The Official 2019 Minor League Statline and Prospect Discussion Thread

[Angelsjunky]

As a general rule, I don't think you draft college hitters in the first round, unless they're stellar - and those guys often go in the top 5-10 picks. The Thaiss/Cron types are guys that really should wait until the 2nd round to draft...the Angels had no business drafting either one when they did (or Ward, for that matter). 

[Second Base]

4 hours ago, Dochalo said:

with all due respect Scotty, Matt Thaiss has been a major disappointment so far in my opinion.  

Didn't mean it any other way. He's been tremendously disappointing so far this year, and to an extent, since signing. I expected him him to be a major leaguer by now. Unrealistic or not, that's how fast a bat first college player should climb. Cron is better in the majors than he was in the minors and I think Thaiss will be too. But I've adjusted my expectations from starting 1B to platoon bat. 

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

As a general rule, I don't think you draft college hitters in the first round, unless they're stellar - and those guys often go in the top 5-10 picks. The Thaiss/Cron types are guys that really should wait until the 2nd round to draft...the Angels had no business drafting either one when they did (or Ward, for that matter). 

I'm with you on this one. But I think college players with as much success as they had needed to be debuting in the majors in two years. Otherwise, why take the limited upside of most college players early on when you still need to wait three years for it? Why not gamble on the higher upside of a prep player that will only take a year or two longer?

I'm glad Cron has found his niche, but his climb through the minors took too long, and the Angels kept shuttling him back and forth. Thaiss, again,  I think his ascent has been too slow. Hopefully Wilson proves otherwise. He seems to have a short path to the ball, and can add considerably more defensive value than either Cron or Thaiss.

But general rule of thumb, I agree with you. Those guys should be 2nd round picks if they're still on the board. Our most successful draft picks of the last decade have either been prep players taken in the first round or kids that could have gone first round. Trout, Adell, Marsh, Adams... So unless it's an Andrew Vaughn type that will be ready to hit .300 with 30 HR's in less than three years, don't pick them early.

[Second Base]

Jordyn Adans has the highest batting average in the Burlington lineup at .233, which just illustrates how putrid that offense had been. Also,  Soriano goes 5 scores, ERA is down to 2.48. Locates well at 94, shows no problem just up above 96.

Get him a uniform. In fact, give him Harvey's, he got absolutely obliterated in his rehab start tonight. 

[UndertheHalo]

Jordyn Adams last month or so has been really encouraging.  

[GrittyVeterans]

I’m really excited about Soriano

[tchula]

12 hours ago, Second Base said:

Cron and Thaiss is an interesting case study.  Both catchers in college, drafted as 1B. 

If I'm guessing, yeah, someone might've said that about Cron.  I mean he hit over .400 with power for two years in a row at Utah before being drafted, the last of which he has more BB than K's.  That's still a great mystery where that plate discipline went.  I suppose we all should've seen the learning curve coming, I mean it's Utah, higher elevation and Cron's BABIP in college was over .400.  No way that's sustainable.  But I guess if I'm being fair, Cron was major league ready three years after being drafted and has gone on to be a productive starting 1B in the major leagues, just like we all thought when he was picked.  It just took longer than expected, though I suppose the Angels have no one to blame but themselves on that one.  They forced him to platoon and ride the Salt Lake to Anaheim express for FOUR years.  It's no coincidence that as soon as he left the Angels he turned into a 30 HR hitter.  

Sometimes major league front offices and managers just need to get out of their own way and play a guy to find out if he's got what it takes.  The Angels never gave him that shot. 

As for Matt Thaiss, I don't think anyone was saying that.  His numbers for Virginia were good, but because he was being moved away from catcher, the big question was if he'd hit enough to warrant being a major league first baseman like the Angels were exploring.  Folks were split on that outcome.  It was either a wasted pick or a savvy pick depending on who you asked.  But the motivation behind the two picks was different.  Cron was looked at as a quick rising franchise cornerstone, which he never became (again, probably not his fault).   Thaiss though, he was an over-draft who signed for an under-slot bonus so that the Angels could pick someone with higher upside in the second and third rounds.  This is Matt's third year since being drafted, so he appears to be on the same timeline as Cron was.  Thaiss has shown much better plate discipline than Cron ever did, but not the power, same contact ability though.  I think the difference here is that Cron's power was enough to keep him at 1b long term, whereas Thaiss has shown the athleticism to be able to shift across the diamond to third base. 

