The Official Los Angeles Angels 2017 Minor League Statlines & Prospects thread

[eaterfan]

2 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Pretty solid campaign so far for Hermosillo. 

He started the year in High-A, promoted to Double-A after a month, then to Triple-A with one month left in the season. 

He's definitely had a solid season. I just meant I don't think this was a reaction to him hitting .500 with 3 HRs in a week and them promoting him because of that. I think that's a good thing.

[ettin]

23 hours ago, eaterfan said:

This whole thread is really counting chickens.

Go through any to 100 list and see how many guys in that list have become average regulars (2-3 WAR/season). Any guess on what the percentage is? If I had to guess it's 50% give or take 10%. It's lower for guys not in the to 100. I'm not saying these guys aren't talented but there's so much uncertainty with all 4 of them that it's probably not best to be making MLB decisions based on their potential.

Personally I am not counting on them but I do think that one of the trio of Adell, Jones, and Marsh will turn into an OF solution for us by 2020. If more than one of them does then fantastic that is good for us. Prospects flame out and regress all the time even if they are top picks.

[ettin]

6 hours ago, totdprods said:

Power is last tool to develop. I'm encouraged that both seem to show a pretty good eye at the plate. Thaiss' contact skills are already pretty solid. Ward may not put the ball in play enough but he's drawing a ton of walks. I'm happy with where both are at for now.

I would point out that a 1B doesn't have to be a power guy either. If Thaiss turns into more of a Matt Carpenter type hitting lots of singles and doubles he'll still post a solid wRC+ in all likelihood. Just saying it doesn't have to be a power guy.

[John Smith]

 

1.  

   Salt Lake Bees‏Verified account @SaltLakeBees  16m16 minutes ago

    

   The Bees have added OF Michael Hermosillo, P Brandon Pinder, P Brooks Pounders, INF/OF Nick Franklin and P Andrew Bailey to the roster

    

   Taylor Blake Ward‏ @TaylorBlakeWard  2m2 minutes ago

    

   #Angels have signed RHP Branden Pinder - 28-year-old from Corona had 2.93 ERA in 27.2 IP with Yankees in 2015, Tommy John in '16

[Docwaukee]

Mike Hermosillo was progressively improving at AA after a horrible start.  After his first 80 or so PA in which he hit like .140, he's had and ops over .800.  In his last 140 PA, he's had an ops of .866 and he's hit 3 of his 4 hrs.  He walks at a greater than 10% clip and his xbh rate is going up so he's squaring things up.  

He doesn't even turn 23 till Jan of next year.    

[NachoPop]

2 hours ago, ettin said:

I would point out that a 1B doesn't have to be a power guy either. If Thaiss turns into more of a Matt Carpenter type hitting lots of singles and doubles he'll still post a solid wRC+ in all likelihood. Just saying it doesn't have to be a power guy.

Are they likely to try Thaiss out at any other fielding positions at any point? I recall reading something some time back but can't remember the context.

[totdprods]

2 hours ago, ettin said:

I would point out that a 1B doesn't have to be a power guy either. If Thaiss turns into more of a Matt Carpenter type hitting lots of singles and doubles he'll still post a solid wRC+ in all likelihood. Just saying it doesn't have to be a power guy.

He just needs to be a hitter period. We're lacking those. If he can break in with an OPS between .700-.800, that's huge. If he can evolve into an .850+ guy, all the better. Whether he attains that OPS through great plate discipline and a high OBP, or slugging a ton of doubles, or a well-rounded blend of contact, discipline, and power, it doesn't really matter to me. Same goes for Hermosillo really. I can see his offensive ceiling breaking out in a number of different ways, but any avenue at this point would be big.

[ettin]

11 minutes ago, NachoPop said:

Are they likely to try Thaiss out at any other fielding positions at any point? I recall reading something some time back but can't remember the context.

His B-Ref page only shows him playing 1B. I think some other board members here have suggested he could move to another spot but the Angels seem determined to have him focus on his hitting first and defense second by placing him at 1B.

In the end your guess is as good as mine about other fielding positions. This off-season may give us insight into what the Angels do next with him because if they go out and find a 1B bat like Belt or Freeman for instance they may pivot on Thaiss and either trade him or start having him play in the OF or perhaps at 3B or 2B (or heck even have him go back to catching).

[totdprods]

It's really exciting knowing that Salt Lake City will actually have a legit stable of prospects for us to call upon next year. We haven't had that in years. Honestly, it's been almost a decade. We've had a big prospect or two in that time, but I can't remember the last time we actually had a handful of different prospects to follow in AAA. 

2018's Bees should/could include...
Hermosillo, Fletcher, Cowart, Graterol, Fontana, Bridwell, Middleton, Paredes, Hofacket, Tropeano, Smith, Scribner, and Long.

