The Official 2018 Minor League Statline and Prospect Discussion Thread

[101halo]

2 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Adell was placed on the 7-day DL. (Thumb)

(MiLB) Season over! 

[Docwaukee]

Joe Gatto - 6ip, 1h, 0er, 2bb, 5k.  

[Docwaukee]

Thaiss ended up 4-5 with 2 doubles and a triple.  up to .290/.333/.464

Taylor Ward had two hit and two walks tonight.  hitting .400/.507/.550

Suarez gutted it out tonight with 2k over 5ip and 7h/1bb.  Also allowed several hard hit balls for outs.  Obviously didn't have his best stuff, but got the job done.  

[Make Angels Great Again]

Man, Taylor Ward seems like he can just flat out hit.

[vladdy#27]

Does anyone know anything about left handed reliever Adrian Almeida?

19 K in 12 IP. Has only allowed 1 ER on 6 H and 4 BB. 

Seems to have struggled with his command in the past, but so far so good for the 66ers. 

[Second Base]

Figure that with the pitching injuries sustained, Gatto's performance, and his timeline, he'll be in AA very soon.

I wonder what the Angels do if Ward just keeps hitting like this. Obviously adjustments to 3B are needed, but with the infield depth in AAA, it isn't as if a promotion up there would present any more of a challenge than he's facing right now. Probably just keep him down? 

I also wonder what that depth chart at 3B looks like for the system. 

1. Zack Cozart

2. Luis Valbuena

3. Kaleb Cowart

4. Jose Miguel Fernandez 

5. Zach Houchins

6. Sherman Johnson

7. Taylor Ward

He switched to third base and successfully buried himself on the depth chart. Ward would need quite a few things to happen if he's robbed the starting 3B in Anaheim.

Cozart would need to slide over to 2B, Valbuena not re-upped, Cowart being DFA'd, and JMF, Houchins and Johnson all not hitting the ball.

[101halo]

17 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Figure that with the pitching injuries sustained, Gatto's performance, and his timeline, he'll be in AA very soon.

I wonder what the Angels do if Ward just keeps hitting like this. Obviously adjustments to 3B are needed, but with the infield depth in AAA, it isn't as if a promotion up there would present any more of a challenge than he's facing right now. Probably just keep him down? 

I also wonder what that depth chart at 3B looks like for the system. 

1. Zack Cozart

2. Luis Valbuena

3. Kaleb Cowart

4. Jose Miguel Fernandez 

5. Zach Houchins

6. Sherman Johnson

7. Taylor Ward

He switched to third base and successfully buried himself on the depth chart. Ward would need quite a few things to happen if he's robbed the starting 3B in Anaheim.

Cozart would need to slide over to 2B, Valbuena not re-upped, Cowart being DFA'd, and JMF, Houchins and Johnson all not hitting the ball.

To you and Doc - Curious, any word from sources on the team about Ward's improvement? We almost universally panned the action of moving him from C to 3B, citing the loss of defensive value and that his bat likely wouldn't play at 3B. Is it just a hot couple of weeks, a focus on hitting, did he feel the pressure of catching himself and this is a relief? Whatever it is, I hope he keeps the improvement up! 

[Docwaukee]

33 minutes ago, vladdy#27 said:

Does anyone know anything about left handed reliever Adrian Almeida?

19 K in 12 IP. Has only allowed 1 ER on 6 H and 4 BB. 

Seems to have struggled with his command in the past, but so far so good for the 66ers. 

according to fangraphs, he touched 95 a fair amount last year and showed a solid avg curve.  My guess is that he's had an uptick in velo this year and/or his breaker has improved.  The key seems to be that he's throwing strikes.  Walking less than 4 per nine whereas for his minor league career he done so at a 6.1/9 clip.  

as a lefty with that kind of arm, we could see him sooner than later.  could be a sneaky fast mover if he maintains his control.  

[Docwaukee]

3 minutes ago, 101halo said:

To you and Doc - Curious, any word from sources on the team about Ward's improvement? We almost universally panned the action of moving him from C to 3B, citing the loss of defensive value and that his bat likely wouldn't play at 3B. Is it just a hot couple of weeks, a focus on hitting, did he feel the pressure of catching himself and this is a relief? Whatever it is, I hope he keeps the improvement up! 

fingers crossed that removing the pressure of handling a pitching staff has allowed him to focus on hitting.  He's always had excellent plate discipline with 155 bb in 1235 minor league PA and a .373 obp.  The key will be whether he turns his power potential into actual in game power.  To this point, that part of his game has been sparse with a sub .400 slg for his minor league career.   He's got a .476 BABIP right now.  

