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Brandon Wood is a shortstop/third basemen in the Los Angeles Angels minor league system. He emerged as a top prospect when he hit .321 with 43 HR, 115 RBI, .383 OBP, .672 SLG, and 1.055 OPS as a 20 year old in Single-A ball in 2005. He has yet to duplicate those same numbers since then but he still has been mashing the ball consistently. Wood is now 23 years old currently playing in Triple-A and has been on of the hottest prospects in the minors lately.
Here are Brandon Wood's stats for this season: .293/25 HR/61 RBI/.36 OBP/.606 SLG/.966 OPS
Wood has impressive power and that is not in question, however much like Travis Snider, there are questions about him because he strikes out way too much. To Wood's credit, his strikeout rate(K%) is actually down this season compared to the previous two seasons. Wood has been up with the Angels a few times the last couple years but has yet to stick in the majors.
You can check out the rest of Brandon Wood's stats player pages at First Inning and Baseball Reference.
Here is where Brandon Wood is ranked by various publications among minor league prospects:
Ranking in ScoutingBook (8/2/2008): #18
Ranking in Baseball America 2008: #16
Ranking in Baseball Prospectus: #38
Ranking in MiLB.com Season Preview: #19
Ranking from the Sporting News: #18
Ranking from ESPN: #34
Here is everything you need to know about Brandon Wood:
Wood crushed a trio of 420-foot home runs last weekend at Fresno to kick off the week in style. But he didn't stop there. He also homered in Salt Lake on both Wednesday and Thursday, and collected four multi-hit games on the week. As we know, Wood's game is all about power, and as his slugging percentage has climbed this month (.758), so has his strikeout rate (29 percent of at-bats). This has been true throughout his career, but for a guy who can fit at shortstop or third base, the sort of outburst Wood displayed this week could make him attractive to other teams as the trade deadline approaches. With nearly two full seasons of Triple-A experience, Wood has had ample time (732 at-bats) to show what kind of player he can be. In that time he's batted .275/.340/.518 with 42 home runs (one every 17.4 at-bats) and 71 walks and 200 strikeouts (.35-to-1 ratio). (Baseball America)
Wood's hot streak officially has reached ridiculous proportions. He's the first player this season to repeat as king of Prospect Hot Sheet, and the righthanded slugger has clubbed 10 home runs in his past 15 games—and 11 total in 107 July at-bats. Going back two weeks, Wood has hit an unconscious .446/.492/1.036 (25-for-56) with 10 homers, three doubles, 17 RBIs, 20 runs, five walks and 16 strikeouts.If you were rooting for Wood to be traded this trading deadline to a team willing to give him an extended big league look, you weren't the only one. If he keeps hitting like this, the Angels will have to get creative this offseason. (Baseball America)
We all remember the huge power and the awesome numbers Brandon Wood put up in 2005 at Single-A Rancho Cucamanga where he hit 43 HRs, 51 doubles, and sported an ISO-power of .351. However, we haven't seen numbers close to that output since. As Wood has climbed the minor league ladder, some red flags have shown themselves. The biggest red flag is Wood's propencity to strike out. His K% in 2005 wasn't all that high at 21.5%, but that number jumped all the way up to 28.5% in AA, and though he improved in 2007, his K% was still 24.6%. By striking out as much as he does, Wood puts a cap on his batting average and in the process puts a cap on his OBP since Wood doesn't walk enough to make up for a sub-par batting average. His MLE (Major League Equivalency) for batting average is around .230. If Wood hits .230, his OBP still comes out in the .280 - .310 range. If you bump his average up to .250, his OBP becomes more respectable. If he is able to hit .270, Wood will have a great deal of value because his OBP will be at a more than acceptable level. One reason for the high K% is the problems he has with pitch recognition, which is one of the more difficult things to improve upon, though it is doable. Wood has shown a split against LHP and RHP, but his numbers against RHP have been good enough to play everyday against them. However, last year was the first season where his numbers against RHP looked somewhat sketchy; he hit .255 with a . 