It's not a stretch to imagine Thaiss, Ward, Lund, Montgomery, Barria, Rojas, Lillis-White all making it into Salt Lake at some time next year either. 

One possibly troubling item - we have a ton of guys who will be out of options next year. 
Pitchers: Ramirez, Skaggs, Parker, Bedrosian, Heaney, Meyer, Morin, Guerra, and Alvarez
Hitters: Cron, Marte, and Perez

The next two months are big for those guys' future with the club. Obviously for a few of them, the choice is very simple, but a few of them have needed the SLC reboots quite a bit recently, and they'll have to take their lumps in the bigs next year as a result.

[John Smith]

RHP Jesus Castillo assigned to Mobile BayBears from Inland Empire 66ers.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=111&sid=t417

[John Smith]

RHP Joe Gatto assigned to Inland Empire 66ers from Burlington Bees.

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=110&sid=t401

[Second Base]

Man, i take one day away from minor league baseball and all this happens. 

[NachoPop]

4 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Man, i take one day away from minor league baseball and all this happens. 

So it's YOUR fault then!

[HaloNArizona]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

It's really exciting knowing that Salt Lake City will actually have a legit stable of prospects for us to call upon next year. We haven't had that in years. Honestly, it's been almost a decade. We've had a big prospect or two in that time, but I can't remember the last time we actually had a handful of different prospects to follow in AAA. 

2018's Bees should/could include...
Hermosillo, Fletcher, Cowart, Graterol, Fontana, Bridwell, Middleton, Paredes, Hofacket, Tropeano, Smith, Scribner, and Long.

It's not a stretch to imagine Thaiss, Ward, Lund, Montgomery, Barria, Rojas, Lillis-White all making it into Salt Lake at some time next year either. 

One possibly troubling item - we have a ton of guys who will be out of options next year. 
Pitchers: Ramirez, Skaggs, Parker, Bedrosian, Heaney, Meyer, Morin, Guerra, and Alvarez
Hitters: Cron, Marte, and Perez

The next two months are big for those guys' future with the club. Obviously for a few of them, the choice is very simple, but a few of them have needed the SLC reboots quite a bit recently, and they'll have to take their lumps in the bigs next year as a result.

To me, this is not as big of a problem..

 

Skaggs, Parket Bedrosian, heaney and Meyer will all be on the 25 man roster, nobody wants Morin or Alvarez.

CJ and Perez will be on the 25 man roster sans a trade.  Marte will sign a minor leauge contract somewhere.

Problem solved.

[totdprods]

9 minutes ago, HaloNArizona said:

To me, this is not as big of a problem..

Skaggs, Parket Bedrosian, heaney and Meyer will all be on the 25 man roster, nobody wants Morin or Alvarez.

CJ and Perez will be on the 25 man roster sans a trade.  Marte will sign a minor leauge contract somewhere.

Problem solved.

Sure it's easy to make those calls now - in a vacuum, a lot of those decisions are no brainers, but the point is our roster flexibility takes a major dive next year, and that dominoes the depth significantly.

What if Parker Bridwell and JC Ramirez actually finish the year as our best two starters? You only have three rotation spots now for the out of options Meyer, Heaney, and Skaggs. Do you put Bridwell in AAA to start the year? Ramirez in the pen? This inflexibility sort of forces your hand. Where do you put Richards and Shoemaker now? You can't send Meyer down to work on his mechanics next season if he starts walking everyone. You have to keep those guys up and let them take their lumps, even if someone like Tropeano or Bridwell are dominating SLC. It's especially important for Heaney, Skaggs, and Meyer to work off any injury rust this year and not next fall. 

Its why you see guys like Morin and Alvarez make opening day bullpens even if they're not the best option. If you lose that filler, all of the sudden your minor league pen depth becomes the Justin Millers and other minor league FA RPs of the world. 

Obviously, Kaleb Cowart is making his situation very easy to call right now. He's killing it. But if he's slipping back to earth by end of season, and guys like Cron (who had been red-hot since his recall) and Marte (who has been killing it in SLC since his demotion) end the year strong, do you take advantage of Cowart's options and start him in SLC in '18 and move forward with guys like Marte and Cron to avoid losing them?

A lot can change the next two months, and a lot will change during the offseason, but what won't change is the fact we have a number of key players who will literally be in a do or die position next season because of the numbers game.

[stormngt]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

It's really exciting knowing that Salt Lake City will actually have a legit stable of prospects for us to call upon next year. We haven't had that in years. Honestly, it's been almost a decade. We've had a big prospect or two in that time, but I can't remember the last time we actually had a handful of different prospects to follow in AAA. 

