2018 Los Angeles Angels Top 10 Chat

J.P. (Springfield, IL): Thanks for chatting. According to your Best Tools section, Ohtani doesn't lead in any category. Is this true, or was this written before he signed?

Mike DiGiovanna: Was written well before Ohtani signed. I work for the LA Times, not Baseball America, so not familiar with their publication deadlines for the handbook. I know they scrambled to get Ohtani into the book at the last minute. Pretty sure Ohtani would have, at the very least, the “best fastball” and probably one of the best breaking pitches and best power hitter. Should be really interesting watching this kid in the major leagues this year. Mike

Zac (NY): Watching Canning pitch, I have dreams of the next Mussina/Greinke. Do you think that’s possible for him? If not, what’s a more realistic ceiling?

Mike DiGiovanna: Zac, a guy can always dream, right? Mussina/Greinke would be an extremely high ceiling for any pitching prospect. Those are two potential Hall of Famers. There are some questions about the stability of Canning’s elbow, though he did look durable in his last season at UCLA. He’s polished and advanced, even for a college pitcher, and he should move quickly through the system and reach the big leagues within 2-3 years, but most project him as a No. 3 starter. Mike

Frank (Indianapolis IN): How many of these guys are worthy of making BA's top 100 list, in your estimation?

Mike DiGiovanna: Frank … tough question because I know very little about other team’s systems. But judging by the overall strength of Angels system and looking at pure tools, I think I can safely say that Ohtani and Adell belong in that top 100 list. It’s possible the kid the Angels signed from Braves, INF Kevin Maitan, belongs on there, too, but the reviews on him appear a little more mixed. Mike

J.P. (Springfield, IL): At which levels are Adell and Maitan likely to start off at this year?

Mike DiGiovanna: Adell played in the AZ Summer League and Orem last season, so it’s always possible he could repeat that path through mid-summer and, if he looks ready to take the next step, finish out the season at low-A Burlington. Probably too young to make the jump to high-A Inland Empire, but I wouldn’t rule it out completely. Maitan is 17 and played rookie-league last season. Angels don’t seem to rush too many guys, so I would expect him to do an AZL/Orem split. Mike

Grant (NYC): Between rhp's Swanda and Procopio, who are you higher on, and why?

Mike DiGiovanna: Well, Swanda made my top 30 list (originally No. 21) and Procopio did not, so I’m gonna have to go with Swanda for now. Swanda was a SS for most of his HS career and didn’t pitch until the last month of the season. Angels love his arm. Is already hitting 91 mph with his fastball and is getting good spin on a breaking ball. Should improve as he learns how to pitch and gets more comfortable on the mound. I covered a HS SS in Orange County back in the 1980s who had an incredible arm but wasn’t much of a hitter. He was drafted by the Reds and moved to the mound within two years. His name was Trevor Hoffman. Not saying Swanda is the next Trevor Hoffman, by any means, but it’s a path many have traveled before him. Mike

Frankie (Miami, FL): What can you tell us about Brennon Lund? Was he close to making your list?

Mike DiGiovanna: He did make my top 30 list … was originally at No. 15, though that might have changed with some late departures of guys who were traded and the additon of guys they signed. Here’s what I wrote about him: A prototypical leadoff hitter with above-average speed, good on-base skills and the ability to bunt, Lund jumped two levels in 2017, from low-A Burlington to high-A Inland Empire to double-A Mobile, combining to slash .308/.373/.403 with six homers, 21 doubles, four triples, 47 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in 121 games. Though he’s a contact hitter with good hands and a good feel for the strike zone, Lund did have a tendency to chase pitches, striking out 100 times in 491 at-bats this past season. Lund is athletic and strong for his size. He has a short, compact swing and is neither pull-dominant nor opposite-field dominant. He uses the whole field. When he finds the barrel, he’s shown sneaky power. Lund is an instinctual defender with a slightly below-average arm who is working on jumps in the outfield. With his grit and baseball smarts, he reminds some scouts of veteran reserve outfielder Daniel Robertson. Lund may not have enough bat for an every-day job in the big leagues but has the potential to be a fourth or fifth outfielder.

Harry (Los Angeles, CA): Where would Jacob Pearson have ranked on this list, and what did you think of him?

