The Official 2018 Minor League Statline and Prospect Discussion Thread

[Warfarin]

1 minute ago, Angel Oracle said:

Have to hope for the very next level down then, if Adell or Canning is required in exchange.

Who else besides Herrera is in that very next level down from Hand?

Do they throw money at FA Kimbrel?

Kimbrel is likely a sure-fire QO player.  Boston knows teams are desperate for a closer and they'll offer the QO.  I also think it's likely Boston strongly attempts to re-sign him, too.

[Angel Oracle]

Eppler needs to address the bullpen this off-season, without trading Adell or Canning.   No ifs and buts about it.

[101halo]

15 hours ago, Warfarin said:

This is a good point, and I'm okay with trading prospects that we don't really see as part of our future moving forward.

I mentioned this in the bullpen thread, but the one spot I'd be okay trading some prospects now would be to get a legitimate closer on a long-term contract.  The prospect cost would be considerable, but our bullpen is the one spot I don't think we have much on the horizon in terms of hope.  

I finally think I find something that I truly disagree with you about, and then you clarify it in this reply. Damnit. 

That said, I think I'm OK with ONE of our blue chippers being traded this year. We may not be championship caliber yet, but you never know what happens in the random playoffs, even if we get in as WC2, and I think we are in the unique position of having a Trout on our roster. I think it's risky to wait to play for all the marbles for the last year or two of his contract only. If you do, what if injuries derail both and he moves on, having had no real playoff chance with the team outside of that Royals series. I think this roster is JUST good enough to make slightly uncomfortable moves to improve this year, as long as they aren't single year rentals. 

I'd also consider a truly painful prospect move for Machado. It's a risky play where he damn well better re-sign and you have to know he's willing to go back to 3B, but if so, I think I stomach the prospect cost (as long as it's fair). 

[Angelsjunky]

When ranking prospects I like to think in terms of what order I'd least like to see them traded. In other words, your #1 prospect is the guy you'd least like to see traded, and so forth.

So when you say trading "one of our blue chippers," @101halo, it really depends upon what you mean. I wouldn't want to trade Adell, Marsh, Canning, Jones, or Deveaux unless it was in a package for a young, club-controlled star or another trop prospect at a position the team is weaker on (e.g. catcher). In other words, not for Herrera. In the next group you have guys like Suarez, Thaiss, Hermosillo, Ward, Rengifo, Rivas, Maitan, C Rod, and Soriano - guys I wouldn't want to trade, but would do so if they could bring in someone who would significantly impact the team's chances of reaching the playoffs. So these are the guys I'd consider trading for Herrera.

Then you have the next group of players like Fletcher, Fernandez, Rojas, Gatto, Hunter, Sandoval, Rivera, etc - useful, decent prospects that can pad a package but probably aren't going to bring in anyone significant on their own. 

 

[Angelsjunky]

In other news, it looks like Jacob Pearson is finally playing. He's at A ball Cedar Rapids for the Twins, hitting .294/.314/.441 in 8 games. I'd probably rank him a hair above Hunter and Sandoval among our outfield prospects, but well below Adell/Marsh.

[Second Base]

6 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

In other news, it looks like Jacob Pearson is finally playing. He's at A ball Cedar Rapids for the Twins, hitting .294/.314/.441 in 8 games. I'd probably rank him a hair above Hunter and Sandoval among our outfield prospects, but well below Adell/Marsh.

Pearson had the power/speed upside with a beautiful left handed swing. Defense left something to be desired. He's a good prospect. It sucks to lose him, but that essentially landed us Ohtani in all likelihood, so I'm not complaining. I'd have Pearson just outside the top 10.

[Make Angels Great Again]

My gut tells me for some reason that Pearson is the OF version of Kubitza.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

Last year we traded Grayson Long to Detroit in the Upton deal. Grayson was our 2015 third round selection and I was just checking to see how he was doing since the trade. He only started 1 game for their AA team last year after the trade and hasn't been in 1 game this year. I couldn't find out just what the problem is with him but he went on the 7 day DL in April and hasn't returned yet.

