The Official 2020 Los Angeles Angels Minor League Stats, Reports & Scouting Thread

[Second Base]

19 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

shots fired

 

[Tank]

[tdawg87]

Face!

[sportstr44]

 

[Second Base]

[Docwaukee]

6 hours ago, sportstr44 said:

16. Jose Bonilla, SS, Angels

I've got him in my top 30.  pretty swing with good raw power and likely has the ability to play 3b long term.  I think he'll be moving up the list this year.  

[sportstr44]

 

[Vlad27Trout27]

another top prospect list.

https://www.prospects1500.com/al-west/angels/los-angeles-angels-2020-top-50-prospects/

[Second Base]

That's the first time I've seen Davis Daniel on any of the top prospect lists. Definitely an intriguing arm.

[Revad]

3 hours ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

another top prospect list.

https://www.prospects1500.com/al-west/angels/los-angeles-angels-2020-top-50-prospects/

Thanks for posting-definitely worth a read.  

[Second Base]

9 hours ago, RBM said:

5. Jahmai Jones, 2B
Age: 22
2019 Highest Level: AA
I expect him to compete for the Angels second base position. ETA: 2020

Really? I don't even think Jahmai's Mom shares those expectations. ETA 2020? 

I mean, I hope Jones has a good year in 2020 at AA/AAA but he is nothing more than a question mark right now. He slashed .234/.308/.324/.632 in 130 AA games last year. Definitely not a tier two player right now.

Ben Badler whiffed on this one.

 

His play in the AFL was pretty inspired. He looked like he finally turned that corner. He want experimenting with any swing changes to incorporate more power, nor was he still developing his footwork at 2B. 

He just played, and the power was there and he looked like a natural 2B. So I understand where he's coming from. But you're right in that there's no way Jones leaves ST as the starting 2B. Not with Fletcher slotted at 2B, and La Stella and Rengifo still in the organization.

I could see a scenario where that happens in 2021 though. It's not the likeliest, but....

1. The Angels let Simmons walk after 2020 and use that money on pitching. Fletcher slides over to SS.

2. The Angels allow La Stella to walk as well, opting to use Thaiss as the LH platoon bat at 1B. Saves money too.

3. Rengifo is traded for pitching, either this off-season, the trade deadline or next. 

4. Jones goes to AAA and plays up to his talent level, which is pretty high up there.

Again, that's a lot that needs to happen.

[Revad]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

His play in the AFL was pretty inspired. He looked like he finally turned that corner. He want experimenting with any swing changes to incorporate more power, nor was he still developing his footwork at 2B. 

He just played, and the power was there and he looked like a natural 2B. So I understand where he's coming from. But you're right in that there's no way Jones leaves ST as the starting 2B. Not with Fletcher slotted at 2B, and La Stella and Rengifo still in the organization.

I could see a scenario where that happens in 2021 though. It's not the likeliest, but....

1. The Angels let Simmons walk after 2020 and use that money on pitching. Fletcher slides over to SS.

2. The Angels allow La Stella to walk as well, opting to use Thaiss as the LH platoon bat at 1B. Saves money too.

3. Rengifo is traded for pitching, either this off-season, the trade deadline or next. 

4. Jones goes to AAA and plays up to his talent level, which is pretty high up there.

Again, that's a lot that needs to happen.

If the Angels are not looking like a playoff team at the deadline Eppler may trade one or both of Simmons and La Stella, which could give Jones a chance

[Second Base]

Just now, Revad said:

If the Angels are not looking like a playoff team at the deadline Eppler may trade one or both of Simmons and La Stella, which could give Jones a chance

Indeed. And if they are looking like a playoff team, he could also package Jones for a pitcher.

Lots of ways this can play out.

[tchula]

On 1/10/2020 at 11:03 PM, Second Base said:

That's the first time I've seen Davis Daniel on any of the top prospect lists. Definitely an intriguing arm.

I've referenced how I liked the Daniel pic a lot, and I also think the Kyle Molnar pic is also intriguing, although he's a bit more of a question mark than Daniel.  Daniel will be able to start throwing again sometime in the summer.  I do not know if the Angels hold him out another year, or put him in Rookie ball and let him get his feet wet.  Then next season I fully expect him to start in A+.   Now, I believe Daniel is rated a bit too high in those rankings.  Although he has good stuff, it never came together at Auburn.  In fact, the year before his Tommy John he was demoted to the bull pen.  He has good stuff but he's never really proven he could utilize it.  Molnar is a different story altogether. He had to TJ's on the same arm.  I think he should be completely cleared to pitch by the Spring and am curious as hell where he starts.  Has anyone heard anything about Molnar's progression?

