Questioning Efren Navarro’s 2014 season

Efren Navarro was yet another in a surprisingly long line of farmhands who played a role in returning the Angels to the postseason. He also developed a bit of a cult following, though not necessarily for his actual play.

So how dumb do I feel for calling Navarro a non-prospect for the last few years?
Only a little, and only part of that is just me being a stubborn, prideful jackhole. My contention with Navarro was that his bat didn’t play at all at first base. He has a nice hit tool and solid patience, but he has no power to speak of. With a .094 ISO in 2014, I don’t think anyone is going to argue with me there. I mean, the guy finished with an 85 wRC+, so it isn’t like he proved me wildly wrong and became a star player. He was merely a little bit better than replacement level.

Where I missed on Navarro was by focusing on the fact the he was a first baseman. His calling card in the minors was always his excellent glove at first, so you can’t really blame me. I just didn’t foresee the Angels moving him to the outfield and him actually being pretty good out there. It’s a lot easier to squeeze him into a roster spot with a weak bat when he can play multiple positions. That pushed him from non-prospect to fringy MLB player. And, yes, I mean that as a compliment.

Was he actually good in the outfield?
We are working with a small sample size, but in 202 innings, Navarro was a +3 DRS with a 2.1 UZR. That’s pretty solid and it lines up with the ol’ eye test in which Navarro showed decent athleticism and sure hands. He only figures to get better as he gains more experience with getting reads off the bat and playing angles. That will go a long way towards enhancing his utility as a big leaguer.

Does that mean Navarro will stick in the majors?
Yeah, probably not, at least not with the Angels. The Halos have been talking about beefing up the bench and his spot on the roster is where they will be looking to apply that upgrade. That doesn’t mean we won’t see him in 2015 though. Navarro is nothing flashy, but he’s got reliable skill set and one that plays well off the bench. When injuries strike, Navarro will be on the short list to get called up.

Does anyone have better walk-up music?
No, because his music is awesome and not in that intentionally ironic sort of way (/casts a sideways glance at Josh Reddick).

VIVA TORO MAMBO!

Final Answer
While Navarro did prove to have more value than many would have expected, he still wasn’t all that useful. Still, the Angels organization has clearly taken a shine to him, so he’ll be in the roster mix one way or another until that shines wears off.