Chronicles of the Lads

WATCH LIST FINAL: HITTERS
Here's the summary of my prospect Watch List for hitters. I've included each player's line at each point I did a Watch List, so you can see how the progressed (or regressed) over the course of the season.

I'll do the pitchers early next week, as the summary takes a lot of space. None of this includes any postseason games, by the way.

Erick Aybar
SS, AA Arkansas

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  535 162   29   10    9   29   51   303  350  445  AA Final
8/15  450 132   24    7    7   23   45   293  338  424
7/27  383 106   22    7    4   19   41   277  325  402
7/11  325  93   18    6    4   17   34   286  338  415
6/16  247  70   13    4    4   13   27   283  342  417
5/24  158  39    9    1    1    9   18   247  315  335
5/04   82  24    6    1    0    2    8   293  341  390
4/19   43  10    3    1    0    3    2   233  292  349

Not only did he end up with solid numbers, Erick ended the season on a high note, notching 30 hits in his last 85 at-bats. Add in good defense and okay baserunning (49 steals against 23 caught stealings), and this is a very nice performance for a 21-year-old in AA. He's all set to make his AAA debut in 2006, and an injury to Orlando Cabrera might spell a call-up next season.

Alberto Callaspo
2B, AA Arkansas and AAA Salt Lake

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  212  67   21    2    1   10   13   316  345  409  AAA Final
8/15  130  36   12    2    0    6    8   277  307  400
7/27   51  11    2    2    0    4    2   216  268  333
      350 104    9    0   10   28   17   297  346  409  AA Final
7/11  333 100    9    0    9   27   16   300  350  408
6/16  252  83    7    0    7   24   13   329  386  440
5/24  172  51    5    0    5   17   10   297  356  413
5/04   97  30    3    0    1   10    6   309  370  371
4/19   45  16    1    0    0    3    2   356  388  378

Callaspo had a solid performance in his second year at AA, but that promotion was more related to making room for Howie Kendrick than it was on strictly merit. He'll start the season in AAA next season, alongside his usual partner in crime, Erick Aybar. He has a good glove, but with Adam Kennedy, Legs Figgins, and Maicer Izturis all available to play second in 2006, it's hard to envision a scenario where he gets more than a cup of coffee next year, even in the case of an injury.

Nick Gorneault
OF, AAA Salt Lake

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  488 143   26   11   26   58  119   293  366  551  AAA Final
8/15  411 116   21   10   19   44  102   282  350  521
7/27  345  99   18    9   18   38   85   287  356  548
7/11  304  88   16    8   15   28   74   289  346  543
6/16  209  64   14    6    9   22   53   306  368  560
5/24  129  40    9    3    6   10   29   310  355  566
5/04   73  23    6    1    1    7   16   315  370  466
4/19   39  11    4    0    0    4    9   282  349  385

Pretty decent year for Gorneault, who was in his second year at AAA. He walked a bit more this season; dunno if that was just teams pitching around him. He's been old for his leagues the whole way, but there's nothing in his record to indicate he shouldn't at least have a shot at being a right-handed bat off the bench. The problem is that he's not going to out-hit or out-defend Juan Rivera, and he can't play center field like Jeff DaVanon. There's only a place for him in the majors in 2006 if there's a significant injury to a corner outfielder.

Howie Kendrick
2B, A Rancho Cucamonga and AA Arkansas

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  190  65   20    2    7    6   20   342  382  579  AA Final
8/15  109  38   12    1    3    3   11   349  368  560 
7/27   41  14    5    0    1    0    4   341  341  537
      279 107   23    6   12   14   42   384  421  638  A Final
7/11  257  95   21    5   11   14   39   370  409  619
6/16  177  66   11    4    9    9   30   373  406  633
5/24  177  66   11    4    9    9   30   373  406  633
5/04  111  46    7    2    8    7   19   414  459  730
4/19   58  23    2    1    4    1   10   397  407  672

I guess he can't hit .370 forever. Kendrick will likely resume his life at AA next season, waiting for Callaspo to get traded or something before he sniffs AAA. With Callaspo and Kendrick lined up, and Figgins available on the major league level, one has to wonder if Adam Kennedy's days as an Angel are numbered, especially if he could fetch a real center fielder (Mike Cameron?).

