Michael Kohn slams the door on PCL hitters

It is with great pleasure that AngelsWin.com presents another Hot Prospect List for the Angels.  In our weekly column, we take a look at who has been hot down on the farm.  Unlike our annual Top-50 Prospects, our Hot Prospects List is not ranked based on the ceiling of the prospect or the likelihood of him achieving that ceiling.  Instead, it is weekly snapshot that reflects the players’ accomplishments based on their performances against their competition.  This year, AngelsWin.com will be presenting the Hot Prospect List every Friday throughout the Minor League season.

What’s Up: King Kohn has been mowing hitters down since the beginning of the 2009 season and has skipped a level twice in each of  his last two seasons, now knocking on the door to Anaheim’s bullpen. Kohn’s 93-96 MPH rising fastball gives hitters fits, even when they’re sitting dead red fastball. Kohn’s breaking ball gives hitters something else to think about as it’s a true swing and missing offering. Opponents are hitting just .152 against Kohn this season and in his last four appearances Kohn has a win, two saves and seven strikeouts over his last six scoreless innings.

Overall: .325/.379/.439 with 2 HRs and 38 SBs

What’s Up: Tyson Auer is as hot as anyone in the minors with 18 hits over his last ten games, swiping seven bags along the way. Auer leads minors with 38 stolen bases now and is 4th in the California League in runs scored with 54.

3. Will Smith, LHP, Triple-A Salt Lake Bees

What’s Up: Will Smith looked like Hancock on the mound in his last start, completely dominating the opposition through 8 2/3 innings pounding the strike zone, giving up just one run (a home run). without walking a batter. Speaking of which, Will Smith has walked just two batters over his last four starts.

Past 10 Games: .350, 3 Doubles, 1 Triple, 4 HRs, 8 Runs, 14 RBIs

Overall: .285/.328/.554 with 16 HRs and 55 rbi

What’s Up: Trumbo has been murdering the ball over his last games ten games, clubbing four home runs, three doubles and a triple, while knocking in 14 runs. While Napoli should see a good share of starts now at first base with Mathis up with the big league club, Trumbo could be the next in line for a promotion if the streaky Napoli struggles on both offense and defensively at first base.

Past 10 Games: .417, 2 HRs, 8 RBI

Overall: .271/.335/.391 with 5 HRs and 10 SBs

What’s Up: Jeremy Moore has four multi hit contests out of his last ten games, including a 4-5, two home run performance on June 14th. Moore got off to a slow start hitting .207 in April and .247 in May, but so far this month the toolsy outfielder is putting it all together hitting .385 a .448 OBP and slugging .596.

6. Peter  Bourjos, CF Triple-A Salt Lake Bees

Past 10 Games: .326, 1 Triple, 3 HRs, 8 RBI, 6 SBs

Overall: .267/.313/.409 with 5 HRs and 14 SBs

 

What’s Up: Bourjos has hit more home runs (4) so far this month than he had the previous two combined and has as many stolen bases (7) this month as he did the previous two months as well.

What’s Up: Richards last start was one of his best of the season, giving up just one hit over six innings, while issuing no walks and striking out four. Richards who was drafted out of college in last years’ amateur draft pitches today for the Kernels and if he does well, his next start could be as a member of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.

8. Paul McAnulty, 1B/3B/OF Triple-A Salt Lake Bees

What’s Up: McAnulty who leads all Angels minor leaguers with a .598 slugging pct, hit .342 with a double, triple and home run, driving in eight over his last ten games. McAnulty could prove to be a solid lefthanded power bat off the bench for the Angels later in the season as he can play both corner positions and outfield corner positions.

Overall: .308/.351/.498, 4 HR, 19 Doubles and 44 RBI

What’s Up: The Angels lost 3B prospect Matt Sweeney in the trade for Scott Kazmir late last season, but they knew they had depth at the position with Brandon Wood coming into the season and Luis Jimenez who was a year removed from leading the Pioneer League in home runs and total bases. Jimenez was promoted to Rancho Cucamonga after the wrist injury to Dillon Baird a month ago and Jimenez has responded by hitting .348 and slugging .551 over 18 games. Jimenez has a solid 4:6 walks to strikeouts ratio too.

What’s Up: Andrew Taylor was promoted to Double-A earlier in the week after posting solid totals out of the bullpen with the Quakes. The hard throwing southpaw has limited opposing hitters to a .186 batting average, while fanning 39 over 35 innings pitched. Taylor joins Robert Fish, another hard  throwing southpaw in the pen for the Travelers, already with flame throwing righthander Jordan Walden closing games out. Taylor has given up just three home runs in his last 92 innings of relief work.