Angels Official Website: Kubitza preps for future starting third-base role

[AngelsWin.com]

Kyle Kubitza has what every prospect wants -- a clear path. The Angels traded one of those young, high-upside starting pitching prospects they barely have because they needed someone to play third base in 2016, and the club believes Kubitza can be that player.

View the full article

[Second Base]

He's the sort of prospect you like more and more the longer you look at him. There's more power than the stats show. There's a ton of growth happening, which the numbers do show. There's a lot of projectibility, despite the fact that he's 24.

He's your prototypical late-bloomer. Gets on base 40% of the time, is learning to hit for average, getting more consistent in both his swing and in the field, and is beginning to tap into that immense physical strength he has. His numbers in the pitching friendly AA environment are particularly impressive.

He'll come in as a bit of an unknown with question marks, but in time this guy might turn into an all-star.

[Angel Oracle]

It was tough to give up a pitching prospect like Sanchez. But 3B has been a black hole since Glaus left a decade back. As solid as Figgins was as a Halo, he will always be a super utility guy to me.

[nikkachez]

Keep the under-the-radar guys coming. He's only gotten better at every level of the minors and his numbers will only go up playing in Salt Lake. His OPS has gone .060-.070 points from every jump from A ball, to High-A, to AA. His OBP, average, and SLG % have gone up every level too. I think if he continues showing an increase in power (gap-to-gap and over the fence), cuts down the K's just a bit, and harnesses that potential base stealing capabilities, we have our future lead-off hitter on our hands. Plus he plays a really important position in the current state of the Halos. If Kubtiza works out, looks like catcher, second base, and left field/DH will be the positions to watch next off-season. Last year was Richards, Shoemaker, Calhoun and Skaggs. This year it could be Heaney, Kutbitza, Tropeano and Bedrosian (I only say that because I could see Kubitza getting the call if Freese is hurt or ineffective against RHP again). 

[Docwaukee]

Keep the under-the-radar guys coming. He's only gotten better at every level of the minors and his numbers will only go up playing in Salt Lake. His OPS has gone .060-.070 points from every jump from A ball, to High-A, to AA. His OBP, average, and SLG % have gone up every level too. I think if he continues showing an increase in power (gap-to-gap and over the fence), cuts down the K's just a bit, and harnesses that potential base stealing capabilities, we have our future lead-off hitter on our hands. Plus he plays a really important position in the current state of the Halos. If Kubtiza works out, looks like catcher, second base, and left field/DH will be the positions to watch next off-season. Last year was Richards, Shoemaker, Calhoun and Skaggs. This year it could be Heaney, Kutbitza, Tropeano and Bedrosian (I only say that because I could see Kubitza getting the call if Freese is hurt or ineffective against RHP again). 

that's a good synopsis.  While I worry about Kubitza's hitchy swing a bit as I know it relates to his high K rate, it seems like something fixable with the proper instruction.  I think he's gonna be a beast at AAA this year which will further inflate our opinion of his ability but that .400 BABIP last year needs to come back to normal.  

 

I would also put Cron on the radar of who to watch for this year.  He's such an interesting player.  Of course his bb rate is cause for concern, but if he can come close to th 8% he put up at AAA, he's gonna be a beast.  His small sample of at bats from last year is so weird.  The guy swings at everything under the sun but managed crazy high line drive rates to the point that his .266 avg was actually quite unlucky.  I don't think his pitch recognition and zone management are as bad as people make it out to be.  He just knows he can get pretty good wood on a lot of pitches.  He seems like the ideal candidate to have advanced metrics help him.  

[ELEVEN]

Kubitza reads like a 3B version of Kotchman so far.

[Inside Pitch]

Kubitza reads like a 3B version of Kotchman so far.

 

I don't think he's got Kotch's hands, but he doesn't look anywhere near as mushy as he did either.

 

A lot has been made about Kubitza not having shown the power his body suggests to date but, some of that may be park and league tendencies.  The Braves AA park had HR indexes of 73 and 58 -- pretty brutal.  None of the parks he's played in has had a HR index close close to league -- the closest was his High A team that came in at 90.

 

I think some of the concerns may come from his not having lit up the Sally League when he was there.  That's a pretty hitter friendly circuit and he had his worst season as a pro there... but IMO its hard to argue with the steady improvement he's shown since then.

[wopphil]

I find Kubitza to be one of the team's most important prospects. Good third basemen are hard to find, especially for this organization. It will be great for the organization if he can develop into even just a league average player. And the huge improvements he has made the last two years make it fun to think about his potential ceiling.

[Glen]

As an Angels fan it's a bit difficult to get excited about a 3B prospect after the last decade or so, but eff it: I'm gonna be at least optimistic.  This dude will be better than David Freese, and ya know what?  That ain't bad.  I'll take it.

[nikkachez]

that's a good synopsis.  While I worry about Kubitza's hitchy swing a bit as I know it relates to his high K rate, it seems like something fixable with the proper instruction.  I think he's gonna be a beast at AAA this year which will further inflate our opinion of his ability but that .400 BABIP last year needs to come back to normal.  

 

I would also put Cron on the radar of who to watch for this year.  He's such an interesting player.  Of course his bb rate is cause for concern, but if he can come close to th 8% he put up at AAA, he's gonna be a beast.  His small sample of at bats from last year is so weird.  The guy swings at everything under the sun but managed crazy high line drive rates to the point that his .266 avg was actually quite unlucky.  I don't think his pitch recognition and zone management are as bad as people make it out to be.  He just knows he can get pretty good wood on a lot of pitches.  He seems like the ideal candidate to have advanced metrics help him.  