Warner Madrigal
OF, A Cedar Rapids

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  405 100   21    2   15   22   90   247  288  420  A Final  
8/15  346  84   15    1   12   17   76   243  281  396
7/27  292  68   14    1   12   15   67   233  273  411
7/11  251  57   12    1   11   15   60   227  274  414
6/16  186  41    8    0    9    9   45   220  261  409
5/24  129  28    4    0    6    1   33   217  227  388
5/04   77  17    2    0    4    1   24   221  231  403
4/19   33   6    1    0    1    0   11   182  182  303

There's a lot more here that's good than you think: Madrigal missed practically all of 2004 with an injury, so this is his first year back. He improved steadily in the second half. He cut his strikeouts dramatically as the season wore on. Those are the good things. The bad things are his walk rate, low average, and -- even though he cut them -- he still strikes out too much. The good thing for Warner is that there isn't really a whole gang of knockout outfield prospects blocking him, and he's only 21 years old. He's on queue to go to Rancho next year, but if he doesn't take advantage of the Cal League and impress, he'll be going the way of Norm Hutchins instead of the way of Devon White or Garret Anderson.

Jeff Mathis
C, AAA Salt Lake

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  427 118   26    3   21   42   85   276  340  499  AAA Final
8/15  355 100   23    2   15   34   74   282  343  485
7/27  307  88   21    2   14   32   65   287  354  505
7/11  261  74   19    2   12   27   58   284  351  510
6/16  178  48   13    2    8   19   36   270  340  500
5/24  106  29    8    1    7   11   23   274  342  566
5/04   51  19    7    1    2    5   11   373  421  667
4/19   27  11    6    1    2    5    6   407  500  926

Just like in 2004, Mathis started off hot and gradually cooled down as the season progressed. At least the 2005 fall wasn't anywhere near as dramatic as the year before. Whether or not Mathis starts 2006 in AAA or the AL is one of the big questions in the Angel offseason. He's only 22 this year, so putting him in AAA for another season isn't the end of the world. But Bengie Molina will likely require a long-term contract to stay, and with his health, that's a bad bet. Stoneman should look for a one-year solution via a trade, and just keep Jose around to back up. If Mathis gets the job, Mike Scioscia might be well-served to give him two days off per week, as his constant fades over the course of the season might well be due to fatigue.

Kendry Morales
1B, A Rancho Cucamonga and AA Arkansas

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  281  86   12    0   17   17   43   306  349  530  AA Final
8/15  200  48    8    0   10   13   32   240  290  430
7/27  135  32    5    0    4    8   23   237  280  363
7/11   82  21    5    0    4    5   15   256  299  463
6/16   11   0    0    0    0    1    3   000  083  000
       90  31    3    0    5    6   11   344  400  544  A Final
5/24   13   5    1    0    1    1    2   385  429  692

Kendry finally appeared in the flesh, and after ripping up the Cal League for a few weeks was dispatched to Arkansas. He struggled at first, but caught fire in mid-August, hitting 469/494/778 for the balance of the regular season. Normal Angel hitting prospect caveats apply -- i.e., he doesn't walk all that often -- but with Casey Kotchman finally having forced himself into the big league picture, Kendry should start 2006 in AAA. Who knows if there will be room for him to DH in the majors at any point next year, but if his adjustments this year were for real, he could really make a push for a call-up.

Mike Napoli
C, AA Arkansas

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  439 104   22    2   31   88  140   237  372  508  AA Final
8/15  364  84   18    1   25   77  114   231  370  492
7/27  315  76   18    1   19   67   99   241  380  486
7/11  262  69   17    1   16   59   85   263  404  519
6/16  206  61   16    1   11   44   64   296  427  544
5/24  135  37   11    0    4   30   44   274  414  444
5/04   70  20    8    0    1   20   21   286  452  443
4/19   32   9    5    0    1    9   11   281  442  531

From mid-June through mid-August, Napoli went into the mother of all slumps, getting only 23 hits in 158 at-bats. That's a .146 average, and no matter how many walks you draw (33 in that period) or home runs you hit (14), it's tough to really produce when you get a hit less frequently than Steve Finley. And though the walks are nice, the strikeouts are scary, making it look like Napoli will get carved up at higher levels. But he did straighten himself out near the end of the season, halting his precipitous fall. I would guess that his 2006 assignment depends on where Jeff Mathis ends up.