Cron has ended up being what I'd consider a .260/.320 30 HR hitting 1B.  Not an all-star or anything, but good enough to carve out a starting role.  Thaiss will end up being more of a .270/.340 15 HR hitting 1B/3B.  Probably not enough to carve out a permanent role at either position, but enough to carve out a role as a major leaguer.  Production wise, he's probably similar to Tommy La Stella (before this year) but with more power.   

Now how this directs our view of Wilson, I can't answer.  I think if you were to take a consensus, we'd probably all agree that Wilson has as much, if not more power than Thaiss, and likely similar contact ability and plate discipline.  The difference here would be that Wilson will either end up being an average shortstop or a very good defensive second baseman.  Those numbers at SS/2B are solid.  At 1B/3B, understandably, not so much. 

That's a well thought out post Scotty.  I really thought Thaiss was going to explode after this Spring.  I thought it was a big mistake to sign Justin Bour.  I thought Thaiss should have been given that opportunity to platoon with Albert and play the occasional DH.  Thaiss though has regressed at Salt Lake.  I haven't quite given up on him yet ... there is no telling why his average has dropped.  I am concerned pitchers know how to work him better, and if that is the case, it will only get much worse in the majors.   Nevertheless, Thaiss is one good streak away from being called back up.  So, although I am concerned and a bit disappointed, my level of disappointment isn't as near as it is for Jahmai Jones.

[tchula]

On 6/8/2019 at 2:02 AM, Angel Oracle said:

What else besides injury would force people to come to the mound?????

Sounds like a he's about to get called up.  If I recall, a couple times last year Barria was immediately pulled early in the game for the same reason.  Or perhaps, he was showing flu-like symptoms?

[stormngt]

52 minutes ago, tchula said:

Sounds like a he's about to get called up.  If I recall, a couple times last year Barria was immediately pulled early in the game for the same reason.  Or perhaps, he was showing flu-like symptoms?

I believe Barria was moved up to majors most of the year.

[tchula]

18 minutes ago, stormngt said:

I believe Barria was moved up to majors most of the year.

He was jumping back and forth for a while if I recall correctly, and then he eventually settled.  Perhaps I am thinking of someone else.  Nevertheless, I've seen minor league pitchers yanked in the 1st inning or below because they would have to pitch in the majors 2-3 days later. 

[Angel Oracle]

And sure enough my fears were removed, as Suarez starts today in Anaheim.

[Docwaukee]

Matt Ball made his AAA debut today.   Got roughed up with 2ip, 4er.  Kyle Tucker (top 10 prospect in baseball) hit his 21st hr off of him.  

[ScottT]

Jo Adell is 4 for 6 with a home run, double, and a walk in today's doubleheader

[ScottT]

and a stolen base

[tdawg87]

Just now, ScottT said:

Jo Adell is 4 for 6 with a home run, double, and a walk in today's doubleheader

[Chuck]

13 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

LMAO

[Chuck]

I'd like to see more of this from Thaiss going forward. 

Maybe they can tweak his swing like they did La Stella's, making him a legit power hitter like we all hoped he would be. 

 

 

[Scott34]

Oh lawddddddddd 

 

 

[tdawg87]

That swing tho

[maestro]

Adell’s swing really reminds me of like a super charged version of Torii Hunter’s

[Second Base]

11 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I'd like to see more of this from Thaiss going forward. 

Maybe they can tweak his swing like they did La Stella's, making him a legit power hitter like we all hoped he would be. 

 

 

He's so streaky though. La Stella had always been the wake up and hit sort. When Thaiss is hot, like he was this Spring, he's the best hitter on your team. But his cold streaks will go 3 weeks at a time. 

[ScottT]

9 minutes ago, Scott34 said:

Oh lawddddddddd https://twitter.com/Jared_Tims/status/1137860569409523712

Why dont they allow fans at that ballpark?

[Second Base]

2 minutes ago, kj_maestro said:

Adell’s swing really reminds me of like a super charged version of Torii Hunter’s

We've all been saying the same thing since he was drafted in 2017. That's a pretty solid observation too. 

[bloodbrother]

The sound of the ball leaving his bat goddam. He's gonna look good in RF next year

[Angelsjunky]

51 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

Where do you get this stuff? bonergifs.com?