[tchula]

19 hours ago, Second Base said:

Indeed. And if they are looking like a playoff team, he could also package Jones for a pitcher.

Lots of ways this can play out.

I believe if La Stella has a hot start, he's the one who will get traded.  I am beginning to think Rengifo may be as much of an untouchable as Fletcher.  If Rengifo takes off the way Fletcher did, then I see us trading La Stella and letting Simba walk during free agency.  Unless we trade for someone controllable like Boyd, we are going to be a couple starters short again next year when FA approaches.  We're going to need the Simba money allocated elsewhere.

[Vlad27Trout27]

The one thing that i found interesting about the list that i mention above, is the amount of tier 2 prospects we have in our system. I counted 8, i actually can't remember the last we had this many tier 2 player, and the best thing is that guys like Adams,Jackson, Soriano and Paris can still grow and one of them could reach tier 1! (or they could also bomb).  Than even in the lower tier's we have  a bunch of guy that have crazy upside and if they have a break out year they may jump to a tier 1 and tier 2. 

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, Vlad27Trout27 said:

The one thing that i found interesting about the list that i mention above, is the amount of tier 2 prospects we have in our system. I counted 8, i actually can't remember the last we had this many tier 2 player, and the best thing is that guys like Adams,Jackson, Soriano and Paris can still grow and one of them could reach tier 1! (or they could also bomb).  Than even in the lower tier's we have  a bunch of guy that have crazy upside and if they have a break out year they may jump to a tier 1 and tier 2. 

which is part of the reason why you don't trade any of them now.  You are correct that there are 8 total and if a couple move to tier 1 and another 4 or 5 drop back to tier 3, you still have more value in your system than you did before.  Even if some of those guys stay in tier 2 yet progress to the upper minors, they are so much more valuable than they were before.  Even the guys currently in tier 3 could make big jumps.  In fact, there are some potential tier 1's in that group as well.  That's where guys like Joe Gatto, Connor Justus, Jake Jewell, Grayson Long, and Chad Hinshaw used to like in that 10-20 range a couple years ago except they were really more like Tier 4 or 5 guys with no upside.  

Looking forward to seeing Daniel on bump.  Don't know much about him other than what's been written in brief scouting reports.  

[Vlad27Trout27]

10 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

which is part of the reason why you don't trade any of them now.  You are correct that there are 8 total and if a couple move to tier 1 and another 4 or 5 drop back to tier 3, you still have more value in your system than you did before.  Even if some of those guys stay in tier 2 yet progress to the upper minors, they are so much more valuable than they were before.  Even the guys currently in tier 3 could make big jumps.  In fact, there are some potential tier 1's in that group as well.  That's where guys like Joe Gatto, Connor Justus, Jake Jewell, Grayson Long, and Chad Hinshaw used to like in that 10-20 range a couple years ago except they were really more like Tier 4 or 5 guys with no upside.  

Looking forward to seeing Daniel on bump.  Don't know much about him other than what's been written in brief scouting reports.  

I agreed. i've always favored not trading guys that at the lower levels of the system until they reached a certain value. It's a process that involves a risk as a guy may complete fall but we could also get a guy that rises.

 

Daniel caught be by surprise as well, i totally over skiped him the first time i read the list and than went back and looked at it again after Scotty pointed him out.  From but i have read about him, it seems like he has big upper 90's Fb, with an average to above average slider and change. Either 4/5 or a Bp arm. 

[Vlad27Trout27]

here's another list that came out 2 days ago, its mostly  for fantasy league but i was surprised from 8 up.   

https://prospect361.com/al-team-prospects/los-angeles-angels/

Interesting that have Aquino at 8, Pina at 10, and than Yan is at 13. 

Top 3 for most list have been the same (Adell, Marsh and Adams), Jackson has been in the top 5 for most list, Soraino, Paris, jones, and Crod have been around the high end (7) to the middle of the pack (15). 

Seem like every listen that we have seen, people are still high on Jones and next year will be big.

I think with out young pitchers. most scouts probably don't have a clear cut idea about them. Guys like Soriano, Yan, Pina etc...each have dominating stuff, they have a mid to upper 90s fastball, a plus 2nd pitch. Control and quality 3rd pitch is but they lack, on the other side you also have to consider there really young and already have dominating stuff. The summaries pretty much tells you this. 

good to see Rojas gettign some recognizance. He's more in the 20-30 range for me.   

