2015 MWAH Angels Prospect All-Star Team

Always a fan favorite, we present to you the MWAH Angels Prospect All-Star Team for 2015. This list is NOT a top prospect list, rather an all-star team assembled of top prospects based on performance.

Note: Statistics were updated as of this weekend.

Starting Catcher: Jett Bandy – AAA Salt Lake
Bandy solidified himself on the Angels future depth chart with an impressive showing of defense, athleticism, power and OBP last season in AA. This year in AAA, we’ve witnessed more of the same, the only exception being a considerable drop off in OBP. Bandy is the heir apparent to Chris Iannetta’s spot in the catching timeshare with Carlos Perez. He’ll be a regular in the Angels lineup in 2016.
2015 statistics: .269 AVG, .311 OBP, .461 SLG, 11 doubles, 7 HR, 31% CS

Starting First Baseman: Eric Aguilera – A+ Inland Empire
Aguilera is eerily reminiscent of another Angel that’s flown under the radar his entire career and is now getting some considerable playing time in the majors: Efren Navarro. Like Navarro, Aguilera was drafted toward the end of the draft, like Navarro, he bats and throws left, like Navarro his swing is more conducive to contact and gap power rather than HR’s and, like Navarro, Aguilera has the athleticism to move off first base and play a corner OF spot. I certainly wouldn’t bet against Aguilera making it all the way.
2015 statistics: .302 AVG, .340 OBP, .470 SLG, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HR, 10 SB

Starting Second Baseman: Sherman Johnson – AA Arkansas
This season, Johnson has logged time at third base and second, and he even has the athleticism to play the outfield and a little bit of shortstop as well. However, it is second base where I believe Sherman Johnson can really project into something special. He not only has the defensive ability to make it there in the big leagues, he possesses the gap power, speed and OBP that could prove vital in any lineup. I do believe he’ll be a major leaguer, the only question in my mind is whether or not he’s a starting second baseman or a super utility infielder in the form of former beloved Angel Maicer Izturis.
2015 statistics: .238 AVG, .369 OBP, .365 SLG, 18 doubles, 4 HR, 12 SB

Starting Third Baseman: Kyle Kubitza – AAA Salt Lake
Kubitza looks like he’ll be spending a large chunk of the rest of the season with the Angels, hitting off the bench, getting starts at 3B (Freese isn’t doing much to endear himself at the moment) and even getting some time in LF. However, it’s his work in AAA this year that got him onto this list. In his first year in the organization, Kubitza has shown the ability to hit for average and reach base as he did before. His doubles are through the roof as we thought might be the case and perhaps the best part, he’s grown into a quality defensive third baseman in a short amount of time. Look for him to be a fixture in the Angels lineup for at least the next six years.
2015 statistics: .287 AVG, .362 OBP, .452 SLG, 21 doubles, 4 triples, 3 HR

Starting Shortstop: Jake Yacinich – Class A Burlington
Yacinich didn’t get a ton of press after being drafted in the 8^th round last year. Basically, all we knew was that he was a good defensive shortstop out of Iowa, that’s it. He didn’t open a ton of eyes with his down performance in Orem last year either. But Yacinich is the very reason why scouts on the ground can be more important than statistics. Just by watching him prepare and play the game, Jake made it clear he was ready for full-season ball this year. Even coming into Spring Training, there was a sense of “where did this guy come from? He looks good!”. At 6’2, 195 – Yacinich has the long athletic frame to make him into a premier defensive shortstop, but it’s the smaller things he’s done at the plate that have really set him apart this year. While he doesn’t necessarily have one “plus” tool, he’s shown to be a good enough at just about everything, enough so that he’ll likely land himself in the MWAH Top 30 and climb the minor league ladder rather quickly.
2015 statistics: .297 AVG, .356 OBP, .346 SLG, 7 doubles, 1 HR, 6 SB

Starting Outfielder: Alfredo Marte – AAA Salt Lake
Marte has been a quality pickup by Jerry Dipoto from last offseason, as Dipoto has continued to show an affinity toward former Rockies/D-Backs prospects. Alfredo has logged a few games with the Angels and certainly passes the eye test, with a strong build, quick hands and passable defense. With the exception of Efren Navarro, who has spent time in AAA and the majors, no player in AAA has produced better results than Marte this year. Of course, seeing as this is his thirdd go around in the PCL, Marte should be as good as he’s been.
2015 statistics: .338 AVG, .391 OBP, .535 SLG, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 4 HR

Starting Outfielder: Natanael Delgado – Class A Burlington
Natanael Delgado continues to impress in full-season ball. His status as a prospect continues to evolve as he climbs the organizational ladder. When he first signed, we at MWAH were just excited to have a left-handed OF prospect with power. The hype machine was fully kicked into gear when he skipped Dominican Summer Ball altogether and headed stateside to the Arizona Rookie League as a 17 year old. What’s more, he hit for power there and wasn’t overwhelmed at all. As an 18 year old, he did much of the same thing in the Pioneer League last season, facing competition that was generally 3-5 years older than him. Delgado’s continued to success in the pitching friendly Midwest League this season and figures to just keep hitting in the future too.
2015 statistics: .279 AVG, .315 OBP, .409 SLG, 10 doubles, 3 triples, 4 HR

