MWAH Top 30 Prospect Countdown

[Second Base]

Our annual countdown begins with the players from last year's Top 30 which did not reappear on the list this year, as well as some honorable mentions.  This is where I'll be posting links to each of their scouting reports as we release them, which should be 4 per week. 

 

This year's honorable mentions include 2B/3B Sherman Johnson, 3B/LF Cal Towey and SP Daniel Hurtado. 

 

http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/2014-articles/january/2014-mwah-top-prospects-countdown-preview-honorable-mention-and-2013-in-review.html

 

[Docwaukee]

Nice job Scott. 

 

Surprised Chaffee didn't stay in the bottom half of your top 30 considering how thin the system is.  With his K rate and the fact that he doesn't give up hardly any hits, he seems like the type that could turn a corner pretty quickly. 

 

Btw, if you just had to rank the quality of players in rookie to A ball, how do we stack up?  Seems like last year's A ball team had almost nothing so I don't expect much at high A this year unless some guys skip some levels. 

[Second Base]

Nice job Scott. 

 

Surprised Chaffee didn't stay in the bottom half of your top 30 considering how thin the system is.  With his K rate and the fact that he doesn't give up hardly any hits, he seems like the type that could turn a corner pretty quickly. 

 

Btw, if you just had to rank the quality of players in rookie to A ball, how do we stack up?  Seems like last year's A ball team had almost nothing so I don't expect much at high A this year unless some guys skip some levels. 

 

Thanks for the kind words Doc.  Chaffee has plenty of promise in his arm and I don't doubt he'll be a major leaguer in 2-3 years.  Every time I saw him pitch this year he seemed to generate some broken bats on a consistent basis but his balance and landing spot were always out of whack.  I'd really hoped he'd begin to reel in that unsightly BB/9 but it just hasn't happened yet.  When it came time for ranking, there were just a couple more RP in the system that also had impressive numbers but were closer to MLB level than he was, which pushed him just outside my Top 35.  But when I think of how far he's come since being drafted, I have little doubt he'll continue to improve. 

 

As far as the quality of players at the lowest levels, there was just no consistency whatsoever.  We didn't have any of the super-high potential prospects which is understandable given our lack of 1st round picks and virtually no international presence.  But we had a few players with moderately high ceilings like Reid Scoggins, Jose Rondon, Arjenis Fernandez, Yency Almonte, Key Middleton and Nataneal Delgado.  The biggest thing the Angels had were a lot of lower ceiling guys that performed well in their first stint of pro-ball like Dionicio, Fish, Towey, Toribio and the collection of arms we had in A Ball.  

 

I don't need to tell you that more often than not once these guys reach AA they aren't able to progress any further but of that group you have to figure at least one or two keep going.  So to answer your question specifically, I'd say that in terms of pitching upside, offensive upside and offensive depth, we're lacking.  In terms of pitching depth at these levels however, we have a bit more than average.  It seems that right now Dipoto's more aimed at quantity rather than quality, which is understandable when we see the lack of early draft picks and very few star-level Latin American signings.  

[Angel Oracle]

We can only hope the foreign presence is beginning to do an about face.

It's mind boggling how Arte Moreno thought that long term success would be achieved through virtually ignoring the foreign markets and trading away many prospects for age 30+ players.

Did he not learn from how the Skanks struggled from 1982-1993 and are struggling since 2011, by making that same mistake?

[Second Base]

It wasn't necessarily his fault the system in the Dominican Republic was wrought with corruption.  He did the right thing that many other owners wouldn't have done.  He cut it off at it's source before this grew into an uncontrollable problem.  I can almost guarantee you the same thing is still happening in other systems and unless it's all cleaned up, this will become a high profile disaster.

 

The Angels chose to do what was right even though it cost them 5+ years of top Latin American prospects.  But now they're going about it the right way and long-term, once the new complex is built and we have the right scouts in place that won't be screwing over the kids, the Angels will again be one of the more popular draws down there. 

[Angel Oracle]

So, it is a much more prevalent problem in Latin America, then the populace is being told?

[Docwaukee]

If the Halos can get together a Latin system that give prospective players confidence that they aren't getting trafficed then it could eventually attract more players.  This whole process seems like some dirty little secret that everyone knows about.  Good for Arte doing things the right way and shame on the other teams that are turning a blind eye to this (like the Rangers). 

[wopphil]

If the Angels are willing to invest the money, they ought to be able to build the farm back to respectability pretty quickly. The first thing is to start signing the foreign prospects. Look at what the Cubs did this year - one or two aggressive years of targeting foreign prospects can add a ton of talent.

The second thing is to keep our draft picks and make smart selections. Two picks in the top 55 or so should help provided we don't sign a QO free agent.

Third, we could move vets for prospects. Depending on what happens this year, Kendrick, Aybar, Ianetta, Frieri and Wilson could all be trade bait.

An aggressive and smart approach could take this farm from the worst in baseball to middle of the pack in just two years or so.

Edited January 6, 2014 by wopphil

[Brent Maguire]

This system needs another draft like 2009 to replenish the system. It'll probably take quite a while to start developing solid players again but it only takes a good draft or 2 for a system to look a hell of a lot better.

[Angel Oracle]

2009 draft would be a dream draft for any org.

Too bad we had to go and trade Corbin.

[monkeywithahalo]

Tagging up on Scotty's behalf, here is our first prospect profile: Brian Moran at #30

 

Obviously not the most exciting of prospects, but he is at least a guy who could log some time in the bigs this season. 