Elvin Rodriguez was also sent to Detroit in that trade and has been OK with a 4.20 ERA in 6 starts for their high A club.

We should be able to get a decent RP (Herrera) for not costing too much. Maybe we could get the trade done while they are in Anaheim. Ward and Maitan for Herrera?

[Chuck]

#Angels No. 4 prospect (@MLB No. 95) Brandon Marsh had a night for @66ersBaseball, going 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a stolen base. The 20-year-old OF has 4 multihit performances in his past 5 games. Here's how @Angels prospects are faring: https://t.co/sjM5GZY88U pic.twitter.com/VLvAVfj7xj

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 4, 2018

[totdprods]

3 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

Last year we traded Grayson Long to Detroit in the Upton deal. Grayson was our 2015 third round selection and I was just checking to see how he was doing since the trade. He only started 1 game for their AA team last year after the trade and hasn't been in 1 game this year. I couldn't find out just what the problem is with him but he went on the 7 day DL in April and hasn't returned yet.

Elvin Rodriguez was also sent to Detroit in that trade and has been OK with a 4.20 ERA in 6 starts for their high A club.

We should be able to get a decent RP (Herrera) for not costing too much. Maybe we could get the trade done while they are in Anaheim. Ward and Maitan for Herrera?

Way too much. One of them straight up maybe. I wouldn't do that trade though.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

1 minute ago, totdprods said:

Way too much.

How much do you want him? The Astros and the Red Sox are considering offers

[tdawg87]

37 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Way too much. One of them straight up maybe. I wouldn't do that trade though.

I don't think it's too much. Actually I think it's not enough. The Angels aren't the only team who could use Herrera's services and given the year he's having the Royals would be selling high.

[Angel Oracle]

I'd be hesitant on Ward, whose bat was really playing well in AA (near 1.000 OPS), and now is in AAA.   If his glove becomes solid at 3B, we know he has the arm.

He just might be the future 3B.   Although Cozart's defense and decent hitting is nice to have through 2020 at the MLB level.  

[totdprods]

27 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

How much do you want him? The Astros and the Red Sox are considering offers

Herrera? I don't really want him. Let the Astros and Sox pay a premium.

Royals relievers from his era have tended to break down (Holland, Collins, Coleman) and Herrera's been used quite a bit. He had an okay year last season and while dominant this year, it feels like he's being used with a bit of caution. 

Eppler killed it last year by getting Norris, Parker, Hernandez, and Petit for nothing. He did pretty good by getting Meyer, JC Ramirez and Bridwell for nothing. Even Chacin pitched great out of the pen. He hasn't replicated that this year, but Noe Ramirez has looked promising, and Pena looked good in ST. Their own internal judgement on Anderson, Jewell, Canning, and Suarez - and even further, the decent success of Luis Madero and Jesus Castillo on buy-low deals - seem to hint that they have some metrics and data that work when it comes to finding/developing arms. 

I really think Eppler can fix this bullpen fairly cheaply again. It hasn't worked this year yet, but it's early. Last year could have been a fluke, but he's hit elsewhere with arms. There's a little more volatility playing with these unknown/buy-low assets, but they're significantly cheaper to obtain. I don't think we need to blow two big prospects for ~30 innings of Herrera.

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

32 minutes ago, totdprods said:

Herrera? I don't really want him. Let the Astros and Sox pay a premium.

Royals relievers from his era have tended to break down (Holland, Collins, Coleman) and Herrera's been used quite a bit. He had an okay year last season and while dominant this year, it feels like he's being used with a bit of caution. 

Eppler killed it last year by getting Norris, Parker, Hernandez, and Petit for nothing. He did pretty good by getting Meyer, JC Ramirez and Bridwell for nothing. Even Chacin pitched great out of the pen. He hasn't replicated that this year, but Noe Ramirez has looked promising, and Pena looked good in ST. Their own internal judgement on Anderson, Jewell, Canning, and Suarez - and even further, the decent success of Luis Madero and Jesus Castillo on buy-low deals - seem to hint that they have some metrics and data that work when it comes to finding/developing arms. 

