A Look at Some of 2015’s Top Draft Picks - Prospect Hotlist (June 22 - 29, 2015)

By Adrian Noche, AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter - 

1.) Taylor Ward, Catcher, Orem Owlz

Taylor Ward was the Angels top draft pick in 2015, having been chosen 26th overall in what the vast majority has called a reach for the catcher. Ward is known for his defense, being given a plus-plus rating for his glove and arm by numerous scouting reports. His bat is what will make or break the Angels justification in their first round selection. In Ward’s final year with Fresno State, the catcher had 7 homeuns 14 doubles and 42 RBIs to go along with a batting average of .304. Ward also walked (35) more times than he struck out (34) in 59 games played. After a slow 0-8 start with Orem, Ward has been scorching hot. In his last 5 games, Ward is 13-for-21 (.619) with a double, triple and a home run. Ward has also walked 4 times with only 1 strikeout. Ward has also thrown out 5-of-13 base stealers and has stolen 2 bases himself. So far in the Owlz game against Ogden, Ward has reached base 4 times (3 walks and 1 hit).

2.) Kyle Survance Jr., Outfielder, Orem Owlz

Kyle Survance Jr. was taken by the Angels in the 8th round of the 2015 draft. In three seasons with The University of Houston, Survance stole 82 bases to go along with a .302/.389/.382 slash line in 176 collegiate games. Survance has been arguable the best hitter thus far among the entire 2015 draft class. Survance is currently batting .457 to go along with 5 doubles, 1 triple and 2 home runs (.739 SLG). Survance has a SO:BB ratio of 4:3 and 9 stolen bases in 12 attempts.

3.) David Fletcher, Shortstop, Orem Owlz

David Fletcher was drafted in the 6th round out of Loyola Marymount. Fletcher is seen as a glove first shortstop but managed to swing the bat well during his two years at Loyola. In 111 collegiate games, Fletcher hit for a slash line of .318/.374/.395 with 31 stolen bases in 38 attempts. In those 111 games, Fletcher struck out just 40 times and walked 36. Fletcher has been on fire since being drafted by the Angels. So far in Orem, Fletcher is .353 with 4 stolen bases. You can expect that average to climb as he is currently 4-for-6 with two doubles in Orem’z 20-2 romping over Ogden.

Minor League Affiliate Report

Triple-A Salt-Lake Bees

The Salt Lake Bees went 3-3 since our last prospect hotlist and own an overall record of 32-46 (13.5 GB). Drew Rucinski threw his 5th straight quality start on Friday, giving up 2 earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched with 8 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. Alex Yarbrough logged 3rd multi-hit game in games, going 2-for-4 with a double on Monday. Yarbrough is batting .366 in his last 8 games. Kaleb Cowart has refused to cool off since his call-up to Salt Lake. Despite Kubitza’s return to the Bees, Cowart remained on the roster and got the start at designated hitter on Monday. Cowart went 2-for-4 and 2 RBIs in the Bees 7-2 win for Albuquerque. Cowart is now has a slash line of .321/.409/.554 in 18 games with Salt Lake.

Double-A Arkansas Travelers

The Travelers went 4-3 in their last 7 games and have a 3-3 record for the second half of the season (1.0 GB). Nate Smith continued to dominate the opposition with 7.0 shutout innings thrown on Thursday. Smith only allowed 3 hits and 2 walks to go along with 5 strikeouts. Smith’s season ERA now sits at 2.74 with a WHIP of 1.11 in 88.2 innings pitched. Wade Hinkle has 3 home runs in his last 10 games and leads the team with 6 on the season. Outfielder, Mike Fish, was called up to the Travelers on Saturday and is 1-for-2 with a run scored in his first 2 games in Double-A.

High-A Inland Empire 66ers

The 66ers are currently 1-3 in the second half of the season and 2.0 GB first place. Victor Alcantara struck out 8 batters in a start where he gave up just 2-earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched (4 H  1 BB). Alcantara now has 72 SO’s in 69.1 innings pitched this season (32 BB). Sean Newcomb pitched 5.0 innings on Sunday, striking out 6 batters while giving up just 1 earned runs, 5 hits and 2 walks. Newcomb has now eclipsed the 100 strikeout mark for the season with 101 in 77.1 innings pitched. Outfielder, Caleb Adams was called up to Inland Empire on Saturday. Adams is 2-for-6 with a triple in 2 games so far in High-A. Second baseman, Andrew Daniel, was called up to the 66ers on Monday.

Low-A Burlington Bees

The Bees of Burlington are currently 3-2 in the second half of their season and sit 1.0 GB first place. Austin Robichauz has been rolling as of late. In his start on Friday, the starter went 6.0 complete without giving up an earned run with 4 hits, 1 walk and 4 strikeouts. Austin’s season ERA is now at 3.31 and has a record of 7-2 in 73.1 innings pitched this season. Jeremy Rhoades lowered his ERA to 2.80 on the season after tossing 6.0 shutout innings on Monday (4 H  1 BB  3 SO). For the second consecutive time, Jake Jewell pitched 5.0 shutout innings, only allowing 1 hit and 2 walks with 3 strikeouts. Jewell currently has 61 strikeouts and just 13 walks in 51.0 innings pitched.

Class-A Short Season Orem Owlz

The Orem Owlz are currently tied for first place with a record of 8-4 this season. The Angels’ 2nd round pick in 2014, Joe Gatto, pitched 5.0 solid innings on Sunday. Gatto only allowed 1 earned run, 2 hits and 1 walk with 2 strikeout against Ogden. The Angels 3rd round pick in the 2015 draft, Grayson Long, has yet to allow a hit in 3 innings pitched so far this season (1 BB 2 SO). 3rd baseman, Michael Pierson (Round 21 2015), is hitting .381 with 3 doubles and a home run in 10 games with the Owlz this season. Outfielder, Ranyelmy Mendoza, has 4 home runs in 10 games for the Owlz.

AZL Angels

The AZL Angels are currently in first place with a record of 5-3. Top prep high-schooler Dalton Blumenfeld (Round 12 2015) made his professional debut on Monday. The catcher went 1-for-4 with a triple and RBI. Crusito Mieses pitched well on Monday, with 5.0 scoreless innings while only giving up 3 hits, 2 walks with 2 strikeouts. 2nd rounder, Jahmai Jones, has cooled off after a 4-for-8 start to the season. The outfielder is now just 1 for his last 20 at-bats.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets: Nationals-Angels

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 

Author’s Note: Two weeks after this was written, Alden Gonzalez reported that the Angels are “dangling” C.J. Wilson in trade talks. This lends credence to the idea that the Angels believe Andrew Heaney is ready to handle a rotation spot and provide similar production to Wilson.

