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Chuck

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  1. Chuck

    Manfreded, Again

    By Chuck,


    Blog
    By David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Dear Rob,
    We don’t know each other, but we should meet. You are the Commissioner of Baseball, and I’m a lifelong baseball fan and diehard Angels fan. I’d love to invite you to my Angels seats, and we can discuss the state of the game over a beer or two. 
    Sometimes it seems like we live in similar worlds. I get that baseball, like all things, evolves over time. The game played today is not the same as it was when I was a kid. New analytics have changed how teams are constructed and how players are used. For example, we probably won’t see another 300-game winner because of how teams use of bullpens these days,
    Over the past few years, you’ve made a lot of changes to the game I love. Several of these changes, I can get behind, as a fan because they restore balance to the game. Case in point: banning the shift. Modern day analytics had so changed the game, that it was affecting the enjoyability of the game. Too many outs were made due to the shift and the inability or unwillingness by teams and players to overcome it. Something had to be done, and banning the shift was a good idea. 
    Other times, though, it seems like you and I are living in entirely different worlds. There is probably no bigger area where we are not in alignment than with the ghost runner in extra innings. You say you like the rule, but did you honestly survey the fans, particularly the hard-core fans, the ones who make up most of your season ticket holders, merchandise buyers, etc.? Because if you did, I would love to meet the fans who like this rule since I can’t find anyone who really supports it. No one in my section with season seats likes the rule; in fact, I can say with certainty that everyone hates it. And it is easy to understand why it is so hated. 
    The ghost runner rule is bad for baseball. It violates two of baseball central tenants, and as such, is antithetical to the game. 
    First, the ghost runner rule violates the drama and story of baseball to the point that it alters the game in an unfair way. Take today’s Easter Sunday game between the Angels and Blue Jays. The Angels took an early 6-0 lead, only to fall behind 10-6. 
    Going into the bottom of the 9th inning, the Angels were still losing 10-7. However, in the bottom of the 9th, the Angels came back to tie the game up at 10-10. The momentum had once again shifted. Like an Easter miracle, the Angels offense came back to life to score 3 in the bottom of the 9th. The fans were on their feet, cheering their team on—the excitement and momentum were with the Angels, and if you were in the ballpark, you would have felt it. 
    In most cases, the Angels should have gone on to win. However, the top of the 10th rolled around, and a runner for the Blue Jays ran out to second base. Why? He hadn’t gotten a hit. He hadn’t gotten a walk. He wasn’t even hit by a pitch. So, what’s he doing on second base?
    Suddenly, the Blue Jays, who were seemingly on their way to losing, suddenly got new life. They didn’t earn it; they were given it by a rule—your rule. With all due respect, why are your rules affecting the outcome of my team’s games?
    When the 10th inning began, fans in the stadium knew that the Angels were in trouble because of the ghost runner. While just moments before they were up on their feet in the bottom of the 9th, they were suddenly chilled seeing the Blue Jays with a runner on second base. No true baseball fan can support a rule that has that much of an effect on the momentum and energy of a game.
    The second central tenant of baseball that the ghost runner violates is that when baseball does lean towards one team in the rules, it invariably leans towards the home team. The ghost runner rule, unfortunately, completely turns that around and favors the visiting team. That’s bad for business. 
    As the Commissioner of Baseball, you know that we, the fans, are the extra player on the team. You know the importance of homefield advantage. According to this article, the homefield advantage has held steady in baseball at about 53%. Since the homefield advantage is clearly a part of the sport, rules that alter this advantage are antithetical to the game. 
    Worse yet, the ghost runner—your rule—completely alters how the visitors and home team must play the game to win. According to this article, a team with a runner on second and no outs should expect to score over a run per inning. That gives the advantage to the visitors as they should expect to take the lead and the home team should expect to have to come from behind again just to tie the game! That’s a distinct disadvantage for the home team and goes completely against one of the central tenants of baseball! 
    The evidence seems to bear this out. According to this article, through 2021, home teams went from having the expected 53% winning percentage at home to over a 53% losing percentage in extra inning games! 
    How can this be good for business? Don’t you and the other owners overall want the fans in the stands to walk away happy from the ballpark? Isn’t that why the homefield advantage is encouraged? Isn’t that why you had the homefield advantage for the World Series depend on which league won the All-Star Game for so many years?
    Please don’t listen to the echo chamber in the media. Reporters speak to the fans, but invariably, they don’t speak for the fans. They have a different take on the ballgame than fans do. Ending a game early let’s them meet their deadlines and get home earlier. They’ve had a long day, and with editors trying to get papers out, the pressure to get something written is tremendous. We like free baseball. 
    And I understand why players and managers are comfortable with the rule. They’ve had long days, and don’t want to have to juggle rosters and manage workloads during a rare multi-inning extra inning game. With the ever-changing CBA, it becomes more challenging for teams to manage all of this. 
    But, again, that’s something that we fans would understand. All the rules in the CBA may prevent a minor leaguer from coming up. Or it may lead to a difficult decision on the 40-man roster. While that may have real world implications for players, and make life challenging for coaches and managers, that is part of their line of work. We deal with that in our jobs everyday too. 
    More importantly fans understand how a long extra inning game can affect a team through a series and over a week or two. But that’s part of the drama and story of a season. We accept that. If anything, we like challenges like that (if we are being honest with ourselves) because it’s more for us to discuss during a playoff stretch. 
    With an expanded playoff format, we, the fans, will tune into rival team games just to follow how this minutia will affect our team’s chances of making the playoffs. We will track the waiver wire to see who’s available and heavily debate who might get cut from the 40-man roster. We will call into postgame shows to discuss this, just for our team. And, if it happens to a postseason rival, we will double our interest!
    Generating that much interest in the game should be the goal of baseball, the business. You and I both know that baseball is a business first and foremost. So, why are you continuing a rule that goes against your best business interests? Fans like seeing their team win. If you want to attract more fans to the ballpark, don’t make rules that put the home team at a distinct disadvantage!
    Now that we are playing with the pitch clock, the games are markedly shorter. It has a much crisper feel. Fans who want to leave games early, will leave at a set time or inning, regardless. Don’t worry about them. But, for true devotees of the game, an extra inning game that’s shorter in time is way more enjoyable than a 9-inning game that takes longer to play.
    During Covid, fans understood that some things had to change while we dealt with the disease. Covid is over. It’s time to get baseball back to where it was before Covid. We both know that this isn’t real baseball because you didn’t make the rule part of the postseason. If it’s not a good rule when baseball really counts, then it’s not a good rule during the season while we get there.  
    End the ghost runner rule before another home team gets Manfreded again.
     
  2. Chuck
    Trout earns 10th career All-Star selection and ninth straight as a starter Ohtani makes his second consecutive Major League All-Star Team
    ANAHEIM – Mike Trout (OF) and Shohei Ohtani (DH) have been selected via fan voting to start for the American League in the 2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, to be played Tuesday, July 19 at Dodger Stadium. Trout extends his Angels records with 10 overall All-Star selections and nine selections via fan voting.
    Ohtani earns his second consecutive All-Star starting nod at designated hitter and is the first player to win consecutive All-Star starts at DH via fan voting since Nelson Cruz in 2014-15. Trout is the first Major League player to be voted in by the fans as a starter in nine straight All-Star Games since Alex Rodriguez (2000-08). He also becomes the eighth player in A.L. history to earn nine fan elections with one organization, joining Cal Ripken Jr. (BAL, 17), George Brett (KC, 11), Ken Griffey Jr. (SEA, 10), Rod Carew (MIN, 9), Derek Jeter (NYY, 9), Ichiro Suzuki (SEA, 9) and Iván Rodríguez (TEX, 9).
    Entering play today, Trout ranks in the Top Five in the American League this season in home runs (3rd; 23), slugging (3rd; .601), OPS (4th; .968), runs (4th; 53), extra-base hits (42) and total bases (161). He scored his 1,000th career run on May 21 and joined Garret Anderson (1,024) as the only players in Angels history to do so. Additionally, he became the first player in MLB history to hit game-winning home runs in four different games of a series during the Angels trip in Seattle from June 16-19.

    This season, Ohtani is the only player in the Majors with both 18+ home runs and 10+ stolen bases. Additionally, he ranks in the Top 10 in the A.L. with 34 extra-base hits (6th), 53 RBI (8th) and 149 total bases (8th).
    On June 21 vs. Kansas City, he set a single-game career high with eight RBI which are the most in an MLB game for any Japanese-born player. Additionally, he has made 14 pitching starts, going 8-4 with a 2.44 ERA (81 IP – 22 ER) and 111 strikeouts. In his last five pitching starts, Ohtani is 5-0 with a 0.27 ERA (33.2 IP – 1 ER) and 46 strikeouts. In his seven previous All-Star Game appearances, Trout has amassed a .412 average (7/17) with two doubles, one triple, two home runs, four RBI, three walks and four runs scored. He became the first player to win the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award in consecutive seasons after winning the honors in 2014 and 2015. His seven All-Star Game hits are the most in Angels history. Additionally, his 17 All-Star Game total bases before turning 28 years old, are tied with Al Kaline and Ted Williams for the most in A.L. history; in the N.L., only Johnny Bench (18) had more by that age. Trout did not play in the 2017 and 2021 All-Star Games due to injury.

    Ohtani, the reigning A.L. MVP, made his MLB All-Star Game debut last season and was both the starting pitcher and starting designated hitter for the American League. He was the first player ever to start at pitcher, start in the leadoff spot and earn the win all in the same game (regular season, All-Star or postseason). He also became the only player ever selected to an All-Star team as both a pitcher and a position player.
    The complete All-Star rosters will be announced on Sunday, July 10th at 2:30 p.m. PT during the AllStar Selection Show on ESPN. 
  3. Chuck
    By @Angelsjunky, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    I like to find new angles on the greatness of Mike Trout - not hard to do, but always satisfying. Here's something tasty for your enjoyment. I'm going to be focusing on 8 WAR seasons. Why 8 WAR? Well, it represents a level beyond just garden variety superstardom. Generally speaking, 8 WAR is either a career year for a superstar or a good peak year for an inner circle Hall of Famer. In other words, it is a good benchmark for a truly great season.
    What is 8 WAR? 
    As you can read here, below 2 WAR are bench players and scrubs; from 2-4 WAR is the range from solid to good regulars; and 4 and above are various shades of stardom, from borderline stars to MVP candidates. In any given year, the best player in the game is somewhere around 8 WAR or higher; only rarely is the leader below 8 WAR, with the last two both from Jeff Bagwell with 7.8 WAR, in 1999 and 1994. 
    In most years there are two or three players with an 8 WAR or higher; some years less (or none), and some more (the most 8 WAR players in a single year was six, which happened three times: in 1912, 1961, and 1997). The point being, with an average of two or three a year, an 8 WAR player is a candidate for the best player in the game and a possible MVP. 
    It is also worth pointing out that WAR is less volatile than it used to be, with fewer high outliers. If we ignore Barry Bonds for a moment, the last position player to reach 11 WAR was Joe Morgan in 1975, which also happened to be the only position player season over 10 WAR in the 1970s. Including Bonds, from 1970 to the present there have only been thirteen 10 WAR seasons: five by Bonds (including one pre-roids in 1993 when he had 10.5), two by Trout, one each by Joe Morgan, Cal Ripken, Rickey Henderson, Alex Rodriguez, Buster Posey, and Mookie Betts.
    Meaning, super-high WAR seasons (above 10) are very rare, occurring--on average--only once every four years or so over the last half century.
    In 119 years of the two leagues (1901-2019) there have been 266 position player seasons of 8 WAR or above, or a little over two per year. Again, this averages out to a little over two a season.
    Active Players
    Among all currently active players, there have been 21 8 WAR seasons by the following players, in order of highest WAR: Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, Buster Posey, Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, Josh Donaldson, Miguel Cabrera, Aaron Judge, Jose Ramirez, and Andrew McCutchen. Other than Trout, the only players to have more than one such season are Betts with two and Pujols with four. And Mike Trout? He's got seven. 
    Meaning, Trout's got as many truly great seasons (as defined by 8 WAR) as any three of his peers combined. What does that mean, in historical context? Let's take a look.
    The Club of Seven (8 WAR Seasons)
    Mike Trout had his seventh 8 WAR season in 2019 at the age of 27, when he tied with Alex Bregman for the major league lead with 8.5. It was the sixth highest WAR of his eight full seasons, with only 2014 (8.3) and his injury-shortened 2017 (6.8) being lower.
    In baseball history, there are only nine players--including Trout--with seven or more 8 WAR seasons in their entire career. OK, take a breath. Consider how crazy that is, given that Trout is only 29 years old (and possibly would have had his 8th such season last year).
    Here are the leaders in numbers of 8+ WAR seasons:
    11: Babe Ruth, Willie Mays
    10: Barry Bonds
    9: Rogers Hornsby, Lou Gehrig
    8: Honus Wagner, Ted Williams
    7: Eddie Collins, Mike Trout
    No one else--including inner circle Hall of Famers like Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Alex Rodriguez--have more than six. Meaning, everyone but the seven players who are as good a septad of the greatest to ever play the game (although I would include Cobb, Aaron, and either Musial or Mantle to make it a rounded ten).
    Now here is where it gets even crazier (yes, it gets crazier). Trout is way ahead of everyone else's pace for adding up 8 WAR seasons. Here is when each player listed above had their 7th such season:
    Ruth: 14th season, age 32 Mays: 11th season, age 31 Bonds: 16th season, age 36 Hornsby: 13th season, age 31 Gehrig: 13th season, age 32 Wagner: 13th season, age 35 Williams: 13th season, age 35 Collins: 15th season, age 33 Trout: 9th season, age 27 To be fair, some of those players were delayed due to various circumstances. Ruth wasn't a full-time position player until his sixth season when he had 9.4 WAR in 1919 at age 24, ushering in the home run era. Chances are he would have had two or three by then if he had been a position player all along, and reached his seventh a few years earlier than he did. Williams lost three years in a row due to WWII at the age of 24-26, with two 11+ WAR seasons and two 10+ seasons bookending that gap. He almost certainly would have had his seventh 8 WAR season by 1947 or '48 at age 28 or 29. But even so, not even Ruth or Williams would have reached their seventh 8 WAR season by age 27.
    Trout did. No one else has. 
    Trout will eventually slow down. Yet he has established a baseline of about 9 WAR per season or even higher, so even if he slows by a half step he should have--at least--two or three more 8 WAR seasons, and maybe more. As of this writing (through April 21) he's at 1.6 WAR through his first 16 games--that's double the pace he needs to reach 8 WAR this year.
    What this means is that Trout has a legitimate shot at having more truly great (8 WAR) seasons than any other position player in history. Or, at the least, he probably has better than even odds in joining the "ten or more club" with arguably the three greatest position players in baseball history: Ruth, Mays, and Bonds (I would add Williams as of similar caliber, but as mentioned, he lost almost five years to military service, reducing what would have made him one of only three 160+ WAR players, to "only" 130.4, which is still 8th all-time).
    But Wait...What About 9 WAR Seasons?
    I've written about this before but think that 8 WAR is a better benchmark, because differences beyond that point are more due to era and occasional extraordinary performance than sustained greatness. That said, Trout is still among the best of the best. Ruth has the most with 10, followed by Hornsby (9), Bonds (8), Mays (7); Wagner, Cobb, Gehrig and Williams (6 each); A-Rod and Trout are next with 5 each.
    Meaning, he's one of only ten players in major league history with five or more 9 WAR seasons. If we go back to our active players, he has one more than everyone else combined (Betts, Posey, Pujols, and Harper with one each).
    If Trout manages to have two more 9 WAR seasons, he'll be one of only five with seven or more. At that point, the only players with more would be Ruth and Hornsby--both of whom played in a very different era with only eight teams per league and more outlying statistics, and Bonds, half of whose 9 WAR seasons were clearly augmented (Bonds' greatness shouldn't be understated; consider that he accumulated 99.2 WAR through 1998 at age 33, before he "allegedly" started juicing, and even without steroids he likely would have gone down as one of the top 10 or so greatest ballplayers ever).
    Conclusion
    The numbers speak for themselves, and we all know Trout is great--not only the greatest player of his generation, but also one of the greatest in baseball history. Within the month of May he's going to enter the top 40 for career WAR, and has a chance at the top 30 by the end of the year.
    What these statistics--the 8 WAR club--illustrate is what makes him one of the very best of all time: that he not only has reached extreme heights, but has done so with remarkable consistency. His level never drops, or when it does it is "all the way down" to the 8 to 8.5 WAR level, which is about the level of Hank Aaron's best seasons.
    At still only 29 this year, he has a real chance of compiling the needed five more 8 WAR seasons to stand above everyone else, with more truly great seasons than anyone in baseball history.
  4. Chuck

    Mike Trout and the High Heat

    By Chuck,


    Blog
    By @Docwaukee, AngelsWin.com Contributor
    There is a lot of anecdotal info and observation in regard to Mike Trout's ability to handle high fastball.   There always has been.  It's been his 'kryptonite' for years.  Yet until recently, he was still putting up hall of fame numbers.  Why now, all of a sudden, is he struggling, and does it have to do with attacking him up in the zone?  How's he performing on pitches up in the zone?  How's he performing on pitches up and out of the zone?  Is he swinging at each of them more than he used to?  
    I think our eyes are telling us that they are, not very good, even worse, and yes.  But do our eyes deceive us? 
    First off, I would like to add that Trout has always had a bit of a complicated setup.  Leg kick.  Hands high.  Lots of timing mechanism to get things in the right place.  But once he does, that swing is a thing of beauty.  Over the years though, we seen have have these streaks where he's working on getting that front foot down on time.  Something he's been quoted on several times.   The swing hasn't changed as of yet.  A little video from 2019 to 2021 to now shows pretty much the exact same setup and trigger points. 
    I've always felt like his approach was sort of the reverse of many in that he made a point to be on breaking balls and off speed while adjusting to the fastball - if you will.  I'm not sure if that has changed. 
    One thing we know for sure is that he's swinging more in general (44.7% of the time in 2023 compared to his career avg of 38.8%) and that's been happening since he returned from injury last year.  Another thing we know is that he's swinging more at balls in the zone (68.2% in 2023 vs. 56.4% career) and he's still  among the top in the league in terms of offering at pitches out of the zone - right in line with his career.  But all of the above is for all pitches.  Not just fastballs.  
    So let's see if a deeper dive can yield any info in that regard.
    First off, lets look at how they're attacking him with fastballs.  A comparison of 2023 to 2019 is in order I think considering 2019 was Mike's most recent MVP season.  
    In 2023, they're throwing fastballs at him 49.6% of the time.  In 2019, they attacked him with fastballs 42.8% of the time.  But where?