I'll get more excited when he starts leaving the yard.  For now, I'm in wait and see mode.  

[Docwaukee]

btw, don't want to make it seem like what Ward is doing is pure luck.  He's got a great approach.  57 bb and 60k last year even though he hit .258 overall but with an uptick at AA.  

[Docwaukee]

Marsh had 2 more walks today. obp up to .435.  

[Docwaukee]

49 minutes ago, Scotty@AW said:

Figure that with the pitching injuries sustained, Gatto's performance, and his timeline, he'll be in AA very soon.

I wonder what the Angels do if Ward just keeps hitting like this. Obviously adjustments to 3B are needed, but with the infield depth in AAA, it isn't as if a promotion up there would present any more of a challenge than he's facing right now. Probably just keep him down? 

I also wonder what that depth chart at 3B looks like for the system. 

1. Zack Cozart

2. Luis Valbuena

3. Kaleb Cowart

4. Jose Miguel Fernandez 

5. Zach Houchins

6. Sherman Johnson

7. Taylor Ward

He switched to third base and successfully buried himself on the depth chart. Ward would need quite a few things to happen if he's robbed the starting 3B in Anaheim.

Cozart would need to slide over to 2B, Valbuena not re-upped, Cowart being DFA'd, and JMF, Houchins and Johnson all not hitting the ball.

Cozart is our 2bman next year unless someone fails to emerge from that list.    

Valbuena won't be resigned.  

Cowart will never be a starter for the halos.  

JMF might have the best shot to grab a starting role in 2019.  

I'd put Houchins and Ward about even and ahead of Johnson.  

So there is a path for Ward if he has a good AA season.  He could easily leap over just about everyone and end up 2nd or 3rd on that list.  

[Docwaukee]

Rengifo hit his first hr of the season tonight.  3/5 with a double as well.  in 78 PA, he has 13bb, 12k, and 12 sb with 1 cs.  

Curious about his defense.  From what i've read he's more of a 2bman.  

[Warfarin]

4 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

Figure that with the pitching injuries sustained, Gatto's performance, and his timeline, he'll be in AA very soon.

I wonder what the Angels do if Ward just keeps hitting like this. Obviously adjustments to 3B are needed, but with the infield depth in AAA, it isn't as if a promotion up there would present any more of a challenge than he's facing right now. Probably just keep him down? 

I also wonder what that depth chart at 3B looks like for the system. 

1. Zack Cozart

2. Luis Valbuena

3. Kaleb Cowart

4. Jose Miguel Fernandez 

5. Zach Houchins

6. Sherman Johnson

7. Taylor Ward

He switched to third base and successfully buried himself on the depth chart. Ward would need quite a few things to happen if he's robbed the starting 3B in Anaheim.

Cozart would need to slide over to 2B, Valbuena not re-upped, Cowart being DFA'd, and JMF, Houchins and Johnson all not hitting the ball.

I have my doubts that Ward ever becomes a starting 3B, but I think we could perhaps develop him into a utility-type player.  I suspect if he remains with us, that's his more probable outcome.

[Warfarin]

4 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Marsh had 2 more walks today. obp up to .435.  

What's encouraging is he is walking almost as much as he's K'ing.  BB rate is near 20% (obviously unsustainable), but the K rate is around 25%, which isn't terrible for a power hitter.  I imagine if he continues to hit like this, he'll be at IE by the ASB, if not sooner.  He and Adell will be an exciting OF duo to watch.  

[Docwaukee]

4 hours ago, Warfarin said:

What's encouraging is he is walking almost as much as he's K'ing.  BB rate is near 20% (obviously unsustainable), but the K rate is around 25%, which isn't terrible for a power hitter.  I imagine if he continues to hit like this, he'll be at IE by the ASB, if not sooner.  He and Adell will be an exciting OF duo to watch.  

my contention about him and why he didn't walk last year was because guys threw him more strikes which is why he hit .350.  Now they're forcing him to be more selective and he has been.  Which is a great sign.  

[Inside Pitch]

9 hours ago, Dochalo said:

fingers crossed that removing the pressure of handling a pitching staff has allowed him to focus on hitting.  He's always had excellent plate discipline with 155 bb in 1235 minor league PA and a .373 obp.  The key will be whether he turns his power potential into actual in game power.  To this point, that part of his game has been sparse with a sub .400 slg for his minor league career.   He's got a .476 BABIP right now.  

I'll get more excited when he starts leaving the yard.  For now, I'm in wait and see mode.  

