Minor-ity ReportTM
Catch This! Backstop Edition vol. 2
By Russell Sandman and Evan Rosen
As promised, the second volume of this series will name two more promising backstops. The first is Hank Conger of the Anaheim Angels’ farm system. The second is Max Ramirez of the Texas Rangers.
- Hyun “Hank” Conger:
Since the departure of Bengie Molina, the Angles have platooned Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis behind the plate. Both are prospects in their own right (Napoli more than Mathis), but neither have shown the consistency to become a mainstay. Enter, Hyun “Hank” Conger. Taken as the 25th overall pick as an 18-year old, Hyun Conger was thought to be the best high school batter in the 2006 amateur draft. Nicknamed “Hank” by his grandfather in honor of Hank Aaron, Conger is already on his way toward justifying the homage.
With no clear winner of the Napoli/Mathis contest, the Angels drafted the 20-year old Conger to provide depth and insurance behind the plate. From a purely statistical standpoint Conger does not yet appear to present a credible threat to outshine Napoli or the potential stars of Catch This! Backstop Edition vol. 1, Jon Still or Taylor Teagarden. But with time to mature, this switch-hitting, sweet-slugging catcher that swipes the occasional base will continue to turn scouts’ heads, and eventually be a solid fantasy option to man the catcher position on your team.
In limited action in 2006, Conger held his own in rookie ball, hitting one homer in 68 at-bats and batting .319/.382/.522 with an OPS of .904. One homer may not have been the auspicious, offensively-charged start Anaheim had pictured, but Conger was a mere 18-years old entering his pro-ball debut. This past season, at age 19, Conger began the year in rookie ball but quickly jumped to the Midwest League (Single A ball) where he hit 11 long-balls, 20 doubles, and drove in 48.runs while swiping 9 bags in only 290 at-bats. Conger’s core stats were also respectable: .290/.336/.472 with a .808 OPS. Given his high double totals in limited at-bats and solid OPS numbers, we project Conger to continue developing power as his body fills out.
Conger’s health will effect how quickly he rises through the Angels’ minor league system. He spent some of 2007 on the shelf with a nagging hamstring injury, but if he can stay healthy, a full season of eye-catching offensive production may result in Conger reaching Double A by the end of 2008. Although we see Conger’s ETA in the majors as 2010 at the earliest given his age and Anaheim’s present depth behind the plate, Conger does deserve to be closely watched as he tries to continue his development after a successful 2007 campaign. Like all catchers, Conger will have to work on staying healthy, improving his plate discipline, glove work, and game-calling in order to merit a call-up to the parent club by 2010.
- Maximiliano (“Max”) Ramirez
After seeing their depth at the catcher, one may wonder if the Texas Rangers have mistaken the catcher position for the outfield, where you need three starting players instead of one. It certainly seems like the team has cornered the market in catching prospects with Saltalamacchia, Laird, and Taylor Teagarden. Yet, as if that was not enough, the Rangers dealt Kenny Lofton to the Indians in exchange for Max Ramirez. Many scouts opined that the Rangers’ asking price was too steep and predicted that the deal would fall through. Surprisingly, the deal was consummated, and Ramirez became yet another catching prospect in a long line of Texas potential future star backstops.
Merely 22 years old, Ramirez has already completed four seasons in the minors. Improving his game in each of his four seasons, Max Ramirez seems well poised to challenge Saltalamacchia and Teagarden for the coveted “catcher-of-the-future” label.
Scouts first began to notice Ramirez during his 2006 season where he split his time between Single A teams for Atlanta and Cleveland. For the season, he clubbed 13 homers and 22 doubles, while driving in 60 runs in only 363 at-bats. Even more impressive was his plate discipline, evidenced by his 76 walks and giving him an OBP% well above .400.
Building on his 2006 season, Ramirez performed even better in high A ball in 2007. Splitting his time between Cleveland and Texas, Ramirez smacked 16 long-balls, 30 doubles, and drove in 82 runs in only 391 at-bats – good enough for a .922 OPS. Although the competition was stiffer, Ramirez continued to show patience at the plate, walking 84 times and posting a .419 OBP%.
Scouts believe Ramirez will be a solid major league hitter, but note that his defense needs improvement. To be fair, Ramirez has only played catcher for three seasons, after being signed by Atlanta as a third basemen. His defensive development in three years has been impressive: his arm is strong enough to play the position (he threw out 30% of prospective base stealers after being traded to the Rangers) and coaches note that his game calling ability continues to improve. But if Ramirez’s defense lags behind his offensive development, a return to one of the corner positions could speed up his rise to the pros.
We love the fact that Ramirez has improved every year as a pro. With developing power, excellent plate discipline, and improving defensive capabilities, Ramirez should be on everyone’s radar long before his 2010 estimated arrival in the big leagues.
It is axiomatic among fantasy baseball enthusiasts that hard-hitting catchers are among the most valuable and rare of commodities. Knowing what rising minor league talent exists behind the dish will give your team an edge over the competition. We hope that Catch This! Backstop Edition Vols 1 & 2 has given you that competitive edge by identifying several burgeoning backstops on their way to a promotion to the majors, and to potential stardom.
Copyright © 2007 Russell Sandman and Evan Rosen