    Side by side it 2023 vs. 2019.  
    Up out of the zone 2023: 35.4%
    Up out of the zone 2019: 33.0%
    Up and in the zone 2023: 22.8%
    Up and in the zone 2019: 22.8%
    So pretty damn close here.  
    Is he swinging at them the same amount?  
    Balls up in the zone 2023: 7.8%
    Balls up in the zone 2019: 5.4%
    Balls up out of the zone 2023: 1.5%
    Balls up out of the zone 2019: 0.9%
    Alright, we might be getting somewhere here.  
    And how about the results?
    Balls up in the zone wOBA 2023: 
       
    Balls up in the zone wOBA 2019:

    Not all that compelling...
    How about out of the zone?
    Up and out of zone wOBA 2023: 0.0 but that's 8 results
    Up and out of zone wOBA 2019: 0.0 on 11 results.  
    So he really doesn't make that many outs on fastballs up in the zone in general because he doesn't really offer at that pitch all that much.  Yes he's on pace to do so a few more times this year but by seasons end we're talking like maybe 8 more outs.  Which is still not great but really on 10-12 points of batting average.  
    So he's swinging more.  But why? 
    Is it because he's in more two strike counts in general?  Nope.  Almost the exact same amount.  
    Are they attacking him with fastballs up more with two strikes?  9.8% of the time in 2023 vs. 8.2% in 2019.  It averages out to about 30 more results from pitches up in the zone for 2023 than in 2019.   
    None of the above screams that he would be tanking to the tune of an ops 175 points below his career avg.  And a few things I'd like to leave people with as they contemplate his demise.
    His avg exit velo is higher than the 2019 season.  His hard hit rate is higher than his career avg.  His chase rate is at about his career avg.  His swing and miss rate is higher than his avg but down from last year.  And for all you stat nerds, his xwOBA for contact is .490.  Still elite but off his .513 career avg.  
    His xba is .269 compared to his actual of .252.  His xSLG is .508 compared to his actual of .467. 
    Personally, I just think he's swinging too much.  Yes, there are some signs of decline there, but there's some bad luck too.  Why swing more when your swinging strike rate has gone up?  He used to leave certain strikes alone.  You can't tell me that pitchers have become better at commanding the ball than they did before. 
    Albert Pujols called and he wants his late career approach back.  Let him have it.
  5. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    Clayton Kershaw actually inspired me to write this, not Trout. If you haven't noticed, Kershaw is off to a great start, with a 1.89 ERA through 6 starts, including 1.2 fWAR and a 9.71 K to 1.18 BB rate in 38 IP. Kershaw may be a bit under-appreciated these days, as he hasn't been among the very best pitchers since his peak in 2011-16, after which he dropped a level from best pitcher in the world to merely top 10 or so. But even then, since 2017 he's had a 2.68 ERA and averaged 4.9 WAR per 200 IP...not quite his 2011-16 level (2.06 ERA, 6.8 fWAR per 200 IP) but still among the better pitchers. What I find particularly impressive about "latter day Kershaw" is that he seems to overpower batters less, while still knowing how to keep the runs down...meaning, he's gotten smarter.
    Meaning, Kershaw is under-appreciated if you over-emphasize WAR. He's not dominating in the same way he used to on pure stuff and peripherals, but he's still putting up stellar ERAs.
    As far as career fWAR is concerned, with 74.5 he's now tied with Warren Spahn in just about exactly half the innings at 27th all-time. He's almost certainly going to pass Robin Roberts and Kevin Brown to finish the year at 25th, behind Justin Verlander. If he has another decent year next year, he'll be in the top 20, though will be hard-pressed to reach the top 10 (95.7 fWAR).
    OK, Trout update. He's been pretty good this year, but clearly not peak level. He's at 1.5 fWAR through 29 games, good for 9th in the majors. But he hasn't really gotten hot with the bat yet, so expect a spike at some point and with a chance at finishing 1st for the first time since 2019.
    Trout passed Joe DiMaggio earlier in the year and is at 83.6 for his career, 34th all-time. He's going to pass a bunch of guys this year:
    25. Cap Anson 91.2
    26. Al Kaline 88.9
    27. Albert Pujols 88.8
    28. Wade Boggs 88.3
    29. Roger Connor 86.2
    30. George Brett 84.6
    31. George Davis 84.6
    32. Chipper Jones 84.6
    33. Adrian Beltre 83.8
    34. Mike Trout 83.6
    35. Joe DiMaggio 82.6
    As you can see, Trout needs 5.3 WAR to pass Albert Pujols, which he should do--barring injury--sometime in the second half. He has a chance at becoming the 26th hitter in major league history to reach 90 WAR by year's end.
    More on this, including updates along the way in the thread below:
  6. Chuck
    Mike Trout has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain, the team announced Tuesday.
    His recovery time is estimated to be six to eight weeks.
    The three-time American League MVP leads the major leagues in on-base percentage (.462) and OPS (1.086), has 8 home runs and is slashing .333/.466/.624 so far this season
    Fan reaction on this terrible news here:
     
  7. Chuck
    MIKE TROUT NAMED 2019 AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

    ANAHEIM – Angels outfielder Mike Trout today was named the 2019 American League Most Valuable Player in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). It marks the third career MVP award for Trout, who previously won the award in 2014 (unanimously) and 2016. Trout becomes the 11th player to win at least three BBWAA MVP awards and is the sixth to win three times in the American League, joining Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle and Alex Rodriguez. The only player to win more than three MVP Awards in a career is Barry Bonds (7).
    Trout garnered 17 first place votes and 13 second place votes for a total of 355 points in the balloting process, 20 points ahead of second place finisher Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros (335 points). In his nine Major League seasons, Trout has now finished in the Top 3 of the MVP vote seven times, becoming just the second player all-time to do so, joining current Angels teammate Albert Pujols. 
    The 28-year-old captures the Angels fifth MVP award in franchise history. In 2014, Trout joined Vladimir Guerrero (2004) and Don Baylor (1979) as the only Halos to receive the honors and became the Club’s first multiple winner in 2016. The Angels become the only team in the Majors to have won four MVP Awards across the last 17 years. 
    The New Jersey native finished 2019, batting .291 with 27 doubles, two triples, 45 home runs, 104 RBI, 11 stolen bases, 110 walks and 110 runs scored. He led the league in both OBP (.438) and slugging percentage (.645) for the second time in his career (also 2017) and joined Mantle and Ty Cobb as the only center fielders to lead their league in both categories in multiple seasons. Additionally, he reached the 100 runs plateau for the seventh time in his career and became the fifth player in MLB history to score 100 runs seven times by his age-27 season, joining: Mantle, Rodriguez, Hank Aaron and Mel Ott.
    Trout’s resume now includes three A.L. MVP Awards (2014, 2016 and 2019), an A.L. Rookie of the Year Award (2012), eight All-Star Game selections (2012-19), two All-Star Game MVP honors (2014 and 2015), seven Silver Slugger Awards (2012-16, ’18-19) and two A.L. Hank Aaron Award (2014 & 2019).
    A BBWAA conference call will be held tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET (5:00 p.m. PT) with Mike Trout. The number to call in is (877) 256-6029. Please note that questions are reserved for BBWAA members only. All other media outlets are invited to join the call in listen-only mode.
    Statements from Angels manager Joe Maddon and hitting coach Jeremy Reed
    Angels Manager Joe Maddon –
    “Mike is a one of a kind player.  There is no comparison that I've seen since 1981, when I began as a Coach, Manager and Scout.  His complete skill set is generational and stands up to every era that participated in our game.  He is the player I would recommend be required watching by all youngsters who want to become a Major Leaguer – Be Like Mike!” 
    Angels Hitting Coach Jeremy Reed –
    “Mike’s abilities simply continue to amaze. He is a MVP on and off the field. His determination to be the best drives him to new levels each day. Mike’s passion to win helps elevate the organization as a whole. I’m blessed to work with him and I have the best seat in the house to watch greatness. Mike has combined his God-given physical skills with a mind-set that is equally as strong.  His work ethic on a daily basis never alters from day one of Spring Training through the end of the season, yet one of the most impressive aspects of Mike is his non-stop support and encouragement of his teammates.  In the clubhouse, in the dugout or on the field, nobody is better!”
  8. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Feature Writer
    The clock is now down to days before the first name in the 2022 MLB Draft is called. I’ve been gathering information from around the industry to put together my final in-detail mock draft for 2022, and will have a names only one coming just prior to the draft itself on Sunday at 4pm PT.
    You can read my first and only other mock for the year, Mock Draft 1.0, from HomePlateView.com from July 1, here
    As noted throughout, the top pick will dictate much of the first third of the draft. No one knows what Baltimore is doing with the first pick and won’t up until the name is called. As always, enjoy...
     
    1. Baltimore Orioles - Druw Jones, OF, Wesleyan HS (GA)
    The entire top of the draft hinges on Baltimore's selection and as record will stand, no one will know what direction Mike Elias and staff are going until just minutes before the selection or potentially even when the selection is made. There are still five names attached to this pick between Jones, Jackson Holliday, Termarr Johnson, Brooks Lee, and Kevin Parada. Everything will come down to price and value that permits them to execute the best use of their bonus surplus and set them up for their second, third, and ongoing picks through the course of the first two days of the draft. Jones is viewed, although not by consensus, as the top player in this draft and may have enough of a gap between the potential "money-saving picks" of Johnson, Lee, and Parada to still merit the top selection and allow Baltimore to swing a talent to their second and third picks at 33 and 42. I believe that if Jones is not the selection, it will be at a reduced deal with Lee, or a very slightly reduced deal with Holliday, with a target on one of the upper-tier arms that suffered injuries over the spring with their next pick.
    2. Arizona Diamondbacks - Jackson Holliday, SS, Stillwater HS (OK)
    Much less held to secrecy, Arizona's hopeful scenario is that Baltimore passes on Jones, and he is available for them. They don't view Holliday as a consolation prize though as he is seen as their second priority to Jones.
    3. Texas Rangers - Elijah Green, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
    Similar to Arizona, Texas will have hopes that Baltimore passes on Jones and Holliday with the chance one is at hand here, with Holliday being the more likely scenario. If not, it seems this pick is down to Kevin Parada and Elijah Green, who had a strong showing during a workout at Globe Life Field.
    4. Pittsburgh Pirates - Brooks Lee, SS, Cal Poly
    It seems this pick is down to a trio if the top three go accordingly, with Lee, Johnson, and Cam Collier in the mix. Lee and Collier continue to gain traction here with Johnson staggering just behind though I wouldn't rule him out. An underslot deal with Cole Young has started to gain some headwind.
    5. Washington Nationals - Kevin Parada, C, Georgia Tech
    Once again, pending the outcome of the first pick, the third selection may dictate what happens here between Parada and Jacob Berry based upon who Texas takes and whether or not Parada is available.
    6. Miami Marlins - Termarr Johnson, 2B, Mays HS (GA)
    This pick seems less likely determined by the top pick as it does by the fourth. Though college bats come up more often here and this would be the apparent floor for Parada, I still think Johnson is near the top of their board. If Pittsburgh does swing for Collier instead of Lee and neither are underslot options for the first pick, I believe Lee lands here. If Texas gets one of Jones or Holliday and Washington opts for Green or Berry over Parada, I believe this is his final outcome (I give these scenarios as alternates since the top of the draft has so many potential outcomes that intertwine together). In this scenario, neither Lee or Parada are available and that would lead to Johnson. I mentioned in my previous mock that Berry could have his ceiling here, though I see Johnson and others above him here. Another option gaining steam over the last week, though I’m not biting on the smoke, is that Miami may go down the board a bit and underslot one of the upside prep arms like Dylan Lesko.
    7. Chicago Cubs - Cam Collier, 3B, Chipola JC (FL)
    Collier and Johnson have both been long attached to Chicago, with Collier being the preference so it could be a dream scenario for Chicago to get one of their favored bats. There's always a strong chance someone does something unique in the first handful-or-so picks with underslot deals for teams who have supplemental picks, but it seems the seven mentioned here and before are going to be the first seven picks of the draft. If Collier or Johnson is gone, I could see this being the final landing spot for Lee to fill out to top seven. College bats like
    8. Minnesota Twins - Jacob Berry, 1B/OF, Louisiana State
    Returning quickly to the alternate scenarios, the perceived top seven talents are going in the top seven picks of this mock. By Sunday afternoon, there is just as strong a chance one of them falls out of the first seven selections as there is they all land within that range. There's no guarantee, but I would bet that someone mentioned above this will be available over the next two picks and ripe for the taking. That could leave Minnesota (and Kansas City right after this) in a holding pattern awaiting a potential faller. Back to this mock reality (fun oxymoron that I had to include), I've heard Minnesota on college bats. Berry and Gavin Cross lead the charge.
    9. Kansas City Royals - Justin Crawford, OF, Bishop Gorman HS (NV)
    After trading the 35th selection in the draft, Kansas City's bonus pool fell by just over $2.2M and went from the fourth largest to their ninth. It likely won't do too much altering with their first selection but it does hinder the chance of landing one of the priority picks in they do fall far enough -- Green in particular. This is the first legitimate underslot bet I've been hearing for some time and actually believe may be a reality between Brock Porter, Brandon Barriera, and Justin Crawford, though I'm hesitant to go Crawford for the diminished bonus and a strong potential suitor with a large bonus pool in the teens (see below). It's also the first place I've heard any pitcher's name tossed in and feel they'll be the first to pull the plug.
    10. Colorado Rockies - Gavin Cross, OF, Virginia Tech
    I've been told for weeks by multiple industry sources that this is the floor for Berry. When one person says it, it's a poor rumor, but when multiple people say it, it has merit. There's a chance he falls here, but if he's gone, I believe it will be Cross or Porter.
    11. New York Mets - Brock Porter, RHP, Orchard St Mary's HS (MI)
    With two picks in the teens separated by only two picks between, the Mets have cast a wide net on potential suitors. Crawford has been attached here for a long time and I believe if they like him enough, they could swing him to either pick with their large bonus pool. The Mets have played the draft backwards in the past by taking two underslot deals early and landing their bigger fish with a later pick (i.e., 2019: Brett Baty, Josh Wolf, Matt Allan), though that was without the excess of two high picks and leads me to believe they'll play this draft more straightforward. Pending their confidence in what the Tigers and Angels will do, I see them going upside with their first pick and top of their board with the second. Jett Williams is a name of interest for either pick.
    12. Detroit Tigers - Connor Prielipp, LHP, Alabama
    Up until the last week, I believed this would be the floor for Jace Jung with very slight risk the Mets would take him ahead of this. Detroit was full hands-on deck for Jung late in the season and I still wouldn't rule it out. But, I have it on good authority, almost to guarantee, that Detroit has pivoted heavily towards Prielipp who impressed during scouted bullpens and at the MLB Draft Combine, and he is set to be the first college arm off the board.
    13. Los Angeles Angels - Brandon Barriera, LHP, American Heritage HS (FL)
    As this is an Angels Community Fansite & blog, there will be more reader emphasis on the Angels selection due to its paramount readership. As a caveat, it doesn't alter anything to the entirety of the mock and will go according to the information given. I have brash confidence that the Angels will take a pitcher here. Few pitchers, if any, will be selected ahead of them which gives the Angels their most desired arm and surplus to pick from. To my understanding, they have narrowed down who they believe is the top college and prep arm to Gabriel Hughes and Brandon Barriera and will be selecting between the two. The debate of who lingers behind them tends to fall to Justin Campbell on the college side and Robby Snelling on the prep, while Cade Horton and Lesko may be enticing. Kumar Rocker has had rumors in this range, though I'm leery on the Angels being among that group based on some internal comments. It will be noted here as opposed to later: whoever takes Rocker will plausibly have a gameplan of getting him to the big leagues as a reliever by September while in the hunt for the playoffs or impending a roster spot in the postseason. Postscript: belief is that the Angels will not take twenty pitchers with twenty picks.
    14. New York Mets - Daniel Susac, C, Arizona
    Once again going to the Mets and their creativity, this pick and the one they hold ahead of this have so much variance that plenty can alter between the two and it's a crapshoot as to trying to access what they will do. I do believe that if Crawford is available the Mets would try and swing him here as opposed to at 11 due to how the Tigers and Angels picks are being conceived, and they would target a college bat with their first pick. Instead, with him unavailable, I see them going to the top of their board with my idea being that it is a college bat and Susac being the frontrunner. One name that continues to come up around the teen picks and even prior is Lesko who was seen as the top arm in this class before having Tommy John surgery this spring. Again, there's no dead set feeling here but I could see the 11 and 14 picks being swapped multiple ways with too many players involved to feel any bit of confidence about New York.
    15. San Diego Padres - Jett Williams, SS, Rockwall-Heath HS (TX)
    Speaking of Lesko, everyone and their mother will believe he's a perfect fit for A.J. Preller and the Padres. I have it on good faith that San Diego is taking a hitter here, but I too am wary of Lesko being available and not being the pick. Of the hitters I've heard mentioned here, Crawford gains the most traction with Jett Williams and Cole Young right behind, with Williams getting the slight nod.
    16. Cleveland Guardians - Jace Jung, 2B, Texas Tech
    Cleveland shied away from their standard draft model last year with Gavin Williams, only slightly, where they focus on youth for the
    class and upside. With that, I could see Crawford, Barriera, or Williams going here and gives me pause on them taking Cole Young. A late rumor I heard as of writing this mock is that Cleveland has hopes of a particular falling talent getting to them in Jung who has rumors of falling down towards the 21st pick, while also having suitors from 8-14, though I don't believe the Mets would take him with either of their picks. Drew Gilbert and Chase DeLauter also seem to be candidates. With Lesko still on the board, I'm once again wary of Cleveland passing.
    17. Philadelphia Phillies - Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
    Another late rumor I heard while writing this mock is how deep Philadelphia ran in to see Gabriel Hughes during the late stages of the season. I've heard mixed reports on Philadelphia and while keeping things honest, don't have a strong feel for the direction they will go. My belief is that they'll take an arm here and though I'm somewhat confident in the general demographic they'll target I'm much less confident in who that will be. Plenty of teams in this range are interested in Lesko and he could even work his way into the top ten.
    18. Cincinnati Reds - Dylan Lesko, RHP, Buford HS (GA)
    It might be a pipedream, but I don't think it's out of the realm for Cincinnati to get who they see as the top arm in the class. If Lesko is taken earlier and the Angels go with Hughes, I think this would be Barriera's floor. Zach Neto is also mentioned here, as well as into the late top ten.
    19. Oakland Athletics - Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
    College bat here with some options between DeLauter, Beavers, Drew Gilbert, and Jacob Melton; among others including previously selected.
    20. Atlanta Braves - Cade Horton, RHP, Oklahoma
    College arms are the talk with Atlanta, and they should have a reserve to pick from. Hughes -- who is believed to not make it past this pick with confidence -- and Campbell are the most common names that come up here. Running back to the trade with Kansas City, I'm curious to see what Atlanta does with the extra $2.2M+ in allotted bonus pool funds. I'm not certain it will alter this pick as much as it will their next, but with the rumors of Horton's bonus demands, it would make sense that they could be getting some extra bank for someone like him, and he seems to be solidly in their mix.
    * I said it in my last mock, and I think it bears repeating: Expectation is that there will be a run of college bats that could start upwards of 19 and end somewhere around the start of the supplemental round. During that stretch, there will be players who are not college hitters taken. Mock drafts are an inexact science and are based on information granted by industry sources. At some point, you're going to be wrong while doing a mock, and I'd put big money on this run of college bats being quite different from the real outcome. After that grain-of-salt public service announcement, let's move on. *
    21. Seattle Mariners - Zach Neto, SS, Campbell
    Another team with a broad mix of potential candidates, I'm hearing college for Seattle with no set direction on bats or arms. My best bet is Seattle sits and hopes for someone to fall, potentially Young who is still available. I believe this is the floor for Neto or Jung who could be the falling talent Seattle could be looking at. Gilbert is in play and is one of the top candidates for each of the next three picks. Other hitters here are the same as Oakland while the pitchers here are Hughes, Horton, or Connor Hjerpe.
    22. St. Louis Cardinals - Peyton Graham, SS, Oklahoma
    Sticking to my guns from the last mock. This is the first spot I've heard Graham's name attached and I was told to not be surprised by how high he goes. I also could see St. Louis taking a falling talent.
    23. Toronto Blue Jays - Drew Gilbert, OF, Tennessee
    A lot of the same. Plenty of college bats in the mix, with Gilbert being the preferred.
    24. Boston Red Sox - Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
    I'm going to stick with college bats here, and any of the ones ahead fit. Among this group is Jordan Beck, though I am leery to Colorado trying to swing Beck towards their supplement picks, as they do have some interest in him with their 10th overall selection.
    25. New York Yankees - Brock Jones, OF, Stanford
    The Yankees have been keeping up with the Jones', Brock and Spencer. It's the first landing spot I've heard for either but there seems to be real smoke that could be a fire on either here. There is some noise to the Yankees looking at Mikey Romero of Southern California for their second-round pick.
    26. Chicago White Sox - Connor Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
    Hjerpe is more likely destined for one of the picks ahead of this where I mentioned that it won't strictly be college bats. His range is from 18 onwards. If Chicago went with a bat, I could see it being Melton or Toman.
    27. Milwaukee Brewers - Justin Campbell, RHP, Oklahoma State
    We've reached the throwing darts portion of the mock. I've heard pitching with Milwaukee, and they'll have plenty to choose from.
    28. Houston Astros - Jacob Melton, OF, Oregon State
    Sticking and probably ending with the run of college bats. No real connection here, just going with the gut.
    29. Tampa Bay Rays - Jacob Miller, RHP, Liberty Union HS (OH)
    If you go back to my pick for the Braves, this is my secondary landing spot for Horton due to the same reasons mentioned: lots of bonus pool. There are so many directions the Rays can go, and it seems like every year they do something off the charts. Miller is the kind of arm they've shown interest in in the past, but I don't have any real connections for them either.
    30. San Francisco Giants - Dylan Beavers, OF, California
    San Francisco is another broad range team with their first selection, and it seems natural as we're at the end of the natural first round. They have been linked to high upside preps and solidified college hitters. I could see them taking one of the previously mentioned bats if one were to fall, or go directly to upside arms and take Snelling, Jackson Ferris, or even swing big on Rocker.
     