If Jerry Dipoto decides to go for a young power bat, he may be put in the position of having to take a current 25-man roster asset and use that to acquire one or more pieces that can then be used in trade for said hitter(s).

One such piece is C.J. Wilson.

C.J. has approximately $11MM remaining on his contract this year and $20MM in 2016. There is a high probability that the Angels will want to trade Wilson before next season (his walk year) anyway so it makes some sense to shop him.

If you believe in WAR’s general predictive value, of a player’s worth, and expect Wilson to be worth about 3 WAR over the remainder of his contract, that would put his total value at approximately $22MM-28MM.

Even if you don’t believe in WAR you can simply look at a player like Jake Peavy who is the same age as C.J. and notice that he received 2/$24MM last offseason in the free agent market.

Because Wilson is a lefty (slightly higher demand) his net value, over the remainder of his contract, would appear to be about negative $5MM ($26MM - $31MM).

It would appear that the Angels, in order to pick up a good prospect or two, might need to absorb some of C.J.’s salary (preferably from this year only) to facilitate a trade.

Wilson has been strong against left-handed hitters this year with a solid 18.2% K-BB% and a 0.87 WHIP. Against right-handed hitters he has not fared nearly as well with a 10.6% K-BB% and a 1.27 WHIP.

However the Nationals are one of several teams that have not fared well against LHH’s in 2015. So far this year the Nationals pitching staff has fared poorly with a K-BB% of 9.4% which ranks 21st in the Majors.

In fact only one of their starters, Gio Gonzalez, is a LHP and he hasn’t performed well at all this year against LHH’s.

This idea may be a non-starter simply because the Nationals currently have Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister on the DL. However both have been struggling and it is a real possibility that they trade or DFA Fister who has been abysmal versus LHP this year.

Acquiring Wilson would allow the Nationals to front a full, brand label rotation and would improve their overall numbers versus lefty hitters. It could literally put them head and shoulders above every other rotation in baseball.

Additionally the Nationals are flirting with the Luxury Tax Threshold in 2015 so if the Angels ate some, or all, of the remainder of C.J.’s salary this year ($11MM) they would be able to pull a good prospect in trade.

Please keep in mind that trade deadline prices are much higher than offseason prices for players. Hypothetically Wilson as a trade deadline move only, probably has somewhere between $5MM-$10MM in surplus value to a team in need.

So who would the Angels want from the Nationals?

If the Angels do use C.J. as part of a larger trade to net a young bat like Kyle Schwarber or Khris Davis, for instance, they would very likely want a good, young pitcher.

Fortunately the Nationals have a deep system of pitching, particularly RHP.

Any of the following might be available in the right deal/package: Reynaldo Lopez, A.J. Cole, Joe Ross, Austin Voth, Aaron Barrett, Jefry Rodriguez, Felipe Rivero, Nicholas Piveta, Sammy Solis, Jake Johansen, John Simms, and Taylor Jordan.

Out of that group a Wilson trade might, if packaged properly, net Reynaldo Lopez but it will likely take more than C.J.

Beyond that Joe Ross, Austin Voth, Aaron Barrett, Felipe Rivero (LHP), Sammy Solis, and John Simms seem like the most likely candidates for a Wilson trade.

If I had to place some money down I’d think that C.J. could net Joe Ross or Austin Voth with Sammy Solis as an added player, assuming the Angels eat some of Wilson’s 2015 salary.

Notably trading C.J. would almost certainly clear out close to $20MM (depending on the trade negotiations) for 2016 and might clear out a bit of cash this year in 2015.

Payroll, for this year, would likely stay relatively neutral or might decrease based on cash considerations involved with a Wilson trade.

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Chris Ellis Takes On Double-A - Leads This Weeks Prospect Hotlist ( June 15 - June 21, 2015 )

By Adrian Noche, AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter - 

1.) Chris Ellis, Starting Pitcher, Arkansas Travelers

Last two starts: 1-0  12.0 IP  0.75 ERA  10 H  3 BB  7  SO  1.08 WHIP

Overall: 5-5  74.2 IP  3.38 ERA  63 H  23 BB  77 SO  1.15 WHIP  .224 BAA

Chris Ellis was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft out of Mississippi. Ellis, who was converted to starting pitching his final year at Mississippi, saw his draft stock skyrocket after posting a strong 2014 campaign where he had a 10-3 record with an ERA of 2.55. Ellis struggled in his first taste of professional baseball with Orem but has been dominant his second time around. Ellis started out with Inland Empire and posted an ERA of 3.88, WHIP of 1.16 and 70 strikeouts in 62.2 IP (20 BB). This led to Ellis’ promotion to Arkansas and in his first two starts, Ellis has only allowed a single run in 12.0 innings pitched. Ellis is yet another member of the 2014 draft class that has been incredibly successful thus far.

2.) Nate Smith, Starting Pitcher, Arkansas Travelers

Last two starts: 1-0  13.2 IP  2.04 ERA  8 H  1 BB  5 SO  0.65 WHIP

Overall: 6-4  81.2 IP  2.98 ERA  70 H  23 BB  66 SO  1.14 WHIP  .228 BAA

Nate Smith posted his 5th straight start in which he pitched at least 5 innings and gave up no more than 3 earned runs on Saturday. Smith went 7.0 complete innings while only allowing 1 earned run, 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 4. In this stretch of games, Smith has pitched 30.2 innings with an ERA of 1.76 and WHIP of 0.65. On the season, Smith’s ERA is down to 2.98 and a SO9 of 7.3 and BB9 of 2.5.

3.) Kaleb Cowart, 3rd Baseman, Salt Lake Bees

Past 10 games: .303 AVG  10 H  3 Doubles  2 Triples  1 HR  0 SB

Overall: .251/.335/.419

After Kaleb Cowart’s struggles in High-A, the Angels responded by promoting him all the way up to Triple-AAA. Cowart took the promotion and ran with it. So far with the Bees, Cowart is hitting a slash line of .303/.385/.606 in 33 at-bats with 3 doubles, 2 triples, and 1 home run. Cowart also has 5 walks in his last 4 games. Cowart always had all the tools and potential to be the all-star third baseman the Angels thought he would be. Let’s cross our fingers and hope he keeps it up.

Minor League Affiliate Report 

Triple-A Salt-Lake Bees

The Bees broke their 7 game losing streak with a win on Sunday and ended the week with a record of 1-6. The Bees have an overall record 28-43 and are 11.5 GB first place. Drew Rucinski posted a quality start on Saturday, pitching 5.0 innings while giving up 2 earned runs, 3 hits and 3 walks with 1 strikeout. Cory Rasmus gave up 2 hits, 2 earned runs and struck out 2 in his rehab appearance (0.2 IP). CJ Cron homered twice this week, and has a slash line of .323/.364/.613 in 62 at-bats with Salt Lake.

