Stock Up, Stock Down for LA Angels' Top 10 Prospects for Week 3
Not yet through the month of April, it is hard to get a solid reading on an organization's top prospects. Players are still well under 100 at-bats and have yet to throw more than four or five games on the mound. In fact, some of the players awaiting the rookie ball season have yet to take the field at all.
However, based on three weeks of data, we can get an inkling as to how certain players' seasons are progressing.
What follows is a stock watch of how the Los Angeles Angels' top prospects are faring thus far in 2015.
Andrew Heaney, Pitcher
1 of 10
2015 stats: 18.1 IP, 3-0, 4.42 ERA
Many expected and projected that Heaney would begin the year in the Angels' rotation in the major leagues. This wasn't the case, as he was sent down to the minors out of spring training. Despite the March demotion, Heaney remains the organization's top prospect.
And he is off to a fine start on the year. Pitching in Triple-A in the Pacific Coast League, Heaney is 3-0 on the season. Although he has allowed a few too many baserunners, the strikeouts remain high.
Stock: Even
Sean Newcomb, Pitcher
2 of 10
2015 stats: 20.0 IP, 1-0, 1.80 ERA
Newcomb was the Angels' top pick in the 2014 draft out of Hartford. Right now, he is throwing in the Midwest League at the Single-A level and throwing rather well. In four starts, he has allowed a total of four earned runs thus far.
With 10 walks in 20 innings, Newcomb is walking too many guys, but his stuff is great, striking out 28 batters in the process with a .157 batting average against.
Stock: Up
Roberto Baldoquin, Shortstop
3 of 10
2015 stats: 39 AB, .438 OPS
Signed as a Cuban amateur, this is Baldoquin's first taste of baseball in the states. He is currently playing in Single-A in the California League and is off to a very sluggish start.
This isn't anything to be overly concerned about. Baldoquin has only played in 11 games thus far. But at this point, he is batting just .154 with a 13-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. That would be tremendous for a pitcher but is awful for a shortstop at the plate.
He also has yet to steal a bag successfully and has just one extra-base hit.
Stock: Down
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Kyle Kubitza, Third Baseman
4 of 10
2015 stats: 78 AB, 1.019 OPS
Coming over in a trade with the Atlanta Braves, Kubitza finds himself playing for the Salt Lake Bees in the Pacific Coast League. This is his first venture into Triple-A. He never played above Double-A for the Braves organization.
So far, he seems to be handling the upgrade rather well.
In 18 games, Kubitza has already crushed 14 extra-base hits and is slugging .603. Although he only has five walks compared to 20 strikeouts, he has always been an excellent on-base guy in years past. The power numbers to start this season are the pleasant surprise.
Stock: Up
Joe Gatto, Pitcher
5 of 10
2015 stats: N/A
Joe Gatto was Los Angeles' second-round pick in 2014. He played that season in the Arizona League mostly. Rookie Ball seasons don't get underway until the summer. The Pioneer League, where Gatto finished up in 2014 and will likely pitch this year, starts its season in June.
Stock: TBD
Nick Tropeano, Pitcher
6 of 10
2015 stats: 17 IP, 1-0 between Triple-A and MLB
When Matt Shoemaker was put on the bereavement list, Nick Tropeano was called up to the majors and received the start. Shoemaker is expected back for his next start, but Tropeano made the most of his opportunity.
He threw six shutout innings and grabbed his second career ML victory.
Prior to the call-up, Tropeano had thrown 11 innings at Triple-A, not factoring into a decision. The 24-year-old is likely to see a few more chances in the big leagues though with outings like the one he delivered.
Stock: Up
Chris Ellis, Pitcher
7 of 10
2015 stats: 19.2 IP, 0-2, 6.86 ERA
Ellis was the team's third-rounder in 2014 out of Ole Miss. He has moved up to Single-A this season, pitching for the Inland Empire 66ers in the California League. Thus far, it's been a struggle for Ellis to adjust to pro ball.
He got knocked around a lot last year, pitching mostly in relief. This season, solely starting, the result has been the same. Ellis has allowed 15 earned runs already and is getting hit at a .288 clip. His strikeout numbers are good, but he isn't missing enough bats right now.
Stock: Down
Cam Bedrosian, Pitcher
8 of 10
2015 stats: 10 IP, 0-0 between Triple-A and MLB
Cam Bedrosian has found himself pitching out of the pen and shuffling between the minors and majors. He has yet to allow a run to score at either level this season in five total appearances between the Angels and the Bees of the PCL.
As a reliever who can throw multiple innings per outing, Bedrosian supplies a skill that isn't often found in today's game. He is not a long reliever by the standard definition, yet he pitches roughly two innings every time he takes the mound.
With 15 strikeouts compared to just one walk in the early going, he is finding success in the role.
Stock: Up
Alex Yarbrough, Second Baseman
9 of 10
2015 stats: 65 AB, .472 OPS
Another member of the Salt Lake Bees, Alex Yarbrough is playing in his first season at Triple-A. In past seasons at lower levels, he was turning into a good contact hitter. Thus far in Salt Lake, his average hasn't lived up to expectations.
In 17 games, the second baseman is batting .185 with 21 strikeouts. He appears to be just a bit overwhelmed at the plate right now. His slow batting start may also be affecting his defense. Yarbrough, who made 10 errors each of the past two seasons in over 125 games per season, has already committed three in this young season.
Stock: Down
Victor Alcantara, Pitcher
10 of 10
2015 stats: 18 IP, 1-2, 2.50 ERA
Another of the pitching prospects for L.A., Alcantara is pitching in the California League right now. He moved up from the Midwest League, where he pitched solidly though not spectacularly last season. He walked far too many men but has attempted to stunt that trend early this year.
With just five runs allowed on the year, the 1-2 record isn't really indicative of anything at this point. The figure to keep an eye on is the 3.4 K/BB ratio. Last season, it was a poor 1.95, and the year before it was an abysmal 1.37.
Stock: Even
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