    SUPPLEMENTAL ROUND A
    31. Colorado Rockies – Jordan Beck, OF, Tennessee
    32. Cincinnati Reds – Robby Snelling, LHP, McQueen HS (NV)
    33. Baltimore Orioles – Carson Whisenhunt, LHP, East Carolina
    34. Arizona Diamondbacks – Thomas Harrington, RHP, Campbell
    35. Atlanta Braves – Tucker Toman, 3B, Hammond HS (SC)
    36. Pittsburgh Pirates – Cole Young, SS, North Alleghany HS (PA)
    37. Cleveland Guardians – Blake Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
    38. Colorado Rockies – Kumar Rocker, RHP, Tri-City (Independent League)
    39. San Diego Padres - Henry Bolte, OF, Palo Alto HS (CA)
    Supplemental Notes: Colorado has some interest in Beck with their 10th pick and have the bonus pool to swing him down though I believe he'll go ahead of this. Toman, Snelling, and Young are all likely to go earlier in the first round, but someone will swing some tend talents to the supplement and second round; Young is the most interesting at Pittsburgh has a rumored under slot deal early in the draft. Rocker will go somewhere in the first round though no one seems to know where; my best bet is he files in between the college hitters.
  9. Chuck
    Our old friend Rob Goldman who brought us Once they were Angels, Always an Angel (Tim Salmon biography) and Nolan Ryan - The making of a pitcher and so many historical articles years ago, is back with a video production - Facing Nolan Ryan. Available in theatres on May 24th and at some point on streaming platforms as well. 
    You can check your local theatres to see where it will be playing here: https://www.fathomevents.com/events/Facing-Nolan-
    Check out the trailer. It looks awesome!! 
  10. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
    Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
    Scouting Report
    Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
    Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
    An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
    Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
    Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
    Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
  11. Chuck
    The longtime voice of the Los Angeles Angels joins the AngelsWin.com team of Chuck Richter and Geoff Stoddart to discuss all things surrounding the Halos and Major League Baseball.
    You can subscribe, download, stream and listen or watch on the following platforms:
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_QbFNfilSkSIhjjYlTLYZg
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    Spotify: 
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    Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e70b514a-a81d-4cb0-b556-be0990232a6f/angelswin-com-podcast
  12. Chuck
    AngelsWin folks, pre-order your Millville Meteor shirt brought to you by the voice of the Angels, Victor Rojas. https://bigflygear.com/collections/millville-meteor
    From the the website:
    The Design: Since arriving in the ‘big leagues’ at the ripe old age of 19 in 2011, Michael Nelson Trout has been compared to a number of different baseball Hall of Famers (most notably, Mickey Mantle). Trout is one of those rare finds that has excelled because of the tools he possesses: hit for average, hit for power, incredible defender, terrific arm and blazing speed. While those attributes are found in other rare players from time to time, Trout has stood out because of the astonishing numbers he’s put up in his first 8+ plus seasons of Major League Baseball. Since 2012, Trout has racked up the honors at an amazing pace: Rookie of the Year, 3 Most Valuable Player Awards (4 - 2nd place finishes), 7 Silver Slugger Awards, 8 All-Star appearances and 2 All Star Game MVPs. The Millville, New Jersey native was the 25th overall selection by the Los Angeles Angels in 2009 after his All-American caliber senior season at Millville High School, where he hit .531 with 18 home runs in 81 at-bats. He would arrive in the big leagues for the first time just 2 years later, playing in 40 games with the Halos in 2011. The rest as they say, is history. While the moniker, ‘The Millville Meteor’, would come to be known after his high school days, it seems to fit Trout and his style of play. Like Mantle, who was known as ‘The Commerce Comet’ (Mantle was a native of Commerce, Oklahoma), it’s difficult to encapsulate the player with one particular word. We think ‘The Millville Meteor’ does just that for Trout…besides, we love the fact a player of his talents has a wonderful old-school nickname. 🐐approved!
    * You won't want to take off this best-selling unisex tee, featuring a uniquely soft triblend fabrication, modern fit, crew neck and short sleeves. It'll be your go-to tee every time.
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  13. Chuck
    By Tres Hefter, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    The past two weeks have seen some big moments from Angels top prospects with Jo Adell climbing to the top of the minor league HR leaders and Reid Detmers posting three starts, and sure enough, this edition of the Angels Prospect Hotlist features a Salt Lake City outfielders and first-rounders, but maybe with a few unexpected names. Aside from the red-hot Salt Lake offense, the other side of the ball has seen the Angels lower-level pitching continuing to dominate with big strikeout numbers across the board.
    --Pitchers--
    1) Reid Detmers - LHP, Rocket City, AA:
    Detmers delivered his best professional start on May 25th, throwing 6 IP against Birmingham while allowing only one hit, two walks, and one unearned run while striking out 10, bookended with a strong start vs. Pensacola (5 IP, ER, BB, 6 K) and a not-so-strong rematch with Birmingham (2.2 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K), giving the Angels top pitching prospect a respectable 2.63 ERA, .220 BAA, and 1.24 WHIP over his last three starts. While the strikeouts and increased velocity have been promising (19 over his last 13.1 IP) the number of hits (11) and walks (6) still show Detmers has some work to do in harnessing his rapidly improving repertoire. Given the Angels struggles on the mound, there's still a chance we see Detmers in Anaheim before the year is out.
    2021 (RCT, AA): 4.05 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, .240 BAA, 18 H, 4 HR allowed, 9 BB, 30 K across 20 IP in 5 G/5 GS
    2) Kyle Tyler - RHP, Rocket City, AA:
    Detmers wasn't the only Trash Panda to turn in a couple strong weeks on the mound. 2018 20th Rounder Kyle Tyler arguably might have been even better. Tyler won his last two starts without allowing a single run - earned or unearned - and didn't allow, well, much of anything, walking four and allowing five hits over 13 IP, while also striking out 14. As a result Kyle Tyler was named the Double-A South Pitcher of the Week for May 24-30 after tossing 6.0 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts for Rocket City. Tyler's shiny 0.00 ERA, .122 BAA, and 0.69 WHIP at the AA level places him firmly in the mix of Angels pitching prospects to keep an eye on, as his now consistent strong professional performance (2.95 ERA in 44 G/22 GS, with 52 BB, 151 K in 167 IP) have to be opening some eyes. Tyler doesn't throw very hard, but if he continues his ability to limit baserunners and damage as he ascends, he'll see MLB innings.
    2021 (RCT, AA): 2.53 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, .228 BAA, 18 H, 3 HR allowed, 7 BB, 23 K across 21.1 IP in 4 G/4 GS
    3) Ryan Smith - LHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Eventually the Angels will have to start promoting some of their dominant Inland Empire lefties up to Tri-City, perhaps even Rocket City, and start exploring what gems they might be uncovering. Lefty Ryan Smith, winner of the Low-A West's Pitcher of the Week, continued the 66er's rampant dominant pitching over the last two weeks, delivering 12.1 innings of one-run ball, all while striking out 21 - and allowing only one walk. Smith's dominance was highlighted by a May 21st start included 13 strikeouts over 6 shutout innings. Smith, 23, is a tad old for the competition he's facing, but he's essentially halved his BB% while dramatically increasing his K%, giving him some shine to build on. At the very least, Smith could start to join the Angels bullpen depth as soon as 2022.
    2021 (IE, A): 1.66 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, .160 BAA, 12 H, 2 HR allowed, 6 BB, 37 K across 21.2 IP in 4 G/3 GS
    4) Davis Daniel - RHP, Tri-City, A+:
    Speaking of MLB bullpen depth, Davis Daniel could be a name to watch as soon as this year. Daniel's ST invite, strong college performance at Auburn, and promising results to start his pro career in 2021 likely give the 24-year old righty a legitimate shot at seeing September innings, depending on how the Angels and Daniel both fare over the summer months. Daniel, currently working in the Dust Devils rotation, delivered two quality starts over the last two weeks, highlighted by strong control and strikeout numbers - 2 walks to 17 strikeouts in 12 innings, while limiting opponents to 4 earned runs (3.00 ERA) and 8 hits (.186 BAA). 
    2021 (TRI, A+):  3.86 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, .239 BAA, 16 H, 1 HR allowed, 12 BB, 25 K across 18.2 IP in 4 G/4 GS
    5) Packy Naughton - LHP, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    With AAA offense out of control league-wide, anytime a Bees pitcher posts a strong start will garner some attention. Packy Naughton's near no-hitter on May 23rd, when he went 7.2 IP allowing one hit and one walk while striking out 8, followed a mixed showing against Seattle's AAA affiliate (4.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, BB, 4 K). Packy surprisingly has yet to allow a HR in his first 16 innings at the level and is posting strong groundball rates (63%) offering some hope that the funky lefty might have more AAA success ahead of him. Naughton has several names ahead of him on the MLB depth chart, but figures to have a shot at joining the 40-man should the Angels move on from someone like Dillon Peters in the near-future, occupying a spot similarly, providing spot starts or mop-up duty from the left-side when a fresh arm is needed. Still, don't sleep on crafty lefties.
    2021 (RCT AA/SLC AAA): 3.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, .250 BAA, 21 H, 2 HR allowed, 3 BB, 19 K across 20.1 UP in 4 G/3 GS
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Brent Killam (LHP, IE A):  10.1 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 18 K, 1.74 ERA in 2 starts  – one brief stumble cost him a spot in the Top 5, but strong stuff continues
    John Swanda (RHP, IE A): 15 IP, 11 H, 6 BB, 9 K, 0.00 ERA in 3 G/1 GS – remember him? Former 4th rounder hasn't allowed a run in 18 innings despite mixed peripherals
    Cooper Criswell (RHP, RCT AA):  10.1 IP, 7 H, 2 BB, 15 K, 1.74 ERA, .189 BAA in 2 GS - tall righty continues to produce without dominant stuff
    Zach Linginfelter (RHP, TRI A+): 11.1 IP, 13 H, 7 BB, 15 K, 4.76 ERA in 3 starts - mixed results but lots of promise from the 6'5" righty
    Jack Dashwood (RHP, IE A): 7 IP, 9 H, 0 BB, 10 K, 7.71 ERA in 2 games - yet to allow a walk in first 14.2 IP while striking out 20
    Greg Veliz (RHP, TRI A+): 8.1 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 14 K, 2.16 ERA, .143 BAA in 4 games - emerging as a dominant lower-level relief prospect
    Andrew Wantz (RHP, SLC AAA) 8.1 IP, 9 H, 1 BB, 10 K, 4.32 ERA in 2 starts - solid numbers this season in second AAA stint, could be in bullpen mix soon
    Aaron Hernandez (RHP, TRI A+): 8 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 10 K, 1.13 ERA, .120 BAA in 2 starts - 3rd round pick is putting together his best season
    Jake Faria (RHP, SLC AAA): 15.2 IP, 21 H, 5 BB, 19 K, 6.89 ERA, .313 BAA in 2 starts - poor ERA and lots of hits, but strong BB:K ratio and length could earn a promotion
    Justin Courtney (RHP, IE A): 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 1.93 ERA, .125 BAA in 3 games - undrafted free agent performing well in first taste of pro ball, a little old vs. league
     
    --Position Players--
    1) Jake Gatewood - 3B/SS, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Leading all Angels' minor leaguers over the last two weeks is former first-rounder Jake Gatewood, a 25-year old who the Angels signed as a minor league free agent this past winter. Salt Lake's offense has been red-hot of late, and Gatewood played a part in it, slashing .302/.400/.767/1.167 with a double, two triples, and five home runs in this span. While AAA is a hitter's paradise, with nearly everyone posting big offensive numbers, Gatewood's recent breakout could be the start of a former top talent finally putting things together, as his current .839 OPS in AAA - his first time at this level - is a good step above his career .691 minor league OPS and his career best .775 posted in '17 at A+/AA. Could be the start of something exciting. 
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .222/.308/.531/.839 with 3 doubles, two triples, 6 HR, 12 RBI, 9 BB, 134 K in 22 G/91 PA
    2) Brendon Davis - 3B, Tri-City, A+:
    Following the footsteps of Jake Gatewood is another recent minor league acquisition, that of former Dodgers/Rangers farmhand Brendon Davis, selected in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Originally picked in the 5th Round out of Lakewood HS in the 2015 draft by the Dodgers, Davis was dealt in 2017 in the midst of his best season (a .720 OPS as a 19-year old in A/A+) to the Rangers in the Yu Darvsh deal, but faltered with Texas, hitting only .226 in nearly 1000 PA with the org. Still only 23, Davis has now settled in as perhaps the Dust Devils' biggest offensive threat, especially with Jordyn Adams shelved due to a leg injury. Brendon Davis was named the High-A West Player of the Week after batting .375 (9/24) with four HR & 5 RBI. Over the last two weeks, Davis has hit .292/.333/.708/1.042 across his last 12 games and 51 plate appearances, swatting five doubles, five home runs, and driving in ten - along with a couple stolen bases. Davis might be starting to realize some of the potential that led the Dodgers to pay him 2nd Round money back in '15. 
    2021 (TRI, A+): .247/.305/.536/.841 with 8 doubles, one triple, 6 HR, 13 RBI, 8 BB, 26 K in 24 G/105 PA
    3) Matt Thaiss - C/1B, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Flying under the radar of it all has been Matt Thaiss, whose recent .357/.438/.595/1.033 slash, while no doubt boosted by a .480 BAbip, has one again demonstrated the offensive skillset Thaiss possesses. Mixing power (one double, 3 HR), contact (15 hits in 42 at-bats), and discipline (5 walks to 14 strikeouts) in this span, Thaiss has again shown offensive growth at the AAA level. Now that he's adding catching into his repertoire, it'll be interesting to see how Thaiss balances the new defensive workload with the necessary offensive developments he's had to maintain in recent years. 
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .328/.438/.522/.960 with 8 doubles, one triple, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 11 BB, 24 K in 19 G/80 PA
    4) Jo Adell - LF/RF, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Despite continuing to post concerning walk-to-strikeout numbers (1 walk to 15 strikeouts in his last 11 games), Adell's recent display of power certainly earned him a place on this list. Adell launched seven home runs over the last week, including six while visiting Las Vegas, putting him in atop the minor league HR leaderboard with 11, tied with Boston's Johan Mieses. Unfortunately for Adell, his .255 BA and .283 OBP over the last two weeks dinged his placing here, but part of it might have been a factor of bad luck; Adell was limited to a .207 BAbip in this span. With this, and the fact that Adell has slightly trimmed his K rate in recent weeks and started to show improving defense, there does stand some reason to believe Adell is beginning to address some of the holes in his game.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .237/.290/.634/.924 with 4 doubles, 11 HR, 6 BB, 34 K in 21 G/100 PA
    5) Brennon Lund - CF, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    While Jo Adell made most of the headlines, it was Brennon Lund who led Salt Lake's outfielders in slugging percentage over the last two weeks, with a .703 slugging since May 17th. In fact, Lund was one of the Angels' best minor league hitters over the last two weeks; his slash of .378/.425/1.128 was second only to Gatewood. What limited Lund was the fact he was kept to only 40 plate appearances in ten games, as finding at-bats in an outfield that includes top prospects in Adell and Marsh (and a productive Scott Schebler) has led Lund to settle into something of a platoon role - he's 1-for-15 against lefties in the season, including 9 strikeouts. Lund has however settled into CF defensively, being the only position he's seen on the field this year, perhaps indicating the Angels are starting to view him as a true 4th OF candidate here in the near future. 
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .288/.373/.576/.949 with 4 doubles, 5 HR, 14 RBI, 6 BB, 23 K in 18 G/75 PA
    Honorable mention, hitters:
    Kyren Paris (SS/2B, IE A): .348/.375/.739/1.114 with 3 doubles, 3 triples, BB, 7 K - only thing able to stop Kyren of late has been the IL
    Elijah Greene (OF, IE A): .303/.531/.333/.864 with 10 H, 16 BB, 9 K – led all of baseball, major and minor, with 16 walks in last two weeks
    Michael Stefanic (2B/3B/SS/LF, RCT AA/SLC AAA): .310/.370/.381/.751 with 3 2B, 4 BB, 8 K – continued strong hitting and versatility earns first promotion to AAA
  14. Chuck
    By Tres Hefter @totdprods AngelsWin.com Columnist
    The pendulum shifted back towards the Angels pitching prospects over the last two weeks, as many arms posted some of their best games yet. With the Angels playoff hopes becoming increasingly cloudy and the trade deadline nearing, a significant number of pending promotions could begin to test some of the strong early results posted by the Angels minor league arms. 

