dozier said.