Angels prospects 2015 graduating class

One of the main components in deciding how successful a minor league organization’s prospects are, is how many prospects graduate to the majors on a yearly basis.

In 2013, when the Angels prospect list had reached rock bottom, the Angels had managed to graduate one player from the minors to the major league team, Kole Calhoun. The rest was a hodgepodge list of flameouts (Carlos Ramirez, Reid Scoggins, Travis Witherspoon, Dan Tillman), traded prospects (Steven Geltz, Nick Maronde) and still others that never progressed (Cowart, Lindsey, Jimenez).

In 2014, when the Angels were improved (and underrated), the Angels still had a collection of players that just never worked out (Brian Moran, Ismael Dionicio, Arjenis Fernandez, Keynan Middleton) or were dealt (Lindsey, Sappington, Rondon, Roth, Morris, Clevinger, Borenstein). Still, others graduated and helped the Angels or other teams, (C.J. Cron, R.J. Alvarez, Mike Morin, Cory Rasmus).

Undoubtedly, the 2015 prospect list that was just released will graduate prospects to the majors, but I feel that by these measurements the Angels will be considered a highly successful minor league organization. But this should all be said with one particular caveat, the Angels traded for three prospects this offseason who will all graduate this year. This says less about the Angels development system and more about their ability to trade for prospects.

1. LHP Andrew Heaney – Really one of the top 30-40 prospects in baseball and top 15 pitchers, Heaney’s being sold a little short on his abilities simply because he wasn’t overwhelmingly dominant in his debut. The Angels still feel that 23-year old southpaw still has #2/3 starter type of potential. He’ll enter Spring Training in a dogfight for the 5^th spot in the rotation (assuming Richards is healthy and remains ahead of schedule) with Hector Santiago and Nick Tropeano. For those wondering my position on this, Jerry Dipoto has been open to the idea of Santiago in the bullpen since the day he traded for him, and he also wouldn’t have traded for Andrew Heaney if he had simply planned to stash him in AAA. The Angels see him as a big part of their future and a big part of their present.

2. RHP Nick Tropeano – Tropeano’s an interesting case for the Angels. He doesn’t have tremendous upside, but certainly enough to be a major leaguer. But, there really isn’t a spot for him. Still, Dipoto has said repeatedly not to forget about Tropeano and that he certainly fits into the rotation. This fits the reported story that the Angels were shopping C.J. Wilson earlier this offseason. While no one is sure whether Tropeano will be in the rotation or in the bullpen or even in AAA, it seems relatively certain that given his spot on the depth chart, Tropeano will have exceeded Rookie Prospect limits in 2015.

3. RHP Cam Bedrosian – Cam’s 2014 was a very unique experience. There are breakout players, and then there are guys who go onto a run that spans from A Ball all the way to the majors. Cam was the latter. Everyone already knew he had upside as evidenced by his selection in the first round of the draft. But he’s a failed starter and was only a year separated from arm surgery. Bedrosian’s upside is too large to ignore and with the sudden trade of Kevin Jepsen means the Angels may have one more opening in the bullpen. Even if Cam doesn’t show the Angels enough after leaving Spring Training, throughout the season there are always injuries and ineffectiveness that take effect throughout the 162-game marathon. It seems almost certain Cam will spend enough time with the major league team in 2015 that his presence on the 2016 list won’t be a possibility.

4. IF Taylor Featherston – Taylor is pretty much a 100% lock to not be an Angels prospect next year. He’ll either be a major leaguer with the Angels, or a prospect with the Rockies or traded to another team as a prospect or major leaguer. The only way Featherston is an Angels prospect this time next year is if the Angels decide not to keep him in the major leagues and offer him back to the Rockies as part of the Rule 5 draft agreements and the Rockies in turn decide they don’t want him at all and will let a viable asset go for free. Regardless though, Featherston need not be a minor leaguer any longer and that’s exactly why the Angels grabbed him in the Rule 5 draft. He can play a fine defensive second base, shortstop and third base.  If this wasn’t enough to be a utility infielder at the major league level, the fact that Featherston can hit for average, reach base, hit for some power and run the bases also works in his favor of holding onto a spot with the Angels.

5. RHP Drew Rucinski – Drew Rucinski is severely buried on the Angels depth chart. As far as a starter goes, he lines up ninth or tenth. As far as relief comes, Rucinski lines up behind Ramos/Santiago, Tropeano, Alvarez and Rasmus. It isn’t that Rucinski isn’t good, he’s actually quite good. But the Angels have built so much pitching depth that Rucisnki unfortunately finds himself between a rock and a hard place. He’ll be 27 years old this time next season and those guys generally aren’t considered prospects, no matter what their minor league numbers look like. For Rucinski’s sake, I’m really hoping the Angels trade him to a team that’ll put him on the AAA team and fast tracked to the majors.