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

[BTH]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

How about over the past month?  Could be trending upwards?

9% better than league average the last month.

But only 19 games because of the All-Star break.

[Second Base]

2 hours ago, Trendon said:

His offensive numbers are 10% below league average in the PCL.

No way he’s ready.

He's definitely ready. Adams isn't going to be a good offensive player in the big leagues. He's going to be a very good defensive specialist and pinch runner, and he's currently there. 

[BTH]

6 minutes ago, Second Base said:

He's definitely ready. Adams isn't going to be a good offensive player in the big leagues. He's going to be a very good defensive specialist and pinch runner, and he's currently there. 

You don’t think another couple years in the minors could unlock any of the upside that led to them drafting him in 2018?

[totdprods]

How is he doing against lefties? Maybe he and Moniak could form a good platoon.

Awful luck with Adell being out almost parallel to Trout. For the Angels, for Jo, for contention…big blow if for nothing else than the audition.

[BTH]

20 minutes ago, totdprods said:

How is he doing against lefties? Maybe he and Moniak could form a good platoon.

that’s a great idea, actually.

Adams this season:

vs. LHP: .944 OPS

vs. RHP: .757 OPS

[totdprods]

2 minutes ago, Trendon said:

that’s a great idea, actually.

Adams this season:

vs. LHP: .944 OPS

vs. RHP: .757 OPS

Looks like he was similarly good last year too. Not much before that.

Kinda hoping this happens once Rendon or Drury are back. Not sure what Cabbage can do going forward but yesterday was fun.

Edited July 17, 2023 by totdprods

[Second Base]

1 hour ago, Trendon said:

You don’t think another couple years in the minors could unlock any of the upside that led to them drafting him in 2018?

23 years old, career .246 hitter in the minor leagues. He's made swing adjustments that are beginning to pay dividends. He's tapping into more power and it's allowing him to track pitches longer and better swing decisions at a higher level. But this also comes with more swing and miss as he's beginning to take daddy hacks. 

To me, the breakout already occurred, and I think he's pretty much done developing, which isn't a bad thing. He's a major leaguer and that's a victory. 

I'd watch him, and promote him in August, then come into Spring next year to see if there's further development. I doubt there would be, and he'd make an awesome fourth outfielder, but just in case he does, he can compete for an everyday job. 

 

[Warfarin]

6 hours ago, Trendon said:

You don’t think another couple years in the minors could unlock any of the upside that led to them drafting him in 2018?

I'm no scout and don't have much basis for this comment, but I seem to recall he didn't play too much prior to being drafted and was drafted as a supremely raw talent.  While it's possible (probable?) he could be done developing, I would think that perhaps there's a bit more progress that can be made with more reps.  Obviously there's the lost COVID year, as well as time he has missed with injuries, and so on.

I think he could perhaps have value as the weak side of a platoon with Moniak, as you guys have mentioned, and he'd probably be better in that role than Adell.  Adams can occasionally spot start in CF for Trout and give him a day off, and provide great defense while doing so.

[Revad]

37 minutes ago, Warfarin said:

I'm no scout and don't have much basis for this comment, but I seem to recall he didn't play too much prior to being drafted and was drafted as a supremely raw talent.  While it's possible (probable?) he could be done developing, I would think that perhaps there's a bit more progress that can be made with more reps.  Obviously there's the lost COVID year, as well as time he has missed with injuries, and so on.

I think he could perhaps have value as the weak side of a platoon with Moniak, as you guys have mentioned, and he'd probably be better in that role than Adell.  Adams can occasionally spot start in CF for Trout and give him a day off, and provide great defense while doing so.

I think Ohtani walks and we’re in the market for a big bat, likely to play outfield.  Of course there’s DH as well but we could really use that flexibility.

[Angelsjunky]

I think there's a scenario where Adams is essentially Jackie Bradley, but faster. Bradley is a great center fielder, pretty fast, but can't hit. Or rather, he's had a couple good years (118 wRC+ in 2016, yielding a 5.6 fWAR, but 82 career wRC+) and occasionally gets hot. But he is inconsistent, with a career .225/.303/.381 line.

Adams could be a very useful 4th outfielder.

[Warfarin]

8 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

I think there's a scenario where Adams is essentially Jackie Bradley, but faster. Bradley is a great center fielder, pretty fast, but can't hit. Or rather, he's had a couple good years (118 wRC+ in 2016, yielding a 5.6 fWAR, but 82 career wRC+) and occasionally gets hot. But he is inconsistent, with a career .225/.303/.381 line.

Adams could be a very useful 4th outfielder.

Right.  Good CF defense and great speed gives you a floor of a 4th OF.  I think he would be a somewhat better version of Phillips in that he can hit a bit more, but probably not that much more.

