1. Freddy Sandoval, 3B, Class AA, Arkansas Travelers
Freddy claims the #1 spot for the 2nd time this year! Saying he’s been red hot is an understatement. In the month of July, specifically in his last 10 games in which he’s hit .512 with 7 multi-hit games in those last 10 contests. Sandoval a representative of the Angels in the Futures Game for the World squad is hitting .317 on the season with a .406 on-base pct. (54 walks, 58 strikeouts) while stealing 18 bags. He’s also hit for more power this year pounding out 24 doubles, 4 triples and 10 home runs.
2. Rich Thompson, RP, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees
The Australian was Sandoval’s teammate on the World Roster for the Futures Game has posted a 0.77 ERA since being promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake, fanning 15 in 11 2/3 innings. Opponents are hitting just .183 off the Aussie in 2007 between 3 levels. Eddie Bane’s son Jaymie who is a scout for the Red Sox raved about his fastball after seeing him pitch in the Futures Game. Thompson also shows a knee buckling curve ball which he uses as his punch out pitch.
3. Patrick Phillips, SS, Low Class A, Cedar Rapids Kernels
While his brother Brandon for the Cincinnati Reds is on the verge of a 30/30 season his little brother Patrick is showing why the Angels drafted him for the same reasons in the 2nd round in the ’05 draft. Patrick is hitting .325 in his last 10 games, 5 of which were multi-hit contests, has shown speed on the bases (29 stolen bases) and leads the club with 10 home runs. While Phillips has the athleticism and tools, he needs to play better defense at SS as he also leads the club in errors with 31 errors and he need show better plate discipline as he’s only walked 10 times while going down swinging 107 times.
4. Nick Adenhardt, SP, Class AA, Arkansas Travelers
Adenhart has pitched brilliantly since coming off the DL at the beginning of the month, hurled an 8 inning gem in his last start, giving up just 1 run for the victory. In the start before (July 18th vs. Wichita) he fanned 9 in 6 1/3 innings notching a victory as well.
5. Christopher Pettit, OF, Class A Rancho Cucamonga
Pettit has seen his average drop a few points since last week, but he’s still getting on base and making things happen on the bases (26 stolen bases total). Pettit who is hitting .343 in High-A ball has knocked 8 over the fence while clubbing 10 doubles resulting in a 1.011 OPS. Playing left field, Pettit looks to claim a spot vacated by both Garret Anderson and Juan Rivera by 2009 providing the Angels some power and speed from the corner spot.
6. Nate Sutton, 2B, Class A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Nate who is repeating High-A Ball in Rancho, cracks the hot-list for the first time this season as he pushed his average over .300, hitting .372 in his last 10 games playing 2B for the Quakes. Sutton has a chance at being a solid reserve off the bench in the future, showing solid defense, speed & he has some pop in his bat.
7. Gregory Porter, OF/DH/1B, Class AAA, Salt Lake City Bees
The 6’5, 240lb Porter has been a beast since being promoted to Triple-A earlier in the month, clubbing 6 home runs, while ripping 8 doubles, posting a solid .984 OPS. Porter’s 4 hit performance on Friday combined with his 3-4 night on Saturday keep him on this week’s prospect hot-list.
8. Terry Evans, OF, Class AAA Salt Lake Bees
Evans continues his fine season by providing 5 multi-hit games in his last 10 for a .326 average (hitting .313 on the season going into Sunday’s game). Evans like Patrick Phillips has a package of speed and power but needs to show better plate discipline if he wants to make succeed in the big leagues. Evans has fanned 93 times this, walking only 12 times.
9. Sean O’Sullivan, SP, Low Class A, Cedar Rapids Kernels
O’Sullivan’s ERA (2.46) and WHIP (1.16) have continued to decrease as the season has progressed but more notably his strikeouts have increased lately, something that he wasn’t getting a lot of early on in the season which is good to see. Sean has fanned 34 in his last 34 innings!
10. Brad Coon, OF, Class AA Arkansas Travelers
Coon leads the entire organization with 43 stolen bases (through Saturday’s game) and has hit a lot better of late (hitting .310 in his last 10) with 3 multi-hit games in a row to push his average near .300 with the Travs.
Player to keep and eye on:
Miguel Gonzalez, SP, Class AA Arkansas Travelers
Miguel blanked the Tulsa squad on Friday for 8 innings, the 3rd time he’s giving up no runs in a start in the last month (7, 8 and 9 innings). When I asked Eddie Bane about Miguel, this is what he had to say: “Abe Flores and Bo Hughes found Miggy pitching in an adult league in Los Angeles. We signed him and gave him a chance, but he took the ball and ran with it. Now, he is throwing harder and has a chance if he keeps improving a little more.”
On the outside looking: Matt Sweeney, Brok Butcher, Jose Arredondo, Peter Bourjos, Andrew Romine, Jordan Renz, Anthony Ortega, Young-Il Jung, Chris Garcia, Jordan Walden, Hank Conger, Robert Mosebach, David Herndon, Steven Marek, Trevor Bell, Hanley Statia, Sean Rodriguez, Brandon Wood, Chris Armstrong, Matt Brown, Gordon Gronkowski, Jeremy Haynes, Nick Green, Mark Trumbo, Jay Brossman, Michael Anton, Douglas Brandt and Ben Johnson
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