[Second Base]

I think Garrett nailed this one, the farm is so depleted we needed to go and steal prospects away from other people.  Moran isn't a prospect worth getting particularly excited over.  But if he does his job this year, the likes of Fielder, Choo and Cano will have minimal late inning impacts in games against the Angels this next season.  That's worth more than we can say for most prospects. 

[Second Base]

Coming in at #29, RHP Cory Rasmus - http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2014/2014-la-angels-prospects-29-cory-rasmus.html

 

Rasmus has a pretty dynamic fastball and curve combo, which suggests that if he irons out some wrinkles in his BB/9, he could become quite useful.  Until then, he has AAAA written all over him.  Still a nice depth piece, still learning how to be a reliever, still dominating AAA.  

[Docwaukee]

maybe I didn't see enough of Rasmus, but I wasn't overly impressed with his fastball.  I guess I haven't seen much of him.  Could be another one of those guys that suddenly comes on if he learns how to locate.  Which could happen considering that he hasn't had much time as a reliever as of yet. 

[Second Base]

I don't see his fastball getting any better than it is (which is already pretty solid).  He's 26 and has finished his second full season as a RP.  I think his stuff is what it is.  I think he'll improve his control, which should help him gain a role in the major leagues but a lack of command should prevent him from seizing a late inning role. 

[Second Base]

Clocking in at #28 is RHP Kyle McGowin.  - http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2014/2014-la-angels-prospects-28-kyle-mcgowin.html

 

 

Personally, this kid is one of my favorites.  I pride myself on finding a few diamonds in the rough within the Angels system about a year or two before anyone else takes notice (Pat Corbin, Tyler Chatwood, Kole Calhoun and last year Alex Yarbrough) but then again, I've had my share of complete whiffs too (never thought Trumbo's talent would transfer as it has, Trevor Reckling, Brandon Wood).

 

Pencil McGowin is as one of the guys I'm predicting big things from.  I really like his delivery and combination of stuff, I think he'll be quite dynamic and if he progresses right, a solid mid-rotation starter.  His breaking ball is outstanding.  When he keeps his fastball down it's difficult to square up.  He has a usable change up.  His delivery creates a bit of deception.  He has the frame to grow into quite a good starter.  It's all there. 

[Angelsjunky]

Looking forward to it, Scotty. Sickels should be out in a day or two so it will be interesting to see how your grades match up with his.

[jsnpritchett]

 

Personally, this kid is one of my favorites.  I pride myself on finding a few diamonds in the rough within the Angels system about a year or two before anyone else takes notice (Pat Corbin, Tyler Chatwood, Kole Calhoun and last year Alex Yarbrough)

 

 

Man, you crack me up sometimes.  "Diamonds in the rough," like Corbin (2nd round pick), Chatwood (2nd round pick), and Yarbrough (4th round pick)?  Yep, no one noticed them at all...

[Docwaukee]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/sleeper-alert-kyle-mcgowin-rhp-savannah-state/

 

 

an article on McGowin

 

nice upside.  hope he can develop that change. 

[Second Base]

#27 LHP Jonah Wesely - http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2014/2014-la-angels-prospects-27-jonah-wesely.html

 

An absolute STEAL for the Angels.  Should've gone in the first 5 rounds, committed to UCLA, good build, good stuff, advanced outlook, maturity and approach on the mound.  He's going to end up in the Top 10 as early as next season, maybe a year after that.  The Angels are chalk full of pitching prospects that will make solid relievers, and a few more that can go either direction (Sappington, Roth, Scoggins, Wood, Clevinger, McGowin) but Wesely is one of the few prospects they have that will almost certainly be a SP.

[Make Angels Great Again]

Man I forgot all about T-rex (Trevor Reckling). Funny thing, that kid is still just 24, he was in Indy ball last year and made 12 starts with a 4.95 ERA.

 

Hard crash from a top prospect.

[Second Base]

Definitely a hard crash.  Shame too, Reckling's a good guy, hard worker.  

 

Coming in at #26 is 2B/3B Ismael Dionicio

http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2014/2014-la-angels-prospects-26-ismael-dionicio.html

 

Not a ton of information available on this guy, and not exactly the most exciting of prospects but he has the hand-eye coordination, speed and arm to carve out a super-utility role in the future.  In fact, given his high BA, I'd even call that a likelihood.  If he hits his ceiling, Chone Figgins.  more than likely, a Maicer Izturis type. 

[Second Base]

#25 OF Michael Fish - http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2014/2014-la-angels-prospects-25-michael-fish.html

 

Looks like this kid might be a Calhoun or perhaps a Borenstein type.  Not overwhelming skills/tools but does enough things right to succeed.  Came into Rookie Ball and absolutely annihilated the competition.  Hoping we won't see him in Burlington, that'll skip on up to Inland Empire.  Good chance he will, see as he was a college senior so he's headed into his age 23 season.  

 

Crazy to think we're still drafting guys that are older than Mike Trout.  Oh yeah, insert the obligatory fish last name comment here. 

[Docwaukee]

nice write up on Fish.  Fun player.  One of the guys I'm looking forward to following. 

[Second Base]

I'm looking forward to seeing what he does.  It could just be a Rookie Ball mirage, but as an organization we're so depleted right now, those sorts of players crack the Top 30.  Speaking of Top 30....

 

Top Prospect #24 1B Michael Snyder  http://www.monkeywithahalo.com/prospects-countdown/2014/2014-la-angels-prospects-24-michael-snyder.html

 

He's a big boy and can hit the ball super far.  I'm not holding out hope that he's Trumbo's replacement (I believe Cron is) but I do think that if he keeps hitting the long ball enough in the minors he'll be something that the Angels need, which is a power bat that comes off the bench in late innings.