Updated Top 30 Prospects

[Second Base]

That top 10 is downright sexy.  Tons of upside.  If this were the Yankees, we'd have seven prospects in the Top 100.

• 1. OF Jo Adell - Rookie Ball (18)
• 2. OF Jahmai Jones - Advanced A Ball (20)
• 3. OF Brandon Marsh - Rookie Ball (19)
• 4. SS Kevin Maitan - Rookie Ball (17)
• 5. RHP Jaime Barria - AAA (20)
• 6. RHP Griffin Canning - DNP (21)
• 7. 1B Matt Thaiss - AA (22)
• 8. RHP Chris Rodriguez - A Ball (18)
• 9. OF Michael Hermosillo - AAA (22)
• 10. OF Trent Deveaux - DNP (17)
• 11. C Taylor Ward - AA (23)
• 12. IF Leo Rivas - A Ball (19)
• 13. RHP Jesus Castillo - AA (21)
• 14. IF David Fletcher - AAA (23)
• 15. RHP Jake Jewell - AA (24)
• 16. RHP Jose Soriano - Rookie Ball (18)
• 17. LHP Jose Suarez - A Ball (19)
• 18. OF Brennon Lund - AA (22)
• 19. OF Jacob Pearson - Rookie Ball (19)
• 20. RHP Eduardo Paredes - MLB (22)
• 21. RHP Cole Duensing  - Rookie Ball (19)
• 22. IF Nonie Williams - Rookie Ball (19)
• 23. OF D'Shawn Knowles - DNP (16)
• 24. OF Torii Hunter Jr. - Rookie Ball (22)
• 25. OF Troy Montgomery - AA (22)
• 26. RHP Luis Pena - AA (21)
• 27. IF Julio Garcia - Rookie Ball (19)
• 28. LHP Jerryell Rivera - Rookie Ball (18)
• 29. RHP Joe Gatto - Advanced A Ball (22)
• 30. OF Jonah Todd - A Ball (21)

[KDWells]

Its a good feeling to look at a top 30 prospects list for the Angels and feel something other than abject sadness.

[krAbs]

I love the thought that we could have Jo Adell, Jahmai Jones, Brandon Marsh, and Kevin Maitan all hitting within about a year of each other, suddenly flooding our team with young talent. If we build the team properly to be ready for that, it could be pretty exciting.

[Second Base]

20 minutes ago, krAbs said:

I love the thought that we could have Jo Adell, Jahmai Jones, Brandon Marsh, and Kevin Maitan all hitting within about a year of each other, suddenly flooding our team with young talent. If we build the team properly to be ready for that, it could be pretty exciting.

Just imagine for a second that Trout re-ups with the Angels too.  Trout, Jones and Adell in the outfield.  Marsh moves to 1B, Maitan at 3B, Ohtani at DH.  That's a whole lotta hitters. 

[krAbs]

Just now, Scotty@AW said:

Just imagine for a second that Trout re-ups with the Angels too.  Trout, Jones and Adell in the outfield.  Marsh moves to 1B, Maitan at 3B, Ohtani at DH.  That's a whole lotta hitters. 

I almost feel like we are putting together a "wave" generation. They move up through the minors as a unit, consisting of like half of each team they get to, until they all hit the majors.

[Second Base]

2 minutes ago, krAbs said:

I almost feel like we are putting together a "wave" generation. They move up through the minors as a unit, consisting of like half of each team they get to, until they all hit the majors.

It's nice if that happens but I just don't think it works like that.  Every player develops at a different pace, and every player has different player in front of them, which sometimes forces organizations to keep a prospect down longer.  And with as many trade scenarios as teams explore, prospects are also frequently dealt as currency for major leaguers. 

So while we have Thaiss, Hermosillo, Jones, Adell, Marsh, Maitan and Torii Hunter Jr. all arriving within a couple years of one another, it's likely that a couple of them are dealt, a couple fail to make the adjustments, and a couple make it to the major leagues, and a couple turn into really successful major leaguers. 

[Dave Saltzer]

So, now we get to have a discussion on where to rank Livan Soto. Let the discussion begin. 