    --Pitchers--
    1) Reid Detmers – LHP, Rocket City, AA:
    It is becoming increasingly plausible that Reid Detmers will not be on these lists much longer. The Angels 2020 first round took his strong AA performance to an entirely new level over the last two weeks, striking out thirty hitters in 12 innings, including an immaculate inning to start one game. There were a couple blemishes as he allowed four HR and 7 ER in this span, leading to an uninspiring 5.25 ERA across these two starts, but that quickly pales in comparison to the 3 walks to 30 strikeouts amassed in that time, and could simply be a result of Detmers burning through the competition without much concern if he allowed a longball or two along the way. Simply put, Detmers struck out more than half of the hitters he faced in June while controlling the zone and limiting damage, meaning there might not be much more to gain in AA, and with AAA’s hitter-friendly confines and arguably lesser quality of opponent, Detmers could find himself in Anaheim perhaps as soon as the July 30th deadline passes.
    2021 (RCT AA): 3.95 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, .237 BAA, 8 HR allowed, 14 BB, 76 K across 41 IP in 9 G/9 GS
    2) Cooper Criswell– RHP, Rocket City, AA:
    While many Angels pitchers have had flashy starts to the year, posting gaudy strikeout numbers and shiny ERAs, Cooper Criswell has flown largely under-the-radar by comparison with steady, effective, workmanlike outings. That changed over the second half of June. In a 6/16 start against Biloxi, Criswell obliterated his previous career-high of 9 strikeouts in a game by whiffing 14 in 6.2 scoreless innings. He then followed that up with a complete game (a what?) against Chattanooga, allowing only two runs. Altogether, Criswell tacked on 21.1 IP of 2.53 ERA ball, holding opponents to a .198 BAA and allowing 2 walks to 25 strikeouts, earning him AA-South Pitcher of the Week honors and elevating his legitimacy as an Angels starting pitching prospect.  
    2021 (RCT AA): 3.59 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, .232 BAA, 5 HR allowed, 6 BB, 63 K across 52.2 IP in 9 G/9 GS
    3) Robinson Pina – RHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Pina’s season started off disastrously, walking 24 hitters in his first 15 innings while with Tri-City, earning a demotion to Low-A Inland Empire at the start of the month. Since then, Pina has looked much more like the pitcher than punched out 146 in 108 IP back in ’19, elevating him into the discussion of the Angels Top 30 prospects. Over the last two weeks, Pina made three starts totaling 17 IP, walking only 4 and striking out 25, all while holding hitters in check (.150 BAA) and keeping runs from scoring (1.59 ERA). Pina has a wide enough array of pitches that the Angels still see him as a starter, but he likely finds himself in relief when all is said and done, especially if he continues to struggle with walks. He’ll need to prove he can translate his success in at least A+ before the end of the year to maintain some fringe Top 30 shine.
    2021 (TRI A+/IE A): 3.58 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, .164 BAA, 2 HR allowed, 30 BB, 52 K across 37.2 IP in 9 G/9 GS
    4) Jose Salvador– LHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Salvador might have had the most encouraging two weeks of any Angels starting pitching prospect. After averaging 69 pitches each appearance – and missing two weeks in May – Salvador took a firm step forward over the last two weeks of June, throwing 13 IP in two starts, holding hitters to a .196 BAA and 1.38 ERA, walking only one versus 17 strikeouts, and most importantly, topping the 90-pitch mark both times. By establishing some endurance and length in his appearances, Salvador’s stock as a legit SP prospect rose significantly over the month, as he had often profiled as an eventual reliever before. Only 21, the Angels won’t need to rush Salvador along yet, but he could find himself in Tri-City should the Angels shuffle their organizational pitching around the trade deadline.
    2021 (RCT AA): 2.82 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, .200 BAA, 2 HR allowed, 17 BB, 52 K in 38.1 IP in 8 G/6 GS
    5) Davis Daniel – RHP, Tri-City, A+:
    A case could be made for Davis Daniel being the Angels’ 2nd-best pitching prospect behind Reid Detmers, at least if one were to weigh MLB-readiness into the equation. Since a rocky debut, Daniel’s first professional season has been essentially perfect, as the righty has rarely found himself in trouble. June has been especially noteworthy for Daniel, as he’s posted a 0.43 ERA and .088 BAA in 21 IP. Daniel had a chance to rank higher on this list, but a June 17th start was limited to 2 IP, and as such, he was limited to only 9 dominant innings in the last two weeks – 4 hits, 4 walks, 10 strikeouts, and one run. It seems only a matter of time before Daniel moves up to AA Rocket City where he could join Detmers, Criswell, Kyle Tyler, and Chris Rodriguez to make up one of the Angels most exciting minor league rotations in years. 
    2021 (TRI A+): 2.04 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .163 ERA, 1 HR allowed, 20 BB, 51 K in 39.2 IP in 8 G/8 GS
     
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Ryan Smith (LHP, TRI A+): 3.27 ERA, .214 BAA, 2 BB, 15 K across 11 IP in 2 G/2 GS – hasn’t missed a beat since being promoted to Tri-City
    Brent Killam (LHP, TRI A+): 2.38 ERA, .118 BAA, 9 BB, 16 K across 11.1 IP in 2 G/2 GS – rebounding after an awful A+ debut
    Hector Yan (LHP, TRI A+): 4.80 ERA, .232 BAA, 11 BB, 18 K across 15 IP in 3 G/3 GS – still struggling with control, but signs of improvement and strong strikeout rates still
    Kyle Tyler (RHP, RCT AA): 4.09 ERA, .171 BAA, 2 BB, 12 K across 11 IP in 2 G/1 GS – slight stumble in first non-start is one of his few blips this season
    Dillon Peters (LHP, SLC AAA): 2.00 ERA, .222 BAA, 1 BB, 11 K across 9 IP in 2 G/2 GS – Peters has an impressive 3.43 ERA and 27 K to 4 BB in his last 21 IP at AAA SLC 
    Andrew Wantz (RHP, SLC AAA): 0.00 ERA, .143 BAA, BB, 5 K across 6.1 IP in 3 G/1 GS – versatile arm making a case for Anaheim pen 
    Cole Duensing (RHP, TRI A+): 0.00 ERA, .067 BAA, BB, 5 K across 5 IP in 3 G – remember him? Showing some success now in relief
     
    --Position Players--
    1) Orlando Martinez – OF, Rocket City, AA:
    When all is said and done, Orlando Martinez might wind up being the Angels prospect who has had taken the biggest step forward in 2021. The 23-year old Cuban has long been lauded for being a natural hitter, but his 2021 performance has included increasingly plus-power and improved discipline, making him one of the more complete hitters in the Angels system. In June, Martinez has hit .320 with an OPS over .900, and more recently. over his last ten games, Martinez slashed .333/.415/.667/1.081 and added three more doubles and three more home runs to his season total, while also drawing five walks against twelve strikeouts. Martinez does struggle somewhat against lefties (.640 OPS with 30 K in 96 PA) and might not walk at an above-average rate, but it’s becoming pretty safe to visualize a player who could be a solid corner outfielder in a platoon role at the MLB level who hits .275 with 15-20 HR in a good year. Should the Angels find themselves having to deal Adell or Marsh for pitching, Martinez may find himself in Anaheim in such a platoon as soon as 2023, once Upton’s contract clears, or he himself could be dealt for a more middle-of-the-road type player. 
    2021 (RCT AA): .282/.332/.518/.849 with 10 doubles, 10 HR, 28 RBI, 2 SB, 13 BB, 57 K in 42 G/184 PA
    2) Mitch Nay – 3B/1B, Rocket City, AA:
    The former supplemental first rounder of the Toronto Blue Jays back in 2012 (Perry Minasian connection), Mitch Nay emerged as a key run producer for Rocket City over the last two weeks, slugging three doubles and half (6) of his season total’s worth of HR in just his last 10 games. This offensive outburst helped give Nay a robust .311/.354/.778/1.132 slash in that span, while also lifting him to a 3rd place tie on the AA leaderboard with 12 HR. Nay will need to continue his hot hitting in order to counter two things working against him; a slow start to the year and his age, 27. Should the Angels promote or trade names such as Jose Rojas or Matt Thaiss, there’s a good chance Nay could find himself in AAA before long, where hitting-friendly environments could boost his numbers further. There’s still time for Nay to become a late bloomer in the bigs, but 4A masher-for-hire isn’t a bad career either.
    2021 (RCT AA): .224/.324/.500/.824 with 7 doubles, 12 HR, 23 RBI, 21 BB, 50 K in 45 G/179 PA
    3) Jose Guzman – SS/2B, Inland Empire, A:
    Where age hurt Mitch Nay, it helps Jose Guzman. The Angels tested the 20 year old middle-infielder early in the year, starting him at AA Rocket City, using him primarily as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner, before bumping him back Inland Empire to face more age-appropriate competition two levels lower. Over the last two weeks, Guzman has responded. Over twelve games and 47 PA, Guzman slashed .279/.340/.512/.852, demonstrating an enticing blend of contact, speed (3-4 in SB attempts) and power (3 doubles, 2 triples, and a HR). Guzman struggled in 2019, his first taste of pro ball stateside, but impressed the year before as a teenager in the Dominican Summer League, posting an .802 OPS at the age of 17. Given his age, there’s a lot to dream on still, but the Angels seem to think highly of him given his early taste of AA ball. In a system heavy with high-upside SS prospects, Guzman could be a sleeper. 
    2021 (RCT AA/IE A): .283/350/.447/.794 with 7 doubles, 2 triples, 2 HR, 7-9 in SB attempts, 8 BB, 32 K in 37 G/118 PA
    4) David MacKinnon – 1B, Rocket City, AA:
    If David MacKinnon were to add catcher to his portfolio, you could argue that he might be the next Yermin Mercedes or Willians Astudillo. But to date, MacKinnon has entrenched himself as a strong defensive 1B (with 1 GS at 2B this year and one inning pitched being the lone defensive exceptions in his career) who just hits and hits and hits – minus the power typically associated with that position. Over the last two weeks, though, was a little different, as MacKinnon hit .400 (14 hits in 35 at-bats) and did add four doubles and two homers to his season, giving him a strong 1.118 OPS in that time. 2021 is a key year for 32nd rounder from the 2017 draft, as injuries cut his 2019 season down to 18 games, and COVID-19 cost him 2020, and he’s responded in a big way, with a .909 OPS in AA and a .322 batting average, good for 10th in all of AA. Jared Walsh has shown that late-round 1B who can hit and field can still make an impact, so maybe lighting strikes twice.
    2021 (RCT AA): .322/.399/.510/.909 with 12 doubles, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 16 BB, 27 K in 37 G/163 PA
    5) Ibandel Isabel – DH/1B, Rocket City, AA:
    Continuing with a theme here is yet another slugging 1B-type at Rocket City. Serving as the primary DH for the Trash Pandas, offseason minor league signee Ibandel Isabel found his power stroke in the last two weeks, slugging .656 with two doubles, a triple, and three HR, while also hitting .250 and drawing 6 BB vs. 14 K, giving him a healthy .250/.385/.656/1.041 slash since June 14th, a mark much more appropriate for a hitter who smashed 28, 36, and 26 HR in his last three full minor league seasons. Only 26 years old, the former Dodger/Red farmhand is likely buried too far down the 1B/DH depth chart to have any foreseeable impact on a future Angels club, but his presence has no doubt allowed the Angels to field perhaps one of their more competitive upper-level minor league teams in years. Isabel’s role as a central run producer also figures to ease the pressure on developing talents such as Orlando Martinez to focus on roles that play to their skillsets, rather than trying to be something they aren’t, and to also allow a talented young rotation to pitch with more confidence that their offense will back them up – something that has eluded many Angel minor league clubs in the past.
    2021 (RCT AA): .212/.325/.445/.770 with 6 doubles, 1 triple, 8 HR, 21 RBI, 19 BB, 61 K in 40 G/160 PA
    Honorable mention, hitters:
    Jeremiah Jackson (SS/DH, IE A): .321/.333/.714/1.048 with 5 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, BB, 9 K in 7 G/30 PA – missed a few games, leaving him out of this week’s Top 5 
    Izzy Wilson (RF, RCT AA): .308/.357/.436/.793 with 2 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K, 3-4 SB attempts in 10 G/42 PA – sporting an OPS of 1.058 now in June with a .352 BA
    Anthony Bemboom (C/LF, SLC AAA): .346/.433/.615/1.049 with 2 HR, 4 BB, 2 K in 7 G/30 PA – torching AAA pitching this year, he and Butera are trade candidates too
    Jack Mayfield (SS/2B, SLC AAA): .326/.392/.630/1.023 with 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 4 BB, 5 K in 10 G/51 PA – on fire since re-claimed by the Angels, and could be back on the MLB bench soon as a result
    Jose Rojas (3B/LF/2B, SLC AAA): .286/.375/.595/.970 with 4 2B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 10 K in 11 G/48 PA – back to mashing at AAA after a slow start following demotion
    Preston Palmeiro (1B/RF, SLC AAA): .417/.475/.500/.975 with 3 2B, 4 BB, 6 K in 11 G/40 PA – son of Rafael putting together his best professional season
    Braxton Martinez (1B/3B, IE A): .341/.440/.488/.928 with 3 2B, HR, 8 BB, 3 K – former Indy ball masher continues to ruin younger pitching, first innings at 3B 
    Jake Gatewood (SS/3B/1B/LF/RF, SLC AAA): .245/.275/.531/.805 with 2 2B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 2 BB, 18 K in 12 G/51 PA – officially playing all over the field now, had a 2 HR, 7 RBI game that earned him a spot here

  15. Chuck
    Much like the Angels’ major league offense awakening as May turned into June, the same can be said for many of the Angels’ farmhands. The last two weeks saw a number of Angels’ position players, new and old, put up big numbers, and several Angels’ pitchers found themselves moving up to new teams following strong spring starts. 
    --Position Players--
    1) Matt Thaiss – C/DH/1B, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    So far, no Angels’ minor league position has done more to definitively place themselves atop one of these lists than what Matt Thaiss has done. Alternating between catcher and DH over the last two weeks – with one appearance at 1B – Thaiss has put his well-balanced offensive profile on display, showing strong contact (14 hits in 10 games), discipline (6 walks to 9 strikeouts), and power (four doubles, two triples, five home runs), good for a .359/.457/.949/1.405 slash, while also driving in runs (13), stealing a base, and throwing out three baserunners – his first in his pro career since converting back to catcher. Despite this, there isn’t a clear path to Anaheim at the moment for Thaiss, and it’s likely in his (and the Angels) best interest that he continues getting reps behind the plate at SLC, as well as regular playing time. Should the Angels find themselves buyer, Thaiss’ versatility, ability behind the plate, offensive profile, and MLB-readiness could make him an attractive deadline option – or an easy promotion should they part ways with Kurt Suzuki at some point.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .327/.435/.655/1.090 with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 8 HR, 24 RBI, 18 BB, 34 K in 30 G/131 PA, 33% CS%
     
    2) Luis Rengifo – SS/2B, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Following right behind Thaiss, Rengifo has also put his varied skill set on display of late. Like Thaiss, Rengifo has demonstrated strong contact skills (17 hits in 10 games), discipline (3 walks to 8 strikeouts), and power, equating Jo Adell’s output over the last two weeks; two double, two triples, and four home runs, giving Rengifo a .395/.435/.814/1.249 slash in June. Settling in as the everday SS in SLC leads one to believe the Angels might see him as the everyday SS starting in 2022, or perhaps sooner if they find themselves taking offers for Jose Iglesias as the summer trade deadline nears. Much like Thaiss, Rengifo could find himself mentioned in trade talks should the Angels wind up buyers.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .302/.371/.519/.890 with 7 doubles, 3 triples, 5 HR, 17 RBI, 12 BB, 21 K, 7-11 in SB attempts in 33 G/143 PA
     
