2013 Minor League OPS Leader Board

[ettin]

I was playing around with the FanGraphs leader board for hitters with enough qualified plate appearances for the 2013 season and, on the first page, we find two Angels players, Cal Towey ® and Zachary Borenstein (A+) near the top of the list with only three others directly above them: http://www.fangraphs.com/minorleaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2013&team=0&players=0&sort=10%2cd

 

Of course they are in the low Minors still, but that is a nice showing for the 2013 season. Both are left-handed hitting prospects and Borenstein has his own thread going in the Futures Forum (maybe one should start for Towey the 3B prospect?).

[Hollyw00d]

Searched Cal Towey on google, found this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at all that grit!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

[Scott34]

Not to be a party pooper but

Towey: 23 years old in the Pioneer League.

[Taylor]

Ersty 2.0

[ELEVEN]

Thats a great pic!

[jsnpritchett]

Not to be a party pooper but

Towey: 23 years old in the Pioneer League.

 

Yep.  I think there are only 4 or 5 guys in the whole league that are older.  He'll be 24 before the season starts next year.

[stevestevens]

I have seen Cal play and he has some nice tools.  It is always great to see prospects that have more walks than K's.  Like Scott said, he is pretty dang old for rookie ball.  It would be nice to see him jump to high A ball next year.  If he can maintain his BB>K as he moves up the ladder then it will be interesting to watch him.  Nice to see that from July to August this year his K's went down and his walks went up.  I know it is only one month but that is all we really have to gauge right now.  

[ettin]

Not to be a party pooper but

Towey: 23 years old in the Pioneer League.

 

You are a party pooper.

 

It was just an observation, nothing more. It is Rookie and A+ ball for goodness sake.

 

The point was that they could NOT be on the top of that list.

[AngelsFaninGA]

Wasn't Towey just drafted this year? It's not like it's his third stint in Orem and he finally figured it out, he's just following a normal progression for draftees.

[ettin]

Wasn't Towey just drafted this year? It's not like it's his third stint in Orem and he finally figured it out, he's just following a normal progression for draftees.

 

Yes you are correct that he was just drafted out of Baylor. You are also correct in your observation that he had to start somewhere in the system where the fundamentals are taught and he has done well.

 

Scott is correct about the age compared to the level he is at. Normally that would not inspire confidence in the front office regarding a prospect's progression. However Scott is wrong to be a party pooper and assume that it means that Towey hasn't performed up to expectations. Cal has and should be given the chance to continue proving that at a higher level next year, perhaps getting to AA by the end of the season if he can show the poise and ability to start off the season.

 

Some recent research posted in a previous thread discusses the higher success rate of younger players entering into MLB as they mature and develop under expert tutelage. That will be an obstacle for someone like Towey but not something insurmountable and he could still become a good player someday if he can replicate the success he had this year against more elite competition.

[ELEVEN]

Scott, you are wrong to be a party pooper.

[Inside Pitch]

I was playing around with the FanGraphs leader board for hitters with enough qualified plate appearances for the 2013 season and, on the first page, we find two Angels players, Cal Towey ® and Zachary Borenstein (A+) near the top of the list with only three others directly above them: http://www.fangraphs.com/minorleaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=1&season=2013&team=0&players=0&sort=10%2cd

 

Of course they are in the low Minors still, but that is a nice showing for the 2013 season. Both are left-handed hitting prospects and Borenstein has his own thread going in the Futures Forum (maybe one should start for Towey the 3B prospect?).

 

 

51 walks in 52 games....  Yeah he's old for the league but that's an impressive eye.   He walked 123 times in 211 games in college he hasn't always hit for average but he was a walk machine as an amateur -- .424 OBP.  

 

A poor man's Kevin Youkilis.  

[Inside Pitch]

Yes you are correct that he was just drafted out of Baylor. You are also correct in your observation that he had to start somewhere in the system where the fundamentals are taught and he has done well.

 

Scott is correct about the age compared to the level he is at. Normally that would not inspire confidence in the front office regarding a prospect's progression. However Scott is wrong to be a party pooper and assume that it means that Towey hasn't performed up to expectations. Cal has and should be given the chance to continue proving that at a higher level next year, perhaps getting to AA by the end of the season if he can show the poise and ability to start off the season.

 

Some recent research posted in a previous thread discusses the higher success rate of younger players entering into MLB as they mature and develop under expert tutelage. That will be an obstacle for someone like Towey but not something insurmountable and he could still become a good player someday if he can replicate the success he had this year against more elite competition.

 

I really do wish the Angels were a bit more aggressive in promoting their college drafted players.  Say what you will about the college not being pro baseball, there is something to be said about the experienced gained facing college pitching.  If a guy shows he can swing a wooden bat, I'd like to see them promoted.  

[Hollyw00d]

I agree, this guy should at least be at inland empire