Mark Trumbo Stats & Scouting Report

AB	4085
AVG	.249
OBP	.302
SLG	.459
HR	218

Full name Mark Daniel Trumbo
Born 01/16/1986 in Anaheim, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Villa Park
Debut 09/11/2010
Drafted in the 18th round (533rd overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2004 (signed for $1,425,000).

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The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Trumbo already has the polished look, presence and demeanor of a Double-A pitcher. He is mature beyond his years. His arm works smooth and easy, and his fastball explodes out of his hand--up to 94 mph, but mostly in the 90-91 range. He has a good feel for his other pitches, a curve with late bite and a changeup with sinking action. Trumbo also is a power-hitting first baseman who batted .425-6-25 this season. He impressed scouts with his well-rounded game in April at the National Classic, as Villa Park High won the nation's most prestigious high school tournament; Trumbo was the event's outstanding player. He has a solid chance to go in the first round, and may have to because signability could become an issue. His father is a big Southern California fan and determined for his son to become a Trojan. He could slide if teams aren't prepared to buy him away from school.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Signed for an 18th-round record $1.425 million in 2004, Trumbo spent two years in low Class A and didn't reach Double-A until late 2008. Moving from a pitcher-friendly park in Double-A in 2009 to a launching pad in Triple-A last season, Trumbo boosted his home run output from 15 to 36 and tied the Royals' Mike Moustakas for the minor league lead. Trumbo has plus power and could produce 25 homers annually in the big leagues if he improves his feel for the strike zone. He maintains good balance and doesn't have glaring holes in his swing, though he's still a little too tempted by high fastballs. He doesn't chase offspeed stuff away like he once did, but he swings and misses too much to hit for a high average. Detractors question whether he has the bat speed to hit the very best fastballs. Trumbo rates as an adequate defender at first base. A standout pitcher in high school, he possesses plus arm strength and isn't afraid to make tough throws on the infield. He has dabbled in right field but has below-average speed and range. Trumbo didn't hit much in a September callup, but his power could earn him a supporting role with the Angels in 2011. He also serves as insurance in case Kendry Morales stumbles in his comeback from a broken leg.
Trumbo spent one season in Rookie ball and then two more in low Class A after signing in 2004 for an 18thround record $1.425 million. The slow development wasn't terribly surprising, considering most teams preferred him on the mound when he was an amateur. But he muscled his way onto the prospect map in 2008 by bashing 32 homers, and he ranked third in the Texas League with 35 doubles and fourth with 53 extra-base hits last year. Trumbo has plus-plus raw power to all fields--the best in the system--but hasn't shown the selectivity necessary for it to play consistently in games. To enhance plate coverage, he employs a wide stance with virtually no stride. He doesn't like to strike out and often swings early in counts rather than waiting for a cookie he can crush. Thus he makes a lot of contact for a slugger but figures to hit about .260. Trumbo is a substandard first baseman and lacks the range to be an asset in the outfield, where he saw time in the second half of 2009. He features plus arm strength, a vestige of his pitching days. He led all TL batters by grounding into 22 double plays, a testament to his below-average speed. With Kendry Morales' emergence, Trumbo's introduction to right field took on added significance. He'll move on to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, a hitter's haven, in 2010.
The Angels intercepted Trumbo before he began classes at Southern California in 2004, signing him for an 18th-round-record $1.425 million. Though most teams liked him more as a pitcher, Los Angeles was more intrigued with his power potential. He made slow but steady improvement before exploding in 2008, leading Angels farmhands with 32 homers and 93 RBIs. Trumbo has plus power, and when he gets his arms extended he can crush the ball. He has made a conscious effort to be less pull-conscious. He doesn't strike out excessively for a slugger. He has a strong arm, especially for a first baseman. Trumbo will need to hone his plate discipline to handle more advanced pitchers with better command. His value lies almost totally in his bat, as he's not much of an athlete, runner or defender. He has put in time to improve his footwork at first base, yet he still made 22 errors in 124 games there last season. Scouts are curious to see how Trumbo will handle better breaking balls in the upper minors. He'll start 2009 in Double-A and if all goes well, he could challenge for a big league job by mid-2010.
Trumbo was a premium two-way talent bound for Southern California when the Angels signed him for $1.425 million in the 18th round in 2004. Most scouts liked him better as a pitcher, but the Angels preferred him as a corner infielder because of his plus raw power. After a forgettable 2006 season, Trumbo returned to Cedar Rapids last year and showed significant improvement. When he gets his arms extended, he can launch balls out of the park with backspin. He tightened his two-strike approach in an effort to reduce his strikeouts. He worked diligently with hitting coordinator Todd Takayoshi to use the middle and right side of the field, something he still struggles to do. He's a slow-twitch player who doesn't have a lot of energy to his game, but an offseason agility program helped his footwork at first base, where he's a below-average defender. He doesn't run well. While Trumbo once had a plus arm, it's apparent his arm strength has waned since high school. Trumbo will get a taste of home with a season at Rancho Cucamonga on tap for '08.
Trumbo was one of California's top two-way prep prospects in 2004, when he led Villa Park High (Orange, Calif.) to a final No. 11 national ranking. Most clubs were scared off by his exorbitant bonus demands, but the Angels signed him away from Southern California for an 18th-round-record $1.425 million. His swing was littered with holes as an amateur, and most of them remain two years into his pro career. Trumbo's best tool is plus-plus raw power, which hasn't consistently translated to games because of his inability to make consistent contact. He doesn't have much of a load and his hands are slow. His pitch recognition is adequate. His approach varies from at-bat to at-bat, and he struggles against lefthanders. He's a below-average defender with poor range and footwork to go with adequate hands. He ran his fastball into the mid-90s in high school but no longer show plus arm strength. He's a well-below-average runner, and lacks life in his body and actions. The Angels were pleased with Trumbo's showing in instructional league and hope he'll carry the momentum over into spring training. If he fails to do so, he could return to low Class A in 2007.
Trumbo was a high-profile two-way high school standout whom most teams preferred as a pitcher, but they viewed him as impossible to lure away from his commitment to Southern California. The Angels took him in the 18th round of the 2004 draft and got him signed for $1.425 million, easily a record for his round. After watching him launch a pair of shots off the rocks in left-center field at Angels Stadium during a workout, they opted to play him as a corner infielder. Trumbo's pro debut was lackluster, though he did lead the Pioneer League in doubles and ranked second in extra-base hits. His arm strength and raw power are plus tools, and when his timing is on he can mash towering home runs. He's a pull hitter but began using the middle of the field more late in the season. His swing lacks fluidity, as he hits with a dead lower half. Trumbo also needs to improve his plate discipline and pitch recognition. If he learns how to create better leverage in his swing, he could develop into a 40-homer threat. Trumbo is a well-below-average runner and isn't athletic. Los Angeles originally planned on using him at third base but ultimately assigned him to first base. He could develop into an average defender there, though his range is limited and his hands are adequate at best. He throws better than most first basemen, having touched 96 mph as a prep pitcher. Trumbo should get his first taste of full-season ball in low Class A this year.
Most organizations targeted Trumbo as a hard-throwing righthander but were scared off by his bonus demands and commitment to Southern California. The Angels gambled an 18th-round pick on him and scouted him as a two-way player. After he deposited two balls into the rocks in left-center field at Angel Stadium during a workout, they signed him for $1.425 million, easily the highest bonus ever for his round. Trumbo's raw power rates a 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale. His swing has good leverage creating backspin and loft. During a soft-toss drill in instructional league, balls came off Trumbo's bat at 110 mph. He touched 96 mph off the mound in high school and has well above-average arm strength. Trumbo needs to improve on his pitch recognition and keep his weight back on offspeed pitches. His swing has some holes. Defensively, his hands and instincts need work. His foot speed is a hair below average. His value is greater at third base, but he spent instructional league at first base, where his hands and lack of range would be less of a factor. Because Trumbo faces a steep learning curve, the Angels will develop him slowly. He'll begin 2005 in extended spring training and should debut at short-season Orem in June.

