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Before the 2007 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now, it's time to recap all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent draft class.
Tony Reagins helped build the Angels' farm system into one of baseball's most productive pipelines during his six seasons as director of player development. Now, as the club's general manager, he'll have the opportunity to sit back and watch the seeds he planted reach fruition. While Reagins has turned over player development duties to Abe Flores, that doesn't mean he'll be out of the Minor League mix. Expect him to have significant input into what will remain, at least for the next few years, one of the best farm systems in baseball. Here's a closer look at how some of Reagins' charges performed in 2007. Organizational Players of the Year PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Brandon Wood, 3B/SS: The booming bat that helped Wood make a big splash early in his pro career was still evident in the Pacific Coast League, though his numbers have tailed off as he's moved up the ladder. Still, the 22-year-old banged out 23 homers and drove in 77 runs while hitting a modest .272 for Salt Lake. Wood did knock 29 strikeouts off his total from the previous season, though. He also saw action in 13 games with the Angels, hitting .152 in 33 at-bats.
Nick Adenhart, RHP: The competition got better and Adenhart's numbers dropped a bit from his big season in 2006. He was 10-8 with a 3.65 ERA in 26 starts for Double-A Arkansas this year. Along with having five fewer wins than he had last year between Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga, his strikeout total dropped by 29, his walk total increased by 23 and the opposition hit nearly 50 points higher in only 5 1/3 fewer innings. That said, the 21-year-old remains one of the most polished pitching prospects in the Minors.
POSTSEASON SELECTIONS
Christopher Pettit, OF: Not many people had heard of Pettit before the season began and, honestly, many people may not even be aware of him now, considering he split the season between the Midwest and California leagues. He played exceptionally well in both circuits but wasn't in Cedar Rapids or Rancho Cucamonga long enough to make a bigger splash. Still, Pettit led the entire organization with a .327 average and 95 RBIs to go along with 18 homers. His 30 stolen bases ranked fourth in the system.
Sean O'Sullivan, RHP: The 2005 third-round pick was 10-7 in the Midwest League as a teenager (he turned 20 the last week of the season). He led the organization with a 2.22 ERA (the only sub-3.00 ERA among those who qualified) and was second with 125 strikeouts. He allowed only six homers in 158 1/3 innings and limited opponents to a .227 average. How he fares next year in the California League remains to be seen, but he was the Angels' most consistent Minor League pitcher in 2007, working to a 1.72 ERA over his final 10 starts. Climbed the Ladder
David Herndon, RHP: The thrice-drafted hurler spent his second season in pro ball and made significant strides from his rookie season in Orem. He went 13-8 at Cedar Rapids in the Midwest League, starting 24 of his 25 games and completing two of them. He didn't strike out many (83 in 153 2/3 innings), but he didn't walk many, either (20). Herndon also closed out the season strong, going 5-0 with a 1.69 ERA in his last five starts.
Hainley Statia, SS: In an organization rich with infield talent, the native of Curacao continues to impress. He spent his first full season in the California League and responded by hitting .288 with a career-best 74 RBIs. Before anyone cries Cal League inflation, he hit only three homers. Rather, he simply came through when it counted, batting .354 with runners in scoring position. Statia also finished the season strong, batting .325 over his last 56 games. Despite 23 errors, he rated out as the top fielding shortstop in the league.
Darren O'Day, RHP: The University of Florida product split the season between Rancho Cucamonga and Arkansas and was strong at both stops. He finished 7-4 with an organization-best 21 saves and held opponents to a .195 average. He went on to post a 2.38 ERA and two saves over 11 1/3 innings in the Arizona Fall League. O'Day has some size (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) but isn't overwhelming, striking out 48 over 53 1/3 innings during the regular season. Kept Their Footing Brandon Wood, 3B/SS: The former first-rounder had a solid season at Triple-A and made his Major League debut. What's wrong with that? Nothing. Will he ever be the 43-homer monster he was in the Cal League a few years back? That's hard to say. But if he remains a mid- to high-20s guy in homers and drives in 90 runs as a full-time shortstop, he could be an All-Star for many years in the American League.
Hank Conger, C: The switch-hitting backstop and 2006 first-round pick had a solid season at Cedar Rapids, batting .290 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs. He missed time with a pair of stints on the disabled list for back and hamstring problems, but the 19-year-old did enough to hold his spot in the pecking order. Conger will need to remain healthy in '08 to hold onto that place, however. He committed eight errors behind the plate and threw out 21 percent (21-of-99) of runners attempting to steal.