[VariousCrap]

1 hour ago, Scotty@AW said:

That top 10 is downright sexy.  Tons of upside.  If this were the Yankees, we'd have seven prospects in the Top 100.

 

So, does this mean the Angels have a better farm system than what they get credit for? 

[Second Base]

48 minutes ago, Dave Saltzer said:

So, now we get to have a discussion on where to rank Livan Soto. Let the discussion begin. 

I'd probably slot him around 30th.  

[Second Base]

9 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

 

So, does this mean the Angels have a better farm system than what they credit for? 

A combination of the Yankees farm system not being anywhere near as good as they've been given credit for, and the Angels fair not being nearly as bad as they've been pegged.

 And I don't think this is necessarily any individual entity's fault.  It's a narrative that was created a few years back, and the prospect world is one where one site copies what another has and passes it off as their own work.  It's hard to know about all the prospects in one organization.  So many assumptions are made.  The logic is basically,  "I read in multiple places that the Angels farm system is bad, and they have Jahmai Jones, and clearly he can't be very good if I've never heard of him, he's not on a Top 100 list and he comes from the Angels."

Jahmai Jones is a Top 50 prospect in a fair world. 

[John Smith]

Jeff Fletcher‏Verified account @JeffFletcherOCR

 

 

Hearing Livan Soto may not be a top 10 prospect for the #Angels, but at worst in the first group just outside of that.

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, John Smith said:

Jeff Fletcher‏Verified account @JeffFletcherOCR

 

 

Hearing Livan Soto may not be a top 10 prospect for the #Angels, but at worst in the first group just outside of that.

He must be better defensively or have a greater upside than I realize.

[Dave Saltzer]

8 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

He must be better defensively or have a greater upside than I realize.

He is that good defensively according to what I know, but it's also going to depend on how the bat develops. I was thinking of slotting him in at 15. He might be better than Fletcher defensively, but he's also a lot further away than him. Since I lean a bit on proximity, I'd put Fletcher above him now, knowing that he could develop and move up in the rankings in the future.

[John Smith]

Ranking The Ex-Braves Who Have Been Granted Free Agency

3. Livan Soto, SS
Soto carries plenty of projection as he's a wiry, quick twitch shortstop with a plus arm. Multiple scouts who saw him this year said they believe he's a true shortstop who could be a plus defender and his bat was more advanced than expected.

https://www.baseballamerica.com/international/ranking-braves-prospects-granted-free-agency/

[Second Base]

10 minutes ago, Dave Saltzer said:

He is that good defensively according to what I know, but it's also going to depend on how the bat develops. I was thinking of slotting him in at 15. He might be better than Fletcher defensively, but he's also a lot further away than him. Since I lean a bit on proximity, I'd put Fletcher above him now, knowing that he could develop and move up in the rankings in the future.

Looking over our list, and after reading the post @John Smith shared, I'm thinking 20 would be a good spot for him.

[totdprods]

Maitan and Soto both being 17-year old Venezuelan middle infielders can only help too. Gives them someone to grow with, sort of like when....crap, was it Segura and Callaspo? After Aybar? Amarista? were coming up together. 

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Scotty@AW said:

Looking over our list, and after reading the post @John Smith shared, I'm thinking 20 would be a good spot for him.

I am sure the Angels would rank him higher than that. They gave him $850,000.

[Second Base]

14 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I am sure the Angels would rank him higher than that. They gave him $850,000.

Then I suppose it's fortunate for them that I am not under their employment. But because you're sure, I'll keep digging and try to convince myself he needs to be higher.

[Dave Saltzer]

1 minute ago, Scotty@AW said:

Then I suppose it's fortunate for them that I am not under their employment. But because you're sure, I'll keep digging and try to convince myself he needs to be higher.

I think 15 is a good spot for him on our list. Again, I think he can and hope that he does grow from there, but it's really all about how that bat plays up. I don't see, and haven't been told that there's much room for power to develop, so, he needs to be a plus defender and have above average hit tools. What stood out in his debut was his BB:K ratio, and the number of walks that he took as well as the defensive instincts that he showed. 

