Los Angeles Angels 2016 Draft Class Hits Ground Running
The Los Angeles Angels’ 2016 draft class is off to a hot start, plus more minor league notes.
Many players drafted in the 2016 MLB Draft haven’t even made their first appearance in professional baseball, and those who have taken the field have faced professional competition for only a few weeks. Small samples aside, the Los Angeles Angels 2016 draft class is putting up some impressive numbers in the Rookie level Pioneer League.
Entering Thursday the Orem Owlz had four of the top 20 hitters in weighted runs created plus (wRC+). Brennon Lund, an outfielder drafted in the 11th round, leads the league at 216 while Jordan Zimmerman (third at 188), Troy Montgomery (15th, 136) and Matt Thaiss (19th, 130) help lead an offense that leads the league with an .872 on-base plus slugging.
It should be noted that the Owlz play in one of the most hitter-friendly leagues in professional baseball, so all offensive numbers should be taken with a large boulder of salt. But this is the Angels, so any sign of success coming from the draft is a good sign because the Halos have one of the worst farm systems in the game.
While hot starts from Lund, Zimmerman (seventh round) and Montgomery (eighth round) are encouraging, the most important hitter in the group is Thaiss. Thaiss was the Angels’ first selection in the draft, and the Angels quite literally have invested the most in him as a result. He was hitting .327/.383/.564 entering Thursday.
Now, on to an abbreviated minor league notes column:
Joey Gallo, Texas Rangers, Triple-A Round Rock
After 2015’s strikeout debacle, Gallo was showing marked improvement in his plate discipline. Through May 22, he cut his strikeout rate to 23.6 percent of plate appearances and walked in 20.9 percent. The Rangers called him up for one game on May 23 and didn’t send him back to the minors until May 29. The promotion may have disrupted his timing — he had one plate appearance in six days — because from May 29 to July 3 his K% jumped to 36.5 percent and he walked in only 14.8. After a few days off, Gallo tripled Wednesday and homered Thursday.
Casey Gillaspie, Tampa Bay Rays, Double-A Montgomery
Entering Thursday Gillaspie led the Southern League with a 16.4 BB% and was fifth with a .386 on-base percentage. He’s having a good season, slashing .268/.386/.446 after slashing .243/.332/.415 for his career prior to this season (including the 2015 Arizona Fall League). His success is fueled by a .323 batting average on balls in play, 53 points higher than his career rate. Since June 13, his BABIP has shrunk to .224 and he’s slashed .171/.263/.243.
Jack Flaherty, St. Louis Cardinals, Class A Advanced Palm Beach
Flaherty allowed four earned runs in Tuesday’s start, but he was great leading up to that appearance. Over his previous five outings, he allowed just three earned runs and struck out 34 batters in 32 innings. His 3.45 strikeout-to-walk ratio shows he can control the strike zone, but he’s been saddled with dreadful luck, allowing the Florida State League’s third-highest BABIP (.351). Those factors contribute to Flaherty having the league’s fifth-best fielding independent pitching (2.90).
Evan Manarino, Oakland Athletics, Class A
Manarino is third in the Midwest League in K/BB (5.36) and fourth in FIP (2.46). Most impressively, Manarino has only allowed one home run this season. Sunday he pitched seven innings and struck out five and allowed one earned run.
Next: Yankee Top Prospect Suspended
Alex Wells, Baltimore Orioles, Class A Short Season Aberdeen
Wells, an Australian with a twin brother in the Minnesota Twins organization, is thriving in his first taste of competition since signing with the Orioles last August. He has a 1.48 earned run average and 16 strikeouts against one walk in 24 1/3 innings.