2018's Bees should/could include...
Hermosillo, Fletcher, Cowart, Graterol, Fontana, Bridwell, Middleton, Paredes, Hofacket, Tropeano, Smith, Scribner, and Long.

It's not a stretch to imagine Thaiss, Ward, Lund, Montgomery, Barria, Rojas, Lillis-White all making it into Salt Lake at some time next year either. 

One possibly troubling item - we have a ton of guys who will be out of options next year. 
Pitchers: Ramirez, Skaggs, Parker, Bedrosian, Heaney, Meyer, Morin, Guerra, and Alvarez
Hitters: Cron, Marte, and Perez

The next two months are big for those guys' future with the club. Obviously for a few of them, the choice is very simple, but a few of them have needed the SLC reboots quite a bit recently, and they'll have to take their lumps in the bigs next year as a result.

Baring a collapse the last two months I will be really pissed if either Cowart or Bridwell is in AS A next year.

[totdprods]

7 minutes ago, stormngt said:

Baring a collapse the last two months I will be really pissed if either Cowart or Bridwell is in AS A next year.

That's why out of options players can really muck up a roster. It happens all the time, and we're going into '18 with a number of key players who have that status attached. It could all work out and not be a problem in any way, but anytime there's a roster quirk so absolute as this, there's potential for some tricky roster play. Especially with so many players who have legitimate upside, even moreso when the farm is still on the thin side in the upper levels.

[Angelsjunky]

Cowart will be on the big league club next year, either as the starting 2B or 3B, or possibly some kind of platoon.

Bridwell is earning a rotation spot, but is also gaining a bit of trade value. He's like #6 or 7 on next year's rotation depth chart and chances are one or two of the guys ahead of him won't be in the Opening Day rotation, so I see him pencilled in as the #5 starter -- unless the Angels sign a starter, which is quite possible. 

[totdprods]

9 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Cowart will be on the big league club next year, either as the starting 2B or 3B, or possibly some kind of platoon.

Bridwell is earning a rotation spot, but is also gaining a bit of trade value. He's like #6 or 7 on next year's rotation depth chart and chances are one or two of the guys ahead of him won't be in the Opening Day rotation, so I see him pencilled in as the #5 starter -- unless the Angels sign a starter, which is quite possible. 

I think we're going to see a few guys stashed in the pen too. Guys will have innings-limits, and having an excess SP or two working out of the pen will limit innings and save health for both starter and reliever. Ramirez, Bridwell, Meyer, and Tropeano all look like logical guys to slot into relief roles, but all of them have also proved rotation success. 

Our pen will still be young, green, and a little fragile next year too. Any regression from Parker or a major injury/struggles to Bedrosian or Middleton and the pen immediately takes a big blow. 

[Second Base]

My takes on the promotions...

I don't think it would hurt the team  if Hermosillo was starting in LF in Anaheim right now.

I love that Castillo is in AA. He belonged there back in April or May. Future #4 starter as is, but still has physical maturing left in him. He could turn into a mid rotation starter in short order.

Lund should've been in AA a while ago. His numbers in Advanced A Ball were ridiculous.

I want to see Marsh and Adell in Burlington, but something tells me I won't get what I want.

Leo Rivas should be major league ready by 22. He'll be a Maicer Izturis type.

Also, Joe Gatto is a different pitcher this year. He's an early round pick with a firm fastball, good curve and improved feel for a change up. He's also learned that living on the corner is better than the middle of the plate.

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

I think we're going to see a few guys stashed in the pen too. Guys will have innings-limits, and having an excess SP or two working out of the pen will limit innings and save health for both starter and reliever. Ramirez, Bridwell, Meyer, and Tropeano all look like logical guys to slot into relief roles, but all of them have also proved rotation success. 

Our pen will still be young, green, and a little fragile next year too. Any regression from Parker or a major injury/struggles to Bedrosian or Middleton and the pen immediately takes a big blow. 

I think the biggest snub will be either Tropeano or Meyer being stuck in AAA next year. Both of those guys have a big future.

[Angelsjunky]

I can't see the Angels keeping Meyer in AAA, unless he struggles with his command. Trope needs a year to get his form back and will get his chances to spot start in the majors; I could also see him ending up in the pen.

 

[totdprods]

I don't think Meyer can be in AAA next year, @Angelsjunky and @Scotty@AW. It looks like he will be out of options. 

[ettin]

1 hour ago, totdprods said:

I don't think Meyer can be in AAA next year, @Angelsjunky and @Scotty@AW. It looks like he will be out of options. 

According to Roster Resource he still has one option left. @Jeff Fletcher do you know if Meyer still has that last option for 2018?

[Docwaukee]

If Meyer keeps getting shoulder issues as a starter, then they need to convert him to a reliever.