Double-A Arkansas Travelers

The Travelers went 4-2 and played 3 doubleheaders this week. Their record sits at 35-33 this season. Michael Brady started his 3rd consecutive game, giving up 5 hits, 1 earned run and no walks in 6.2 innings pitched with 4 strikeouts. Chris O’Grady continued to be dominant in the bullpen and has a season ERA of 1.61 in 28.0 innings pitched. Greg Mahle earned his second save of the season on Saturday. After a rough start after his promotion to Arkansas, Austin Adams has managed to lower his ERA to 3.18 and has struck out 19 batters in 11.1 innings pitched (8 BB).

High-A Inland Empire 66ers

The 66ers went 3-4 this week and have an overall record of 34-35. Ryan Etsell pitched a dominant game on the 13th, tossing 7.0 shutout innings while giving up 2 hits and no walks with 12 strikeouts. Sean Newcomb earned the victory on Sunday, pitching 5.0 shutout innings while giving up 3 hits and 2 walks with 8 strikeouts. Newcomb has 95 strikeouts in 72.1 innings pitched this season across Low-A and High-A. Roberto Baldoquin hit his first home run of the season on Wednesday.

Low-A Burlington Bees

The Burlington Bees went 2-4 this week and have an overall record of 35-34. Austin Robichaux pitched 6.2 shutout innings on Saturday, striking out 8 while allowing just 4 hits and no walks. Robichaux is unbeaten in his last 8 starts and has now won his last five decisions. His last loss came on May 5 against Beloit. The 22-year-old is tied for third in the Midwest League with six wins.. Jeremy Rhoades pitched just 2.0 innings on Sunday, allowing no runs and 3 hits while striking out 1. Jake Jewell pitched 5 shutout innings on Thursday, striking out 7 while only allowing 2 hits and no walks. Eduardo Paredes’ season ERA sits at 1.93 after a 1.1 inning scoreless outing on Saturday. Paredes has 40 strikeouts in 28.0 innings.

Class-A Short Season Orem Owlz

The Owlz started the season strong after taking 3 of 4 games in a 4-game series against Ogden. 2nd round draft pick, Joe Gatto, pitched the season opener for Orem and gave up 3 earned runs in 4.0 innings pitched (5 H  2 BB  5 SO). Eduar Lopez was strong in his start on Friday, striking out 6 in 5.1 innings pitched while allowing 1 earned run, 2 hits and 2 walks. 1st baseman, Steven Mateo, has a hit in each of the Owlz’s first four games and is batting .438 on the young season. Hutton Moyer, the Angels 7th round draft pick, is 3-for-9 in 3 games with 2 doubles, 2 RBI’s, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets: Pirates-Angels

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 

The Pirates currently have an excellent outfield alignment of McCutchen, Polanco, and Marte giving them one of the best groups in all of baseball.

Rewind a few years back and there is one name missing from that trio: Jose Tabata.

At the tender age of 21, the Pirates committed to a long term contract (6 guaranteed years plus 3 option years) with Tabata for a very team-friendly $15MM (Option years total an additional $22.5MM).

Through 2013 the contract appeared to be fair for both sides, although Jose didn’t exactly light the world on fire as the Pirates had hoped.

Then in 2014 Jose struggled in April through mid-June and was sent down for the remainder of the summer. When he was recalled again he had a very pedestrian line the rest of the way, splitting time with the other outfielders.

However in 2015, Tabata, across 28 games to start the season in AAA, held a .352/.422/.396 slash line, receiving a call-up to the Majors just over two weeks ago where he started out well but has fallen off fast with a .278/.316/.278 line in limited action.

This is the type of player where extensive scouting and evaluation would truly matter for the Angels if they were to consider a trade. Of course all players are scouted and evaluated but Jose’s bat lacks punch and his contact ability is what would make a real difference to the Angels.

Out of all of the options Tabata carries the most risk performance-wise but he still has a touch of upside. As a leadoff hitter who can crack singles and doubles around the field, potentially high on-base skills, a touch of speed, and adequate defense in left field he is a high-risk, buy-low candidate.

Another selling point is his contract. The Pirates are on the hook for his $4MM salary in 2015 and his $4.5MM salary in 2016 because they took him off the 40-man roster.

After 2016, Tabata carries 3 option years for $6.5MM, $7.5MM, and $8.5MM respectively. All three option years have a mere $250K buy out attached.

This means that the financial investment is very small in return for the potential production that he might give. Although he certainly isn’t the sexiest option on the table, he is in his age 26 season where a lot of players “break-out” and start living up to their potential.

If the Angels were willing to take on some or all of Jose’s 2015 and 2016 salaries it probably wouldn’t cost the team a lot in prospects. Perhaps 1-2 prospects, probably pitchers, such as Adam Wilk, or perhaps an infield prospect like Alex Yarbrough.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets: Cubs-Angels

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 

One of the biggest concerns for the Angels so far this season has been the team’s poor offensive performance against right-handed pitching, where they are hitting a collective .680 OPS.

Part of that issue stems from the fact that the team is running a .274 BABIP versus RHP which should normalize and regress to the mean as the season progresses, in turn improving the OPS number.

However BABIP issues are not the entirety of the problem. To further help improve team hitting versus RHP the Angels should consider trading for one or more hitters that excel against righties.

One player that they should seriously consider trading for is Cubs AA prospect left-handed hitter Kyle Schwarber.

If you don’t know who Kyle Schwarber is he has been one of the top hitters in the Minors since the Cubs picked him in the 1st round (4th overall) in 2014.

Over 525 plate appearances to date, Schwarber has slashed .336/.435/.615 matched with a .279 ISO and 30 home runs. Kyle is widely considered one of the top 5 offensive players in the Minor Leagues.

So the question you might be asking at this point is why would the Cubs consider giving up such a potentially talented hitter?

The answer is maybe they will and maybe they won’t, it’s not entirely clear or as simple as it seems.

One important complicating factor is what position Schwarber would play in the Majors.

Kyle has played catcher and left field in the past and the Cubs are currently experimenting with him in a backstop role.

The problem with playing catcher is three-fold: 1) Backstop’s go through a lot of wear and tear on their legs which eventually impacts their hitting in a negative manner, 2) Learning catcher skills takes time, and 3) Playing catcher is not an everyday activity which would make inserting his bat in the lineup more difficult on a daily basis.

Schwarber could go back to playing left field but reports are that his defense is at best average and more likely he would be a below average, fringe defense type of player in the outfield.

