The Angels are entering the 2015 MLB draft with the last pick of the 1st round. A year ago, this would’ve made fans ecstatic. Jumping from the basement of the AL West to the best record in baseball and home field advantage throughout the playoffs has the makings of a magical season. Unfortunately, it didn’t end the way anyone had hoped, but we still enter the draft picking last. I’m pretty sure every professional would take that.
That being said, there are needs throughout the organization and this should be an important draft for the defending AL West Champions. Last winter, the Angels spent $8 million on Cuban import Roberto Baldoquin. While this has very little to do with a draft that’s virtually all-American, it does place a specific emphasis on the Angels drafting the right players to round out the system. Because of penalties from the Baldoquin signing, the Angels will not be able to sign any international players for the next two years for a price larger than $300,000. This precludes them from the higher-end international talent, and the only way to acquire that sort of talent will be through the draft or bidding system in Asia, which the Angels have been absent from.
Those of you that read the MWAH Top 30 Prospect scouting reports know that the system isn’t the strongest, but is also absolutely loaded on pitching. After the likes of Kyle Kubitza, the Angels system is strangely without impact bats unless you believe in the likes of Yarbrough, Baldoquin, Way and Hinshaw (I do!). Thus one might think that the Angels will chase bats this year. While that may prove true, there are reasons to believe the Angels will go back to pitching again.
First, Dipoto believes in having a pitching rich system. Being a former pitcher himself, pitching probably just comes easier for Jerry to scout and develop, and he’s not alone in this process of thinking. Director of Amateur Scouting Ric Wilson has admitted in the past that drafting and developing pitching is a much easier task to undertake than hitters. Pitchers show you their stuff immediately and have specific benchmarks to meet in their progression. Hitting, not so much. Lots of times you’ll have a superb athlete with all the right tools but it just doesn’t work behind the ears, or they have trouble adjusting to big league off-speed pitches. Then there will be some players you think are just filler and end up growing into stars. Speed may be easily measured but it’s another thing entirely to teach someone how to steal a base. Then there’s the idea that power and plate discipline are typically the last tools to develop. So the team may draft a hitter and the calling-card of most great hitters may never come about until several years later.
Still, some hitters have such upside you almost have to pay attention to such talent. Last year, before the draft the Angels would’ve been ecstatic to draft Bradley Zimmer. He was at the top of many of their draft boards and they certainly did not expect him to make down as far as he did. They intended to pick him with the 15th selection. But they also didn’t expect an impact talent like Sean Newcomb to fall to them either, and thus they lost out on Zimmer but acquired one of the top left-handed pitchers in the minor leagues.
For now, common sense suggests the Angels will go the way of a position player.
This year, the draft is quite heavy on middle infield talent. Three of the first seven expected picks appear to be middle infield prospects. The Angels have been heavily connected with Kevin Newman, collegiate shortstop from Arizona and multiple sources have them going in that direction. Director Ric Wilson has even met and scouted Kevin in person and has liked what he’s seen. Angels have also been connected with Blake Trahan, a shortstop from Louisiana Lafayette. Among other names connected with the Angels so far, 2B Scott Kingery (Newman’s double play partner) from Arizona, RHP Phil Bickford from Southern Nevada JC (the Angels have a history of drafting from Southern Nevada frequently), prep RHP Donny Everett from Tennessee, LHP Kolby Allard from San Clemente, high school Garrett Whitley from New York, RHP James Kaprielian from UCLA, RHP Carson Fulmer from Vanderbilt and high school OF Andrew Benintendi from Arkansas.
Needless to say, that is a lot of different players at a lot of different ages from a lot of different places. The Angels are likely scouting everyone.
I simply don’t know enough about the prep or collegiate ranks to make an informed prediction, however, smarter people than I am (including multiple other sources I’m not sure about) have pinned the Angels to these specific prospects they’ll draft.
1B/OF D.J Stewart (Florida State)
He’s likely the best hitter of the draft, but doesn’t have any real defensive assets. He currently plays the corner OF and is decent enough to stick there, but won’t ever be a plus defender. Scouts peg him to hit .300 with 20+ HR’s and a great OBP at the top level. It also helps the Angels case that he has experience in LF and should be ready for AA to begin next season, putting him in Anaheim shortly thereafter. Not bad to get a middle of the order bat at this stage of the first round.
SS Kevin Newman (Arizona)
He’s a strong defensive shortstop that should hit for some average and steal a few bases. He’s also a refined talent, likely ready for AA next year and the majors shortly thereafter. Newman also comes with the honor of having won two consecutive batting titles in the Cape Cod League (not an easy feat), and the Angels are known to scout heavily there. As far as his tools, he’s basically a less flashy but steadier version of Erick Aybar. Aybar’s lasted eight years as the Angels shortstop, and if they’re able to get a player a lot like him from the draft, it’d be an economical first pick. Newman doesn’t give you the traditional upside of a first round pick, but the organizational need at this point is that of a player that is more of a sure thing. This isn’t to say Newman is without value. He’s a good player. He may even be a leadoff hitter. He isn’t likely an MLB all-star though. The Angels need a good leadoff hitter to take over for Aybar in a couple of years and Newman can definitely be that player.
SS Blake Trahan (Louisiana-Lafayette)
Trahan has plus speed and profiles anywhere between SS, 2B and 3B. He provides plus gap power and can control the zone, but has limited upside in the power department or speed department where he’s seen as merely passable. The idea here is that you’re banking on his speed, patience and gap power playing up at the highest level. If it does, the Angels would have a very useful middle infielder with upside in their system that could hit in front of the likes of Trout, Calhoun and Pujols. The Angels may also like his versatility. If the Angels need Trahan at 2B or 3B, he can competently field those positions as well as shortstop. Trahan also has a connection with the Angels. Friend and former teammate OF Caleb Adams was drafted in the 10th round by the Angels last year and is enjoying a breakout season for their A-Ball affiliate in Burlington.
SS Nick Shumpert (Highlands Ranch High School, Colorado)
Shumpert has the MLB bloodlines that the Angels buy into for some unknown reason, but it appears he has the talent to back up the hype. Pinned by Perfect Game to be one of the premier “five-tool” talent players in the draft, others still are comparing him to current Royals SS Alcides Escobar. The Angels amateur scouting director Ric Wilson has scouted and spoken personally with Shumpert and came away impressed. The consensus indicated Shumpert has plus speed and defensive ability up the middle with the chance that his bat and power will develop (though they haven’t yet). From the outside, it appears Shumpert has the highest upside of all the options so far, but like most high schoolers, he’s also the biggest risk of a pick.
Feel free to make your own predictions. I hope the Angels can land D.J. Stewart, but more intelligent people than I will make that decision. I just hope they’re right.
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