    3) Jo Adell – OF, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    Adell shifted over to CF for the first time this season, drawing six starts in the last ten games while also seeing time in the corners, leading one to believe the Angels might be prepping him to get a look while Trout is on the IL, and Adell’s recent performance at the plate has done nothing to quiet those whispers; relying primarily on his plus-plus power, Adell has slugged.791 in June so far, adding 2 doubles, 2 triples to his 2021 campaign, as well 4 more HR to his minor league lead of 15. Plate discipline remains elusive however as Adell hasn’t drawn a walk since May 20th, but he has trimmed his strikeouts to something tolerable – 14 in 10 games. Still, Adell remains one of the more imposing sources of prospect power and his athleticism could cause the Angels to look past the swing-and-miss issues and give him another shot to contribute sooner rather than later.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .277/.325/.667/.991 with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 15 HR, 30 RBI, 6 BB, 50 K, 3-4 in SB attempts in 32 G/151 PA
     
    4) Izzy Wilson – RF/LF, Rocket City, AA:
    Who? You’re forgiven if the Angels’ minor league signing of former Braves prospect Isranel ‘Izzy’ Wilson didn’t catch your eye this past winter, but the 6’3”, lefty-swinging hyper-toolsy outfielder who drew occasional comps to Christian Pache and Ronald Acuna Jr. has turned a corner since June began. Wilson’s .406/.472/.906/1.378 slash puts him behind Matt Thaiss for second-highest OPS since June 1, largely in part to the five home runs he added, giving him 10 on the season, right behind Jo Adell for most on the Angels farm. Wilson also demonstrated decent discipline (4 BB, 10 K) and overcome a slow start to show improved contact as well (13 hits in 36 PA), and oh yeah, he swiped four bases as well. The Saint Maarten native is showing all the characteristics of a late-blooming prospect, given he’s still on 23 and playing in a competitive league against older players. Definitely one to watch.
    2021 (RCT, AA): .224/.325/.514/.839 with 1 doubles, 10 HR, 19 RBI, 15 BB, 42 K, 8-11 in SB attempts in 31 G/123 PA
     
    5) Jeremiah Jackson – SS, Inland Empire, A:
    Another Angel happy to see May come to an end, Jeremiah Jackson has once again lit up pitching, posting a robust .351/.442/.676/1.118 slash over the last two weeks – buoyed by an unsustainable .550 BABIP. That said, two of the primary concerns for Jackson – whether his light-tower power would translate after a historic showing in the Pioneer League and if he could improve his plate discipline – are seemingly being addressed, as Jackson mashed four doubles, a triple, and two homers over his last ten games, as well as drawing six walks to 15 strikeouts, perfectly respectable for a middle-of-the-order run producer. Jackson added 13 RBI over the last two weeks, giving him 34 on the season, good for 3rd atop the MILB RBI leaderboards. Jackson collected the Low-A West Player of the Week as well. With the strong performances of Paris, Jackson, and Rengifo, the Angels SS depth on the farm looks to be in good shape for the short and long-term future.
    2021 (IE, AA): .231/.319/.463/.782 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 17 BB, 50 K, 7-9 in SB attempts in 32 G/141 PA
    Honorable mention, hitters:
    Braxton Martinez (1B, IE A): .357/.500/.690/1.190 with 5 2B, 3 HR, 11 BB, 8 K in 12 G/54 PA – age (27) kept him from the Top 5 this time
    Preston Palmeiro (1B/LF/2B, SLC AAA): .292/.370/.625/.995 with 2 2B, 2 HR – benefitting from hitter-friendly parks, or did Rafael’s son find something?
    Scott Schebler (OF, SLC AAA): .325/.372/.600/.972 with 5 2B, 2 HR – just keeps on hitting
    Dalton Pompey (OF, RCT AA): .303/.361/.576/.937 with 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 4 K in 9 G/36 PA – former Top 100 prospect off to strong start at AA
    Mitch Nay (3B, RCT AA): .257/.422/.514/.937 with 3 2B, 2 HR, 8 BB, 7 K in 11 G/45 PA – former first rounder keeps slugging, getting on-base
    Michael Stefanic (2B/3B, SLC AAA): .229/.325/.514/.839 with 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 8 K – AAA parks adding some HRs to Stefanic’s game
    Gavin Cecchini (2B/SS, RCT AA): .267/.313/.511/.824 with 2 2B, 3 HR, 3 BB, 7 K – another former 1st rounder hitting well in AA
    Torii Hunter, Jr. (OF, RCT AA): .276/.344/.483/.827 with 3 2B, HR, 3 BB – evolving into a solid 4th OF option
    --Pitchers--
    1) Ryan Smith - LHP, Tri-City, A+:
    Following another dominating performance at Low-A Inland Empire (6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 7 K on June 3rd), southpaw Ryan Smith was the next IE SP to earn a promotion to Hi-A Tri-City, and didn’t miss a step, spinning another strong, nearly unblemished 6 inning start, surrendering zero runs, two hits, one walk, and striking out 9. All told, Smith’s 12 IP of 0.75 ERA ball, with a BAA of .100 and 2 BB to 16 K earns him the top pitching placement on this edition. At 5’11””” and drafted in the 18thRound out of Princeton, Smith is an interesting arm to watch as he advances – more a pitcher than a thrower, he’s balanced, competitive, cerebral approach could make him a strong dark-horse SP prospect if this continues now that he’s facing more age-appropriate competition. 
    2021 (IE A/TC A+): 1.34 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, .139 BAA, 3 HR allowed, 8 BB, 53 K across 33.2 IP in 6 G/5 GS
    2) Davis Daniel - RHP, Tri-City, A+:
    Yet to hit a bump this season, righty Davis Daniel might be making a case for being the Angels’ second-best SP prospect Reid Detmers, at least if weighing the candidates by MLB-readiness. Daniel added two more starts to his first pro season, which is also the same number of hits he allowed – only two across 12 IP, along with zero runs, four walks, and 16 strikeouts. Daniel’s strong play earned him the High-A West Pitcher of the Week, and a promotion to AA Rocket City, behind recent fellow righty Aaron Hernandez, could be in the near future. At age 24, there’s a reasonable chance Daniel pitches his way onto the MLB staff by end of the year, especially if the Halos wind up sellers and move multiple arms from the rotation and bullpen.
    2021 (TC A+): 2.35 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, .171 BAA, 1 HR allowed, 16 BB, 41 K across 30.2 IP in 6 G/6 GS
    3) Kyle Tyler - RHP, Rocket City, AA:
    Steady as ever, Rocket City righty Kyle Tyler maintained his strong season over his last three starts, despite one of them being lackluster. That start was bookended with two gems: an 8 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 7 K performance against Chattanooga and a 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 7 K showing against Tennessee, giving Tyler 17.2 IP of 1.53 ERA ball, allowing a .161 BAA and 5 BB to 15 K. Fangraphs recently noted that Tyler’s velocity has ticked up a few miles since ’19, now hitting 92-95 with some carry, improving his chances at moving into the MLB depth charts as at least an up-and-down spot starter. Perhaps a move to relief could spike the velocity even further…
    2021 (RCT AA): 2.08 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, .199 BAA, 3 HR allowed, 12 BB, 38 K across 39 IP in 7 G/7 GS
    4) Jaime Barria - RHP, Salt Lake City AAA:
    His performance is sort of the pitching equivalent to Matt Thaiss or Luis Rengifo; not good enough yet to crack the big-league club, but impressive despite the park conditions. Posting a 0.90 ERA and .176 across two starts on a Salt Lake staff is noteworthy even if it didn’t come with eye-opening peripherals, but that’s Jaime Barria. Not flashy, not dominant, but durable and effective. Due to roster shuffling, Barria has only made 6 appearances on the season between SLC and Anaheim, but his inability to crack a faulty Angels staff could garner some interest if the Angels pursue rental help at the deadline. Cheap, durable pitching under control always has some demand, and if Barria can’t find it here, the Angels might be better served seeing what they can get for him. Additionally, he could find himself a late-summer fixture in Anaheim should the Angels sell.
    2021 (SLC, AAA): 3.20 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 23 H 4 HR allowed, 2 BB, 11 K across 19.2 IP in 4 G/4 GS
    5) Jack Dashwood - LHP, Inland Empire:
    Perhaps overlooked by some of the more dazzling performances by Inland Empire arms such as Brent Killam, Ryan Smith, and Jose Salvador is the efforts so far by 6’6” lefty Jack Dashwood. The 23 year old, a 12th rounder from the 2019 draft, has been versatile as he’s been effective. Over the last two weeks, Dashwood has made three appearances – one start and twice as a multi-inning reliever – adding 11.1 IP of 0.79 ERA ball to his first pro season. But what’s more notable is what Dashwood hasn’t allowed – a walk. Across seven games on the year, Dashwood has now thrown 26 IP while striking out 35 and walking zero Tally in 21 hits allowed, and Dashwood’s WHIP stands at a shiny 0.81. With some fellow southpaws promoted to Tri-City in Killam and Smith, there’s a chance Dashwood picks up more appearances now as a starter, where he could continue in their footsteps. 
    2021 (IE, A): 2.77 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, .214 BAA, 2 HR allowed, 0 BB, 35 K across 26 IP in 7 G/2 GS
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Reid Detmers (LHP, RCT AA): 11 IP, 0.82 ERA, .179 BAA, 3 BB, 16 K in 2 G/2 GS – a hard luck bump from the Top 5, but wanted to get some new names in, and this performance is to be expected from Detmers now
    Aaron Hernandez (RHP, TC A+/RCT AA): 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, .167 BAA, 7 BB, 12 K in 2 G/2 GS– earned first AA start
    Jake Faria (RHP, SLC, AAA): 11.1 IP, 3.18 ERA, .200 BAA, 6 BB, 17 K in 2 G/2 GS– strong strikeout numbers and a recent stinginess allowing runs could earn him a spot in Anaheim
    Dakota Donovan (RHP, IE A): 5.2 IP, 0.00 ERA, .227 BAA, 5 H, 3 BB, 11 K in 4 G
    Tim Peterson (RHP, SLC AAA): 5.1 IP, 1.69 ERA, .118 BA, 0 BB, 7 K in 4 G – great relief numbers to in AAA so far 
    AJ Ramos (RHP, SLC AAA): 4.2 IP, 1.93 ERA, .176 BAA, 2 BB, 7 K in 4 G – one-time closer providing strong relief in AAA as well 
    Connor Higgins (LHP, RCT AA): 4 IP, 2.25 ERA, .294 BAA, 3 BB, 4 K in 4 G
    Adam Seminaris (LHP, IE A): 6.1 IP, 4.26 ERA, .280 BAA, 0 BB, 10 K in 2 G/1 GS – strong return to action from ’20 draftee
     
  16. Chuck
    Photo: Los Angeles Angels prospect Kyren Paris
    By Tres Hefter, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    With all this great SS discussion going on and the first two weeks of the minor league season officially in the books it's time for the first prospect hotlist. A reminder - the names listed here aren't always necessarily the Angels top prospects, but rather simply a look at who has been among the best on the farm over the last two weeks, in this case, 5/4 - 5/16, in an effort to help identify some of the guys who might not always get the notice or attention they'd typically receive.
    -- Position Players --
    1) Kyren Paris - 2B/SS, Inland Empire, A:
    In a system starved for high-contact, high-speed, high-on base guys, Paris' first two weeks provided an immense injection of excitement as to what could come. Following an 0-4 debut with 4 strikeouts, Paris would go on to hit .297 the next ten games, punching eleven hits (including a double and two triples) and drawing twelve walks - good for a .480 OBP in that span - against ten strikeouts. He also added ten stolen bases in that span, getting caught twice, proving to be an absolute force on the base paths and setting the table for Inland Empire. Splitting time almost evenly between 2B and SS, Paris, only 19, has picked up right where he left off after a similar brief Rookie Ball debut in 2019. 
    2021 (IE, A): .268/.444/.390/.835 with 1 double, two triples, 10-12 in SB attempts, 12 BB, 10 K in 11 G/54 PA
     
     
    2) Michael Stefanic - 2B/3B, Rocket City, AA:
    Had the 2020 minor league season had not been lost to the coronavirus pandemic, there's a chance Michael Stefanic could have already made his major league debut this season, seeing time as an Angels utility infielder. Opening the year with AA Rocket City, Stefanic has done nothing but hit, slashing .375/.444/.479/.924 through his first 11 G/54 PA, including two doubles, a home run, and a steady 4 walks to 7 strikeouts. Stefanic's consistency at the plate over his pro career and high contact makes it easy to draw comparisons to another California product that flew under the radar in David Fletcher.
    Fletcher, minor leagues (age 21-24): .294/.345/.398/.743 96 BB, 154 K in 1517 PA with 105 XBH Stefanic, minor leagues (age 22-25): .297/.373/.380/.752, 38 BB, 59K in 519 PA with 27 XBH - eerily similar trends to that of Fletcher If there's one caveat on Stefanic to date in his pro career, it's that he's typically played against younger competition and that he isn't coming from high draft or college pedigree - indeed, he was signed as an undrafted free agent - but of late, one aspect where the Angels farm has found success is producing late-round/undrafted talent, as seen in successes such as Jared Walsh, Jose Rojas, and Matt Shoemaker. If Stefanic can continue hitting as he has and perhaps find a little more versatility and refinement in his already solid defensive game, he could be in the mix for a utility role as soon as 2022.
    2021 (RC, AA): .375/.444/.479/.924 with 2 doubles, one HR, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K in 11 G/54 PA
     
    3) Orlando Martinez - OF, Rocket City, AA:
    Often overlooked in a system rife with toolsy, flashy outfielders such as Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh, Jordyn Adams, and D'Shawn Knowles, 23-year old Cuban signee Orlando Martinez tends to often fall into a second-tier of outfielders with higher floors and lower ceilings. That might be starting to change. Following a 2019 season that saw Martinez swat 37 extra base hits in 88 games, Martinez' newfound power has emerged in 2021, highlighted by a May 7th game in which he slugged three home runs while playing CF for Rocket City. After starting the season 1 for 11 (including a tough 0-8 performance in the first game of an extra-innings double-header), Martinez has done nothing but hit - slashing .325/.364/.728/1.089 across 44 PA. Down the line, Martinez likely doesn't have the speed or range to cover CF comfortably in the bigs, nor does an increasing divide between his walks and strikeouts lend one to think he'd flourish as a bench player, but his pure ability as a hitter and increasing power could make him a fantastic platoon partner in a future MLB corner. If the Angels refuse to engage in trade talks with premium prospects, a strong season from Martinez could make him a likely prospect dealt down the line.
    2021 (RC, AA): .275/.321/.588/.910 with 4 doubles, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 4 BB, 18 K in 12 G/56 PA
     
