By Tres Hefter, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Much has been spoken about the Angels emergence of arms this year, but the last two weeks has shown the Angels hitting prospects make a mark – thirteen hitters had an OPS over 1.000 meaning not all could even make the hotlist, so the honorable mention list could be its own hotlist after this one.
1) Jarrett Parker – RF/1B, AAA:
With Puello now in Miami, Parker is one step closer to the big leagues, and his recent performance has only further stressed that. Parker has homered in six straight games, giving him 18 on the year in 251 plate appearances, paired up with a .364/.453/.909/1.362 slash in the last two weeks. Additionally, Parker has added 1B to his defensive portfolio, giving him added usefulness to help the Angels should Bour again falter, or Pujols’ health give out.
2019 hitting (AAA): .307/.438/.639/.1.077 with 11 doubles, 1 triple, 18 HR, 53 RBI, 45 BB, 64 K in 57 G/251 PA
2) Matt Thaiss – 3B, AAA:
Thaiss continued building his momentum (he had an .800 OPS from mid-April leading up to 6/10) by posting one of his hottest two-weeks to date; .372/.518/.791/1.309 with 3 doubles, 5 homers, and 13 walks to 7 strikeouts – with only a .355 BAbip in that time – all while playing exclusively 3B. Thaiss currently leads the Pacific Coast League with 52 walks, tied for tenth in HR with 13, and tied for sixteenth with 132 total bases.
2019 (AAA): .273/.387/.475/.862 with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 13 HR, 46 RBI, 52 BB, 55 K in 71 G/333 PA
3) Jo Adell – CF/RF, AA:
Adell has continued to assert himself as one of the game’s top prospects, completely dominating AA since his return. Over the last two weeks, Adell has slashed .395/.477/.684/1.161 in 11 games, clubbing 5 doubles, 2 home runs, and only striking out five times – matched by five walks. Soon enough, it will simply just become a matter of time before Adell finds himself in Anaheim.
2019 (A+/AA): .361/.430/.651/1.081 with 9 doubles, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 7 BB, 19 K in 22 G/93 PA
4) Orlando Martinez – CF/LF/RF, A+:
Vaulting into the prospect hotlist, and perhaps a new prospect legitimacy, Martinez has started showing some power in the last two weeks – six doubles, three home runs – during his recent .367/.456/.673/1.130 slash – adding to an already longstanding offensive profile of good contact and good discipline. The 2018 signee out of Cuba is almost undoubtedly in the mix for a future 4th OF job, but this increased power could bring him into an everyday conversation.
2019 (A+): .302/.377/.466/.842 with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 HR, 14 RBI, 13 BB, 29 K in 26 G/130 PA
5) Jared Walsh – 1B/LHP, AAA:
Walsh has taken his AAA demotion in stride, picking up right where he left off with significant offensive production. Walsh has slashed .364/.481/.591/1.072 with four doubles, two home runs, and eight walks to 11 strikeouts. With Bour back in Anaheim, Walsh might be in Salt Lake for a lengthy stint, but should remain a versatile option at the ready.
2019 hitting (AAA): .306/.399/.566/.965 with 18 doubles, 13 HR, 33 RBI, 29 BB, 68 K in 60 G/258 PA
2019 pitching (AAA): 4.50 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 2 BB, 5 K across 6 IP in 6 games
Honorable mention, hitters:
Brennon Lund (OF, AAA): .459/.500/.757/1.257 with 5 2B, 2 HR – yup, even a 1.257 OPS couldn’t crack the top 5.