Guy swung at 40% of pitches outside the zone. He's definitely got bad pitch and plate recognition. 

[Second Base]

Guy swung at 40% of pitches outside the zone. He's definitely got bad pitch and plate recognition.

For a power hitter, he also has strong contact rates. There's a lot of power and progression in general that Cron is going to grow into. I'd give the kid a break, it was his first stint in the majors and while there were clear flaws, there was also a mountain of power that he showed. Even Trout struggled in his first go-around.

Doc's right, Cron might surprise some people real soon. I think becoming a .270 30 DB and 25+ HR hitter is certainly an attainable goal for him, though I do acknowledge that his lack of on base ability will make it that a .310 OBP will always be that one stat people bring up. And for good reason.

But similar to Trumbo, despite an inability to reach base, Cron isn't without value. In the power starved era we're in, he may hold considerable value.

[Adam]

I'm excited to see what Cron does this year. Kind of like playing with house money. The Angels don't need him to put up big numbers, but he definitely could and be a huge difference maker. 

[Docwaukee]

Guy swung at 40% of pitches outside the zone. He's definitely got bad pitch and plate recognition. 

his line drive rate says otherwise.  he was putting a lot of those ball on a line somewhere.  Granted, his walk rate really sucks, but I am not convinced this is because of poor pitch recognition as much as it is him thinking he can still hit ball out of the zone with authority.  At some point though, pitchers will learn and expand the zone even further.  

 

The more dangerous he becomes, the more he's gonna have to learn to lay off.  

 

They already throw him a disproportionately large number of breaking balls and he held his own.  

[KevinJ14]

For a power hitter, he also has strong contact rates. There's a lot of power and progression in general that Cron is going to grow into. I'd give the kid a break, it was his first stint in the majors and while there were clear flaws, there was also a mountain of power that he showed. Even Trout struggled in his first go-around.

Doc's right, Cron might surprise some people real soon. I think becoming a .270 30 DB and 25+ HR hitter is certainly an attainable goal for him, though I do acknowledge that his lack of on base ability will make it that a .310 OBP will always be that one stat people bring up. And for good reason.

But similar to Trumbo, despite an inability to reach base, Cron isn't without value. In the power starved era we're in, he may hold considerable value.

Could it be that his struggles are because of the lack of regular playing time? I would think so.

[Second Base]

Could it be that his struggles are because of the lack of regular playing time? I would think so.

I think that's part of the equation. Every young player needs everyday AB's to make adjustments and refine as players. Cron showed in the minors he isn't particularly interested in walking, but he also learned he can drive just about any pitch. It wasn't until the final month of AA, the AFL and AAA did he show any interest in laying off certain pitches. But I think once he got to the majors the game is going so fast that you react largely on instincts alone. As he grows and becomes more comfortable he'll slow everything down and start refining his approach at the plate.

He has soooooo many doubters on here which is understandable, but also short sighted. He went to the AFL and raked. He kept pace with Kris Bryant, who everyone says is going to be an all-star every year forever. Then he went to AAA and just wasn't challenged.

He still has adjustments to make, but I'm not sure he'll be able to make them in AAA or not. With Ham being down, Cron should get a good half season to show he can give the Angels what they need, which he will.

[Hollyw00d]

Poor man's Brandon wood

[Hollyw00d]

As an Angels fan it's a bit difficult to get excited about a 3B prospect after the last decade or so, but eff it: I'm gonna be at least optimistic.  This dude will be better than David Freese, and ya know what?  That ain't bad.  I'll take it.

I'd be shocked if he is

[tdawg87]

Poor man's Brandon wood

 

That doesn't even make sense.

[SoWhat]

Poor man's Brandon wood

What a shitty comparison. I hope you're joking

[Hollyw00d]

A near 25 year old at AA posting a 25+% strikeout percentage, very little power, and a BABIP more inflated than an ALB AWAD post?

Not impressed

[wopphil]

A near 25 year old at AA posting a 25+% strikeout percentage, very little power, and a BABIP more inflated than an ALB AWAD post?

Not impressed

Kubitza was 23, not 25 (he turned 24 in July, but it was considered his age 23 season). And he slugged .470 with an isolated slugging percentage of .175, in a pitcher's park. That isn't exactly punch and Judy.

[SoWhat]

Kubitza was 23, not 25 (he turned 24 in July, but it was considered his age 23 season). And he slugged .470 with an isolated slugging percentage of .175, in a pitcher's park. That isn't exactly punch and Judy.

 

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

Also, age is overrated in prospect analysis. 

[Hollyw00d]

Kubitza was 23, not 25 (he turned 24 in July, but it was considered his age 23 season). And he slugged .470 with an isolated slugging percentage of .175, in a pitcher's park. That isn't exactly punch and Judy.

All of that was artificially supported by his unsustainable BABIP.

Dude had 8 home runs in 500+ PAs

[Hollyw00d]

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

Also, age is overrated in prospect analysis.

Eh, not really.

There's a huge difference between a 22 year old and a 26 year old posting good numbers at AA.

[Second Base]

The only time age actually matters in prospect analysis is....

 

1. If there's a gap greater than four years between two minor leaguers.  Like a 28 year old vs a 24 year old. 

2. If you're comparing two prospects that are at the same level.  Like if your comparing a 26 year old in AAA vs a 20 year old.

 

Otherwise, throw those right out the window.  Nelson Cruz was a minor league journeyman before he really started juicing and burst onto the scene at age 28.  Calhoun was often overlooked due to his age, as was Shoemaker.  Kubitza and other collegiate seniors are receiving the same treatment.