775 OPS and struck out in 26.4% of his ABs. Were there any warning signs in Wood's swing back in 2005? Not particularly, but for a power hitter he has always made contact a little too far out in front where ideally he should be letting the ball travel deeper into his hitting zone. By letting the ball travel deeper, he gives himself more time to decide whether to take the pitch or swing. On the plus side, Wood has always generated excellent bat speed. His load is a bit long, but is a major factor in the power he generates. Wood has an aggressive turn through the ball that brings his arms around with it. His swing plane is tailored to generate plenty of hard hit fly balls. So far we've talked about what Wood does not do well. However, what Wood does do well is hit for power. In fact, his power is pretty close to plus-plus. The .351 ISO Wood put up in 2005 likely set unrealistic expectations for Wood going forward, but the .276 and .225 ISO-powers put up by Wood the past two years are nothing to sneeze at. The big question is what position Wood plays at the major league level. Most scouting reports I've seen indicate Wood is a good fielder at shortstop. However, it is not certain Wood will be playing at SS for the Angels. If Wood is able to stay at SS, his value greatly increases as there would be much less pressure on his bat to carry him at the big league level. Wood is noted for his strong work ethic and is also known to be a good athlete, which will help him as he continues to tweak his swing. Nevertheless, whether he can develop better pitch recognition is easily the biggest question mark Wood faces. When you have a new player that strikes out a lot and has problems with pitch recognition, there is a tendency for things to snowball on that player when they start slumping. The reasons include a tendency to press, deciding to swing at a pitch before it is thrown, not feeling confident hitting with two strikes, and the list goes on. If Wood is able to maintain his confidence and not worry about striking out, he should be fine. Wood will probably not reach the expectations laid out for him after his 2005 season, but there are much worse things to have on your roster than a good fielding, low average, high power SS. His bat should play at any position, but his value dramatically increases by staying at SS. (Baseball Intellect)
After Sunday’s victory in Chicago, the Angels boarded a plane for Kansas City. Top prospect Brandon Wood, on the other hand, will be heading to Portland to rejoin the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.After a four-day taste of the major-league life, Wood was optioned back to Triple-A in order to create a roster spot for Chone Figgins. Figgins is completing his minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment in Triple-A this afternoon and will join the Angels in Kansas City.“It was great to be able to see how the team handles things outside of spring training, the intensity and how guys .. handle themselves in the spotlight of the major leagues,” Wood said. “It was a great opportunity for me.”Wood went 1 for 8 in his two starts, struck out four times but got his first major-league hit Sunday — a single in the ninth inning off one of his predecessors as an Angels phenom, Bobby Jenks.“Getting that first hit, I won’t have that on my shoulders when I get back,” Wood said.And, yes, he said “when” not “if.” His Angels teammates obviously expect him back some day soon as well. Wood said veteran Garret Anderson came over after the game and gave him some advice about what to work on in his swing. Howie Kendrick talked to Wood about his experience last season when he was also sent down after a brief taste of the major leagues.“Once a kid comes up and gets his feet on the baseball diamond and realizes that it’s the same game — maybe there are more people in the stands — but the competition is real, it’s there and you can measure it, that experience is extremely valuable,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Obviously he didn’t light it up but just seeing the competition and realizing, ‘You know what? My talent will play up here’ — that’s the confidence that he’ll take with him.” (Angels Blog)
As expected, the ever-patient Angels left their baby slugger smoldering at AAA for almost all of 2007. He strikes out a bit too much, still, but when he connects it's worth your ticket price. His size and strength might encourage a move to a new position, but as long as the Angels get adequate defense from him, they'll be happy. With batting champ Howie Kendrick locked in at second base, his likely destination is third base or left field, should veterans Chone Figgins or Gary Matthews Jr. factor out of the LA plans in the future. Independent of openings, he'll get a long look in 2008, but with the logjam of bats in the Angels lineup, it's hard to say whether he'll have a chance to stick unless trades or injuries clear a path for him. (Scouting Book)
