u/8va

Hello all!

#ACL Angels

Previous players: N/A

The ACL season has started, and a handful of players are off to nice starts.

SS/3B Joswa Lugo (19, #6 ranked prospect) is off to a great start with a 1.059 OPS in his first 11 games. He had a so/so season in Rookie ball last year with a .747 OPS - he got on base at a .375 clip, but was hampered by an inability to consistently access his 55-grade raw power. If he can continue to slug, expect to see him in Low-A towards the end of the year.

1B Anthony Santa Cruz de Oviedo (19, unranked) has flown under the radar so far. He had a nice season in the DSL last year with 42 RBI in 52 games, good for an .824 OPS. He's currently sitting at a .984 OPS in Rookie ball so far - great value on a $200,000 signing. He's also only 180 pounds on a 6 foot 3 frame, so expect him to bulk up and add some power over time.

LHP Johnny Slawinski (19, #3 prospect) has looked great in his first 3 professional games, racking up 16 strikeouts to 0 walks in 12 innings pitched, good for a 2.25 ERA. His tools are above-average all around, giving him a high potential floor with the potential to be a future #2 pitcher.

#Low-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Previous players: OF Lucas Ramirez, 2B Anyelo Marquez, & RHP Trey Gregory-Alford

2B Anyelo Marquez (20, unranked) has come down to earth somewhat over the last couple of weeks, but is still looking like a clearly improved player compared to last year. His batting average, OBP, and SLG are all significantly improved - if he can cut down on the strikeouts, he'll develop into a very dangerous hitter.

RHP Trey Gregory Alford (20, #9 ranked prospect) - what can I say? He's got the stuff. TGA is rocking a 2.25 ERA across 34.1 IP, with an impressive 3.71 K/BB ratio. He may stay in Low-A a bit longer to hone his secondary pitches, but a promotion for him seems inevitable.

RHP Dylan Jordan (21, #10 ranked prospect) - hasn't had quite a smooth start to the season as TGA, but he's been slowly improving as the season continues and as he refines his secondary pitches. Expect him to continue to improve as the season progresses - I imagine he'll be about half a year behind TGA.

#High-A Tri-City Dust Devils

Previous players: OF Randy de Jesus, C Juan Flores, RHP Tyler Bremner, and RHP Yeferson Vargas

3B Jake Munroe (22, unranked) continues to impress - he's currenly maintaining an .892 OPS and walking more than he strikes out. The average is a little low (.243), but the pop and ability to get on base is clearly there. Munroe has been a pleasant surprise for a fourth-round pick.

C Juan Flores (20, #20 ranked prospect) is continuing to hit well - his defensive prowess has never been in question, but if he can be this consistent with his bat (his .811 OPS is by far the highest of his career), he'll rise quickly through the system.

RHP Tyler Bremner (22, #1 ranked prospect) - regardless of what anyone thinks about him, Bremner is dicing up High-A. He's still carrying just a 1.50 ERA, but has only thrown 18 innings. If he's still this sharp after throwing 40-50, I imagine he'll get pulled up to the Trash Pandas for the second half.

RHP Nate Snead (22, #19 prospect) recently threw a terrific game, going 6 innings and allowing just one run. Most think he profiles better as a reliever, but expect him to stick as a starter if he can refine his breaking pitches and replicate his most recent performance. His composure, along with his 3.38, gives us plenty to be excited about.

#AA Rocket City Trash Pandas

Previous players: RHP Najer Victor, LHP Leonard Garcia

OF Raudi Rodriguez (23, #15 prospect) has rebounded hard after a very slow start to the season. He leads the team in RBI with a .919 OPS and is aggressively stealing bases, with 16 bags secured so far this season. Swing and miss in the zone is still an issue, but if he maintains his performance, I could see him getting a cup of coffee in the bigs towards the end of the season.

#AAA Salt Lake Bees

Previous players: 2B/3B Christian Moore, OF Denzer Guzman, OF Nelson Rada

2B/3B Christian Moore (24, graduated prospect) has slowly continued to heat up in the early season, raising his low batting average to a more respectable .247. Consistent contact will be key to his success, and it's good to see him improve in the early going.

SS Denzer Guzman (22, #7 prospect) keeps heating up, and is making a case for himself to play on the big-league club. His OPS is identical to Moore's (.886), but is a better defender and more consistent hitter with a .309 batting average over almost twice as many plate appearances. I expect to see him back in Anaheim at the end of the year.