He is likely someone who you keep up to serve in that 4th OF capacity, mainly coming in as a defensive replacement, pinch runner, and getting a spot start here and there.  However, if someone gets injured, he is likely not a guy you start regularly, but rather you call someone else up while having Adams stay in that 4th OF role.

[T-angel]

I'm going to second that person that pushed forward Orlando Martinez. He hasn't done well in AAA but he's been good in AA. Jim Edmonds and Wally Joyner were two guys who come to mind that had better numbers in the majors than their minor league numbers would suggest. He seems more well rounded than the other OF's the Angels have in the minors. Adams looks like he would be a black hole in the lineup. Shame too since it's been 6+ years for him to round into a defensive 4th outfielder. A product of Eppler drafting athletes and not baseball players; and ignoring pitching. Passed on Nolan Gorman, Matt McLain, Shane McLanahan that year!!!! 

[Angel Oracle]

3 hours ago, T-angel said:

I'm going to second that person that pushed forward Orlando Martinez. He hasn't done well in AAA but he's been good in AA. Jim Edmonds and Wally Joyner were two guys who come to mind that had better numbers in the majors than their minor league numbers would suggest. He seems more well rounded than the other OF's the Angels have in the minors. Adams looks like he would be a black hole in the lineup. Shame too since it's been 6+ years for him to round into a defensive 4th outfielder. A product of Eppler drafting athletes and not baseball players; and ignoring pitching. Passed on Nolan Gorman, Matt McLain, Shane McLanahan that year!!!! 

This is why Minasian has already  surpassed Eppler.

[eaterfan]

8 hours ago, Angel Oracle said:

This is why Minasian has already  surpassed Eppler.

This is an honest question... I don't follow the farm as closely, but is the farm really any more productive than it has been.

I like what we've gotten out of Neto and O'Hoppe, but I could have said I liked what we got out of Bourjos and Fletcher their first few seasons. I liked what we saw from Canning initially, too. 

If Ohtani is gone and Trout isn't a 9 WAR player anymore is there anyone in the system at this point who has a realistic ceiling of consistent all-star? I get that our issue the last decade is that we didn't have enough guys like Walsh, Bourjos, Fletcher, Neto, OHoppe, who could produce 2-4 WAR a year. But if we aren't getting HOF production from Trout and Ohtani we are going to need some guys who are consistent all-star level players. How about top of the rotation starters? Do we have anyone who looks like that in the system?

[totdprods]

When I was really closely following the minors and posting bi-weekly updates, I often saw Orlando Martinez as the kind of guy that a team like Tampa or Oakland would pluck and then platoon in the right way where he was a solid .275, 10-15 HR guy in 200-300 ABs with solid defense in the corners, paired with another player that somehow concocted 3-4 WAR in LF or RF. Kind of like a Trayce Thompson or Harold Ramirez-type.

Edited July 19, 2023 by totdprods

[Stradling]

6 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

This is an honest question... I don't follow the farm as closely, but is the farm really any more productive than it has been.

I like what we've gotten out of Neto and O'Hoppe, but I could have said I liked what we got out of Bourjos and Fletcher their first few seasons. I liked what we saw from Canning initially, too. 

If Ohtani is gone and Trout isn't a 9 WAR player anymore is there anyone in the system at this point who has a realistic ceiling of consistent all-star? I get that our issue the last decade is that we didn't have enough guys like Walsh, Bourjos, Fletcher, Neto, OHoppe, who could produce 2-4 WAR a year. But if we aren't getting HOF production from Trout and Ohtani we are going to need some guys who are consistent all-star level players. How about top of the rotation starters? Do we have anyone who looks like that in the system?

Maybe you need all star caliber players. Or you simply need a really good collection of players that are above league average. I don’t care where the farm is ranked as long as they produce major leaguers regularly.  This year we saw O’Hoppe, Neto, Cabbage, Stefanic, Soriano, Torres, Bachman, Silseth, Mederos and Joyce. If that next group includes Schanuel, Quero, Bush, Adams, Yovan and the like, then it’s definitely in a better place. Then you aren’t spending free agent dollars to fill secondary needs on the team. 

[eaterfan]

4 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Maybe you need all star caliber players. Or you simply need a really good collection of players that are above league average. I don’t care where the farm is ranked as long as they produce major leaguers regularly.  This year we saw O’Hoppe, Neto, Cabbage, Stefanic, Soriano, Torres, Bachman, Silseth, Mederos and Joyce. If that next group includes Schanuel, Quero, Bush, Adams, Yovan and the like, then it’s definitely in a better place. Then you aren’t spending free agent dollars to fill secondary needs on the team. 