Keep in mind his home park has a HR index of 86 for RHBs, so it will mask the power some.   Likewise, IE's HR index was 66 for RHBs.... 

For perspective, the HR index in SF was 75 for RHBs.

[Docwaukee]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Keep in mind his home park has a HR index of 86 for RHBs, so it will mask the power some.   Likewise, IE's HR index was 66 for RHBs.... 

For perspective, the HR index in SF was 75 for RHBs.

but he doesn't hit many doubles either.  

I hope you are right.  Watched him live the last couple games and it looks like his approach is line drives back up the middle and to all fields.  Which is fine.  

I'd like to see him elevate the ball more.  

[Blarg]

11 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

Cozart would need to slide over to 2B, Valbuena not re-upped, Cowart being DFA'd, and JMF, Houchins and Johnson all not hitting the ball.

Kinsler is gone after this year so Valbuena isn't necessarily on the chopping block. 

[Blarg]

1 hour ago, Inside Pitch said:

Keep in mind his home park has a HR index of 86 for RHBs, so it will mask the power some.   Likewise, IE's HR index was 66 for RHBs.... 

For perspective, the HR index in SF was 75 for RHBs.

It's the wind killing a lot of hits to left and left center in IE. I think I told you of the game I went to that the left fielder was playing deep shortstop because no one could elevate a pitch more than 200 feet that day. Anything in the air to right right was blown into the stands. 

Most games have some breeze but during the summer when the temperature rises and the wind index drops you can see some tape measure shots, they aren't cheap shots because the outfield walls are not bandbox dimensions. 

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

It's the wind killing a lot of hits to left and left center in IE. I think I told you of the game I went to that the left fielder was playing deep shortstop because no one could elevate a pitch more than 200 feet that day. Anything in the air to right right was blown into the stands. 

Most games have some breeze but during the summer when the temperature rises and the wind index drops you can see some tape measure shots, they aren't cheap shots because the outfield walls are not bandbox dimensions. 

Yep -- you've always been really good about pointing out game conditions when you've been at the park giving first hand accounts...    A lot of the southern parks in the Cal League seem to have pretty big weather induced variances...

2 hours ago, Dochalo said:

but he doesn't hit many doubles either.  

I hope you are right.  Watched him live the last couple games and it looks like his approach is line drives back up the middle and to all fields.  Which is fine.  

I'd like to see him elevate the ball more.  

Well, to be truthful, I don't think he will ever be a legit power guy.   But if he can grow into a strong OBP, 15 HR guy that won't embarrass himself with the glove sort of player then there will be some value there.

My point moreso is that as a whole our minor league parks have some interesting park effects.  The Low A Bees play in a park that tends to be very hitter friendly in a pitcher's league -- I've never been there but seems like anything hit into the air tends to carry -- the HR and FB rates are pretty skewed towards hitters, meanwhile  LD rates have played pretty brutally in recent years..   Then we've got IE and it's weather induced factors that tends to play like a pitchers park, in a league that still carries a reputation for being a hitter's league despite it no longer really being the case save for a few parks.   Our AA team plays in a park that impacts HRs but tends to slightly play hitter friendly -- runs, 2B/3Bs tend to play up -- ditto the LD rates....    Then you have AAA at altitude where curves don't break and hitter flaws get masked as a result -- it's easily the most consistent albeit skewed park in the system...  good thing by the time they reach AAA we can expect them to be mostly MLB ready.

Anyway.... this is where I think Eppler and company have been doing a lot of in house number crunching -- they must have something they are looking at that gives them greater insight into how these guys will play in what tend to be pretty diverse hitter/pitcher environments.   I have at times wondered if their new aggressive approach to promotions isn't a result of them looking at some of these park conditions and throwing guys into situation that will either help them along or force them to improve area's of needs.   Our parks outside of SLC tend aren't as uniform in their play-styles as they used to be.   As you probably know from reading my park tendencies rants over the years, it's an area I've always spent a lot of time on...  

Whether it's by design or happenstance, I don't know.  But I do like how the current collection of minor league parks blend together, as whole i think it's likely been beneficial from a development standpoint.   

Edited April 25, 2018 by Inside Pitch

[Make Angels Great Again]

Taylor Ward can be a higher patience version of Martin Prado if things break right.

That's a great 3rd baseman.

[Angelsjunky]

Offer Roberto Baldoquin and Taylor Ward to Jerry Dipoto for Edwin Diaz.

[Chuck]

Jesus Castillo pitched 7 hitless, scoreless and walk free innings today! 

 

[Chuck]

Taylor Ward went 1-3 with a walk and RBI.