Jose Verrier (3B/2B, Orem Rk.): .321/.500/.750/1.250 with 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 6 BB, 6 K
Jeremiah Jackson (SS, Orem Rk.): .286/.386/.657/1.044 with 4 2B, 3 HR, 7 BB, 14 K
Rainier Rivas (RF, DSL Rk.): .407/.500/.519/1.019 with 3 2B with 5 BB, 4 K
Michael Stefanic (SS/2B, A+): .310/.396/.619/1.015 with 2 2B, 3B, 3 HR, 5 BB, 4 K – starting to adjust to A+
Taylor Ward (LF, AAA): .268/.423/.585/1.008 with 2B, 4 HR but only 8 BB, 11 K – playing only LF recently
Jose Rojas (2B/3B, AAA): .289/.382/.622/1.004 with 5 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 8 BB, 13 K
Jordan Zimmerman (3B, A+): .341/.391/.610/1.001 with 3 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 7 K – a 1.109 slash in June now
Franklin Torres (C/2B, A+): .378/.431/.533/.965 with 2B, 2 HR, 5 BB, 6 K – splitting time between C and 2B
Gareth Morgan (OF, A+): .256/.298/.605/.903 with 5 HR, 1 BB, 26 K in 47 PA
Spencer Griffin (RF, A): .351/.385/.614/.898 with 2B, 3B, HR, 2 BB, 14 K, 3-3 in SB attempts
Jahmai Jones (2B, AA): .318/.362/.500/.862 with 2 2B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 4 K, in 48 PA
D’Shawn Knowles (OF, Orem Rk.): .278/.400/.444/.844 with 2 HR, 8 BB, 12 K, 4-4 SB attempts
6) Hector Yan – LHP, A:
You can’t really be much better over a two-week span than what Hector Yan has done. Two starts, 11.1 innings pitched, zero runs – and zero hits allowed. Yan also struck out 12, but did allow five walks, a sign of his continuing issues of control and durability which could limit his ceiling, but the 20-year old lefty continues to climb up the ranks of Angels pitching prospects.
2019 (A): 3.07 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, .182 BAA, 31 BB, 78 K across 55.2 IP in 14 G/10 GS
7) Cooper Criswell – RHP, A+:
The 6’6″ righty threw his most dominant game 6/22, striking out nine in 5 IP – capping a two-week span where he made three appearances, striking out 21 in 11.2 IP, allowing only 3 walks and nine hits, including a .209 BAA – despite a .409 BAbip. While his overall results have been mixed, Criswell comes with the right frame and decent repertoire to pitch himself into the top Angels pitching prospect discussions if he continues his June production.
2019 (A+): 4.82 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, .273 BAA, 20 BB, 54 K across 52.1 IP in 13 G/10 GS
8 ) Jesus Castillo – RHP, AA:
Castillo continues to place among the Angels top pitchers on the prospect playlist – his consistency has led him to lead the Angels org – majors including – in innings pitched, and his ERA has now dropped to an even 3.00. Over the last two weeks, Castillo made two starts and two one-inning relief appearances – combining for 14 innings, 1.29 ERA, and 1 BB with 8 K – perhaps hinting at some potential usefulness as a reliever on the MLB depth charts.
2019 (AA): 3.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, .264 BAA, 18 BB, 55 K, only 3 HR allowed across 75 IP in 16 G/12 GS
9) Cole Duensing – RHP, A:
The miraculous rebirth of the 2016 draft pick’s career continued over the last two weeks as he made three appearances, led by a 6.2 IP start against Clinton where he struck out 8 and walked zero, and followed by two relief appearances – one good (4 IP, 0 BB, 4 K, and one not so good (0.2 IP, 3 BB), further demonstrating the volatility of the lanky righty’s stuff. Duensing might be best suited in the future as a high-lev, multi-inning relief arm.
2019 (A): 4.32 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, .241 BAA, 36 BB, 55 K across 58.1 IP in 14 G/9 GS
10) Alejandro Duran – RHP, DSL Rk.:
Little is known about the equally diminutive (5’11”, 150) 17-year old Venezuelan righty, but he’s made quite an intro to the Angels Dominican summer league team, making four appearances, throwing 18 innings, striking out 20, and only walking two, surrendering a 3.00 ERA in that time.
2019 (DSL Rk.): 3.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, .119 BAA, 2 BB, 20 K across 18 in 4 G/2 GS
Honorable mention, pitchers:
Isaac Mattson (RHP, AA): 6 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 11 K, 0.00 ERA in 3 games – no signs slowing now that he’s in AA
Luis Alvarado (RHP, A): 11.2 IP, 12 H, 1 BB, 7 K, 3.86 ERA in 2 games
Danifer Diaz (RHP, DSL Rk.): 4.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 8 K, 0.00 ERA in 2 GS
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