Mike DiGiovanna: Yes, Jacob was No. 15 on the list I submitted. I can’t say I had a strong opinion about him either way because he was only in the system for a few months, but this is what I wrote about him for the handbook: Pearson struggled at rookie-league Arizona, which is normal for a third-round pick in his first year of pro ball. That hardly soured the Angels on Pearson, a pure hitter with above-average speed—he’s regularly timed a 4.1 seconds from home to first—and an advanced approach at the plate. Pearson has a strong, athletic build and is physically mature. He won’t wow you with tools, but he generates good bat speed with a quiet swing that doesn’t have a lot of moving parts. His ability to barrel up the ball and impart backspin on it gives him surprising power. His speed will allow him to beat out infield hits and turn doubles into triples. He has a slightly below-average but accurate arm, he moves to the ball aggressively in the outfield and has good hands and sound fundamentals.

Brian (Denver): What sort of ceiling are we looking at with Marsh? Thanks,

Mike DiGiovanna: Still tough to project ceilings on kids who are only two years removed from high school, but the Angels are very encouraged by Marsh, mainly because he looked really good last season after missing his first season because of a back injury. Here’s some of what I wrote about him for the handbook: “Marsh is an elite athlete with a strong frame, plus speed and plus arm strength. He looked a little raw offensively in instructional league last fall but showed advanced plate discipline at Orem, sitting on pitches like a college hitter. Marsh has shown an ability to hit to all fields but could grow into more power as he matures physically.” Marsh will probably move to a corner OF spot … seems like a guy who could produce a really good OBP with 20-HR power.

Stan (Anaheim): Hi Mike! I see he isn't on the list....but Joe Gatto improved and ended 2017 in High--A. Do you feel he has turned a corner?

Mike DiGiovanna: Stan, Joe fell quite a bit, out of the top 10 and all the way to No. 27 on the list I submitted for the handbook, but the Angels still believe he has the best curveball in their system, so that’s worth something. He did turn a corner last season after throwing poorly at low-A Burlington in 2016. Along with the sharp curve, he has a decent sinking, two-seam fastball that sits between 90-93 mph. He’s effective when he attacks the strike zone, but he is inconsistent with his fastball command and he’s been unable to develop his changeup into a serviceable third pitch. He throws too many non-competitive pitches, and some scouts question whether he has the makeup to reach the big leagues as a back-end starter. Gatto may project more as a middle reliever.

Danny (Richmond, VA): Given the CF depth in the system, where do you see Marsh playing long term? RF? Thanks for the chat.

Mike DiGiovanna: Yes, probably in RF, or possibly LF. He projects more as a corner OF.

Karl of Delaware (Georgetown, Delaware): The no longer a rookie Parker Bridwell floundered in the Orioles syster for years, comes to the Angles, is covered in matching pitching dust, and becomes an effective starter. What is this dust? Might it be used on some of the Angel's marginal pitching prospects, too?

Mike DiGiovanna: A very tough question to answer … one thing to remember is there are plenty of middling Angels prospects who have gone to other organizations and shined, as well … remember Devon White, who always seemed to underachieve in Anaheim, goes to Toronto and is a star CF on World Series championship teams? Guys move around so much in the game, maybe something with a new pitching coach clicks, maybe they mastered a secondary pitch, maybe a change of scenery helped, maybe they just matured and gained some confidence at a certain time. Look at Blake Parker. He was a fringe major leaguer for years, now he’s the Angels closer.

Karl of Delaware (Georgetown, Delaware): Are you at all optimistic that Thaiss' power will return?

Mike DiGiovanna: Tough question … in all the research for the handbook, Thaiss was probably the guy who drew the most mixed reactions from scouts … some love the kid, others are really down on him, and his low HRs this past season didn’t help. I don’t think Thaiss will ever be a 30-HR guy, but he should at least be a 10-15 HR guy. Is that going to cut it at 1B? Probably not.

Bill (Tampa): What's your take on Jose Soriano?

Mike DiGiovanna: An intriguing prospect … you don’t find too many 18-year-old kids whose fastball sits in 92-mph range and touches 96. He also grew three inches from 2016-2017, and once he fills out and physically matures, it’s not a stretch to say he’ll be hitting 100 mph in a few years. He also has an advanced feel for a curve that he throws between 80-85 mph, and has shown decent arm action and some feel for an 86-mph changeup. He’s still raw, and his delivery needs polish, but there’s a lot to like.

