AngelsWin Today: AngelsWin.com's Exclusive Interview with Angels Top Prospect Logan O'Hoppe

[AngelsWin.com]

Photo by: Cristina Byrne-Sternberg/Rocket City Trash Pandas

By Chuck Richter, AngelsWin.com

September 20th, 2022

It didn't take Logan O'Hoppe long to make an impression with his teammates and the entire Southern league after the trade that sent Brandon Marsh to the Phillies in exchange for the Angels newly ranked top prospect. Since joining the Trash Pandas on August 4th Logan O'Hoppe ranked first on the team in Home Runs - (11), Runs Batted In - (33), On-Base Percentage - (.484) Slugging Percentage - (.707) and OPS - (1.191). He didn't stop there as in September O'Hoppe was named the player of the month as he led the way offensively for the Trash Pandas hitting .395 with 4 HR, 15 RBI, and a 1.294 OPS.

O'Hoppe finished the 2022 season with an impressive .283/.416/.544 (.960 OPS) slash line, a 159 wRC+, 26 HR, 78 RBI, 70 walks in 104 games between the Phillies & Angels minor league affiliates in Double-A.

After meeting with O'Hoppe in person and seeing him on the field doing pre-game drills; he reminded me a lot of a young Mike Trout. Great kid that puts in the work, that's also an incredible athlete, chiseled with lean muscle throughout. The 22-year old just looks like an MLB star in the making.

Here's O'Hoppe clubbing his 11th home run in 27 games for the Trash Pandas. 

When I asked which what part of the game O'Hoppe took the most pride in, it wasn't his power or overall offense output, but being behind the plate and game management. O'Hoppe has managed an incredibly dominant Trash Pandas pitching staff since his first game with the Trash Pandas on August 4th. In the 27 games O'Hoppe has started at catcher, the Angels Double-A affiliate has won 22 games.

Before our interview with O'Hoppe, Rocket City Trash Pandas manager Andy Schatzley was doing some catch & throw drills with the Angels top prospect. 

Check out O'Hoppe's in-game pop time earlier this season. 

I asked O'Hoppe which player he modeled himself after growing up and which team he was a fan of. Find out if he's still a fan of that same team and well, here's a hint on which team that was that when as a fan in left field, he caught a home run ball off the bat of Manny Machado and threw it back onto the field.

In our interview O'Hoppe talked about the responsibility of being ranked as the Los Angeles Angels top prospect and how he's ready for it. He reflects on when he was that skinny kid drafted in the 23rd round by the Phillies out of high school, and how that will always be in his head.

On the topic of rankings, as of today on Sept 20th, 2022 take a look at MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects. Logan O’Hoppe has the highest OPS (.960) & wRC+ (159) of all the MLB top 100 prospect catchers based on 80 games or more played at the catching position in the 2022 season.

Rank 1st - Francisco Alvarez: (20 years old) .250/.360/.504 (.863 OPS) 26 HR, 75 RBI, 62 walks, 105 games, 75 at catcher.

Rank 7th - Gabriel Moreno: (22 years old) .315/.386/.420 (.806 OPS) 3 HR, 39  RBI, 24 walks, 62 games

Rank 9th - Diego Cartaya: (21 years old) .254/.389/.503 (.892 OPS) 22 HR, 72 RBI, 63 walks, 95 games, 64 behind the plate.

Rank 20th - Henry Davis: (22 years old) .265/.380/.472 (.852 OPS) 10 HR, 42 RBI, 21 walks, 59 games, 38 games behind the plate.

Rank 36th - Shea Langeliers (24 years old) .283/.366/.510 (.876 OPS) 19 HR, 56 RBI, 43 walks, 92 games, 79 behind the plate.

Rank 40th - Kevin Parada (21 years old) .275/.455/.425 (.880 OPS) 1 HR, 8 RBI, 12 walks, 13 games

Rank 50th - Tyler Soderstrom (20 years old) .265/ .324/.509 (.833 OPS), 28 HR, 99 RBI, 125 games, 47 games at C, 56 games at 1B.

Rank 66th - Drew Romo (21 years old) .254/.321/.372 (.693 OPS), 5 HR, 58 RBI, 35 walks, 101 games, 57 behind the plate.

Rank 67th - Logan O’Hoppe: (22 years old) .283/.416/.544 (.960 OPS) 159 wRC+, 26 HR, 78 RBI, 70 walks, 104 games *Second most games played at catcher with 85 from the top catching prospects.

Rank 68th - Harry Ford (19 years old) .274/.425/.438 (.863 OPS) 11 HR, 65 RBI, 88 walks, 104 games, 54 behind the plate.

Rank 78th - Bo Naylor (22 years old) .256/.388/.482 (.870 OPS), 19 HR, 61 RBI, 79 walks, 114 games, 95 games behind the plate

Rank 86th - Austin Wells (23 years old) .277/.385/.512 (.897 OPS) 20 HR, 65 RBI, 56 walks, 92 games, 65 behind the plate.