Minor League Top Prospects

Trumbo spent two years in low Class A and didn't reach Double-A until the end of his fourth pro season, but he has started to take off. He tied Moustakas for the minor league lead with 36 homers and also paced the PCL in runs (103), RBIs (122) and total bases (307). Trumbo didn't receive unanimous support, but most PCL observers do believe in him. Trumbo has a sound, balanced swing and does a good job of imparting backspin on the ball, giving him outstanding raw power. He has shown a willingness to take breaking pitches the other way, but he's still learning to control the strike zone and develop a sound two-strike approach. Some scouts doubt he has the bat speed to handle major league fastballs. Primarily a first baseman, Trumbo saw some time in right field also. He's not too agile and has below-average speed, but he moves well for a big guy once he gets going. A highly regarded pitching prospect in high school, he has enough arm strength to play right field.
Trumbo could have been a first-round pick as a pitcher in 2004 had he been considered signable. The Angels took an 18th-round gamble on him and landed him for a $1.425 million bonus, then decided he'd become a full-time corner infielder. His pro debut this year was lackluster. His arm strength and raw power are plus tools, and when his timing is on, he can mash towering home runs. He deploys a pull approach but was using the middle of the field more as the season wore on. He hits with a dead lower half and his swing lacks fluidity. The Angels thought about playing Trumbo at third base, but he lacked the agility and range for the position. His hands are adequate at best and his speed rates as a 30 on the 20-80 scouting scale.