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Bees who could be here by July


Hubs

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I like this Angels team as is, despite it's struggles at the plate outside of a few players early in the season. And I have confidence that most of the struggling players will figure it out and be productive members of the team.

 

But it is hard to ignore the early success of some players in AAA, despite the Bees awful record, who I think may be able to contribute this season, starting with:

 

Kyle Kubitza, 3B.

 

Kubitza is starting most of the time for the Bees, and has hit very well in limited action. Acquired in the offseason for promising young starting pitching prospect, Kubitza came from the Braves system. He didn't play in the California or Texas leagues as so many PCL players have, but his stats are more than him taking advantage and the pitchers not quite figuring it out yet. He certainly benefits from playing every day. And Freese has the spot locked up in Anaheim. Still, he's a left handed hitter who has a high OBP, which could mean he gets some AB's currently going to Navarro and Joyce if he's on the Major League Bench. His power is mostly doubles now, but remember SLC did install a humidifier to help combat the thin air this season. 

 

Carlos Perez and Jett Bandy, C.

 

Both Catchers are hitting well, though Perez has the majority of the starts. Iannetta isn't going anywhere, but he hasn't been hitting. And without a real threat to playing time, like Hank Conger was, Iannetta has caught the vast majority of games. Maybe he needs a day off or two a week. And Butera isn't getting the chances Conger was. I think Iannetta will still hit .250, but I think Perez could do that as well. Perez was also acquired in the offseason for Conger, from the Astros. For all intents and purposes he should be the backup C by July. Either C would take Butera's spot. They may have beaten him out if he had any minor league options left, but the Angels don't have a lot invested there.

 

Grant Green, 2B.

 

Green has been here before, but he is showing he has nothing left to prove in the minors. If not for Featherston's potential, Green may have won the backup INF job, but they also need defense from SS. Green has been getting most of the playing time in LF, which means he could be on the bench again instead of Navarro later in the season.

 

Of these guys, Kubitza is probably the least likely to come up early, as there aren't that many AB's for backup 3B to get. However, if Joyce struggles continue, he could also get some time as a DH. And his left handedness certainly helps. The Angels are very right handed, with only Joyce, Calhoun, Aybar and Navarro capable of hitting from the left side. If and When Hamilton returns, he'd likely start most days, so that would help, pushing Joyce to DH more often and putting CJ Cron in more of a platoon, or either back in AAA or further down the bench. 

 

I like having prospects in the upper minors who are nearly ready, something the Angels just haven't had lately. If you think about it, the only guys over the last five seasons who have come up from the upper minors and contributed consistently from a hitting standpoint are Trumbo in 2011, Trout in 2012 (obviously), and Calhoun in 2013. Cron has yet to break through, but is close. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kubitza, Perez, Bandy, Green, Rutledge, Robertson, Tropeano, Heaney, and Snodgress are all candidates. It's nice having some actual prospects in the upper minors. Probably a couple guys who could jump AAA all together and go to the bigs (Johnson, Hinshaw, Smith, DeLoach and a number of the pen arms-- Gott, Hyatt, Santos, Reynolds). 

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Kubitza, Perez, Bandy, Green, Rutledge, Robertson, Tropeano, Heaney, and Snodgress are all candidates. It's nice having some actual prospects in the upper minors. Probably a couple guys who could jump AAA all together and go to the bigs (Johnson, Hinshaw, Smith, DeLoach and a number of the pen arms-- Gott, Hyatt, Santos, Reynolds).

IMO, the only players who have a chance of skipping AAA and jumping straight into the bigs would be Gott and Smith. Edited by SoWhat
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