[Revad]

Interesting comments from our former GM- how could someone that sounds so savvy set a farm system back 4-5 years relatively quickly?  From Fangraphs Sunday notes by David Laurila.

I was standing alongside my colleague Eric Longenhagen when he asked Jerry Dipoto about Seattle’s pitching-development strategy during November’s GM meetings. Here is what the Mariners’ front-office front man had to say in response to that inquiry:

“If I had to point to one thing, it would be being cognizant of the way our pitchers… how to get them moving down the hill quicker, rather than the more traditional ‘How to get balanced over the rubber, maintain body control.’ It’s more, ‘Gathering ourselves and going.’

“We’ve had a fundamental shift in our belief system. And it didn’t happen overnight. It was a shift from 2017, to where we are today. The way we’re teaching it, the way we’re scouting it, the way we’re seeing it develop, has changed so much. As a former pitcher who was always taught the value of ‘balance and go,’ this has been a paradigm shift for me, emotionally. I’m watching what these guys do, and I marvel. I just try to stay out of their way and let smart people do their jobs.”

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/sunday-notes-red-sox-prospect-triston-casas-is-brobdingnagian-and-emulates-joey-votto/
 

[Stax]

On 1/10/2020 at 9:03 PM, Second Base said:

That's the first time I've seen Davis Daniel on any of the top prospect lists. Definitely an intriguing arm.

https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2019/02/18/how-montgomery-davis-daniel-rediscovered-who-he-pitcher-auburn-baseball-butch-thompson-st-james/2890621002/

A nice article about Davis Daniel

[tdawg87]

Davis Daniel has...a last name as a first name and a first name for a last name.

I need some time to think about this.

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, Stax said:

https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/sports/college/auburn/2019/02/18/how-montgomery-davis-daniel-rediscovered-who-he-pitcher-auburn-baseball-butch-thompson-st-james/2890621002/

A nice article about Davis Daniel

Yeah he's definitely an Eppler special. In rounds 3-11, draft as many collegiate pitchers as possible, but focus specifically on ones that have higher upside but whose draft stock has fallen due to injury or ugly numbers.

He's continually on the hunt for the next Garrett Richards.

[Docwaukee]

1 hour ago, Second Base said:

Yeah he's definitely an Eppler special. In rounds 3-11, draft as many collegiate pitchers as possible, but focus specifically on ones that have higher upside but whose draft stock has fallen due to injury or ugly numbers.

He's continually on the hunt for the next Garrett Richards.

Richards wasn't under the radar though as a supplemental first round pick.  Finding a diamond in the 7th round with Daniel would be huge.  And you are right.  He loves him some  guys who bring the heat in the 3rd - 11th rounds.  

and when we look at the top pitchers, there's a lot of value in those rounds.  Unless you can get a Cole, Verlander or Stras with the first few picks (which Eppler has never had), perhaps it makes sense to go high upside bats.  Then try to get a deGrom (9th), Bieber (4th),  Corbin (2nd), Hendricks (8th) etc.  later on unless a first round type falls like Canning.  

Here's a few good reasons why Eppler employs the draft strategy he does.   Matt Boyd is at the top of the second page for starting pitchers.  Franky Lindor is at the top of the 2nd page for hitters.  The 60th position player has about the same value as the 30th starting pitcher.  There are 58 qualified starters and 135 qualified position players.  

Your odds of getting value from the drat reside in position players by a large margin.  

[Stradling]

6 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Richards wasn't under the radar though as a supplemental first round pick.  Finding a diamond in the 7th round with Daniel would be huge.  And you are right.  He loves him some  guys who bring the heat in the 3rd - 11th rounds.  

and when we look at the top pitchers, there's a lot of value in those rounds.  Unless you can get a Cole, Verlander or Stras with the first few picks (which Eppler has never had), perhaps it makes sense to go high upside bats.  Then try to get a deGrom (9th), Bieber (4th),  Corbin (2nd), Hendricks (8th) etc.  later on unless a first round type falls like Canning.  

Here's a few good reasons why Eppler employs the draft strategy he does.   Matt Boyd is at the top of the second page for starting pitchers.  Franky Lindor is at the top of the 2nd page for hitters.  The 60th position player has about the same value as the 30th starting pitcher.  There are 58 qualified starters and 135 qualified position players.  

Your odds of getting value from the drat reside in position players by a large margin.  

Which is especially important when you are building a farm system from scratch.