Terry Evans, OF: The former Cardinals farmhand spent his first full season in the Angels system and didn't disappoint, hitting .316 (second only to Pettit among full-season players) with 15 homers and 75 RBIs for Salt Lake. He also got 11 at-bats with the Angels and should vie for a spot on the Major League roster next spring.
Nick Green, RHP: Green's second season as a full-time starter was a good one at Double-A Arkansas. He went 10-8 with a 3.68 ERA, limiting opponents to a .243 average. He reached 30 Minor League wins, was named a Texas League All-Star, earned Pitcher of the Week honors twice and dropped his career ERA from 4.04 to 3.92. Slipped a Rung Young-Il Jung, RHP: There was a moderate amount of fanfare surrounding Jung when he signed out of a Korean high school in 2006, especially since the deal made him a millionaire. But he appeared in only three games, looking unimpressive in nine innings of work at Orem before elbow problems shelved him in early July. He didn't turn 19 until last month, so there's no need to panic. But based on the expectations and the hype, this was a year where Jung found himself in a hole, not climbing the ladder. Tommy Mendoza, RHP: Injury issues also played a role in Mendoza slipping a notch this season. He spent the first part of the year rehabbing a shoulder injury in extended Spring Training and when he got to Cedar Rapids he was not as effective as he was in '06. Overall, he went 3-4 with a 4.45 ERA in 13 games, including 11 starts and one relief appearance in the Arizona League. Opponents hit .303 against him -- lefties batted .317 -- but like Jung, there's plenty of time for a turnaround. P.J. Phillips, SS: Phillips had a nice debut in 2005 in the Arizona League but took a step back last season in the Pioneer League. The Angels decided to up the ante this year and put the former second-rounder on a full-season team, but he was underwhelming in Cedar Rapids for the most part. Phillips hit .245 with 13 homers and 37 RBIs in 2007. His on-base percentage has dropped steadily every year, falling to .283 this season. His strikeout-to-walk ratio was 154-to-15 as he fanned once every 2.8 at-bats. On the Radar
Tim Schoeninger, RHP: A 23rd-round pick in the 2006 draft, Schoeninger won an organization-best 15 games this season and would have been chosen as the club's Pitcher of the Year by MiLB.com had his numbers not gotten so inflated after a promotion to Rancho Cucamonga. He was 9-3 with a 3.36 ERA and two complete games at Cedar Rapids, earning the bump up. Though he went 6-3 in the Cal League, his ERA in 12 starts was 6.64 and he allowed 16 home runs over 62 1/3 innings. He also walked 22 and allowed opponents to hit .326. However, the fact that he's 21-8 as a pro puts him firmly on the radar.
Brad Coon, OF: Coon topped the organization with 56 steals, giving him 104 in two full seasons. He split the year between Rancho Cucamonga and Arkansas and had better numbers during his time in the Texas League, hitting .301 in 226 at-bats. His .372 OBP at Arkansas is also worth noting. 2007 Draft Recap 1. Jonathan Bachanov, RHP: The 6-foot-5 Florida prep star signed in mid-July and spent the rest of the summer getting in shape while acquainting himself with the Angels' staff and system. 2. Matt Harvey, RHP: The Connecticut prep, with Scott Boras in tow as his advisor, didn't sign with the Angels and instead will head to the University of North Carolina to pitch in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
3. Trevor Pippin, OF: The Pioneer League was not kind to Pippin, who struggled with Orem. He hit .188 in 138 at-bats, driving in 16 runs and striking out 51 times. He finished the season in a 1-for-17 slide. Others of note: SS Andrew Romine (fifth round, Arizona State) fared well at Orem, hitting .286 with five homers and 35 RBIs. He also stole 12 bases and had 17 extra-base hits. ... RHP Mason Tobin (16th round, Everett Community College, Wash.) also acquitted himself well in the Arizona and Pioneer leagues, combining to go 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA in 14 games (13 starts). He struck out 55 and limited opponents to a .204 average. ... RHP Milan Dinga (10th round, Army) pitched 6 2/3 innings at Orem, struck out six and allowed one earned run over four games. ... LHP Trevor Reckling (eighth round, St. Benedict's Prep, N.J.) was 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA and two saves in nine Arizona League games (five starts). ... RHP Baron Short (seventh round, Southern) was 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in 9 1/3 Arizona League innings. ... RHP Ryan Brasier (sixth round, Weatherford Junior College, Texas) was 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA and nine saves in 30 1/3 innings at Orem. He struck out 26, walked seven and limited opponents to a .212 average. Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. |
