BA 2018 Angels Top 10 Prospects

[Angelsjunky]

@Dochalo, I agree that both Thaiss and Ward will be major leaguers, just that they've dropped a hair in terms of their prospect status. Ward came down to earth after that great first exposure after being drafted, but has actually built himself up again. As you say, if we ignore where he was drafted he's a solid prospect: probably a future average starting catcher or very good platoon catcher.

Thaiss could also be a solid big league regular. I'm just a bit disappointed that he hasn't taken off as a hitter. I'm getting memories of Cron - a bat-first college hitter who was supposed to mash in the minors and reach the majors quickly. I think Thaiss will be better than Cron and even have a few years in the 110-120 wRC+ range, but still think his prospect stock has dropped a tiny bit.

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, Angelsjunky said:

@Dochalo, I agree that both Thaiss and Ward will be major leaguers, just that they've dropped a hair in terms of their prospect status. Ward came down to earth after that great first exposure after being drafted, but has actually built himself up again. As you say, if we ignore where he was drafted he's a solid prospect: probably a future average starting catcher or very good platoon catcher.

Thaiss could also be a solid big league regular. I'm just a bit disappointed that he hasn't taken off as a hitter. I'm getting memories of Cron - a bat-first college hitter who was supposed to mash in the minors and reach the majors quickly. I think Thaiss will be better than Cron and even have a few years in the 110-120 wRC+ range, but still think his prospect stock has dropped a tiny bit.

I'm always leery of scouting reports on kids from the East coast, especially collegiate players. We figured Thaiss would explode because his home field was very pitcher friendly, but simply didn't take into account that collegiate teams back east are very hit or miss. 

Out west, you can take these smaller, seemingly random colleges like Loyola Marymount or Fullerton and match them against schools several times their size with ten times the budget and collegiate teams out west would still win.

There just aren't any easy games out here. Every school has talent. 

Thaiss is a better player right now than he was a year or two ago. He's bigger, stronger, faster...just better. The only reason his star has faded a bit is because he's playing against the top competition in the world.

[totdprods]

I'd just be happy if Thaiss can turn into (at least) a league minimum version of Cron that hits left-handed and can play better 1B and at least one COF position. Something like a .270/.330/.420/.750 110 OPS+ for his first year or two would be fine.

Another perspective is seeing Thaiss' skills replacing what Calhoun offers, assuming Jones or Herm start pushing Kole out within the next year or two. Instead of relegating Calhoun to a sub OF/1B-type, Thaiss can offer the same production on the cheap.

[Warfarin]

10 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I'd just be happy if Thaiss can turn into (at least) a league minimum version of Cron that hits left-handed and can play better 1B and at least one COF position. Something like a .270/.330/.420/.750 110 OPS+ for his first year or two would be fine.

Another perspective is seeing Thaiss' skills replacing what Calhoun offers, assuming Jones or Herm start pushing Kole out within the next year or two. Instead of relegating Calhoun to a sub OF/1B-type, Thaiss can offer the same production on the cheap.

Thasis is someone I can see being of value to us during his first few years, earning the minimum.  However, unless he suddenly discovers significant pop (20+HRs), he'll start becoming a liability once he becomes arbitration-eligible.  That said, on a team like ours who will be toeing the luxury tax level for years, he'll definitely be an asset for at least the first three cost-controlled years, maybe even the 4th (first arbitration year).  He'll be a cost-effective stopgap during the end of the Pujols luxury-tax albatross years.

[Second Base]

18 minutes ago, totdprods said:

I'd just be happy if Thaiss can turn into (at least) a league minimum version of Cron that hits left-handed and can play better 1B and at least one COF position. Something like a .270/.330/.420/.750 110 OPS+ for his first year or two would be fine.

Another perspective is seeing Thaiss' skills replacing what Calhoun offers, assuming Jones or Herm start pushing Kole out within the next year or two. Instead of relegating Calhoun to a sub OF/1B-type, Thaiss can offer the same production on the cheap.

Cron...I dunno what to say, I guess every scout in the country missed on him. He had great plate discipline in college and being as big of a boy as he is, offered so much power. Once he went pro...he lost all that strike zone judgment, and we discovered that all that power was concentrated to certain parts of the zone. We also thought he'd learn 1B a lot quicker than he did. But his saving grace ended up being his contact ability, that and he finally learned how to field a ground ball once he reached the majors.

Cron is a hitter with 40+ HR power that will likely never hit more than 25. That's what happens when you don't force pitchers to throw the ball you want.

Thaiss won't have that problem. He's not only a better hitter than Cron, he has an advanced feel for the strike zone. He's also worked harder than CJ in terms of weight training and nutrition. Thaiss hasn't fully grown into his power yet, but he will.

On the one hand you have Cron who over a full season would hit .275/.320 30 DB 25 HR. Then we have Thaiss who will likely hit .280/.370 40 DB 20 HR. 

I take the one that gets on base 5% more frequently and has shown a blue collar work ethic you hoped for when drafting him.

Thaiss will be better than Cron.