[Docwaukee]

4 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

A combination of the Yankees farm system not being anywhere near as good as they've been given credit for, and the Angels fair not being nearly as bad as they've been pegged.

 And I don't think this is necessarily any individual entity's fault.  It's a narrative that was created a few years back, and the prospect world is one where one site copies what another has and passes it off as their own work.  It's hard to know about all the prospects in one organization.  So many assumptions are made.  The logic is basically,  "I read in multiple places that the Angels farm system is bad, and they have Jahmai Jones, and clearly he can't be very good if I've never heard of him, he's not on a Top 100 list and he comes from the Angels."

Jahmai Jones is a Top 50 prospect in a fair world. 

that's aggressive thinking but I like it.  At the end of the day, I think he's in the same pool of players from 50 to 150 that include Maitan, Adell, Marsh, Barria, Rodriguez and maybe even Thaiss and Canning.  That also doesn't factor in the international group we've added over the last few years that no one knows about.  

A couple more solid adds and we're creeping into the top 15 overall.  We won't get that kind of props though but shhhhhhh.  Let them underestimate us.  

[Jeff Fletcher]

7 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

Then I suppose it's fortunate for them that I am not under their employment. But because you're sure, I'll keep digging and try to convince myself he needs to be higher.

Also, it was an independent prospect ranking guy who told me he’d put him around 9-13.

[Second Base]

Updated top 30

• OF Jo Adell - Rookie Ball (18)
• 2. OF Jahmai Jones - Advanced A Ball (20)
• 3. OF Brandon Marsh - Rookie Ball (19)
• 4. SS Kevin Maitan - Rookie Ball (17)
• 5. RHP Jaime Barria - AAA (20)
• 6. RHP Griffin Canning - DNP (21)
• 7. 1B Matt Thaiss - AA (22)
• 8. RHP Chris Rodriguez - A Ball (18)
• 9. OF Michael Hermosillo - AAA (22)
• 10. OF Trent Deveaux - DNP (17)
• 11. C Taylor Ward - AA (23)
• 12. IF Leo Rivas - A Ball (19)
• 13. RHP Jesus Castillo - AA (21)
• 14. IF David Fletcher - AAA (23)
• 15. RHP Jake Jewell - AA (24)
• 16. RHP Jose Soriano - Rookie Ball (18)
• 17. SS Livan Soto - Rookie Ball (17)
• 18. LHP Jose Suarez - A Ball (19)
• 19. OF Brennon Lund - AA (22)
• 20. OF Jacob Pearson - Rookie Ball (19)
• 21. RHP Eduardo Paredes - MLB (22)
• 22. RHP Cole Duensing  - Rookie Ball (19)
• 23. IF Nonie Williams - Rookie Ball (19)
• 24.  OF D'Shawn Knowles - DNP (16)
• 25. OF Torii Hunter Jr. - Rookie Ball (22)
• 26. OF Troy Montgomery - AA (22)
• 27. RHP Luis Pena - AA (21)
• 28. IF Julio Garcia - Rookie Ball (19)
• 29. LHP Jerryell Rivera - Rookie Ball (18)
• 30. RHP Joe Gatto - Advanced A Ball (22)

[Dave Saltzer]

Hey, here's an idea . . . Let's sign ANOTHER Braves prospect today so we can redo the list again. Wouldn't that be fun?

[Dick B Back]

Poor Junior keeps getting knocked down the ladder by some 17 year olds with non-traceable bloodlines. We'll see how that works out.

[ukyah]

17 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

It's nice if that happens but I just don't think it works like that.  Every player develops at a different pace, and every player has different player in front of them, which sometimes forces organizations to keep a prospect down longer.  And with as many trade scenarios as teams explore, prospects are also frequently dealt as currency for major leaguers. 

So while we have Thaiss, Hermosillo, Jones, Adell, Marsh, Maitan and Torii Hunter Jr. all arriving within a couple years of one another, it's likely that a couple of them are dealt, a couple fail to make the adjustments, and a couple make it to the major leagues, and a couple turn into really successful major leaguers. 

the royals did it, but there is always attrition.