I really think Eppler can fix this bullpen fairly cheaply again. It hasn't worked this year yet, but it's early. Last year could have been a fluke, but he's hit elsewhere with arms. There's a little more volatility playing with these unknown/buy-low assets, but they're significantly cheaper to obtain. I don't think we need to blow two big prospects for ~30 innings of Herrera.

It's not that early, by waiting until the trade deadline, we may be so far behind it won't matter what we do. Just one more wasted year of Trout.

[totdprods]

29 minutes ago, Ace-Of-Diamonds said:

It's not that early, by waiting until the trade deadline, we may be so far behind it won't matter what we do. Just one more wasted year of Trout.

Don't have to wait til the deadline for lesser arms. 

Eat some salary and snag someone like Axford, Soria, or Stammen now for an affordable prospect price. Can still add another in July - be it someone higher profile like Iglesias, Hand, Brach, Britton, or Herrera for a slightly cheaper price than what they'd cost now - or add another lesser arm at that point.

[Chuck]

Our interview with Brandon Marsh...

http://thesportsdaily.com/2018/06/04/angels-of-prospect-brandon-marsh-talks-with-angelswin-com-a1w1/

[Docwaukee]

Rengifo 4/5, sb.  

Walsh with another hr.  his 16th.  

Luis Pena - 5.2ip, 2h, 0er, 2bb, 6k.  1er over his last three starts and 17.1 ip with 20k and 8h.  

[Chuck]

56 minutes ago, Dochalo said:

Rengifo 4/5, sb.  

Walsh with another hr.  his 16th.  

Luis Pena - 5.2ip, 2h, 0er, 2bb, 6k.  1er over his last three starts and 17.1 ip with 20k and 8h.  

I'm really digging the C.J. Cron return. Rengifo has a chance at finishing in AAA with the way he's been going, with 45-50 SB, +.300 BA, +.390 OBP. 

Walsh could be a guy they may want to try in RF. But damn, he's showing some big power this season.

[Chuck]

Maybe one of the reasons we didn't go after a college arm and went for the best overall player/athlete with our 1st rounder is the club control of all of our arms. 

Ohtani, Barria, Canning, Suarez, Tropeano, Heaney, Skaggs, Pena, Castillo, Lamb and if Richards wants to remain a teammate with his best friend, MIke Trout, maybe Richards gives the Angels a hometown discount? That's a hell of a lot of pitching.

There's also guys like Gatto, Rodriguez, Soriano, Madero, Rivera, Almonte, Swanda & Duensing. 

We also have Alex Meyer, Nate Smith and Chris Rodriguez coming back from injury. 

Tons of pitching depth there! 

[Angelsjunky]

What a year from Rengifo. .327/.423/.468 now, including .341/.408/.477 in 11 AA games. At this pace we may see him get a cup in September at age 21.

[Chuck]

10 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

What a year from Rengifo. .327/.423/.468 now, including .341/.408/.477 in 11 AA games. At this pace we may see him get a cup in September at age 21.

I could see that if we're in contention as a pinch runner..

[Angelsjunky]

3 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I could see that if we're in contention as a pinch runner..

I almost deleted it right after typing it, as there are guys we'd see before him--Fletcher, Fernandez, and Cowart. But Rengifo is kind of like the position player version of Jose Suarez: He isn't flashy or dripping with tools, but he is adjusting quicker to higher levels quicker than some of his more obviously talented peers.

 

[Chuck]

Imagining an outfield in Arizona or Orem of O'Knowles, Devereux & Adams. 

Damn!

Then an infield of Jackson, Maitan & Soto. 

[Second Base]

24 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

Imagining an outfield in Arizona or Orem of O'Knowles, Devereux & Adams. 

Damn!

Then an infield of Jackson, Maitan & Soto. 

I know one scout that's excited about that Cuban kid we signed for a couple hundred thousand, I think his name is Orlando Martinez or something. He's an OF that has one the best bat to ball skills of anyone coming off the island in his age group.

Draws Leonys Martin comps.

So put him in the mix with the others and we can see Eppler has really built himself quite the farm system, particularly at the lower levels.