Jett Bandy

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #27 prospect in 2016
  Bandy made the jump to Triple-A Salt Lake in 2015 after two years in Double-A, serving as the primary catcher for the Bees and putting up his best offensive numbers (.291/.347/.466) since short-season ball. He culminated the year with his first time in the majors, getting into two games in September. Make no mistake about it: Bandy has a ceiling as a backup catcher in the major leagues, but with a pretty good chance of getting there. He's got a little pull power and put more of an uppercut into his swing in the past year, but there's not enough ability to hit for average or bat speed to handle a regular role. Like most catchers, he's a well below-average runner. Bandy makes his reputation with his defense. He's more than capable behind the plate, and pitchers like throwing to him because of his size and ability to call a good game. He has an above-average arm and cheats a little to get in position to throw the ball, allowing him to throw out 26 percent of basestealers with Salt Lake last year and more than 30 percent for his career. He'll head to spring training with a chance to break camp as the Angels' backup catcher. He's a pretty sure bet to carve out a career as a backup--not a bad return for a 31st-round pick.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #21 prospect in 2015
  Bandy became the primary catcher at Double-A Arkansas in 2014 when his bat began to show more life. The 31st-round pick from Arizona in 2011 previously had been viewed strictly as a good catch-andthrow receiver. While he lacks bat speed, Bandy is a big-bodied athlete with pull power who took a more relaxed approach at the plate and became a more selective hitter. Pitchers love throwing to Bandy because of his size and agility coupled with the fact that he calls a good game and blocks well. He's got a plus arm, throwing out 40 percent of basestealers in 2014, up from 32 percent the previous year. Like most catchers, he's a below-average runner. Bandy will move up to Triple-A Salt Lake in 2015 following his offseason addition to the 40-man roster, and he has a shot to have a career as a valuable big league backup.
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  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #25 prospect in 2014
  In a system that's thin on catchers, Bandy stands out because of his reliability. Pitchers like throwing to him because he's a big catcher who calls a good game and does a solid job of receiving. He has a tick-above-average arm, but his slow release and less-than-ideal footwork means he can be run on. He did throw out 32 percent of basestealers at Double-A Arkansas in 2013, but opponents attempted nearly a steal a game against him. At the plate, Bandy's lack of bat speed concerns scouts. He has a long swing that leaves him vulnerable to good velocity. When he tries to gear up for fastballs, he's susceptible to pitchers who pitch backwards and throw him off-balance. Though he has yet to show it as a pro, Bandy possesses some pull power in his swing, and he might be able to hit 10 home runs eventually. Like most catchers, he's a well-below-average runner. He's never hit into many double plays, in part because he often hits the ball in the air. Bandy projects as a backup catcher at best, but in a system that lacks receivers, he could get a big league shot at some point.