Angels 2015 Minor League Preview

The season has only just begun for the Angels, but it is never too early in the season to start thinking about the future. The minor league season starts up soon itself, so we’ve cooked up a Angels 2015 Minor League Preview to help prime you for the season.

State of the system: Pitching heavy. The large majority of the Angels top prospects are pitchers and their draft philosophy leans heavily toward acquiring collegiate pitching with lower upside but a higher floor. The few hitting prospects they do have aren’t pushing for roster spots yet. Hopefully the Angels can use some of their pitching depth to acquire some bats (think Kubitza-Sanchez deal) or begin to draft a few more come June.

Salt Lake Bees (Triple-A) – This is the most talented roster the Beeshave had in at least five years. Not a lot of prospects but a lot of fringe major league talent on the roster.

Who am I watching?

• RHP Cam Bedrosian: He’s likely the closer of the future for the Angels and the only thing standing in his way of becoming a dominant MLB reliever is his ability to throw strikes and spot his pitches.
• LHP Andrew Heaney: I don’t envision Andrew Heaney spending much time in the minors as is, so you should go take a look at him while you can. One of the better LHP prospects in baseball.
• RHP Nick Tropeano: Along with Andrew Heaney, Tropeano makes up the best of the Angels pitching depth. Good command and control, low-90’s fastball, get me over curve and a knock out change up that he’ll use in any count. The most polished of all pitching prospects. Reigning PCL ERA champion.
• C Jett Bandy: A great defensive catcher with plate discipline at 20 HR potential. Is part of the Angels future catching tandem.
• C Carlos Perez: The other half of the Angels catching tandem, a great throwing arm, plate discipline and is good at making contact, just not hard contact.
• 3B Kyle Kubitza: The future starting 3B for the angels beginning next year. Great plate discipline, solid power. Needs to refine his defense at 3B.
• 2B Alex Yarbrough: Isn’t on the official roster for some reason, but should be soon. Reigning AA MVP, Yarbrough is great at the plate and decent enough with the glove to be considered the Angels 2B of the future.

Arkansas Travelers (Double-A) – Known for housing some of the angels best talent, the AA Travs come heavy with pitching again, but this time have a few questionable bats.

Who am I watching?

• LHP Nate Smith: For some reason, just keeps getting hitters out via the K but without overpowering stuff. Can this continue? May end up being in the Angels rotation at some point if he keeps it up.
• RHP Austin Wood: Finally healthy for the first time in two years, Austin Wood will looks to pick up where he left off back in A Ball. High-90’s fastball, great slider and knee-buckling change up. Looks like he’ll begin in the rotation, we’ll see if it lasts. Very excited to see him back on the mound.
• RHP Kyle McGowin: Good fastball, great slider and developing change up. Managed to avoid the Tommy-John epidemic last year, but we’ll see if he’s back at 100%. Potential mid-rotation starter if he puts it all together.
• All those RP’s: Michael Brady had a 2.98 ERA in AA last year. Trevor Gott sits in the mid-high 90’s, Nate Hyatt was dominant in High-A Ball before being dealt to the Angels, Danny Reynolds can reach 98 mph and is on the 40-man roster and despite an insightly ERA, Eduard Santos struck out 72 batters in only 48 innings last year in A Ball.
• 3B Sherman Johnson: Despite not having any “plus” tools, he’s a gqmer that keeps putting up numbers at every spot. AA will be the real test for him.
• SS Eric Stamets: An elite defensive shortstop with elite speed. Had a hard time hitting in AA last year but was quite good in the AFL against higher competition.
• OF Chad Hinshaw: Very good defense, speed and power combination. Could be a starter in the major leagues someday or a 4^th AA should tell us a lot.
• OF D’Arby Myers: Just because he’s really fast. His type of speed may have been the difference between Cowgill getting gunned out at 3B against the Royals and the Angels winning that game and having a chance at advancing in the post season.

Inland Empire 66ers (Advanced-A) – Usually the landing spot for some of the angels better collegiate players, this year should be no different. Also a popular rehab spot for the Angels coming back off the DL. So you might get to see Garrett Richards or Josh Hamilton.

• RHP Victor Alcantara: High-90’s fastball and a great but also incredibly inconsistent slider. He’s working out as a starter, but right now I can’t see that lasting any longer than a year or two.
• LHP Greg Mahle: Drafted last year and climbed the ladder quickly as a RP in just a few months. Absolute death on lefties, he’s caught the attention of the Angels front office.
• RHP Chris Ellis: May have been an absolute steal for the Angels in the June draft. Had an MVP type of year at Ole Miss last year, picked up by the Angels in the 4^th Low-mid 90’s fastball, “plus” change up and potentially “plus” slider. A lot of his growth will depend on his ability to spot his pitches.
• SS Roberto Baldoquin: Angels signed him for 8 million out of Cuba. May end up being a sneaky-good signing. Great instincts and tools as a shortstop, barrel of the bat spends a long time in the zone, has good power especially for an infielder. Shortstop of the future it seems.
• 3B Kaleb Cowart: Just didn’t cut it in AA, demoted to A+ Ball, this is his last chance at being a position player for the Angels. Likely headed for the mound next year.
• OF Bo Way: Great contact hitter, great discipline, decent power, great speed and good defense. This kid has a chance to be VERY good someday.

Burlington Bees (Single-A) – The Angels haven’t given the Burlington fans much in the way of prospects the past couple of years, but that should change in 2015, they have an exciting crop of kids coming in from the draft with higher upside.

• LHP Sean Newcomb: Typically collegiate LHP’s that go as high in draft as Newcomb did don’t start in A Ball. We’ll give Newcomb the benefit of the doubt though, since he’s coming out of a small school and isn’t accustomed to the higher level of play. He may not last long in Burlington though before he is promoted to Advanced A Ball. Mid-high 90’s fastball, good slider, good curve, good change up, big strong frame. Potential ace in the majors someday.
• LHP Jonah Wesely: Was really hoping they’d keep this California native a starter, but instead have shifted him to the bullpen where his low-90’s fastball and slider play up in a big way. Could be a back of the bullpen guy in a couple years.
• RHP Jeremy Rhoades: Quietly, a pretty solid prospect because of his low-90’s fastball and very good slider he possesses. Still, he lacks refinement. Should work out as a starter for now, but also looks destined for the bullpen in the future.
• RHP Jake Jewell: Was solely a reliever in college, comes armed with a mid-90’s fastball and breaking pitches in need of refinement, but rumor has it the Angels may try to develop him as a starter.
• OF Natanael Delgado: How many 19 year olds make their way onto the Class A team? Not many, but most of them have a very high upside and are a quick study, which describes Delgado. He swings at everything under the sun, but also has a knack for making contact and “plus” power with the chance for “plus-plus” power in the future. His biggest obstacles right now come in the form of defense and taking a walk, both of which he’s pretty bad at, but will be given the chance to correct.
• OF Miguel Hermosillo: good defense, great athleticism, very intrigued by his power-speed combo. Should have some questions regarding refinement answered by a full season in A Ball.
• 2B/3B Andrew Daniel: Wasn’t drafted until the 11^th round despite being one of those “So-Cal talents” that are so prevalent in the draft. He doesn’t have very high upside but all this guys does is hit. If he doesn’t stop hitting, perhaps people will begin listening. Then again they never started with Kole Calhoun.
• 3B Zach Houchins: Only lasted in the draft as long as he did because of his past transgressions when he was drafted by the Nationals. But he’s since deleted his twitter account and the Angels may be able to reap some benefits here. Either a shortstop of third baseman, Houchins has a good approach at the plate with decent power and solid speed.