Sure, but once again, we've only seen a season (or less from a lot of these guys) and we're assuming they stay at their current levels or improve slightly. While at the same time we're discounting the guys who produced like that during the Eppler era who weren't able to maintain that level for extended periods of time. If 75% of the guys you mention pan out and become above average starters, this model works. If this is the best we see from these guys and only 25-50% make it then it's bad. 

My point is that it's still way too early to judge this era as being better than the Eppler era. So far IMO it's pretty similar without much of the upside but probably a little less downside. 

[Chuck]

 

[totdprods]

53 minutes ago, eaterfan said:

This is an honest question... I don't follow the farm as closely, but is the farm really any more productive than it has been.

I haven’t piped up about it much, but, I’m a little underwhelmed by Perry’s drafting on a player level, but approve of the approach. His early round picks have so far proven to be great - good players that move quick and address needs - but in general, I’m not really sure the farm is any better now than it was the decade prior. Very top heavy. A lot of the pitchers from the all-pitcher draft were tied to a future as relievers, and most have regressed or been injured this year. Aside from the obvious guys like Neto, Joyce, Bachman, Silseth…I wouldn’t say anyone else has taken a real viable step forward. Doesn’t mean they’re busts or that they’re bad, but it hasn’t quite produced in the latter rounds. And I don’t think guys like Cabbage are much different than the mi or league FAs/waiver claims that Eppler did well.

I like what Mason Albright is doing and could see him emerging as a top prospect by end of 2024. Nelson Rada too.  But so far, it’s a mixed bag.

Edited July 19, 2023 by totdprods

[stormngt]

4 hours ago, eaterfan said:

This is an honest question... I don't follow the farm as closely, but is the farm really any more productive than it has been.

I like what we've gotten out of Neto and O'Hoppe, but I could have said I liked what we got out of Bourjos and Fletcher their first few seasons. I liked what we saw from Canning initially, too. 

 

Exactly.  That is why i am cautiously optimistic of Neto, OHoppe, Thaiss, and Moniak 

[T.G.]

2 hours ago, stormngt said:

Exactly.  That is why i am cautiously optimistic of Neto, OHoppe, Thaiss, and Moniak 

Because you're an Angels fan and this isn't your first rodeo.

[Second Base]

12 minutes ago, T.G. said:

Because you're an Angels fan and this isn't your first rodeo.

I'm with him, the Angels have some good pieces that Minasian has acquired. They aren't winners yet, but if you're able to fill a team with O'Hoppe and Neto types, you'd be in good position. Unfortunately, they have lesser players or players that can't stay healthy and cost more. 

[T.G.]

18 minutes ago, T.G. said:

Because you're an Angels fan and this isn't your first rodeo.

 

2 minutes ago, Second Base said:

I'm with him, the Angels have some good pieces that Minasian has acquired. They aren't winners yet, but if you're able to fill a team with O'Hoppe and Neto types, you'd be in good position. Unfortunately, they have lesser players or players that can't stay healthy and cost more. 

I read his post as asking "WHY am I cautiously optimistic?"  LOL. 

 

[mmc]

[Warfarin]

9 hours ago, totdprods said:

I haven’t piped up about it much, but, I’m a little underwhelmed by Perry’s drafting on a player level, but approve of the approach. His early round picks have so far proven to be great - good players that move quick and address needs - but in general, I’m not really sure the farm is any better now than it was the decade prior. Very top heavy. A lot of the pitchers from the all-pitcher draft were tied to a future as relievers, and most have regressed or been injured this year. Aside from the obvious guys like Neto, Joyce, Bachman, Silseth…I wouldn’t say anyone else has taken a real viable step forward. Doesn’t mean they’re busts or that they’re bad, but it hasn’t quite produced in the latter rounds. And I don’t think guys like Cabbage are much different than the mi or league FAs/waiver claims that Eppler did well.

I like what Mason Albright is doing and could see him emerging as a top prospect by end of 2024. Nelson Rada too.  But so far, it’s a mixed bag.

I think a lot of times we look at a draft and think of that as belong to the GM who was working at the time, but I think a fair question would be to what degree can we assign the success and failure of that draft to the scouting director at charge at the time?

Notably, when Minasian took over, Swanson was the scouting director.  He was permitted to oversee one draft (2021) in which we drafted Bachman, Bush, etc.  He was let go after that season and replaced by McIlvaine, who has overseen the last 2 drafts.

While you would like a GM to immediately take over, sweep out the previous regime and replace them with "his guys," it seems some GMs take time in evaluating the staff they already have, then make changes after a year or so and bring in "their guys."  It'll be interesting to see how the 2021 draft compares to the 2022 and 2023 drafts over time.