Rick (LA): With a lot of outfield depth, dare I say in some years it will make Mike Trout expendable when he comes up again because of price?

Mike DiGiovanna: A guy as good as Mike Trout is never “expendable.” You always want to retain a player like him regardless of what you have in the system, because you can move prospects and find a way to get them to the big leagues. I think Trout’s future in Anaheim will hinge on whether or not the Angels can compete for a World Series by 2019 or 2020. If they can’t, I think Trout will leave, and if it’s clear they’re not competitive by late 2019 and 2020, they may have no choice but to explore trading him for a haul of prospects and young major leaguers. I write about this topic in the handbook.

Rick (Kansas): Do you expect Maitan and Adell to start off in the Midwest league or stay at extended/go to short-season afterwards?

Mike DiGiovanna: If I had to guess, Maitan will probably do an AZL/Orem split, like Adell did last year. I expect Adell to reach Burlington by the summer, even if he starts the year at AZL/Orem. Angels don’t like rushing prospects, but if a kid shows he has mastered a level, they won’t hesitate advancing him, even if he’s pretty young still.

Jahmai Jones (Forgotten Man): I thrived in my first full season of ball playing well in LoA and even better after I was promoted to HiA. With the additions of Otani and emergence of Jo Adell, I seem to be the forgotten man of Angels top prospects. Do you expect me to final break the top 100 when rankings are out in February?

Mike DiGiovanna: Hey kid!That is, if it’s really you, Jahmai … I ranked you No. 2 in the Angels system behind Adell, and that was before the Ohtani signing, so I’d hardly say you’re the “forgotten man.” Whether that’s good enough to crack the top 100 (I would think it is) is up to the Baseball America guys, because I have nothing to do with those rankings.

Frank (Boston): How risky is Adell as a prospect? Especially if the arm issue he's been having continue, how does that affect his projection?

Mike DiGiovanna: The risk for any HS kid drafted in the first round is very high because you’re spending a huge chunk of change on the kid with no guarantee. That’s inherent in the draft. Not sure what’s going on with his arm, but those things can usually be fixed, and arm strength usually gets better with age and physical maturity. Mike Trout had a below-average arm when he reached the big leagues. Through extensive long toss and work, he now has what I think is an above-average arm. Adell has a ton of other tools (size, speed, power, contact) so his development will depend on how quickly he hits as he matriculates through the system.

Alex (LaLa Land): Thank you for chatting with us today. Based on the stats, it looks like Jahmai Jones really broke out in 2017. What were the reports you received from scouts? Is the ceiling that of a guy who can play CF with a .280/.340/.460 line who provides 15-20 HRs and 20-25 SB?

Mike DiGiovanna: I don’t know if there’s a perception that, because the Angels drafted Adell last year, Jones has slipped or is not as highly regarded, but if there is, it’s unfounded. Both scouts and the Angels still love this kid. He’s filling out physically, extremely athletic, and the ball is jumping off his bat. Plus, he has gotten better with each jump in the system, a really good sign. You never know about the SB projections, because it takes more than speed to steal bases in the big leagues, but your slash line and power projections seem very reasonable. His ceiling might even be a little higher than that.

Eric (Puerto Rico): Jo Adell or Heliot Ramos?

Mike DiGiovanna: Honestly, I am not qualified to answer this question … I have a pretty good handle on the Angels’ prospects but know very little about the top prospects of other teams. I’m sure the Giants are as high on Ramos as the Angels are on Adell, but it’s way too soon to be comparing kids who are so young.

Not Frank (Not Indianapolis): How many of these guys will make the top 100 list?

Mike DiGiovanna: I don’t have any input on the top 100 list, those are done by the guys at Baseball America, but if I had to guess, Ohtani and Adell will both make it, and Jones and Maitan have a chance of making it.

Matt (Va): Where does Ohtani start the 2018 season?

Mike DiGiovanna: In a little town called Anaheim, with the Angels … I know he’s considered a “prospect” by Baseball America because he hasn’t played in the big leagues, but I would be very surprised, and so would the Angels, if Ohtani spends a day in the minor leagues (excluding future rehab assignments).

