Los Angeles Angels Top Middle Infield Prospects for the 2017 season

By Fansided and Vincent Page/FanSided via Halo Hangout
Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:39 p.m. ET

The Los Angeles Angels have spent their fair share of draft picks on the middle infield, as seven of their Top 30 prospects are middle infielders with one catcher.

The Los Angeles Angels will rely on these guys if the injury bug attacks any of the newly acquired infield players.

Top Prospects

Taylor Ward, Catcher, R/R

Nonie Williams, Shortstop, S/R

David Fletcher, SS/2B, R/R

Connor Justus, Shortstop, R/R

Julio Garcia, Shortstop, S/R

Brendon Sanger, Second Base, L/R

Roberto Baldoquin, SS/2B, R/R

Hutton Moyer, Second Base, S/R

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    The catcher of the group is Taylor Ward, the Angels first round pick in 2015. The number three prospect for the Halos, Ward was drafted as a defensive-minded catcher. Ward proved to be much more in his first full season as a pro. He hit .249 with 64 runs and 56 RBI’s. He also walked 48 times to 81 strikeouts. Ward has shown he has a powerful swing, with legit line-drive power. Ward is the prospect to watch for the Angels this season.

    Nonie Williams

    Nonie Williams is a young guy, 18, who was drafted straight out of high school. He is another guy who brings switch-hitting to the table. His right-handed swing may be miles ahead of his left-handed swing, but he’s fairly committed to the idea. Williams is an extremely raw player who will be in the big leagues for at least a few years. However, given how young he is and his ability to play both inside positions. Williams is the kind of player that can change an organization if he can reach his full potential.

    Nov 8, 2016; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Scottsdale Scorpions infielder David Fletcher of the Los Angeles Angels against the Glendale Desert Dogs during an Arizona Fall League game at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

    David Fletcher

    Next up we have David Fletcher. Another guy who can play both middle infield positions, Fletcher has been compared to David Eckstein since the moment he was drafted. Standing at 5’10”, Fletcher plays solid defense with a vacuum for a glove. He has a strong arm as well, most likely keeping him on the left side of the field. Fletcher puts the ball in ball-player, but he has absolutely no power. With decent batting discipline, Fletcher may be a platoon starter in his career, but more than likely projects as a bench guy.

    Sep 14, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; General view of a Rawlings MLB baseball during a MLB game between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

    Connor Justus

    Connor Justus will not make flashy plays. He will, however, get the job done fairly well. He is not an above-average athlete, but he has the instincts to play shortstop throughout his career and has good range thanks to a quick first step. His offensive limits will keep him from being a premier hitter, but he is the kind of player fans will fall in love with as Mr. Ol’ Reliable. Imagine Kole Calhoun as a shortstop, and you have Connor Justus.

    Jul 28, 2016; Anaheim, CA, USA; A general view of the Angel Stadium of Anaheim entrance prior to the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

    Julio Garcia

    Next up is international prospect Julio Garcia. Garcia is an amazing defensive player that can hit from either side of the plate (starting to see a pattern here?). The Angels are bringing him along slowly as a shortstop but may have to move him to third due to his plus arm and lack of prospects at the hot corner. Weighing in at 175 pounds, Garcia needs to add some muscle if he wants to end up producing in the big leagues. The vision and contact are there, but if he could muscle up enough, he could be a real threat for triples on gap hits.

    Brendan Sanger

    Brendan Sanger is a hitter. He has hit well at every level he has played at and has shown the tools needed to be a successful hitter in the big leagues. Sanger does not have great speed or arm strength, so he projects as a second baseman in the big leagues despite playing outfield in the minors. He does not have great power, but has an aggressive approach at the plate, consistently trying to drive the ball into outfield gaps. While there is still hope he can play outfield, Sanger could fit nicely at second, especially with a great defensive shortstop next to him.

    February 26, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Roberto Baldoquin (74) poses for a picture during photo day at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

    Roberto Baldoquin

    Roberto Baldoquin is an international prospect who had Halo fans excited for the future. However, he started off awful in the States. He had a .158 average and was below-average in the field over the first half of the season. However, the Angels are holding out hope after he hit .258 over the second half of the season and finished the final 40 games of the season without an error. Best case scenario, Baldoquin can get his act together and perform well enough to be an everyday shortstop. Worst case, Baldoquin ends up as a career-long utility man.

    Hutton Moyer

    The final prospect is Hutton Moyer. Moyer has shown he has exceptional power, as evidenced by his 17 long balls in 2016. Moyer can be overly aggressive at the plate which results in a low average. However, he made an adjustment to focus on driving the ball instead of swinging for the fences and was able to finish with a .276 average on the season. Moyer can play shortstop, second, and third which could mean a career as an offensive bench player is in store. However, Moyer has all the tools to be a second baseman who is able to hit in the upper part of the order as long as he keeps his average up.