Sean Rodriguez
SS, A Cedar Rapids

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  448 112   29    3   14   78   85   250  371  422  A Final
8/15  372  93   22    3   10   65   69   250  371  406
7/27  310  81   20    3    6   57   58   261  388  403
7/11  268  71   17    3    5   48   48   265  389  407
6/16  213  57   13    3    3   42   35   268  402  399
5/24  150  38    9    2    2   26   22   253  381  380
5/04   86  19    4    1    1   11   14   221  316  326
4/19   36   9    1    0    1    5    6   250  341  361

S-Rod started the season a hair behind Brandon Wood, but after Wood's explosion, he's way back in line. The good news is that his numbers in Cedar Rapids resemble Wood's at that level, and that Rodriguez has terrific plate discipline. He also amped up the power near the end of the season. He'll go to Rancho in 2006 and work to stay in the crowded middle infield picture.

Drew Toussaint
2B/OF, A Cedar Rapids

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/06  391 102   25    3   21   45  125   261  345  501  A Final
8/15  338  89   23    2   17   40  108   263  346  494
7/27  281  79   20    2   16   31   86   281  356  537
7/11  233  67   17    2   12   28   71   288  368  532  
6/16  155  44   13    1    7   21   46   284  376  516
5/24   84  23    7    0    1   16   27   274  404  393
5/04   37  12    4    0    0    5   11   324  409  432

Drew was the bee's knees through July, but slumped to finish off his first full pro season. He turns 23 in October, so as he goes to Rancho next season, we might fear that he gets stuck on the Nick Gorneault College Slugger Career Path. But he played most of this season in left, and there's not a lot of interference in the organzation above him if he can turn it on. He draws a decent amount of walks, and strikes out a bit more than you'd like to see, which may hurt him, but he has demonstrated a capability to put up some good power numbers as well.

Mark Trumbo
1B, R Orem

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/09  299  82   23    1   10   21   67   274  322  458 
8/15  209  57   20    0    4   15   51   273  320  426
7/27  142  39   15    0    3    7   38   275  307  444
7/11   78  23   10    0    2    5   22   295  337  500

Trumbo is clearly a raw talent, but the good thing is that his plate discipline and power both improved as his season wore on. All in all, not a bad start to his professional career.

Reggie Willits
OF, AA Arkansas

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/06  487 148   23    6    2   54   78   304  377  388  AA Final
8/15  410 122   19    4    2   49   63   298  372  378
7/27  343 102   16    4    0   43   52   297  376  367
7/11  285  88   16    4    0   39   38   309  390  393
6/16  209  66   11    4    0   28   28   316  391  407
5/24  169  56   10    4    0   23   23   331  408  438
5/04   99  38    9    3    0   12   12   384  451  535

The only real center field prospect in the organization to speak of (pending the development of Warner Madrigal), and he's not really all that thrilling. He can draw the occasional walk and steal some bases (40 for 54 this season), but his statistical profile reminds me of David Eckstein: a little guy with no power who draws walks in the minors, but will not so much in the majors as pitchers have no fear of challenging him when down in the count. He's already 24, so how he plays in AAA next year will go a long way toward determining whether or not he ends up a fourth outfielder or a AAAA lifer.

Brandon Wood
SS, A Rancho Cucamonga and AAA Salt Lake

When   AB   H   2B   3B   HR   BB   SO   AVG  OBP  SLG
9/06   19   6    2    1    0    0    6   316  316  526  AAA Final
      536 172   51    4   43   48  128   321  383  672  A Final
8/15  464 145   41    4   35   42  112   313  377  644
7/27  391 126   35    3   34   36   83   322  386  688
7/11  338 100   28    3   28   30   74   296  357  645
6/16  261  82   23    2   21   20   59   314  365  659
5/24  171  52   11    2   15   11   43   304  342  655
5/04  106  35    5    2   10    7   27   330  368  698
4/19   51  15    0    0    5    6   12   294  368  588

Wood was, by far, the most improved prospect in the Angel system in 2005. He came in fairly well behind Aybar and just ahead of Sean Rodriguez on the organizational depth chart, and has blown by everybody, and is possibly the best prospect the Angels have today. The only concern in his line are the walks and strikeouts, but Wood took advantage of the hitting-happy Cal League to post huge power numbers and break the single-season Angel minor league home run record. The jump to AA next year will be big, but his cup of coffee at Salt Lake gave him a taste of advanced competition. If he lights up AA like he did A, Erick Aybar's gonna feel some fire below his behind.