The positional question combined with the fact that the Cubs play in the National League with no designated hitter compounds the difficulty of finding a regular everyday spot for Kyle in the Cubs lineup.

Also, when you examine Chicago’s organizational depth at this point in time, it appears that their starting pitching depth isn’t as strong as they would like it to be. Every team in baseball understands the need for deep depth in the rotation and you have to believe that this is a concern for the Cub’s front office.

One other recent, interesting development is that the Cubs have started playing Javier Baez at 3B.

Baez at 3B would likely be a defensive upgrade over Bryant. Kris could move to LF to keep his powerful bat in the lineup and likely provide average to above average defense in the corner.

The Baez move might simply be to showcase his positional versatility in a possible trade of him, as well, but it would seem more logical for the Cubs to move Bryant to LF and retain Baez who has also been smashing the ball in AAA this year.

Based on Chicago’s other areas of need and their difficulty in finding Schwarber a positional home it is possible the Cubs are listening to offers that would bring back one or more starting pitchers in return, particularly from American League teams who can carry a DH.

Notably this would also move Kyle out of the National League where he could more likely come back to hurt the team that drafted him.

It seems the stars may have aligned for these two teams as the Angels have pitching that the Cubs might be interested in and the Angels need a left-handed middle of the order bat like Schwarber.

The Angels are in a better position to place Kyle on their roster and in their lineup utilizing the DH position, primarily, while allowing Schwarber to continue developing his skills at catcher, left field, or possibly first base.

His bat should provide immediate help for the Angels against RHP as Kyle has a Minor League slash line of .353/.450/.647, over 388 plate appearances, against them. Schwarber, versus LHP, carries a .291/.394/.530 line across 137 PA’s.

To be clear jumping to the Majors would be a challenge for Kyle and a risk for the Angels. However the potential opportunity to get a bat like Schwarber’s might be too good for the Angels to pass up.

So what would the Cubs ask for in return?

If they want quantity over quality, then we’d likely have to send two starting LHP’s like Tyler Deloach and Nate Smith as well as RHP Cam Bedrosian and a lower-level OF prospect like Nataneal Delgado.

However if they demand more quality, then you’d likely see one of Nick Tropeano, Chris Ellis, or Sean Newcomb, along with one of Tyler Deloach or Nate Smith, and Cam Bedrosian.

It is also possible that the Cubs may not like one or more of the pieces we have to offer.

There is an alternate solution to that problem as well and that would be to trade someone like C.J. Wilson or Hector Santiago to acquire one or more prospects that the Cubs do want.

Wilson is the most likely candidate as Jerry is probably willing to eat some or all of C.J.’s 2015 salary to potentially net the Angels a decent prospect or two. If other Angel’s farm system prospects are included in a larger package it could potentially bring more.

Andrew Heaney is ready to take over Wilson’s rotation spot. His Steamer Rest of Season projections are very similar to C.J.’s to date and Heaney has some upside beyond that in the long term.

Moving most if not all of Wilson’s salary in trade is probably one of Jerry Dipoto’s top goals either now or in the offseason anyway so if C.J. is traded to help us get the bat or bats we need the Angels will be able to replace Wilson with Heaney.

The Cubs are currently projected to claim the 2nd Wild Card spot based on end of season projections. If that holds, as they approach the trade deadline, it seems increasingly likely Chicago will try to bolster their 5-man rotation, bullpen and pitching depth and Schwarber is a prime trade chip for them to do so.

Acquiring Kyle Schwarber would increase payroll, at best, by $500K.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets: Rays-Angels

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Reporter - 

Author’s Note: Although Desmond Jennings isn’t the primary focus of this trade target article, he was mentioned as a possible option. However he just had knee surgery that will keep him out for approximately 8 weeks making his acquisition by the deadline very unlikely.

If the season ended today the Rays would claim the 2nd Wild Card spot in the tightly contested A.L. East. Notably the FanGraphs End of Season projections actually has them out of the playoffs.

No matter if the Rays improve or decline between now and the trade deadline, one player may be of great interest to the Angels and that player is Brandon Guyer.

Guyer, 29 years old, is a corner outfielder with speed, on-base ability, and pop that might be a good fit at lead-off or in the 2-hole for the Halo’s.

From 2011-2014, Brandon carried a .298/.364/.475 slash line in the Minors. In limited playing time in the Majors, over the same time period, Guyer has a .261/.327/.379 slash line.

This year, across 145 PA’s, Brandon is hitting .289/.361/.398 with increased playing time filling in for the injured Desmond Jennings (who notably might also be considered an Angels target for LF).

Another important note about his PA’s this year is that he is one of a small group of hitters that is getting on-base at an above average rate against both LH (.349 OBP) and RH (.377 OBP) pitching. Since 2011 in the Minors he has a .402 OBP vs. LHP and a .375 OBP vs. RHP.

Over the last two years Brandon has put up improved Line Drive rates (20.1% in 2014 and 23.8% in 2015) along with solid Ground Ball rates (50.0% and 53.3% respectively) which point to a change/adjustment/improvement in his hitting approach at the plate.

Finally Guyer is a smart base stealer. Since 2011, Brandon averaged an 81.6% SB% and in the Majors he has an 80% SB%. Over his entire Minor League career he was only caught 28 times in 161 attempts (82.6% SB%).

When you combine the on-base ability from both sides of the plate, the 15 HR potential, above average corner outfield defense, and the excellent base stealing ability, you have yourself a nice lead-off hitter which is a role that he has been recently doing well in Tampa.

Brandon will be entering arbitration after this year so this might be an opportunity for the Angels to add a significant piece without being totally gouged by the price tag since the Rays, despite his recent success, are using him in a 4th outfielder capacity.

The Rays moved Matt Garza to the Cubs in-part because Guyer was included in the trade so they know he has potential and is realizing some of that in 2015.

To acquire Guyer, the Angels would likely have to part with some combination of C.J. Cron, Chad Hinshaw, Bo Way, Natanael Delgado, and Adam Wilk. Obviously not all of them but 2-3 prospects depending upon their level and quality could make this happen.

Of course the Angels could go after Desmond Jennings who, for the first time this year in the Majors, was finally showing glimpses of the low strikeout rate (12.5%) he carried earlier in his Minor League career. The only problem with Jennings is that he still might suffer against RHP which limits his overall value.

Adding Guyer would only increase payroll, at worst, by $500K for 2015.

