The 2015 MLB first-year player draft is over...I think. After 40 rounds, I begin to check out. When it comes to the usefulness of these players selected, we won't know their true values until many years down the road. Even first-round picks rarely make it to the major leagues the following season. This is a process.
That is why the common refrain among analysts and fans is for teams to simply take the best player available regardless of position or need. When said player is ready to play for the big club, whatever block or previous interference was in the way may no longer exist. This is a long process.
After the draft, though, is a great time to re-examine a team's top-prospect list. It isn't easy to slot in the newcomers, but adding a slew of first-time pros changes the dynamic of a team's farm system.
With the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, that farm system was weak to begin with. Picking so late in each round didn't help infuse superior talent, and picking questionable players certainly didn't either. Here is where Los Angeles' top-15 prospects list stands right now:
1. Andrew Heaney, pitcher
Heaney is allowing too many hits in Triple-A, but he is performing pretty well this season and remains atop the team's prospect chart.
2. Sean Newcomb, pitcher
Newcomb is the only guy in the Angels' system who can challenge Heaney for the top spot, but he hasn't looked sharp since moving to the California League in mid-May.
3. Roberto Baldoquin, shortstop
Baldoquin has been sidelined since April with a strained lat muscle and has reportedly had a setback in his recovery. This makes his 2015 impact perhaps nonexistent but does little to affect his long-term outlook.
4. Cam Bedrosian, pitcher
If Bedrosian remains with the big club for much longer, it will be time to take him off this list entirely. Right now, he's pitched 31.2 innings this season, 11.2 in the majors and 20.0 in the minors. Eight of his 10 relief appearances with the Angels have been scoreless outings.
5. Joe Gatto, pitcher
Gatto's season gets underway next week. His ceiling remains high within the organization mostly because we have yet to see anything to dispute that.
6. Kyle Kubitza, third baseman
The Angels just called up Kubitza to the big leagues this week to replace the injured David Freese. After a fast start to his minor league season, Kubitza has been just adequate this past month or so. We'll see what type of impact the call-up has on his emotions and performance.
7. Taylor Ward, catcher
It is hard to figure out where to slot Ward considering the Angels organization was apparently so high on him when seemingly no one else was. Many draft lists ranked the 26th overall selection outside the top 100 prospects. He projects as a solid defender with questionable batting skills. Hopefully Anaheim caught something in his game the rest of us did not.
8. Nick Tropeano, pitcher
Tropeano has hit the disabled list with rotator cuff tendinitis, an injury that may be partially to blame for his most recent performance on the mound. When he returns, it will be interesting to see if he can get his production back up to where he warrants another shot in the majors this season.
9. Chris Ellis, pitcher
With over 62 innings pitched in the California League, Ellis has some positive numbers to point to. He has limited baserunners while striking out over a batter an inning. Last year's third-round pick is ahead of a number of arms with more experience.
10. Jahmai Jones, outfielder
Taking Jones in the second round was not a stretch, especially compared to Los Angeles' first-round selection. Scouts say he has quick hands through the hitting zone with good athleticism. He has spent time at second base in addition to the outfield and may not have a clear-cut defensive position moving forward.
11. Victor Alcantara, pitcher
Alcantara's performance this season remains spotty. While the 54 strikeouts in 56 innings are good, he hasn't had a start without a walk since April.
12. Nate Smith, pitcher
The lefty has OK numbers this season and is developing a sizable lefty-righty split, which isn't ideal for a starting pitcher if both halves aren't acceptable. Lefties this season have batted just .212 against Smith while righties are hitting .249. Last year, the batting-averages against were nearly identical from either side.
13. Alex Yarbrough, second baseman
A 5-for-5 hitting performance the other day doesn't quite overshadow a 62-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio at the plate this season. Yarbrough has also shown very little power.
14. Kyle McGowin, pitcher
McGowin is getting peppered right now on the mound. He isn't a big strikeout guy to begin with, and batters are taking advantage to the tune of a .295 BAA. He only had one start at Double-A before this season, so some growing pains were to be expected.
15. Kaleb Cowart, third baseman
Cowart was moving backward through the minor league systems but may have begun to turn things around. He got sent back down to Single-A for the start of 2015 after playing in Double-A each of the previous two seasons. After a bad April and May, June has been very kind to Cowart. He's risen his batting average nearly 40 points this month alone, and it is only the 11th.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2493542-la-angels-prospects-brs-top-15-breakdown-post-2015-draft
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