Aaron Capulet (Los Angeles of Anaheim): Hey Mike, I have 2 questions if that’s ok. 1. How big of a leap in development does Marsh make next year (I’m very excited about him). 2. Do you still believe in Nonie Williams? Thank you and God Bless.

Mike DiGiovanna: On Marsh … he made a huge leap last season after sitting out his first season because of the back injury. He was one of the best players in the Pioneer League. Showed advanced plate discipline, some power and the ability to hit to all fields. Great athleticism, good speed, strong arm. A five-tool prospect. Can definitely see Marsh starting at low-A Burlington. If he dominates there, he could go to Inland Empire, which would be a “huge” leap. Even if he holds his own at Burlington, that would be good progress. On Williams: Still too early to lose hope, but scouts don’t seem to be as high on him as they were when he was drafted. He signed as a switch-hitter but is not hitting from the right side only. He has explosive raw tools, with above-average bat speed and decent power potential, but he’s hit only one homer in 81 rookie-league games. Since he’ll probably move to 3B eventually, he’ll have to show some power.

J.P. (Springfield, IL): Since my initial question, BA has indeed penciled in Ohtani for the fastball and power categories. Thanks for answering.

Mike DiGiovanna: We aims to please 🙂 Glad they did that.

hal jordan (hawaii): Thanks for the chat. What kind of future do you see for Jones, Adell and Marsh? Is one of them a much better prospect than the other two?

Mike DiGiovanna: These guys are all in the top five, so it’s hard to say one is that much better than the other two … they’re all five-tool prospects with very high upsides, but Adell probably has a little higher of a ceiling than the other two because of his power potential and ability to play CF at a very high level. Marsh projects as more of a corner OF, probably in RF, and Jones could easily move to LF if they reach the big leagues around the same time.

Willy Tuna (Carlsbad): Who do you see having a breakout year?

Mike DiGiovanna: We actually had to pick a breakout year candidate for the handbook. I chose Jose Suarez, a LHP from Venezuela. Pretty polished for a 19-year-old, struck out 11.8 batters per nine innings at Class-A last season and already has a good feel for changeup.

Mike (Kansas): What players making the jump from the DSL to Extended/Rookie ball should we be looking forward to? Which affiliate looks the most intriguing to you and why?

Mike DiGiovanna: I’m not that familiar with the DSL team from last year, but the Angels did draft two really exciting looking OFs from the Bahamas last year who could spend some time in the DSL before moving to rookie ball, Trent Deveaux and D’Shawn Knowles. I had them ranked 19th and 20th on the top 30 list I submitted. Both elite athletes with plus-plus speed and above-average defensive instincts. Obviously, both are very raw, but they flash some exciting tools.

Bob (VA): In this era of the HR in MLB, what are the chances that Thaiss blossoms into at least average power in the majors?

Mike DiGiovanna: I don’t know if you have access to other questions/answers in the chat, but this came up earlier. This was my response: In all the research for the handbook, Thaiss was probably the guy who drew the most mixed reactions from scouts … some love the kid, others are really down on him, and his low HRs this past season didn’t help. I don’t think Thaiss will ever be a 30-HR guy, but he should at least be a 10-15 HR guy. Is that going to cut it at 1B? Probably not.

Brent Maguire (Anaheim): Who is one player outside of your Top 30 that fans should keep an eye on?

Mike DiGiovanna: I’m not sure what the final 30 was because there were some last-minute additions (Ohtani, Maitan, Livan Soto) and deletions (Wikel Hernandez, Troy Montgomery, Jacob Pearson). But a guy who doesn’t seem to get much love but has the potential to reach the big leagues this season or next is Adam Hofacket, a RHP with a decent four-pitch and an across-the-body, three-quarters delivery that provides some deception. He went from A to AA to AAA ball last season so he is on the cusp.

Jason (Seattle, WA): You have Maitan as the starting third baseman for 2021. Is that because of Maitan's potential or the lack of options at third base?