Starting Outfielder: Caleb Adams – Class A Burlington
Caleb Adams wasn’t expected to make many waves coming into the season. Sure, he was good in college and had some flashes of potential in Rookie Ball, but the minor leagues are littered with guys like that that never make it to the majors. But Adams came into this season with the idea he was going to make a name for himself, and so far in Burlington, he’s done just that. While there is too much swing and miss to his game, Adams plays solid defense, reaches base, hits for average and has some decent gap power as well.
2015 statistics: .294 AVG, .393 OBP, .408 SLG, 10 doubles, 5 triples, 2 HR, 7 SB

Starting Pitcher: Jeremy Rhoades – Class A Burlington
Jeremy Rhoades entered this season with the expectation that he’d probably end up pitching in relief due to his predominantly fastball-slider combo (no changeup) and wacky mechanics that likely wouldn’t have allowed depth. Then once we got a good look at Rhoades, we saw a completely different pitcher. Sure, the nice fastball and slider are still present, but we’ve seen completely refined mechanics and a VERY good changeup incorporated into his arsenal. The results have been spectacular in A Ball so far.
2015 statistics: 74.0 IP, 2.80 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 4 HR, 15 BB, 69 SO 

Starting Pitcher: Chris Ellis – AA Arkansas
Chris Ellis has been the Angels best starter in the minors so far this year, which is of no surprise to MWAH, maybe it is to others. He has three above average pitches and has found a way to pound the bottom half of the strike zone. The result is a mid-season promotion to AA, where, if he continues to perform like this, he could be knocking on the Angels doorstep next season.
2015 statistics: 83.1 IP, 3.67 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 10 HR, 32 BB, 86 SO

Starting Pitcher: Sean Newcomb – A+ Inland Empire
Sean Newcomb is perhaps the Angels best known prospect. He has the size, velocity and strength and off-speed pitches to be a staff ace in short order.   He began the season in A Ball to refine a few things and was quickly promoted to Inland Empire, where he’s looked great, but is still admittedly a work in progress. We do expect him to be promoted to AA within the next month or two however, with a possible major league ETA being late next season.
2015 statistics: 77.1 IP, 2.56 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 2 HR, 40 BB, 101 SO

Starting Pitcher: Nate Smith – AA Arkansas
Nate Smith is no stranger to the MWAH prospect all-star team, but at every level he just keeps putting up good numbers. While he’s repeating AA this year, Smith is still relatively young, and figures to have a future in a major league rotation.
2015 statistics: 88.2 IP, 2.74 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 9 HR, 25 BB, 71 SO

Starting Pitcher: Andrew Heaney – AAA Salt Lake
While Heaney’s numbers in AAA have been anything but impressive on the surface, context really should be taken into account. For example, he’s the only pitcher in Salt Lake with an ERA below 4.50. He’s the only pitcher generating strong strikeout numbers and he’s the only pitcher to combine those with a great BB/9. The fact is, the ball flies in Salt Lake, much further than any other ball park in the Angels system, and possibly any in the professional circuit. Heaney’s actually a pretty solid pitcher, as evidenced by his domination of the best offense in baseball in his first MLB start with the Angels. That wasn’t a fluke.
2015 statistics: 78.1 IP, 4.71 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 2 HR, 25 BB, 74 SO

Relief Pitcher: Eduardo Paredes – Class A Burlington
Paredes is just the newest Angels relief pitcher to throw in the mid-to-upper 90’s and utterly dominate the level he’s at. While Eduardo is still a year or two from the majors, pretty much every aspect of his game offers encouraging signs.
2015 statistics: 28.0 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 2 HR, 7 BB, 40 SO

Relief Pitcher: Austin Adams – AA Arkansas
Austin Adams has made some adjustments over the past year and has stormed his way back into a MWAH Top 30 consideration. High strikeout numbers, inconsistent command and a fastball-slider combo worthy of admiration describe Adams and his ability to have long stretches of production.
2015 statistics: 29.0 IP, 2.79 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 0 HR, 16 BB, 43 SO

Relief Pitcher: Greg Mahle – AA Arkansas
Mahle is seen as potentially the closest to the majors by scouting director Ric Wilson. At first, this seems curious given that he’s spent most of the year in the Cal League and just recently earned a promotion to AA, but if you remember, the Angels kept him up in major league camp until the final day of Spring Training before sending him down. This team is legitimately interested in promoting Mahle as soon as he’s deemed ready and there’s an opening.
2015 statistics: 29.1 IP, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 2 HR, 5 BB, 38 SO

Relief Pitcher: Geoff Broussard – A+ Inland Empire
Greg Broussard is a relative unknown, but that won’t last long if he keeps striking this many batters out.
2015 statistics: 20.2 IP, 2.61 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 1 HR, 8 BB, 37 SO

Relief Pitcher: Chris O’Grady – AA Arkansas
Chris O’Grady is a tall lefty with decent stuff that could figure into a lefty specialist role in the majors before long. For now, he’s closing in the minors, and doing a good job of it at that.
2015 statistics: 30.2 IP, 2.05 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 3 HR, 5 BB, 31 SO

Backups: OF Miguel Hermosillo (defense, speed and discipline), 2B Andrew Daniel (middle infield pop and versatility), C Stephen McGee (good defense and OBP, decent pop), OF Jared Mitchell (former top prospect with Chicago, speed, power and defense), IF Drew Maggi (high batting average and versatility), 3B Kaleb Cowart (hitting for average and pop at AAA, great defense).