     
    4) Braxton Martinez - 1B/DH, Inland Empire, A:
    27-year old Braxton Martinez had spent the last few years toiling away in Independent Ball and a brief appearance in the Mexican leagues following a rather unremarkable career at St. Louis University. As such, his pro debut in coming against players several years his junior and he's performing exactly as he and the Angels hoped he would. Martinez has opened his pro career hitting .306/.435/.611/1.046 in his first ten games, popping three doubles, a triple, and two home runs, serving as a run producing 1B/DH for Inland Empire. While it's hard to get too excited about production from someone just a couple hundred days younger than Jared Walsh, it's still good to see production on a typically thin Angels farm. It's extremely likely Martinez will serve as just organizational depth, but any quick promotions amidst continued success could be something to keep an eye on as the year moves along.
    2021 (IE, A): .306/.435/.611/1.046 with 3 doubles, one triple, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 7 BB, 10 K in 10 G/46 PA
    5) Kean Wong - 2B, Salt Lake City, AAA:
    All AAA numbers come with a grain of salt these days, but it's hard to ignore what Kean Wong has done in his first ten games. Opening the season with a ten-game hitting streak, Wong is hitting .404/.417/.596/1.012 with nineteen hits in 48 plate appearances, including three doubles and two home runs. A lack of walks (only one so far) can be forgiven when you're getting a hit every other at-bat, as well as limiting your strikeouts - only five. This is nothing new for the younger brother of Kolton, who sports a .289 batting average across his minor league career, and at 26 years old, could still find some utility for a big league ball club, perhaps even the Angels, this season. 
    2021 (SLC, AAA): .404/.417/.596/1.012 with 3 doubles, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 1 BB, 15 K in 10 G/48 PA
    Honorable mention, hitters:
    Anthony Mulrine (C, RC AA): .350/.409/.400/.809 and a 71% CS% - solid offense, very strong defense, could be a quick riser into MLB depth charts
    Livan Soto (SS, TC A+): .234/.333/.489/.823 with 6 XBH – surprising increase in power for a potentially elite glove gives Soto a possible new ceiling
    Scott Schebler (OF, SLC AAA): .296/.457/.815/1.272 with 2 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 5 BB, 9 K – absolute expected AAAA-type dominance, but only through 8 G/35 PA
    David MacKinnon (1B, RC AA): .286/.397/.449/.846 with 2 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB, 9 K – typical MacKinnon-esque production, solid contact, power, discipline
    Anthony Bemboom (C, SLC AAA): .400/.438/1.133/1.571 with 1 3B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, BB, 3 K - absolutely torched the Tacoma Rainiers in his first minor league series (4 G/16 PA)
    Izzy Wilson (RF/LF,  RC AA): .167/.300/.452/.752 with 4 HR, 8 BB, 15 K - unimpressive slash, but 4 HR and a decent BB:K ratio will get you a mention, only 23, former ATL/TBR farmhand
    Francisco Del Valle (RF/LF, TC A+): .263/.408/.447/.856 with 4 2B, 1 HR, 10 BB, 13 K - Del Valle has long had solid discipline, can he add some contact and power? Only 22.
    Matt Thaiss (C/1B/3B, SLC AAA): .280/.438/.440/.838 with 2B, 3B, 6 BB, 10 K – don't forget about Thaiss, splitting time evenly at three positions, making contact, drawing walks
    Jo Adell (LF/RF, SLC AAA):.214/.298/.571/.869 with 3 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 19 K 
    Brandon Marsh (CF/DH), SLC AAA): .308/.526/.692/1.219 with 3B, HR, 6 BB, 6 K - if healthy, he might be a regular on this list, if not in Anaheim
    -- Pitching --
    1) Brent Killam - LHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Just as all AAA numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, so should be many of the early season pitching performances. With many minor leaguers having not faced true competition in almost two years, and pitchers such as Brent Killam here making his pro debut, there could be some lopsided lines as the year starts out as guys get settled and properly assigned to certain affiliates. Despite all of this, the pro debut of Killam, the Angels 11th round choice in the 2019 draft, was nothing short of impressive. Two games, two starts, two hits across 8.2 innings, matched with four walks and sixteen strikeouts - half of the batters he faced. Killam had no issues striking out hitters in his college career and it's continued here, but his 5'11" height might put some limitations on his ability to stick as a starter in the big picture. A promotion to A+ could come sooner rather than later if dominance continues as the org works to stabilize pitching.
    2021 (IE, A): 1.04 ERA, .069 WHIP, .074 BAA, 4 BB, 16 K across 8.2 IP in 2 G/2 GS
    2) Jack Dashwood - LHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Keeping with the theme of 2019 draftees making their pro debuts, 23-year old southpaw Jack Dashwood has also dominated in his first two appearances. Standing 6'6" and listed at 240, the Angels drafted Dashwood in the 12th round back in 2019 out of UC Santa Barbara. Through Dashwood's first two games, both in multiple inning relief appearances, he has limited opponents to four hits and one run across 7.2 IP while striking out ten and walking zero. 
    2021 (IE, A): 1.17 ERA, .052 WHIP, .143 BAA, 0 BB, 10 K across 7.2 IP in 2 G
    3) Julio Goff - RHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Working in relief following starts by both Brent Killam and Jack Kochanowicz in his first two appearances before drawing a start of his own, 21-year old Julio Goff has kicked off his first full season stateside with an effective 1.46 ERA across 12.1 IP, striking out 17. The 5'10" Panamanian likely profiles as a reliever in the future and might not be seen as much more than an organizational arm with a hint of MLB upside, perhaps comparable to Oliver Ortega, but his early performance out of the gate indicates his utility could make him a valuable arm in the lower minors as the Angels stretch out their more prized starting pitcher prospects. Anytime a young international signee can make the jump stateside as a teenager from Dominican ball, it comes with some degree of intrigue.
    2021 (IE, A): 1.46 ERA, .097 WHIP, .156 BAA, 5 BB, 17 K across 12.1 IP in 3 G/ 1 GS
    4) Jhonathan Diaz - LHP, Rocket City, AA:
    Plucked as a minor league free agent following a few unremarkable years in Boston's system, 24-year old Jhonathan Diaz vaulted himself into this hotlist with a masterful start on May 13th against Tennessee, striking out 11 in 5.2 IP, allowing one hit and two walks without any scoring. While Diaz might not be on the major league radar anytime soon, he's still young enough and left-handed enough that any strong performance in AA could elevate him into the fringes of MLB depth such as we saw in recent years with Jose Rodriguez as an option for multiple inning relief or a spot start.
    2021 (RC, AA): 2.53 ERA, .094 WHIP, .179 BAA, 2 BB, 15 K across 10.2 IP in 3 G/ 1 GS
    5) Jose Salvador - LHP, Inland Empire, A:
    Continuing with the theme of lefty's dominating Low A in their Angel debut is Jose Salvador, acquired along with Packy Naughton from Cincinnati for Brian Goodwin. It's very rare that a player makes this list based off the performance of just one game, but Salvador's May 5th showing was simply too strong to ignore. Facing 16 batters, Salvador struck out 12 in 4.1 IP, allowing only one walk, one hit, and one run otherwise. If there was one downside to this performance, it's that it perhaps took a bit out of him, as it remains his lone appearance to date. Salvador has a history of missing bats in his short pro career prior with Cincy affiliates while showing strong control for a pitcher so young. He could move quickly - if healthy. 
    2021 (RC, AA): 2.08 ERA, .046 WHIP, .067 BAA, 1 BB, 12 K across 4.1 IP in 1 G
    Honorable mention, pitchers:
    Dakota Donovan (RHP, IE A):  8 IP, 4 H, BB, 12 K, 3.38 ERA in 4 games – 6'6" reliever showing strong command and swing-and-miss in pro debut, 16th Rd. 2019 draftee
    Cooper Criswell (RHP, RC AA): 11 IP, 12 H, BB, 11 K, 4.09 ERA in 2 starts – 24 year old, 6'6" righty had a quietly solid '19, continuing this year in AA so far
    Erik Rivera (LHP, IE A): 3.1 IP, H, 0 R, BB, 6 K in pro pitching debut - will the two-way experiment continue?
    Ryan Smith (LHP, IE A): 9.1 IP, 4 H, 5 BB, 16 K, 2.89 ERA in 2 G/1 GS - the gaudy strikeout numbers continue for Inland Empire lefties
    Reid Detmers (LHP, RC AA): 6.1 IP, 7H, 3 BB, 11 K, 7.11 ERA in 2 GS - uptick in velocity and strikeout numbers cancels out early season shakiness
    Cristopher Molina (RHP, TC A+): 9 IP, 9 H, 3 BB, 14 K, 3.00 ERA in 4 G - an apparent conversion on relief could allow this dependable longtime Angel farmhand an opportunity to advance
  17. Chuck
    SHOHEI OHTANI NAMED 2021 AMERICAN LEAGUE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
    First unanimous A.L. MVP since Mike Trout in 2014
    ANAHEIM – Angels RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani today was named the 2021 American League Most Valuable Player in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). It marks the first career A.L. MVP award for Ohtani, who previously won the 2016 Most Valuable Player Award in Nippon Professional Baseball’s Pacific League.
    Ohtani garnered all 30 first place votes for a total of 420 points in the balloting process, 151 points ahead of second place finisher Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays (269 points). Ohtani becomes just the 19th unanimous winner of a BBWAA MVP Award (11th in A.L. history) and the first since Bryce Harper won N.L. MVP honors in 2015. He becomes the second Japanese-born player to receive MVP honors in the Major Leagues, joining Ichiro Suzuki (2001). Additionally, he is just the third starting pitcher to win A.L. MVP in the last 50 years, following Roger Clemens (1986) and Justin Verlander (2011).
    The 27-year-old captures the Angels sixth MVP award in franchise history, following Don Baylor (1979), Vladimir Guerrero (2004) and Mike Trout (2014, 2016 & 2019). The Angels are the first team to win four MVP awards in an eight-year span since San Francisco won five straight with Jeff Kent (2000) and Barry Bonds (2001-04) and the first A.L. team since the Texas Rangers with Juan González (1996, 1998), Iván Rodríguez (1999) and Alex Rodriguez (2003).
    As a hitter, Ohtani ranked in the Top 10 in the American League in triples (8; 1st), extra-base hits (80; 2nd), slugging (.592; 2nd), OPS (.965; 2nd), home runs (46; 3rd), walks (96; 3rd), total bases (318; T4th), stolen bases (26; 5th), OBP (.372; 5th) and runs scored (103; 8th). On the mound, he went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA (130.1 IP – 46 ER) and 156 strikeouts in 23 starts, while holding opponents to a .207 average (98/473). He led the Majors with a 9.1 bWAR and became the first player in MLB history to record 10+ HR as a hitter and 100+ strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season.
    This summer, Ohtani became the first MLB player to ever be selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player and started the game as both the A.L. starting pitcher and designated hitter. Additionally, he was named the American League Player of the Month for both June and July, becoming the first player to win consecutive A.L. Player of the Month Awards since Josh Hamilton (April/May 2012).
    THE HITTER - Ranked in Top 10 in the American League in triples (8; 1st), extra-base hits (80; 2 nd), slugging (.592; 2nd), OPS (.965; 2nd), home runs (46; 3rd), walks (96; 3rd), total bases (318; T4 th), stolen bases (26; 5 th), OBP (.372; 5 th) and runs scored (103; 8th). One of two players in American League history with 45+ HR and 25+ SB in a season, joining Jose Canseco (1998). One of six players in American League history with 45+ HR and 8+ triples in a season, joining Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Jimmie Foxx and Jim Rice. Led the Majors with 25 home runs with a 110+ MPH exit velocity. Established new single-season home run record for a Japanese-born player (previously 31 by Hideki Matsui in 2004)
    THE PITCHER - Opponents batted .087 (11/127) against his splitter; lowest batting average for any pitch in the Majors (min. 110 PA)  Allowed two-or-fewer runs in 17 of 23 starts…Took seven no-decisions in starts with 5+ IP and two-or-fewer runs allowed. Led American League with a .818 winning percentage, ranked third with a .207 opponent batting average, was fifth with 10.77 strikeouts per nine innings and ranked 10th with a 28.9% swing and miss rate (min. 125 IP). Was one of four A.L. starting pitchers to reach 100+ MPH with at least 11 pitches this season. Went 6-0 with a 1.95 ERA (78.1 IP – 17 ER) and 93 strikeouts in 13 home starts
    TWO-WAY - Made 14 pitching starts while also holding at least a share of the Major League home run lead o First pitcher to make multiple pitching starts in a season while leading Majors in home runs since Babe Ruth (1919).  First player in MLB history to record 10+ HR as a hitter and 100+ strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season. First player in MLB history with 20+ stolen bases and 10+ pitching appearances in the same season. Batted for himself in 20 of 23 pitching starts; first pitcher ever to hit for himself 3+ times in games where a DH is available
    ALL-STAR - First MLB player to ever be selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player. Started the All-Star Game as both the A.L. starting pitcher and starting DH o Earned the win for the A.L. after working a perfect 1st inning. Competed in the Home Run Derby and totaled 28 home runs, including six 500+ ft. HR (most in the Statcast era)
    AWARDS - American League Most Valuable Player. Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award. Silver Slugger Award. Players Choice Awards: Player of the Year & A.L. Outstanding Player. Sporting News MLB Player of the Year, Baseball America MLB Player of the Year & Baseball Digest MLB Player of the Year. Two-time American League Player of the Month – June & July. Two-time American League Player of the Week – June 14 – June 20 & June 28 - July 4. ESPY Award – Best MLB Player. TIME Magazine 100 Most Influential People in the World. Angels Most Valuable Player & Nick Adenhart Award

    Statements from Mike Trout, Joe Maddon and Perry Minasian:
    Angels OF Mike Trout – “Shohei’s season was nothing short of electric. At times, I felt like I was back in Little League. To watch a player throw eight innings, hit a home run, steal a base and then go play right field was incredible. What impresses me the most about him though, is the way he carries himself both on and off the field. With so much on his plate daily, he still manages to do it with a smile. Congratulations Shohei!”
    Angels Manager Joe Maddon – “Shohei came to the States to play among the best on both sides of the ball and he accomplished that mission on the highest level. Knowing him, this award is going to serve as motivation to exceed his previous accomplishments. I cannot wait to watch how his game helps push us to our goal of playing in the last game of the season and winning it. Congratulations to Shohei and his entire family on this special honor.”
    Angels General Manager Perry Minasian – “Shohei had an outstanding season and his talent speaks for itself. It was a privilege watching him on the field on a daily basis, as well as seeing his commitment to improving his craft. He is a great teammate, works incredibly hard on every aspect of the game and this award is very well deserved.”
  18. Chuck
    ANAHEIM – RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani today was named the 2023 American League Most Valuable Player
    in an announcement made by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). It marks the second
    A.L. MVP award for Ohtani, who joins Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera as the only foreign-born players to
    win multiple MVP Awards. Ohtani was also the 2016 Most Valuable Player in Nippon Professional Baseball’s
    Pacific League.
    Ohtani earned all 30 first place votes for a total of 420 points in the balloting process, 156 points
    ahead of second place finisher Corey Seager of the Texas Rangers (264 points). Ohtani, who also won the
    2021 A.L. MVP Award in unanimous fashion, is the 20th unanimous BBWAA MVP Award winner and the first
    to do so multiple times. The Angels are the first team to have three unanimous MVP Awards (Mike Trout was
    a unanimous winner in 2014).
    As a hitter, Ohtani led the American League in home runs (44), on-base percentage (.412), slugging
    percentage (.654), OPS (1.066), extra-base hits (78) and total bases (325) in 2023. He became the second
    player in Angels history to lead the league in home runs, joining Troy Glaus (led A.L. with 47 HR in 2000), and
    was the only player in the Majors with 5+ triples and 35+ home runs. Ohtani also ranked among A.L. leaders
    in intentional walks (21; 2nd), triples (8; 3rd), batting average (.304; 4th), runs (102; T-4th), and walks (91;
    5th).
    As a pitcher, he led the A.L. (min. 130 IP) with a .184 (85/463) opponent batting average and finished
    the year with a 10-5 record, a 3.14 ERA (132 IP – 46 ER) and 167 strikeouts across 23 starts. Ohtani allowed
    one-or-fewer earned runs in 13 of 23 starts, pitched his first career shutout on July 27 at Detroit and finished
    the year with an active streak of 20.2 consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run.
    For a third consecutive season, Ohtani was selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position
    player and was the American League’s leading vote-getter in Phase 1 of fan voting. He joined David Ortiz
    (2011-13) as the only players to receive three straight All-Star fan elections at designated hitter.
    The 29-year-old captures the Angels seventh MVP award in franchise history, following Don Baylor
    (1979), Vladimir Guerrero (2004), Mike Trout (2014, 2016 & 2019) and Ohtani’s first award in 2021. The
    Angels are the first team to win five MVP awards in a 10-year span since San Francisco won five straight with
    Jeff Kent (2000) and Barry Bonds (2001-04) and the first A.L. team since the Yankees won eight from 1954-
    63 with Yogi Berra (1954-55), Mickey Mantle (1956-57, ’62), Roger Maris (1960-61) and Elston Howard
    (1963).
  19. Chuck
    NHK has followed baseball's two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani closely since his Major League debut in 2018.
    This program unravels the story behind Ohtani's ability to both pitch and bat at the highest level. We hear from his interpreter and team personnel who have supported him on and off the field. We also take a look at the importance of his father's training in his emergence as a baseball superstar.
    Join us behind the scenes at such pivotal points as Ohtani's battle to recover from elbow surgery and reclaim his place as a baseball virtuoso like no other.
    You can watch the entire 49-min documentary brought to you by NHK World - Japan on Shohei Ohtani here.
  20. Chuck
    SHOHEI OHTANI – MAKING HISTORY
    The 28-year-old reigning A.L. MVP and 2018 A.L. Rookie of the Year has completed his 2022 season with a 15-9 record with a 2.33 ERA (166 IP – 43 ER) and 219 strikeouts in 28 pitching starts, while holding opponents to a .203 average (124/610). As a hitter, he had 90 runs scored, 30 doubles, six triples, 34 home runs, 95 RBI, 72 walks, 11 stolen bases and a .875 OPS. Below are some additional accomplishments this season:

    FIRST PLAYER EVER…
    Is the only player to ever qualify for the league leaders as both a hitter and a pitcher in one season Only player in MLB history with 10+ pitching wins and 30+ HR in the same season Babe Ruth (1918) is the only other player with 10+ wins and 10+ HR Only player in MLB history to record an 8+ RBI game as a batter and a 13+ strikeout game as a pitcher at any point in a career...He accomplished both feats in consecutive games this season (June 21-22 vs. KC) Only pitcher in MLB history to carry a one-hitter (or better) into the 6th inning against both reigning league champions in the same season Carried perfect game into 6th inning on April 20 at Houston Took one-hitter into 7th inning on July 22 at Atlanta On April 20 at Houston, became the first starting pitcher (since 1900) to bat twice in the top of the first before ever taking the mound. That night, he allowed two baserunners in 6.0 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts First player in MLB history to both throw and face a team's first pitch of the season Served as the Angels starting designated hitter in all of his pitching starts The term “Ohtani rule” was added to Dictionary.com this year

    THE PITCHER
    Led the A.L. with an 11.87 SO/9 innings rate Allowed two-or-fewer runs in 22 of 28 starts…Pitched to a 2.08 ERA (26 IP – 6 ER) with 25 strikeouts in his four no-decisions In final 19 games, pitched to a 1.67 ERA (118.2 IP – 22 ER) with 154 strikeouts During a six game pitching span from June 9 – July 13, went 6-0 with a 0.45 ERA (39.2 IP – 2 ER) and 58 strikeouts, (while also hitting eight HR with a .997 OPS) Fourth pitcher all-time to go 6-0 with 58+ SO and 2-or-fewer ER in a six game span, joining Cy Young winners Johan Santana (2004), R.A. Dickey (2012) and Clayton Kershaw (2014) Induced 29 swings and misses on May 5 at Boston. No other pitcher has registered more in a game this season…That day, he also became the first starting pitcher to bat in one of the top four spots in the order in a game at Fenway Park since Babe Ruth on Sept. 20, 1919 (Game 1) vs. White Sox Recorded 10+ strikeouts in 10 games this season, which led the A.L. Joined Nolan Ryan as only pitchers in Angels history with 10+ strikeouts in six consecutive starts Carried a no-hitter through 7.2 innings on Sept. 29 vs. Oakland In addition to leading A.L. in SO/9, ranked among league leaders in strikeouts (219; 3rd), whiff% (33.0%; 4th), ERA (2.33; 4th), wins (15; T4th), WHIP (1.01; 5th) and opponent batting average (.203; 6th).