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LA Angels Rally Bus Provides Fans Easy Option For Home and Away Games

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have picked up steam lately, winning six of their last ten games to push within striking distance of first place in the AL West. A huge part of that big swing has been the offense getting production out of someone other than superstars Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. Even without those extra contributions, Trout continues to be a sensation and the 2014 AL MVP is arguably having his best season yet. Pujols, meanwhile, is looking a lot like the player he used to be, the most feared hitter in the game. Needless to say, Angels fans have plenty of reason to get excited about their team, especially when they start thinking about L.A.’s playoff chances in 2015.

That excitement naturally will lead to more people purchasing Angels tickets, as Los Angeles is already getting it done at Angel Stadium with a 16-12 record. With more people heading out to take in Angels games live, Rally Bus has stepped in and made life easier on diehard fans. With the Angels Rally Bus, Angels fans can forget about the stress of travel and get a ride to the game while talking Halos baseball with friends and/or fellow fans.

Rally Bus eliminates any negativity associated with game day, as you no longer have to fret about navigation, traffic or parking. The Angels Rally Bus takes all of that on, offers on-board restrooms, entertainment, comfortable seating and plenty of storage for your Angels gear. You can choose to hop aboard a Rally Bus by yourself, or you can plan ahead and get your friends and family together on the same trip. Once settled in, you can forget about the journey to the game and put your brain on Angels-auto for the entire ride.

While the Angels Rally Bus is tough to beat when it comes to enjoyment and relieving stress, Angels fans will truly fall in love with the pricing, which overall costs less than the drive and parking, combined. Angels fans can use the Angels Rally Bus no matter where they are, provided they can get near the many locations buses depart from. That includes numerous locations in California for home games at Angel Stadium, as well as spots for road games all across the nation.

Fans will want to get their Rally Bus tickets early for the battle of LA, when the Angels march into Dodger Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on August 1. Fans from either team will have up to 20 locations to choose from, while the pricing is a major bargain (no location charging over $30). Rally Bus tickets go fast, as evidenced by all locations being sold out for Anaheim’s June 13 date with the Oakland Athletics. In fact, TiqIQ is giving away bus spots to this Angels-Dodgers game as part of a contest for Angels fans. Tickets for the Angels-Dodgers game on TiqIQ for August 1 average $107.13 with a get-in price of $14.

Fans will surely want to jump ahead and snatch up their tickets for the Angels/Dodgers series, as it’s going to be one of the more hyped matchups of the year and could showcase pitching aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, as well as Dodgers hitters Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson and possibly even Yasiel Puig, who is currently on the disabled list. The series could also have an impact on both teams’ playoff chances, as each club will be gearing up for a postseason push.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets: Twins-Angels

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer -

One way to avoid getting fleeced in the trade deadline market is to make a trade with another team that is in contention.

Currently the Twins are in the lead to win the AL Central Division based on current standings. Notably FanGraphs’ End of Season projections show the Twins totally out of the playoffs based on their current roster composition.

You have to believe that sooner, rather than later, the Twins are likely to call up prized prospect Byron Buxton to man center field. This would potentially leave OF Aaron Hicks without an everyday position.

Hicks, who is 25 ½ years old, is a switch-hitter with a  Minor League slash line, over 8 seasons, of .275/.379/.427 with a 14.5% walk rate and a 19.6% strikeout rate.

Aaron would be an interesting option to hit lead-off for the Angels. He has speed but would probably need to be more selective in his stolen base opportunities in the Majors as he has a Minor League career stolen base rate of 69%.

Notably Hicks has shown steady improvement in developing a line drive approach (His MiLB Line Drive rate is 16.4% and his MLB Line Drive rate is 20.2%). To date, since 2011, his MLB results have been marred by a low .268 BABIP compared to a .333 rate in the Minors.

Perhaps the most important number in Aaron’s statistics is the fact that since 2011 his Minor League OBP has been nearly identical (.370 vs. LHP, .371 vs. RHP) from both sides of the plate. Even if you feel he won’t fully translate those numbers to the Majors, a .340+ OBP is still above average.

Hicks’ is controllable through the 2019 season and won’t enter arbitration until the 2017 season. That is four years of team control after 2015. His estimated total salary over his remaining controllable time is approximately $20MM-$25MM.

Acquiring Aaron Hicks would have some risk built in as he has not fully acclimated and developed himself at the Major League level. However taking an above average center fielder and putting him in left field would deepen our outfield defense significantly.

As a less expensive option he could potentially provide a spark plug effect to the top of the lineup allowing other hitters like Calhoun, Trout, and Pujols to hit in the 2-3-4 spots where we need increased production.

A one-for-one trade is possible here with the Twins but unlikely. It would probably require two pieces from our side where we send someone like Grant Green plus a reliever like Danny Reynolds back to Minnesota.

Adding Hicks would only increase payroll, at best, by approximately $500K.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets: Brewers-Angels

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 

Author’s Note: Shortly after this was written, Khris Davis suffered a knee injury and is out for probably at least 8 weeks, making his acquisition at the deadline unlikely. If the Angels don’t solve their left field situation, perhaps they will revisit Davis in the offseason.

Milwaukee certainly appears on paper as a strong trade partner for the Angels especially considering they project to end the season in 29th place making a full rebuild very likely.

Of particular interest, as a long-term left fielder, is Khris Davis and in the short-term, at DH, Adam Lind (as suggested by AW.com member ‘tdawg’).

Davis, who is 27 ½ years old, is a free agent after the 2019 season giving his controlling team four more seasons after 2015.

He is price-controlled through the 2016 season and enters arbitration in the remaining three years after that. Khris will make approximately $30MM-$40MM through the end of his controllable years via arbitration.

Lind, almost 32 years old, is under contract for this season with a team option for 2016. He has approximately $4.5MM remaining this year and his option is for $8MM in 2016 with a meager $500K buyout, guaranteeing him at least $5MM.

Khris is an attractive target due to his age, decent MLB track record, and length and price of contract.

Over 5 seasons, in the Minors, Davis maintained a .288/.392/.506 slash line. In his first three years in the Majors he has a .247/.312/.466 slash line.

More importantly Davis has maintained relatively close splits against LHP and RHP since 2011.

In the Minors he had a .304/.416/.507 line vs. lefties and a .286/.378/.505 vs. righties. Over the last three years in the Majors, he has a .235/.284/.490 line vs. lefties and a .251/.321/.457 line vs. righties.

Combined with adequate defense, Khris has been good for a wRC+ of 110 vs. lefties and 114 vs. righties.

As with all prospects it has taken time for Davis to make adjustments to the Majors. Not unlike Kole Calhoun, Khris had a strong OBP in the Minors with a 12.2% walk rate since 2011.

Although he strikes out a fair amount it is not unreasonable to believe his walk rate will improve. In fact it currently sits at 11% in 2015.

Adam Lind would provide a veteran left-handed hitter who could play often against right-handed pitching.