Mike DiGiovanna: Good question … there is definitely a shortage of 3B prospects in the system. Before they signed Maitan, I had Nonie Williams as the 3B in 2021, and I’m not even that high on the kid, who is currently a SS. Maitan definitely has a way higher ceiling, and as his lower body thickened in the last year, it’s pretty clear he’s gonna have to move off of SS and to 3B. But that body type should also provide more power in the future, so that’s good. Seems like scouts are a little mixed on Maitan, but he clearly has more potential at 3B than anyone else in the system.

Jeff (San Clemente, CA): How about David Fletcher? People always compare him to David Eckstein. What do you think?

Mike DiGiovanna: For starters, this kid was blessed with one of the all-time great names, truly an American hero. And those Eckstein comparisons are pretty legit. Fletch (can I call him that? Would it be a copyright infringement) doesn’t have any one tool that will wow you (other than that last name) but he is an excellent defender, turns a really nice DP, plays with a lot of grit and determination. He’s a true “gamer” who grinds out at-bats and has a good line-drive stroke. It’s possible he could be a starting 2B in the big leagues. If not, he should be a strong utility guy.

Justin (Tucson, AZ): What exactly is Adell's hit tool? Can he hit .290+?

Mike DiGiovanna: We rated him 60 for hit tool, which is considered plus for a major leaguer, so .290 to .300 would seem reasonable. Can he hit .290 in the big leagues? Man, he’s not even a year outside of high school, so it’s tough to project, and if he hits for more power (a 70 rating now) it could lead to a lower average. Will be interesting to see how quickly he matriculates through the system.

Nathan B (VA): Prior to signing in 2016, BA wrote several pieces with evaluator describing Maitan as a generational hitting prospect. However, reports from last year didn't come close to describing him as such. Do you know if the Angels still view him as this sort of prospect?

Mike DiGiovanna: I don’t know a ton about this kid, but the Angels obviously thought highly of him, considering they spent a big chunk of change to sign him. From what I’ve read, he got quite a bit thicker in his lower body last year, going from 185 pounds to 210, and that will necessitate a move from SS to 3B. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If he moves to 3B, he will have to hit for more power. Scouts who saw him in the Appalachian League or in instructional league were less impressed with the bat than scouts who saw him as an amateur. He didn’t show as much bat speed as scouts expected, especially when he was hitting left-handed. But those scouts also noted that the Appalachian League was a very aggressive assignment for a 17-year-old. Bottom line: Just because he may not be a “generational” hitting prospect doesn’t mean he can’t be a productive major league hitter.

Chuck Richter (Seattle, WA): Hi Mike, hope all is well. Where does BA have Leonardo Rivas ranked? I'm guessing he just missed the top 10 list?

Mike DiGiovanna: Chuck … hope all is well in the Pacific Northwest … I had Rivas at No. 9 on the list I initially filed, but I’m pretty sure, with the signings of Ohtani and Maitan, he dropped out of the top 10. But considering he wasn’t even in the top 30 last year, that’s a huge leap for the kid. He doesn’t really have a power tool, but he has a solid .278 career average and has shown advanced plate discipline at every level, with a .420 OBP and almost as many walks (132) as strikeouts (136) in 630 career at-bats.

Chuck Richter (Seattle, WA): Hi Mike, what's Baseball America's take on Taylor Ward's defense and do they see him as a future regular behind the dish? Good OBP, some pop but does he have enough on the defensive side of things to crack the big league roster?

Mike DiGiovanna: Ward has really slipped from 2015, when he was picked in the first round. I had him ranked No. 17 on my original list. But I think that’s more because of his shortcomings at the plate, not behind it. Here’s what I wrote about him for the handbook, which should answer your question: “Ward has a plus arm that has allowed him to throw out 73 of 214 base-stealers (34%) in 153 games over the past two seasons. He is agile and athletic behind the plate, with good hands, and his receiving, blocking, game-calling and leadership skills have improved. After allowing 19 passed balls in 90 games in 2016, Ward allowed four passed balls in 63 games in 2017. But the more scouts watch Ward hit, the more surprised they are that the Angels used a 26th overall pick and spent $1.67 million to sign him. Ward has shown good plate discipline, with almost as many walks (144) as strikeouts (164) in three seasons, but he doesn’t always have a consistent approach or setup at the plate or get enough load in his swing, which limits his power. He’s also shown a tendency to give away at-bats.”