*Unranked - Edgar Quero (19 years old) .312/.435/.530 (.965 OPS) 17 HR, 75 RBI, 73 walks, 111 games, 80 games behind the plate

*Unranked - Endy Rodriguez (22 years old) .317/.406/.580 (.986 OPS) 24 HR, 87 RBI, 60 walks, 119 games, 72 games behind the plate, 17 at 2B, 13 in LF and 3 games at 1B.

An impressive list of talented catchers on MLB's top 100 prospects list. You could argue that O'Hoppe should be ranked somewhere between Cartaya & Davis and definitely ahead of Gabriel Moreno in their current rankings. It's also worth noting that Angels prospect catcher Edgar Quero who is not currently ranked as a top 100 prospect by MLB boasts the highest OPS (.965) based on the same games played at catcher criteria. Endy Rodriguez is most likely moving to another position.

I digress...

Enough of stats and rankings, check out our interview below with the Los Angeles Angels top prospect Logan O'Hoppe, conducted by AngelsWin.com's own Chuck Richter. 

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[halonatic13]

@Chuckster70did you call him "Taylor" at the end?  lol

[jsnpritchett]

21 minutes ago, halonatic13 said:

@Chuckster70did you call him "Taylor" at the end?  lol

No.  He said, "Thanks again for your time today, Logan." 

[Blarg]

Logan kept inching forward so much I thought we were interviewing a t-shirt there for a moment. 

[Chuck]

30 minutes ago, halonatic13 said:

@Chuckster70did you call him "Taylor" at the end?  lol

 

7 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

No.  He said, "Thanks again for your time today, Logan." 

What @jsnpritchett said,. That said I trimmed a little off the end just so you're not the only one that confuses what I said @halonatic13.  

[Chuck]

21 minutes ago, Blarg said:

Logan kept inching forward so much I thought we were interviewing a t-shirt there for a moment. 

I had to move the tripod back a couple times. Thought I was going to have his entire face cutoff. 

Great conversation though. He even circled back later to ask if I got everything I needed and if it was good. Great kid. 

He's going to be a special player in this league. 

[halonatic13]

32 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

 

What @jsnpritchett said,. That said I trimmed a little off the end just so you're not the only one that confuses what I said @halonatic13.  

Got it.  I guess the captions said it and threw me off.  But I do think you must have smelled nice and that's why "Taylor" was getting closer.  LMAO

[Make Angels Great Again]

Seems like a good dude.

And he looks like he's freaking shredded.

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

I had to move the tripod back a couple times. Thought I was going to have his entire face cutoff. 

Great conversation though. He even circled back later to ask if I got everything I needed and if it was good. Great kid. 

He's going to be a special player in this league. 

That guy is so damn marketable. 

[Chuck]

9 minutes ago, Blarg said:

That guy is so damn marketable. 

100%

[Chuck]

2 hours ago, halonatic13 said:

Got it.  I guess the captions said it and threw me off.  But I do think you must have smelled nice and that's why "Taylor" was getting closer.  LMAO

I’m not going to lie, I did look and smell good! 

[Chuck]

Trash Pandas win! O'Hoppe had a couple knocks, including a one hop ground-rule double over the CF fence. 

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Trash Pandas win! O'Hoppe had a couple knocks, including a one hop ground-rule double over the CF fence. 

 

On 8/9/2022 at 5:52 PM, Lou said:

Can't Stoppy O'Hoppe!

 

[Chuck]

15 minutes ago, Lou said:

 

 

[Chuck]

Happy O'Hoppe day! 

He's expected to start in tonight's game. 

[Chuck]

 

[Chuck]

 

[Blarg]

From my viewpoint tonight. Pretty impressive at bat battling back from 0-2. His following at bat he did the same thing, refusing to cave in and swing at anything that wasnt strike 3.   

 

 

[Chuck]

Awesome footage @Blarg!!! Spot on analysis. 

[Blarg]

His second plate appearance with two strikes and he goes after what is probably strike three. Good contact with a strong level swing, just at somebody this time.  

If you can pause it right at contact a you can see how balanced he looks. 

 

[Dave Saltzer]

I am so glad that Logan took the time to talk with us and that Chuck got such a great interview with him. I am so looking forward to seeing him in an Angels uniform for many years. 

 

Here is his first pitch caught in the major leagues. 

[Chuck]

 

[Blarg]

On 9/20/2022 at 7:50 AM, Chuckster70 said:

Great conversation though. He even circled back later to ask if I got everything I needed and if it was good.

I just remembered I offered you a question for the players and in Logan's case his quick hop from AA to the Big A would have been funny to read and then find out later if that's what he did. 

You just got the call to Anaheim and only have time to grab one thing from your locker, what would that be?

[Chuck]

Logan O'Hoppe photo by David Kellams. 

[Chuck]