This season Lind has crushed RHP to the tune of a .283/.379/.533 slash line. That has been good for a wRC+ of 144!

Of course he has a fairly pitiful .208/.269/.292 vs. LHP, making him strictly a platoon player, very likely hitting out of the DH position or in pinch hitting situations later in games.

Certainly both of these players could provide a lot of offensive firepower to the Angels lineup but there would most certainly be a large price tag attached to either one of these players.

The Brewers are very likely going to blow up their roster. Players like Gomez, Braun, Ramirez, Lind, and possibly Lucroy don’t seem to fit their long-term plans and have contracts that either expire soon or are expensive (Braun). They may consider Davis a long-term piece so he might not even be available!

However I think the opportunity for the Brewers to completely rebuild will be too tempting.

Making all of their players available and getting started ASAP is probably a more palatable path. Finding near-ready MLB prospects or young controllable MLB players is probably how Milwaukee wants to proceed to pair with young starters such as Jimmy Nelson, Wily Peralta, and Mike Fiers.

Adam Lind would likely cost us C.J. Cron and an outfield prospect such as Natanael Delgado, Bo Way, or possibly Gary Brown.

Davis’ price tag would be more. A package centered around one of Nick Tropeano, Chris Ellis, Hunter Green, Ryan Etsell, or Tyler Deloach would be a starting point.

It would likely not hurt as much if the Angels were able to go quantity over quality in a Khris Davis trade.

A package of 4-6 prospects such as Adam Wilk, Hunter Green, Kody Eaves, Chad Hinshaw, Austin Adams, and Natanael Delgado might work if the Brewers don’t want to put all of their eggs in one basket.

Otherwise it would take something like Chris Ellis, Bo Way, Chad Hinshaw, and an infielder like Grant Green or Alex Yarbrough if they value higher quality.

Adding both Davis and Lind would only increase 2015 payroll by approximately $5MM.

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2015 Angels Trade Deadline Targets

By Robert Cunningham, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer - 

As of Friday, June 5th, 2015, FanGraphs Projected End of Season Standings has the Angels a hair ahead of the Tigers, Rays, and Twins for the 2nd Wild Card spot.

On the assumption that these projected standings continue to hold, as Major League Baseball approaches the trade deadline, what will the Angels do to try and shore up a lineup that, in the first 1 ½ months of the season, ranked dead last in hard hit contact rate?

Can we solve the woes the Angels are currently experiencing in Left Field, Catcher, 2nd Base, 3rd Base and DH? Does the team need more veteran starting pitching depth (the proverbial ace)? What about the bullpen?

The answers aren’t necessarily clear and easy.

When you’re making a run at the playoffs you generally want to acquire proven, veteran players with strong track records. Those types of players have a price and Jerry Dipoto is likely limited by team payroll and loathes gutting the farm system to pay that costly bill.

Identifying younger players that can contribute immediately is also difficult because success is fleeting in baseball, particularly for inexperienced players. You may find a bargain but the truly elite prospects cost just as much as the veteran players in some cases.

Ultimately, however, when you have a chance to push your team over the top and secure a playoff berth you take it. Dipoto’s “moving window of contention” is supposed to be exactly that: Making a run for the playoffs each and every year.

With that in mind what are the Angels immediate and long-term needs?

In the short term the Angels badly need a regular, everyday left fielder (the recently acquired Nieuwenhuis is strictly a platoon option that may not stick), more stability at 2nd base, better defense at 3rd base, better offense at catcher (although that has picked up in the last 3 weeks), improved on-base ability, more hard-hit contact, and possibly more relief help.

Long term (1-4 years) the Angels need to acquire/develop a replacement for Erick Aybar at shortstop, potentially a 2nd baseman if any of the current crop of candidates don’t work out, starting and relief pitching, and they need to start considering a full-time replacement for Pujols at 1st base.

The core of this team, over the next 4-5 years, includes Mike Trout, Kole, Calhoun, Albert Pujols, Kyle Kubitza, Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, and Sean Newcomb.

Cases could be made for other players, such as Carlos Perez or Nick Tropeano for instance, but the group above is about as close to long-term locks as you can get for the Halo’s at this point in time.

Preamble aside we’ll examine some potential trades that could solve some of our woes in a series of potential trade target articles to follow over the coming days, starting with two targets on the Brewers roster.

Keep in mind, when reading these articles, that if Arte Moreno makes the Luxury Tax Threshold a ceiling the Angels will approximately have $10MM-$13MM available in 2015 payroll space.

Finally this next month will really determine the Angels fate. The trade market is nonexistent right now with so many teams still in contention and it is really up to the current group of players to step up and play good baseball.

If at the end of this month the Angels are still in the mix for a Wild Card spot or even the Division, you’ll see Jerry make moves, like some you are about to read about, to shore up the offense and bullpen most likely.

However if the Angels don’t pull it together soon you’ll hear players like C.J. Wilson, Hector Santiago, Erick Aybar, Chris Iannetta, and David Freese mentioned frequently in trade talks and, ultimately, moved in trade before the deadline.

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Jonah Wesely Leads This Week's Prospect Hotlist (June 1 - June 7, 2015)

By Adrian Noche, AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter - 

1.) Jonah Wesely, Relief Pitcher, Burlington Bees

Last five appearances: 1-0  5.0 IP  3.60 ERA  4 H  1 BB  9 SO  1.00 WHIP

Overall: 3-1 21.2 IP  2.91 ERA  17 H  9 BB  31 SO  1.20 WHIP  .221 BAA

Jonah Wesely was drafted by the Angels in the 11th round of the 2013 draft. Many viewed Wesely as a potential steal as many thought he would honor his commitment to UCLA. The Angels opted to use Wesely out of the bullpen so far this year, which may expedite his arrival to the Major Leagues. In Wesely’s past 10 games, he has struck out 19 batters in just 12.0 innings while only giving up 3 earned runs, 9 hits and 3 walks. So far this season, Wesely owns a 2.91 ERA in 21.2 innings pitched with a SO9 of 12.9 and BB9 of 3.7.

Get to know Jonah Wesely from our interview with the southpaw when with the Orem Owlz.

Orem Owlz Pitcher Jonah Wesely Interviews with AngelsWin.com from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

2.) Jeremy Rhoades, Starting Pitcher, Burlington Bees

Last two starts: 1-1  13.0 IP  0.69 ERA  12 H  2 BB  12 SO  1.07 WHIP

Overall: 4-4  60.0 IP  3.00 ERA  54 H  12 BB  61 SO  1.10 WHIP  .235 BAA

After a rough start on May 23rd which saw him give up 6 earned runs in 6.1 innings, Rhoades has bounced back in a big way. In his following start, Rhoades struck out 9 batters while not allowing a single run to score in 7.0 innings and gave up just 5 hits and 1 walk. In his start on Thursday, Rhoades pitched 6.0 innings of 1-run ball and surrendered 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 batters. Rhoades’ ERA sits at 3.00 with an impressive WHIP of 1.10. Rhoades has only walked 12 batters in 60.0 innings pitched and has struck out 61.