    THE HITTER
    Ranked in Top 10 in the American League in total bases (304; 5th), intentional walks (14; 3rd), extra-base hits (70; T3rd), slugging (.519; 5th), home runs (34; 4th), OPS (.875, 5th), triples (6; T4th), RBI (95; 7th), walks (72; 7th) and runs (90; T8th) Set a single-game career high (MLB or NPB) with eight RBI on June 21 vs. Kansas City, which also set MLB single-game RBI record for a Japanese-born player Had a career-best and team-leading 18-game hit streak from Sept. 14 – Oct. 3 On April 10 vs. Houston, hit a double with an exit velocity of 119.1 MPH, breaking his own record for an extra-base hit by a left-handed batter in the Statcast era. Only player in the Majors to tally 6+ triples and 34+ HR this season (second consecutive year as the only player to do so) ALL-STAR
    Selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player for a second consecutive season Only player in MLB history to be selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher Started the All-Star Game as the A.L. designated hitter and recorded the first leadoff All-Star hit since Mike Trout in 2015 

    SHO OFF
    Only player in MLB history with 10+ pitching wins and 30+ home runs in the same season Only American League starting pitcher to throw 40+ pitches at 100+ MPH this season Pitched 7.0 scoreless innings on May 5 at Boston and had an 8th inning RBI hit off the Green Monster at 103.7 MPH, which knocked his #17 off the pitching section of the manual scoreboard’s linescore Had streak of 31.2 consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run, from June 9 - July 13 Only player in the World Series era to compile 10+ wins and 10+ stolen bases in the same season A two-way comparison between Babe Ruth (1918) and Shohei Ohtani (2022): Babe Ruth (1918): 13-7, 2.22 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 40 SO .300 AVG, 26 doubles, 11 HR, .555 SLG Shohei Ohtani (2022): 15-9, 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 219 SO .273 AVG, 30 doubles, 34 HR, .519 SLG Led the Majors with a home-to-first average time of 4.09 seconds
     
    **Research provided by Elias Sports Bureau, STATS, ESPN Stats & Info, Baseball Reference, Fangraphs and MLB**
  21. Chuck
    In his sixth Major League season with the Angels, the 29-year-old has compiled a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA (132 IP – 46 ER) and 167 strikeouts in 23 pitching starts, while holding opponents to a .184 average (85/463). As a hitter, he had 102 runs scored, 26 doubles, eight triples, 44 home runs, 95 RBI, 91 walks, 20 stolen bases and a 1.066 OPS.
    Below are some additional accomplishments this season:
    THE HITTER
    Ranks in Top Four in the American League in home runs (44; 1st), total bases (325; 1st), extra-base hits (78; 1st), slugging (.654; 1st), OBP (.412; 1st), OPS (1.066; 1st), intentional walks (21; 2nd), triples (8; 3rd), runs (102; T-3rd), walks (91; T-4th), and batting average (.304; 4th). Recorded second career 40+ HR season (hit 46 HR in 2021) and was the first player in the Majors to reach the 40 HR mark in 2023. Third player in Angels history with multiple 40+ HR seasons, joining Troy Glaus (2000 & 2001) and Mike Trout (2015, 2019 & 2022). Third player all-time to record an extra-base hit, walk and run scored in six straight games (June 12-17)...The only other players to do so are Babe Ruth (7 straight games in 1921) and Barry Bonds (6 straight games in 1997). Only player in the Majors to tally 6+ triples and 34+ HR this season (third consecutive year as the only player to do so). THE PITCHER
    Leads the A.L. (min. 130 IP) with a .184 (85/463) opponent batting average. Finished year with an active streak of 20.2 consecutive innings pitched without allowing an earned run. Allowed one-or-fewer earned runs in 13 of 23 starts. Pitched first career complete game and first shutout on July 27 at Detroit in Game 1 of a doubleheader…Held Tigers to one hit and three walks with eight strikeouts. In addition to leading the league in opponent batting average, ranked among American League leaders at the time of his final start in strikeouts per 9.0 innings (11.39; 2nd), whiff rate (30.9%; 2nd), ERA (3.14; 3rd), WHIP (1.06; 4th), strikeouts (167; 5th), winning percentage (.667; T5th) and wins (10; T8th). TWO-WAY
    Recorded 10+ pitching wins and 30+ HR for a second consecutive season. Babe Ruth (1918) is the only other player with 10+ wins and 10+ HR. In 23 games as the Angels starting pitcher, batted .372 (29/78) with three doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 15 RBI. Seven HR in games pitched tied for the second-most in a season all-time (Wes Ferrell – 9 HR in games pitched for Cleveland in 1931). Made nine pitching starts while also leading the Majors in home runs as a batter. Finished one hit shy of hitting for the cycle in three different pitching starts. Served as the Angels starting designated hitter in all of his pitching starts. ALL-STAR
    Selected to the All-Star Game as both a pitcher and position player for a third consecutive season. Only player in MLB history to be selected as an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher. Was the American League’s leading vote-getter in Phase 1 of fan voting and joined Rod Carew (1979) and Trout (2019) as Angels players to lead the A.L. in fan voting. Joined Hall of Famer David Ortiz (2011-13) as the only players to receive three straight fan elections at designated hitter. AWARDS AND HONORS
    2023 Angels MVP Award (third straight year voted by teammates as Angels MVP). Two-time American League Player of the Month (June & July). Three-time American League Player of the Week (June 12-18, June 26-July 2 & July 24-30). SHO OFF
    Would join Troy Glaus (2000) as the only Angels players to finish a season as the American League home run leader Finished the season with the most popular player jersey in MLB based on sales from MLBShop.com On June 27 vs. White Sox, became the first A.L. player to hit multiple home runs and have 10+ pitching strikeouts in the same game since Cleveland’s Pedro Ramos on July 31, 1963 (Game 2) vs. Angels First player in MLB history with 15+ SB & 40+ HR through his team’s first 114 games On July 27 at Detroit, became first player ever to pitch a complete game shutout in one game of a doubleheader and hit a home run in the other (hit two homers in the nightcap after tossing a shutout in Game 1) Leads the Major Leagues with a 10.1 bWAR this season (the next highest A.L. total belongs to Gerrit Cole – 7.4) From June 12-15 at Texas, became the third player since 1901 with 4+ home runs and 7+ walks in a four-game series, joining Detroit’s Hank Greenberg (Sept. 18-19, 1940 vs. Philadelphia A’s) and Pittsburgh’s Ralph Kiner (Aug. 3-5, 1951 vs. Phillies)  
    **Research provided by Elias Sports Bureau, STATS, ESPN Stats & Info, Baseball Reference, Sportradar, Fangraphs and MLB**
  22. Chuck
    By Jonathon Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    So its February 5th and pitchers and catchers report in less than two weeks. Let's take stock of Perry's moves and where the Angels might go from here.
    Perry's made no major acquisitions - no starting pitchers, no positions players, only bench and bullpen guys. The team as it stands looks to be something like this (with likely 26-man roster in bold and potential first call-ups in parentheses):
    C - O'Hoppe, Thaiss (Mejia, Wallach)
    IF - Schanuel, Drury, Neto, Rendon, Rengifo, Sano (White, Stefanic, Soto, Lopez, Martin)
    OF - Trout, Ward, Moniak, Adell, Hicks (Dozier, Calhoun)
    SP - Detmers, Sandoval, Canning, Anderson, Silseth (Plesac, Rosenberg, Bachman, Daniel, Mederos)
    RP - Estevez, Stephenson, Moore, Soriano, Cimber, Garcia, Joyce, Ciserno (Suarez, Quijada, Warren, Wantz, Herget, Caceres)
    We can quibble with my choices for the 26-man -- maybe Sano doesn't make the cut and they insert White, or maybe Plesac starts the year in the rotation instead of Silseth, or Dozier as a starting OF with Moniak as 4OF, or the bullpen is slightly different. We enter spring training with some interesting roster battles. But including the guys in parentheses, I think I've included all the players who are candidates to start the year on the big league club.
    So again, there are no big splashes, just some solid bench and bullpen acquisitions. Given that, it seems we're seeing one of two scenarios:
    1) He went "secondary" first and is still going to sign a couple bigger free agents (e.g. Snell, Bellinger, etc) to try to at least give the appearance of contention.
    2) What you see is what you get, aside from another possible small clean peanutty move or three. He plugged some holes, but is really just going the budget route for 2024, presumably with the idea being that realistically they can't compete and it is better to think long-term, or at least beyond "win now," regardless of the cost.
    The first really seems unlikely at this point. I only really mention it because his moves so far kind of look like the type of secondary moves you make in addition to a couple big ones, and we all know Arte doesn't like to throw in the towel of playoff aspirations. But not only are we late in the game, but it is just hard to imagine the Angels getting some big names because they'd really have to get several to justify it as a win-now strategy. Meaning, not Snell or Bellinger but both...and I don't see that happening. And frankly, I'm not sure how much these guys want to wear Angels uniforms.
    Either way, Perry seems to realize that no matter who they acquire, the biggest factor for 2024 success is the players they already have staying healthy and playing better. They could sign Bellinger and/or Snell and others and still go nowhere if Trout/Rendon/Ward can't stay healthy, or if the young guys don't develop.
    So in a way, 2024 looks like a "taking stock" year. We've heard that before, but it hasn't really happened. With Trout and Ohtani, they've always at least "kind of" gone for it. But it looks like they want to answer two big questions before determining the plan for 2025 and beyond:
    How good are the young guys? Can Trout and Rendon reverse the downward spiral? A best-case reasonable scenario and the Angels are pretty good, maybe winning 85 games and staying competitive into the second half but not reaching the playoffs. I suppose there's a tiny thread-the-needle possibility that they're good enough in July to make some moves at the deadline. But...
    But if they show overall improvement to the 82-87 win range, this would enable Perry to augment for 2025 and make a run at it. But if it turns out that lots of young guys disappoint and Trout and Rendon continue to struggle with injury and decline, we might see an actual full-out rebuild, and some kind of fire-sale in July (e.g. Rengifo, Ward, Anderson, Stephenson, Moore, etc).
    I know, the Arte Factor. Maybe he'll jump ship and sell after 2024, if the franchise doesn't turn the corner. It won't be as sexy a purchase for potential buyers without Ohtani and with Trout entering his age 33 season, but it also won't be as burdened with long-term contracts. After 2024, Rendon will only have two years left and Trout the only long-term big contract. The team will still have a core of young talent, even if it isn't awe-inspiring. Not taking on any big contracts this year only furthers this. And regardless of the dubious Angels tradition, they're still an LA team and potential buyers will look to 2002-09 as a case of what the Angels could be, if run well.
    Discussion on the forum
  23. Chuck
    By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
    As we near the 72-hour mark for the 2023 MLB Draft, Taylor Blake Ward of AngelsWin gives you his draft preview for the Angels.
    The MLB Draft is always filled with obscurity, but just for the sake of sanity and assumption, there is a top five group that has become the first-tier of talent in the draft and even with how arbitrary the draft can be there is a safe assumption that group of five will not be available by the time the Angels select at pick No. 11. For that reason, Dylan Crews (LSU), Paul Skenes (LSU), Wyatt Langford (Florida), Max Clark (Franklin HS (IN)), and Walker Jenkins (South Brunswick HS (NC)) will not appear in this preview.
    That does not take away from the talent that will be taken in the first round of this draft which is seen as one of the strongest drafts based on talent and depth in recent years. The quantity of quality talent is larger than usual, and there are over 20 names that the Angels could look at for their pick with only five going before them after the aforementioned top five leaving a multitude of outcomes. We'll take a look at 22 names that could range near the Angels pick, including three sleepers who have started to float towards the top 15 selections for differing reasons.
    *NOTE: Players have been placed in alphabetical order by last name and position so as not to place any form of ranking on any given player. All reports are from Taylor Blake Ward who serves as a Draft Analyst/Columnist for AngelsWin. *
     