Hello all!

I'm hoping to make one of these posts every two weeks as we move through the season.

#Low-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes

Previous players: OF Lucas Ramirez & RHP Trey Gregory-Alford

OF Lucas Ramirez (20, unranked) has continued his hot start to the season with a 1.007 OPS across 76 at-bats in 19 games for the Quakes. He strikes out a lot (23 K to 6 BB), but is consistently rewarded when he makes contact in the zone. His .368 BA is going to regress, but he will almost certainly make the Angels' Top 30 if he continues to perform this well.

2B Anyelo Marquez (21, unranked) had an unremarkable season in Rookie Ball last year, but has stormed out of the gates in Low-A this year. His 1.040 OPS across 22 games is buoyed by a tremendous .635 SLG, which is almost as high as his OPS in the ACL last season. Expect him to join Lucas Ramirez in the Top 30 if he remains consistent.

RHP Trey Gregory Alford (19, #9 ranked prospect) continues to bully the opposition in Low-A, with a 2.08 ERA and 1.02 WHIP across 4 starts and 17.1 innings pitched. He looked great last year between Rookie Ball and Low-A, and continues to look dominant at this level. Expect a promotion to High-A later in the season.

#High-A Tri-City Dust Devils

Previous players: 3B Jake Munroe, RHP Tyler Bremner, and RHP Chase Shores

OF Randy de Jesus (21, #29 ranked prospect) - don't mess with the Jesus! Randy is carrying a .864 OPS in High-A so far. His BA is low (.238), but he draws a decent amount of walks and has shown some good pop. This is a big dude, and he has a lot of power to grow into.

C Juan Flores (20, #20 ranked prospect) has always profiled as a plus defensive catcher, with low expectations for his performance at the plate. He's been surprising so far, however: his OPS is currently sitting at .845. Flores is accessing his power with much more ease this season, giving him some power upside.

RHP Tyler Bremner (22, #1 ranked prospect) has continued to impress, boasting a 13.50 K/9 ratio and a 1.08 ERA across his first four starts of the season. I don't expect him to stay in High-A very long - expect to see him on the Trash Pandas by the end of the first half.

RHP Yeferson Vargas (22, unranked) has seen his ERA rise to 3.13, but has cemented himself as the Chad Innings-Eater of the Dust Devils. He definitely relies heavily on contact to make most of his outs, but it has been a successful strategy for him (he has a 3.52 K/9, but actually has a lower H/9 than Bremner does).

#AA Rocket City Trash Pandas

Previous players: N/A

The Trash Pandas have continued to look relatively bleak (at least until some of the high performers in A-ball get promoted), but there have been a couple of good relief performances so far this season.

LHP Najer Victor (25, unranked) came out of the gates hot after the WBC and is currently posting a 14.34 K/9 in over 10 innings of work. Command is an issue, however, and his walk rate (7.59 BB/9) is preventing him from becoming truly elite. If he can dial in the walks, he'll be a formidable bullpen piece.

RHP Leonard Garcia (23, unranked) profiles similarly to Najer Victor - massive strikeout numbers, but his vice is allowing far too many hits. That said, he is still showing clear improvements from his season in High-A last year, so he's trending in the right direction.

#AAA Salt Lake Bees

2B/3B Christian Moore (24, graduated prospect) is continuing to play well, getting on base at an impressive clip. His insane walk rate has cooled down somewhat, but he's still walking more than he strikes out, which is going to be a critical part of his game if he's going to find success in the long-term. The batting average is still low (.219), but he's still finding ways to be a productive player at the plate.

SS Denzer Guzman (22, #7 prospect) hasn't looked super impressive at the plate at first glance (only a .775 OPS to start the season), but he's been the Bees' most prolific RBI guy while maintaining a .286 batting average. Seeing as his raw hit tool has always been seen as his weakness, this is a positive development to keep an eye on - and he's still very young, especially for AAA.

OF Nelson Rada (20, #2 prospect) goes into the same category as Guzman - no eye-popping numbers, but still some positives. Rada is reaching base, with an OBP just south of .400. He continues to hit for average, swipe bags, and play stellar outfield defense. He'll never have much power (the .374 SLG speaks to that), but he'll be an on-base monster if he can reduce his strikeout rate and walk more than he K's.