3.) Kaleb Cowart, 3rd Baseman, Inland Empire 66ers

Past 10 games: .306 AVG  11 H  6 Doubles  0 Triples  0 HR  4 SB

Overall: .234/.313/.375

I’m sure many of us thought Cowart’s days on the prospect hotlist were numbered but here he is. Cowart’s bat is starting to heat up and has logged at least a hit in all but one game this week . Cowart has also logged 3 multi-hit games this week, compiling an average of .416 during that span. The former number one prospect has also recorded at least one double in 5 straight games. He has also swiped 3 bases since Monday.

Minor League Affiliate Report

Triple-A Salt Lake Bees

The Bees went 2-5 this past week and are currently 4.0 GB first place of their division with an overall record of 25-31. Andrew Heaney was sharp in his start on Wednesday, striking out 9 in 6.2 innings while giving up 2 earned runs, 4 hits and 4 walks. Starting pitcher, Adam Wilk, pitched 8.0 complete innings while giving up only a single earned run, 4 hits and no walks. Trevor Gott pitched a combined 3.2 innings this week, striking out 4 and giving up no runs ( 3 H  2 BB). Jett Bandy hit a home run on Tuesday, his 5th of the season. Alex Yarbrough had a 5-hit performance with 1 double on Sunday.

Double-A Arkansas Travelers

The Travelers are 2.5 GB first place after going 2-4 this week. The Travelers own a 30-25 record so far this season. Nate Smith threw his second consecutive scoreless outing on Sunday, pitching 5.0 complete innings while giving up 3 hits and 1 walk with 3 strikeouts. Starting pitcher, Albert Suarez, added to his impressive resume this season with 6.0 innings of 1-run ball while allowing 3 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts. Suarez owns a 2.49 ERA in 65.0 innings pitched. Relief pitcher, Greg Mahle, made his Double-A Debut on Sunday. The southpaw gave up 0 runs, 1 hit and 1 walk in 1.1 innings pitched with 1 strikeout. Michael Brady got the start on Saturday (just his 3rd of the season) and struck out 8 batters in 5.0 shutout innings (3 H  1 BB). Brady has struck out 30 batters in 30.0 innings pitched and has only allowed 3 walks. Eric Stamets is batting .297 in his last 10 games and hit his first home run of the season on Wednesday. Cal Towey hit his first home run of the season as well on Thursday.

High-A Inland Empire 66ers

The 66ers won 4 of their 7 games this week and now own an overall record of 27-28 (5.5 GB). Chris Ellis took a no-hitter into the 7th inning and finished with a line of: 7.0 IP  1 H  0 ER  2 BB  6 SO and earned the win. Eric Aguilera smacked his 7th home run of the season (his 3rd in the past 10 games) and a pair of doubles on Monday in a 3-for-4 effort on Monday. The 66ers offense has taken a hit with Angel Rosa (SS), Roberto Baldoquin (SS), Brandon Bayardi (RF), Mike Fish (LF), and Mark Shannon (CF) all on the disabled list.

Low-A Burlington Bees

The Burlington Bees are 11.0 GB out of first place after going 2-4 this week. The Bees are owners of a 28-29 record. 3rd baseman, Zachary Houchins, hit his 5th home run of the season on Wednesday. Caleb Adams is hitting .324 and saw his 9-game hitting streak come to a halt on Sunday.

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Angels’ Most and Least Expensive Games In June Come From AL East

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The Los Angeles Angels find themselves five games back of first place in the American League West as June begins, after winning the division in 2015. Considering they had to overcome an early-season deficit for first in the beginning of last year, that isn’t too much of a surprise, but what can certainly be considered a shock is the team they’re trailing -- the Houston Astros.

Thirteen games over .500, the Astros’ collection of talent and youth seem to finally be coming together, all at the right time, which explains their success. The Angels have plenty of time to catch up, though, and their power bats have answered the bell recently. Albert Pujols hit his sixth home run in six games last night, a loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays, and in the game before on Monday, June 1, the Angels swatted four home runs in the series opener.

With the recent power surge, it’s not a bad time to watch 2014 AL MVP Mike Trout and the rest of the Los Angeles roster chip into Houston’s division-lead. Below are the most and least expensive Angels’ tickets on the secondary market for their games in June, according to SeatSmart.com.

Most Expensive: 6/29/2015 | Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees | Angels Stadium of Anaheim | Average Price: $109.29 | Get-in Price: $14

6/30/2015 | Los Angeles Angels vs. New York Yankees | Angels Stadium of Anaheim | Average Price: $112.34 | Get-in Price: $14

6/7/2015 | New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels | Yankees Stadium | Average Price: $82.37 | Get-in Price: $17

The Angels’ three most expensive games in June are all against the Yankees, but take place in two different series. The series at the end of the month takes place in Anaheim, with the most expensive game on June 30 having an average ticket price of $112.34 and a get-in price of $14. The Angels will be in New York earlier in the month, as their third most expensive game takes place at Yankees Stadium with an average ticket price of $82.37 and a get-in price of $17. Fans going to the Bronx for that encounter might want to take advantage of some sweet deals for NYC parking from ParkWhiz.com, which has parking starting at only $10.

6/20/2015 | Oakland Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels | O.co Coliseum | Average Price: $75.76 | Get-in Price: $19 | Sonny Gray Gnome Giveaway

After the three games with the Yankees at the top of the list, a division series on the road with the last-place Athletics follows. Normally, Angels tickets attract a lot of activity, and that has something to do with the high prices for a date with one of the AL’s worst teams. The Angels are 4-3 against Oakland thus far in ‘15, and have two series against them this month. The A’s are currently 12 games under .500, but have improved recently, winning seven of their last ten contests.

Least Expensive: 6/9-11/2015 | Tampa Bay Rays vs. Los Angeles Angels | Tropicana Field | Average Price (Three Games): $39

The three least expensive games are a second series against the Rays, this one being at The Trop. After the Angels play in their series finale tonight against Tampa Bay, they travel to New York for a three-game set before arriving in sunny Florida. Because the Angels play the same team six times out of their next nine games, it’s safe to assume the opponents will be familiar with each other, which should some create some interesting baseball for strategy purposes. These are also some of the cheaper tickets to Rays games you’ll find throughout the month.