    CATCHERS:
    Blake Mitchell, C, Sinton HS (TX): There isn't a riskier demographic in the draft than prep catchers, but not many come with a pro-ready toolset quite like Mitchell. Mitchell is athletic behind the plate with one of the strongest arms in the class, giving confidence to his long-term ability as a backstop. At the plate, Mitchell is known for his ability to find the barrel and swing with intent letting his bat speed produce power from the left side. He's shown an advanced/patient prep approach only building confidence in the offensive profile. It will take a big bonus to lure Mitchell away from his LSU commitment, but his talent and early-to-mid first-round outlook will land him in pro ball as opposed to Baton Rouge.
    Kyle Teel, C, Virginia: Teel separated himself not only from the top catchers, but also the majority of the second tier of talent in this draft. He's getting some attention in the top five picks and common belief would be that he won't be around when the Angels pick comes. Left-handed hitting catchers who are projected to not only hit near the middle or top of an order and stick behind the plate long term are scarce and come at a premium in the draft. Teel provides that making him a top end amateur who could be among the best at his position once all is said and done. Teel has a violent and controlled swing with minimal swing-and-miss making him a well-rounded offensive catcher who could produce average or better contact and power. Teel is praised for his leadership and ability to work with pitchers while also being one of the better athletes behind the plate with a plus arm and surefire actions making him a long-term catching solution.
    FIRST BASEMEN:
    Nolan Schanuel, 1B/OF, Florida Atlantic: No one across Division-1 ball had an offensive year quite like Schanuel who led the nation in on-base percentage (.615) and walks (71) while finishing second in batting average by .002 (.447) and second in slugging (.868). Some questions arise about Schanuel's overall hit tool after a lackluster performance in the Cape Cod, but he's always shown patience and an ability to reach base. It may be approach-over-hit but there's enough confidence in Schanuel's offensive upside for an analytically minded club to take him upwards of the teen picks this year. Schanuel has a clean left-handed swing with strength behind the ball to have enough power to profile as a corner hitter, whether it be first base or the outfield. He's athletic enough to try left or right field with first base, looking like the ultimate outcome.
    THIRD BASEMEN:
    Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS (FL): Miller is a pro-ready corner infielder with plenty of power to dream on star upside. Physically advanced for prep, Miller has strength all over his frame and uses it to punish baseballs and regularly tap into his plus raw power from the right side with ease. Miller has a whippy swing meant for damage, but it doesn't diminish from his ability to hit which he has proven against tough prep talent on the summer circuit and Tampa prep region. Miller has twitchy dirt actions and though he won't be able to play much up-the-middle he has plenty of value at third base with a plus arm and shortstop actions which could make him a solid defender at the hot corner. Missing most of his senior year with a broken hamate, Miller has impressed in workouts and is still a first-round talent. Miller's brother, Jackson, is a prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization, and his range tends to start with Cincinnati at seven all the way to the 20's. Miller is committed to Arkansas, but his draft status should keep him from Fayetteville.
    Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami: Morales is an aggressive, power-driven third baseman who has been in prospect circles since his prep days. Morales is a physical presence at the plate who utilizes his natural strength to whip his barrel through the zone and drive the ball with authority to all fields with 25+ home run potential. There may be development focus on toning down his highly aggressive approach to tap more into his offensive profile. Morales has twitchy dirt actions that will play well at third base along with his strong arm. Morales is seen more as a mid/late teen pick who could land in the 20's.
    Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU: Among the biggest risers late in the spring, Taylor is getting attention all over the first round upwards of the top ten after a solid showing at the Big-12 Tournament and NCAA Regionals going a combined 16-for-30 with five home runs and hitting the ball hard during the College World Series despite a lesser on-paper performance. Taylor constantly grinds out at bats with a good eye for the zone and good bat-to-ball skills and ability to drive the ball to all parts of the field with intent. With a well-rounded offensive profile, Taylor rounds out his toolset with solid dirt actions that have played up the middle at the college level but are more suited for third base with less than moderate middle infield versatility. Taylor is a grinder who is model-friendly and could go anywhere in the first round.
    Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest: Gaining more traction towards the middle of the first round, Wilken has been a long-time power production third baseman, including a wood bat track record. Big bodied at 6'4/220, Wilken has an uphill with good loft and extension mixed with explosive bat speed producing immense raw power from the right side. There's swing-and-miss in the power profile, but he's improved in his swing decisions and been more disciplined, while still needing some refinements to tap into his hitability. Wilken's arm should keep him at third base, while he may never be a Gold Glove winner but has enough natural actions to be fair at the position.
    SHORTSTOPS:
    Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Ole Miss: Potentially one of the quickest-moving bats in the class, Gonzalez has taken a lengthy track record of hitting at Ole Miss to seeing his name range from the top six picks to the late teens due to his offensive upside with potential at a premium defensive position. Gonzalez has excellent bat-to-ball skills and creates torque utilizing his strength and bat speed to frequently drive the ball with above-average power potential making him a dual offensive threat from the left side. He's always been a selective hitter, giving more confidence to his offensive profile. Defensively, Gonzalez has the actions, athleticism, and arm for shortstop, but his range can be limited due to his below-average raw speed and a move to second or third base is likely. With a high-ceiling offensive profile and some dirt versatility, Gonzalez could be a long-term middle of the order bat who hits his way to an eventual All-Star selection.
    Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS (GA): Arguably the best prep shortstop in the class, Houck is a two-sport stud with potential impact tools. Houck has a compact swing from the right side and takes physical and aggressive swings that allow his natural strength and plus bat speed turn into above-average over-the-fence production. There are some chase concerns but it's not alarming enough to take away from the belief he could hit for average and power. Houck's athleticism and ability to throw on the run was on full display on the gridiron as a three-star recruit and shows on the infield dirt where he plays a physical shortstop with a strong and accurate arm from different angles. If he can't find the range at short, he could be an outstanding defender at the hot corner.
    Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS (FL): There was some early spring arguments that Nimmala could be a top five pick with his power upside at a premium position and his age (he doesn't turn 18 until mid-October) making him a dream for model-based clubs. He had a solid spring and still has the toolsy projection, but the top five noise is now more of top ten onward noise. Nimmala regularly takes daddy hacks with an explosive loose uphill swing that lets him drive the ball all over the field and get to his plus raw power stemming from a strong and athletic frame. Nimmala is aggressive in the box and can get out of sync and chase which will be a focus in development to tap into his immense offensive upside. Nimmala is a twitchy athlete with plenty of actions and a strong arm that should keep him at shortstop long term. There's a lot of development needed to tap into the projection, but Nimmala has All-Star upside with power at a premium position which is a commodity early in the draft.
    Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland: There may not be as well-rounded a player in the draft class as Shaw, who was an impressive three-year performer for Maryland while also showcasing a lengthy wood bat track record (2022 Cape Cod League MVP) giving confidence to his ability to hit in pro ball and potentially be a quick-mover. Shaw has a whippy right-handed swing with excellent feel for the barrel and quick hands/strong wrists to spray the ball with strength to all fields. Shaw has a pro-ready approach with balanced discipline and a keen eye for the zone with rare swing-and-miss in and out of the zone. Defensively, Shaw has moved all around the infield with a focus on his shortstop future where his plus speed makes him a rangy defender, though his fringe arm may move him around the dirt when all is said and done. Shaw uses his plus speed well on the base paths and is an aggressive baserunner. Shaw isn't as flashy as his counterparts that fit his draft range from the top ten to teens, but his tools give confidence to have an impact future in all facets of the game.
    Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford: Not dissimilar to Shaw, Troy has been a steady three-year performer with a wood bat track record and well-rounded toolset to have confidence in his impact future. Troy has a compact right-handed swing with good bat-to-ball skills that allow him to drive the ball with strength to all fields. His ability to regularly barrel the ball with bat speed to get to his power giving him plenty of middle of the order offensive balance, only aided by his excellent pitch selection and eye for the zone. Troy is an above-average runner with rangy shortstop actions but is more sound than exceedingly athletic and a move around the dirt is expected.
    Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon: In prospect circles for a long time not only for his pure talent but also his Major League lineage, Wilson has done nothing but hit, and hit, and hit his way into the first round with ease. Wilson has a short, contact-driven swing from the right side with elite bat-to-ball skills and elite swing data with just 31 strikeouts in 697 college plate appearances (4.4 K%) though that does come with some aggression that take away from his leadoff profile and lean more to a two-hitter role. There's some extension-driven power in Wilson's swing where his focus on contact should allow him to get to some double-digit home run potential, but he'll always be contact-over-power. Wilson has a high baseball IQ and is a tough player who is more of an instinctual defender at shortstop though he has shown the actions and arm to stick at the position. Wilson is the son of 12-year Major Leaguer, Jack, who coached him throughout his prep and collegiate career and though they share a last name and similar grinding traits, the comparisons should end there with the younger Wilson being a better hitter with the same chance of being a long term table setter in the Majors. Wilson has the offensive potential to hit .300 at the highest level while also being a serviceable defender at a premium position.
    OUTFIELDERS:
    Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt: With baseball adapting more to speed, Bradfield's profile fits today's game better than yesteryears. He's a real 80-runner who uses that speed well at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the field. More of a flat-planed swinger, Bradfield has the ability to drive the ball and produce high exit velocities but is more focused on making consistent contact and putting the ball on the ground and beating out infield throws with easy sub 4 home-to-first times. There's raw power in the tank but it's unlikely he'll ever be a power threat with his speed/contact focus with a highly disciplined approach where he should get on base frequently enough to be a stolen base threat every time he's on base. His speed plays in center field where he has a quick first step, efficient routes, and elite closing speed giving him Gold Glove potential at a premium position. Whichever team takes him may want to get him to focus on driving the ball more, but he's a high-floor player with his speed and discipline alone.
    Chase Davis, OF, Arizona: Davis has seen a late rise this spring with a flurry of teams looking at him in the teens. Always known for physicality and power, Davis has explosive whip and bat speed that allow him to hit for power to all fields from the left side. There are swing-and-miss refinements needed during development, but the power is too much to ignore, and he'll land in the first round with ease because of it. Davis has fine actions in the outfield and a strong and accurate arm that will play well in right field. For the comparison crowd, Carlos Gonzalez is a common comp when it comes to Davis.
    RIGHT-HANDED PITCHERS:
    Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee: Dollander entered the spring as a potential 1-1 candidate due to his bat-missing arsenal and front of the rotation upside, but his stuff and command took a step back leading to inconsistent performances and now has him ranging from the top ten to teen picks. Dollander has a full arsenal of bat missers starting with a power fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90's with significant carry. Dollander's power slider in the mid-to-upper 80's has velocity and sweeping action that give him two potential plus to plus-plus offerings. Dollander has enough feel for a loopy curve and changeup with fade to round out a four-pitch arsenal with all showing average-or-better potential. Dollander works around the zone and has shown solid fastball command in the past with athletic and delivery markers of getting back to his plus control/command and return to his front of the rotation projection with plenty of mid-rotation and power relief fallback upside.
    Ty Floyd, RHP, LSU: Taking a backseat to Paul Skenes in the Tigers rotation, Floyd took a massive step forward in the college pitching market following incredible back-to-back performances in the College World Series where he struck out 27 of 51 batters faced against Wake Forest and Florida. Floyd lets his plus slider play well off a high-spin low/mid 90's fastball that he's shown better ability to command over the spring. Despite being more of a control-over-command arm there's starter upside in Floyd's profile. It may be a bit rich to see Floyd taken with the 11th pick of even in the teens but with a bridge between the top college pitchers to the second or third tier he's is steadily moving up draft boards and may be a surprise bat-missing upside arm.
    Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest: The headline of a loaded Wake Forest pitching staff, Lowder separated himself from the rest of the college pitching crowd over the spring and highlighted it with one of the most hyped pitching matchups in recent history where he went seven scoreless innings against Paul Skenes and LSU in the College World Series. Lowder doesn't have the bat-missing arsenal you see from most top-tier arms but has the pitchability and high floor rotation confidence team’s desire. Lowder works in the low-to-mid 90's with a power sinker that helps induce a high amount of groundballs. His sinker sets up a pair of off-speed offerings that both flash plus or better in a slider with depth that has bat-missing potential and a plus-plus power changeup with fade that he'll work in any count. Lowder has the current strike-throwing and arsenal to be a quick-mover and potential first player from this class to reach the Majors with confidence in a rotation floor and mid-rotation upside.
    Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS (OR): The consensus top prep arm in the class by a fair margin, Meyer has the rare velocity and physicality you like to see in the risky demographic. Meyer sits in the mid-to-upper 90’s, touching 100, with significant running action to his arm side, and as he continues filling out his large frame you could see that be more consistent in the upper 90’s. Meyer will flash plus with both of his off-speed offerings in a power sweeping slider that tunnels well with his fastball, and a fading changeup which he sells well for a prep arm. Meyer works around the zone with advanced command which will only continue to come closer to average-or-better in time with his athleticism and easy delivery. It will take a big bonus to keep him from going two hours south for college in Eugene, but his high starter upside and draft status should keep him from campus.
    Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida: One of the bigger upside college arms in the class, Waldrep is a step behind Dollander and Lowder but is the clear "next in line" arm and teams looking to take advantage of the market inefficiency have Waldrep's name floating into the teens. Waldrep operates in the mid-to-upper 90's with his fastball but his command of the pitch *** -- or lack of --- *** has led to inconsistencies in performance and had it hit more often than the usual power fastball. Waldrep has a tight power slider that he gets regular swing-and-misses on to his glove side. Waldrep's primary out pitch is a splitter with late deadening and elite swing-and-miss rates. There are command concerns with Waldrep but he's around the zone often enough to let his power arsenal play in the bullpen if needed and a lengthy development focus on getting him to throw better strikes even if the command is only moderate. With a full swing-and-miss arsenal and immense upside, a team who covet power arms have Waldrep's name landing anywhere from the early teens to 20's.
    LEFT-HANDED PITCHERS:
    Thomas White, LHP, Phillips Academy (MA): It's not secret the weak point of the 2023 draft class is left-handed pitching to the point where White may be the only one to see the first round, though fellow southpaws Joe Whitman (Kent State) and Cam Johnson (IMG Academy (FL)) are moving up boards due to the market inefficiency, as has White, who is mentioned in the teens and upwards of the top ten. White leaves teams dreaming on his future with velocity, size, and projectability. White comes at hitters with a lively mid 90's fastball and backs it up with a signature lefty high spin sweepy curve that misses bats at a high clip. White has shown enough feel and arm action to dream on his changeup more than just a usable third offering. There is some fastball command refinements needed for White to tap into his full upside but he has the current strike-throwing ability and feel to locate to dream on being a mid-rotation arm or better when all is said and done. White will go in the first round whether it be in the top ten or in the 20’s and will come with a hefty bonus to keep him from Vanderbilt despite the high draft range.
    TWO-WAY PLAYERS:
    Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Madison HS (VA): Ever since the emergence of Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player, the question has been, "Who's next?" Teams have attempted to draft and develop players as two-ways in the likes of Brendan McKay by Tampa in 2017, but players tend to only have one turn into a Major League skillset while just being more talented than their counterparts in the other category. Eldridge may be the next one to actually have a skillset on both sides of the ball and carry it to the Major League level, though not to the ability Ohtani has (we may never see that/this again). As a pitcher, Eldridge has good body control for 6'7 prep with some ability to command his arsenal. He has a lively mid 90's fastball, power curve with depth, and advanced feel for his changeup. As a hitter, Eldridge uses his big frame to swing with strength and intent and drive the ball with authority regularly tapping into his plus raw power. He has a compact swing and enough bat-to-ball skills to hit enough to get to his power, though his long levers do come with some swing-and-miss which isn't overly alarming. He's athletic enough with the obvious arm for right field but his size and dirt actions may be better suited for first base where he could be a very good defender. It takes an off-the-charts athlete to succeed as a two-way player, and Eldridge has some potential to do both with incredible makeup to understand the struggles that could come with it. His general tools on both sides of the ball could carry him to two-way Major League potential, but if he were to focus on one or the other he could be a middle of the lineup power threat or mid-rotation starter, but the likelihood of both is challenging to project without a track record of success beyond Ohtani. His range is all over the first round with most teams believing they can develop him both ways and keep him away from an Alabama commitment.
  24. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    The emergence of Taylor Ward as an elite hitter--as well as the slow development of Adell--has put a bit of a crimp in the Angels outfield outlook. Before the year, it was reasonable to assume that the Angels would platoon Ward, Marsh, and Adell in the corner spots, and let them hack it out for playing time all year long. Even last year, I presented various configurations on how the Angels could platoon Marsh and Adell with Upton, assuming Ward would be a bench guy. But Ward wasn't having any of it, and Adell is now in AAA.
    But here's another "problem": Adell is absolutely crushing AAA pitching. He just hit an HR in his first AB tonight and is hitting .500 with 3 HR in four games. Oh yeah, he walked 4 times yesterday.
    So the Angels have a "problem" - both in the near and long-term future: How to get Adell back in the lineup, when he's ready? Be that in a month or next year, it is going to happen. 
    Ward is already 28, but is under club control through 2026 - that's 4.8 seasons of cheap offensive firepower, even if he chills out and becomes a more garden variety borderline star hitter in the 130-140 wRC+ range (and at this point, he could be a true 150+ wRC star).
    Marsh (24) is under club-control through 2027, and Adell (23) through 2026. Meaning, basically all the same.
    I know this question is unanswerable, but how do you see this playing out? Will the Angels trade one in July for another pitcher or a middle infielder? Or do they stash Adell in AAA all year until someone gets injured and/or go back to a platoon with Marsh? 
    One other factor to consider is that Walsh is under club control through 2025, and had significant trade value so could also be traded and Ward moved to 1B. But that seems less likely.
    It is a good problem to have, but hard to get my mind around - as far as what the Angels are likely to do.
  25. Chuck
    By Jonathan Northrop, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
    2022: A Tale of Limp Bats
    Strangely enough, the lineup ended up being the biggest problem area for the Angels this year, as they're currently 24th in the majors in wRC+ (91) and 25th in runs scored (493). Compare this to them being 12th in ERA (3.83) and 11th in pitcher WAR (13.2). It's a bit harder to quantify their defense, but they're 17th in Def Runs with -3.1, so basically close to average.
    So Perry Minasian goes into the offseason realizing that while he probably needs to bolster the pitching staff with at least one bonafide starter, his main task will be getting the team to score more runs. 
    The problem this year has been multi-faceted, and all mostly injury related. Losing Rendon was a huge blow and correlated with the beginning of their losing streak; Trout has been both streaky and missed a lot of time - assuming health from here on out, by season's end he'll have missed about 45 games. Former top prospects Brandon Marsh and Jo Adell have both continued to disappoint, and Marsh was shipped off to Philadelphia. After a torrid start and an injury, Taylor Ward has been terrible. Max Stassi and Jared Walsh both bottomed out, and David Fletcher continued last year's atrocious hitting and then missed a lot of time.
    But a couple questions have seemingly been answered in the affirmative: David Fletcher is back, healthy, and hitting like 2018-19, meaning adequate enough to be a starting infielder and not a hole in the lineup, and an overall valuable player. Luis Rengifo has finally put it together; From June 18 on, he's hit .294/.316/.484 with a 125 wRC+ in 256 PA. Meaning, with Fletcher and Rengifo, they Angels have two major parts of their middle infield locked in for next year.
    Perhaps the biggest question marks for next year, in terms of the success of the lineup, has to do with the health of two players, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. Trout's projected 115-120 games this year will be the most he's played since 2019, but is still about 70% of a full season. The Angels really need 130+ games from their aging superstar. Anthony Rendon has been even worse; over the last two seasons he's managed only 93 games, or about 29% of team games. One way or the other, the Angels really need at least about 250 games from these two players. 
    The third member of the projected "Big Three," Shohei Ohtani, started slow but is hitting close to last year's level, his 144 wRC+ not far behind last year's 150. He's been extraordinarily healthy the last two seasons and there is no reason he shouldn't continue to be healthy, but it is easy to take him for granted; any Angels success next year is contingent on Ohtani not only staying healthy, but staying period. With an impending ownership change, we don't know the ultimate fate of Ohtani.
    A secondary question relates to the trio of Ward, Walsh, and Stassi - the complementary offensive players, all guys capable of above average offensive performance. After coming back from injury on June 14, Ward has hit .218/.293/.333 with a 79 wRC+ in 279 PA. Stassi's wRC+ fell from 105 last year to 67 this year, and Walsh's fell from 126 to 78. So the question is: Who are the "real" Ward, Walsh and Stassi?
    The Angels continue to have an Adell-sized hole in the outfield, which is made even larger by the terrible hitting of Ward. The outfield around Trout was supposed to be a strength, but has instead turned out to be a huge liability. Neither Adell nor Moniak look like surefire answers, and both could end up starting next year in AAA. Maybe one or both breakout, but neither can be counted on at this point.
    As I see it, there are only a few questions that will be answered over the last 32 games:
    Is Adell (or Moniak) ready to be a solid major league contributor? So far the answer is "no" and "maybe, but probably not." Adell shows flashes, but never with any consistency - and consistency is what its all about. Are Fletcher and Rengifo for real? So far it seems "Yes." Fletcher is back to a level similar to 2018-19, which is about all we should have hoped for - and good enough to play a major role in 2023, whether as a regular player or a platoon or hybrid. Rengifo has been consistently good, with a 120ish wRC+, for about half a season's worth. He may not be a .290/.320/.480 hitter, but he certainly seems like a .270/.310/.450 hitter, which with average defense makes him a starter. Are any of the AA/AAA pitchers close to ready? This doesn't relate to the thread topic, but thought I'd throw it out there. Is Thaiss good enough defensively to catch 40-60 games next year? He's being auditioned for the back-up/platoon role, at least until O'Hoppe is ready. Which brings me to... How close is Logan O'Hoppe? Hard to say. If the Angels call him up in a few weeks for a look, they might be considering him for a roster spot on Opening Day. More likely they'll put him in AAA and wait for an injury. That's about it. I don't think any of those things really effect offseason moves, as far as the lineup goes. I mean, maybe Adell is Dave Winfield for the last few weeks and the Angels feel more confident in him, or maybe Moniak comes back and is good enough to give him a job. So that might impact offseason moves. And if the Angels want to start the year with five guys who can perform at a 2+ WAR level at 3B/SS/2B, they already have three of them (Rendon, Fletcher, Rengifo), so either way will need two legit middle infielders.
    I don't see them doing much at catcher beyond maybe signing a minor league journeyman, or perhaps a very cheap back-up type if they don't like what they see from Thaiss.
    Other questions won't be answered at all, until next year: Can Rendon and Trout stay healthy? Will Ward, Walsh, and Stassi bounce-back? Will any AA/AAA prospects breakout and enter consideration? Etc.
    Meaning, I think we have about 95% of the info we need to speculate about what lineup moves need to be made.
    The last area of concern is the bench. The reason the offense collapsed as badly as it did is that with injuries and declined performances from key players, they only had scrubs to fill in the gaps. The emergence of Rengifo and revival of Fletcher ameliorates this issue somewhat, but not enough to feel comfortable  - they need better bench players.
    2023 Outlook and Offseason Plan
    The problem going into the offseason is that the Angels have all the pieces of a good lineup - if all of the questions above can be answered affirmatively. But they can't count on that, so really need to bolster the lineup as much as possible.
    Their biggest target this offseason might be the biggest bat they can afford, either one of the many top shortstops on the free agent market, or an outfielder, or possibly even a first baseman, though I suspect they'll give Walsh a shot to redeem himself, if only due to the fact that he's cheap. The top free agent hitters include Aaron Judge (OF), a quartet of elite shortstops in Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, and Dansby Swanson; Wilson Contreras (C); and a handful of second tier first basemen in Josh Bell, Anthony Rizzo, and the 36-year old Jose Abreu.
    With Rengifo and Fletcher, they're not as desperate for a middle infield upgrade, but if they did go after one of the many top free agent shortstops, either one--or both--could be a starter/utility hybrid and fill in at 3B as necessary. Or they could go a budget route and focus on depth, signing a couple higher caliber platoon/bench middle infielders that can fill in as needed.
    As far as the outfield is concerned, as of this writing, the Angels probably need to think in terms of signing an every day player who can hit. Maybe Ward bounces back to at least a 120 wRC+ level and/or one of Moniak or Adell takes a couple steps forward, but all of that is questionable; adding in the dubious health of Trout, and the Angels could use an outfielder who can hit. There's a big drop-off after Judge, but some decent options: Brandon Nimmo, Andrew Benintendi, Mitch Haniger, and Trey Mancini, who could double as an insurance policy for Walsh. They could also take a one-year flyer on Michael Conforto, who struggled in 2021 and missed all of 2022, and will be itching to prove himself.
    The Angels are currently auditioning Matt Thaiss, presumably to platoon with Stassi until Logan O'Hoppe is ready, probably sometime in the first half of next year. So chances are catcher next year will be some combination Stassi, Thaiss, and O'Hoppe, and possibly some veteran back-up type. Meaning, don't expect any major changes (e.g. Wilson Contreras) from what they already have; O'Hoppe was the big catcher acquisition and will be in the mix shortly.
    Conclusion
    So in summary, I think Minasian's offseason lineup targets will be:
    A quality bat or two - probably either OF, MI, or maybe 1B A starting outfielder Either a starting middle infielder or a quality platoon player Bench depth Again, with an impending ownership change, all of this comes with a big dose of uncertainty - that's just what makes sense given the roster. It could be that due to extended negotiations, Minasian's told not to spend any money, and the Angels go into 2023 with essentially the same roster they have right now, plus maybe a few spare parts. We have to be ready for that significant possibility. But Arte Moreno, not wanting to decrease the value of the team, might simply tell Perry to treat this offseason as business as usual, although even then he might be told not to sign any major free agents (e.g. Judge or one of the big shortstops).
    Either way, it should be an interesting offseason, with a lot riding on it: the fate of Ohtani and the outlook of the Angels over the next few years, not to mention Minasian's legacy and a possible new manager.
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