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Interview with Los Angeles Angels Prospect Victor Alcantara

In our latest live chat with Angels scouting director, Ric Wilson tabbed Victor Alcantara with the best fastball in the organization. A heater that reaches upper 90's, touches triple digits.

This is your chance to get to know the Angels future fireballer in an interview Dave Saltzer did with Alcantara in 2014.

Enjoy!


Victor Alcantara Interviews with AngelsWin.com 08-22-2013 from AngelsWin.com on Vimeo.

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The Crown "Jewel" of this Week’s Prospect Hotlist - Jake Jewell (May 25 - May 31, 2015)

By Adrian Noche, AngelsWin.com Minor League Reporter - 

1.) Jake Jewell, Relief Pitcher, Burlington Bees

Last five appearances: 0-0 1 Save  15.0 IP  1.20 ERA  11 H  3 BB  24 SO  0.93 WHIP

Overall: 3-1 2 Saves  35.1 IP  2.55 ERA  25 H  8 BB  44 SO  0.93 WHIP  .207 BAA

Jake Jewell was drafted by the Angels in the 5th round of the 2014 draft. Jewell has been used in the bullpen in outings longer than 1.0 inning. Only 2 of Jewell’s appearances this season have been only 1.0 innings long. So far this season, Jewell has been dominating the opposition. Jewell has pitched 35.1 innings, boasting an ERA of 2.55, 0.93 WHIP and an opposing batting average limited to just .207. Jewell has done a fantastic job racking up the strikeouts (11.2 SO9) while also limiting his walks (2.0 BB9)

2.) Andrew Daniel, Second Baseman, Burlington Bees

Past 10 games: .359 AVG  14 H  2 Doubles  1 Triple  3 HR  2 SB

Overall: .262/.318/.462

Andrew Daniel was the Angels’ 11th round draft pick in the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of San Diego. Daniel is known to possess an advanced bat in the middle infield out of college and that bat is starting to show up for the Burlington Bees. Daniel hit home runs in consecutive games on Monday and Tuesday and leads the team with 7. Daniel also has 2 doubles and a triple. Daniel had a 7 RBI performance on Tuesday.

3.) Kyle McGowin, Starting Pitcher, Arkansas Travelers

Last two starts: 1-0  12.0 IP  0.00 ERA  6 H  3 BB  6 SO  0.75 WHIP

Overall: 4-2  48.1 IP  4.66 ERA  51 H  17 BB  33 SO  1.41 WHIP  .274 BAA

Kyle McGowin was a regular on our prospect hotlists last year before running into elbow problems. McGowin has struggled to start the season but has started to turn the corner in a big way. McGowin has not allowed more than 3 earned runs in his last 4 starts. Also, McGowin has pitched his second straight start in which he has not allowed an earned run to score (12.0 innings). Kyle’s season ERA is growing smaller and smaller after each start and now sits at 4.66.

4.) Tyler DeLoach, Starting Pitcher, Salt Lake Bees

Last two starts: 1-0  14.0 IP  2.57 ERA  13 H  1 BB  13 SO  1.00 WHIP

Overall: 4-2  52.0 IP  2.08 ERA  38 H  12 BB  47 SO  0.96 WHIP  .211 BAA

Tyler DeLoach continued to pitch the ball well for the Arkansas Travelers. DeLoach’s last 3 starts saw him only allowing 4 earned runs in 20.0 innings pitched, striking out 21 while allowing just 15 hits and 4 walks. DeLoach’s season ERA now sits at a minuscule 2.08 with a 0.96 WHIP and opposing batting average of .211. DeLoach also boasts a solid SO:BB ratio at 47:12. DeLoach was promoted to Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday.

5.) Jake Yacinich, Shortstop, Burlington Bees

Past 10 games: .286 AVG  10 H  1 Doubles  0 Triples  0 HR  1 SB

Overall: .297/.357/.339

Jake Yacinich was arguably the Bees’ best hitter before landing on the Disabled List. Yacinich’s return to the lineup is a must needed spark to the Burlington Bees offense. Since his return on Monday, Yacinich already has 4 multi hit games and has 9 hits in 30 at-bats (.300) and has scored 5 runs and driven in 3. Yacinich’s slash line in 29 games games played this season is .297/.357/.339

Minor League Affiliate Report

Triple-A Salt Lake Bees

The Bees went 2-4 this past week and currently sit 5.0 GB of the Pacific Southern Division with an overall record of 23-26. Relief pitcher, Kurt Spomer, has pitched in 3 games (7.1 IP) since his promotion from Arkansas and has yet to allow a run to score. Like Spomer, Gott was promoted from Arkansas as well and has yet to allow a run to score in 3.2 innings. CJ Cron has been mashing since his demotion from the big club, batting .421 in 4 games with 2 home runs, 2 doubles and 1 triple. Kyle Kubitza hit 2 home runs this week along and added 2 doubles to his league leading total. Outfielder, Roger Kieschnick, hit his 6th home run of the season on Thursday.

Double-A Arkansas Travelers

Arkansas played 8 games this week (double-header Monday) and won 6 of those games. The Travelers now sit 3.5 GB with an overall record of 28-21. Nate Smith pitched a quality start on Wednesday, going 6.0 innings while only allowing 3 earned runs to go along with 4 hits, 1 walks and 6 strikeouts. Smith’s season ERA is currently at 3.79. Albert Suarez continued his strong campaign with 6.1 shutout innings thrown on Saturday. Austin Wood gave up 1 earned run in a combined 5.0 innings pitched across two outings this week. Sherman Johnson collected 7 hits and 5 walks in 26 at-bats this week.

High-A Inland Empire 66ers

The 66ers went 1-5 this week and 5.5 GB the Cal League South with an overall record of 23-25. Sean Newcomb ran into command problem during his start on Wednesday, giving up 5 walks in 3.1 innings pitched (5 H  3 ER  3 SO). Victor Alcantara struck out 9 batters in 5.0 innings pitched while giving up 5 hits, 3 walks and 1 earned run on Sunday. Eric Aguilera stretched his hitting streak to 12 games and has a season slash line of .309/.351/.459. Mike Fish was added to 7-Day DL on Tuesday.

Low-A Burlington Bees

The Bees went 3-5 this week and own an overall record of 26-25 (9.0 GB). Jeremy Rhoades bounced back from a rough start with a stellar outing on Friday. Rhoades pitched 7.0 shutout innings, surrounding just 5 this and 1 walk while striking out 9 batters. Third baseman, Zachary Houchins, had a 2-homer game on Tuesday. Alex Abbott, the Angels 6th round draft pick from the 2014 draft made his low-A debut on Wednesday and is currently 1-for-11 with a run scored in 4 games played.

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