Brandon Wood hasn't yet hit or made his mark on the Major League stage with the Angels, but he has been exposed to big-time pressures and conditions -- with a highly favorable response. When Wood powered a game-winning, two-run, eighth-inning homer on Friday against the Rangers in Surprise, it wasn't the first time that had happened. An identical stroke highlighted his performance in 2006 for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Cuba. Along with another of the Angels' premium young talents, Nick Adenhart, Wood helped drive the Americans to an Olympic berth and a dramatic 7-5 victory over host Cuba in the finale, giving Team USA the tournament title. It was Wood's two-run homer in the eighth that delivered the decisive runs, quieting a Cuban throng that had been so loud, Brandon recalled, "you couldn't hear yourself breathe." He could, however, feel the impact of bat on ball and the rush of circling the bases at what, at the time, was the biggest moment of his evolving career. "That was Cuba's A team, its best players," said Adenhart, who went 4 2/3 innings in his appearance against Brazil, a winning effort. "I had never been in any kind of environment like that, with the emotion of those crowds. It was amazing, really. "Brandon kind of struggled at first, but he was a staple defensively with the team. And that home run he hit was big; that was for first place, and it came against one of Cuba's most famous pitchers. "I love Brandon's game, the way he plays. He's a great teammate. He can hit, and he's very solid defensively. He showed that in the tournament, making all the plays." For Wood, this was a rite of passage, a proving ground. When you deliver in circumstances such as these, it's something that stays with you, carries you through rough times. "To beat Cuba on its turf with 45,000 people screaming and yelling," Wood said, "that was a great feeling. "We'd already qualified [for the Olympics] as one of the top two teams when we played that final game. I hit a couple of home runs [in the tournament], but that two-run homer I hit in the eighth inning to make it 7-5 was something I'll remember. "That was a great feeling as far as doing something for your team and your country." Equally memorable moments would arrive months later when Wood, in an Angels uniform, lined his first Major League hit in Chicago on April 29 against closer Bobby Jenks and homered in Baltimore on Sept. 12 against Danys Baez. "It's hard to beat the thrill of your first big league game, hit, home run," Wood said. Having added about 15 pounds of upper-body muscle in the offseason, reaching 215, Wood is third on the depth chart at shortstop and third base. He wisely resists focusing on his chances of making the 25-man roster, aware of the likelihood of opening the season back at Triple-A Salt Lake. Even though his mission is to reach Anaheim, "you can't let it affect your play. I think my chances are a little better this spring, but you can't dwell on it too much. My goals are to play well and make the decision as tough as possible on them." Third base, a position he learned to play last spring, was his avenue to the Majors in 2007, when Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis were down with injuries. The first of Wood's five stints in Anaheim came on April 26, and he was back in each month except June. Wood finished with a .152 average, his 33 at-bats coming so intermittently there was no way he could find anything close to a comfort zone. The challenge for Wood, as with all young hitters, is to gain a confident approach and manage anxiety while honing in on pitch recognition and pitch selection. For young power hitters -- Mike Schmidt is the name that always leaps to mind -- it can be a painstaking process. Contact hitters with more compact swings, such as Howie Kendrick, Wood's teammate in several Minor League stops, tend to negotiate the turf more quickly. "Howie can wake up and hit in the middle of November," Wood said. "For me, it's going to take Spring Training to fine-tune some things. I'm not as quiet with my hands as Howie. It's learning your swing." Wood, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on Sunday, remains the club's No. 1 prospect, followed closely by Adenhart. But Wood's 583 strikeouts in 549 Minor League games have raised a few eyebrows. Manager Mike Scioscia looks at Wood's .350 on-base percentage in relation to his .282 batting average as an indicator that he's seeing the ball and drawing enough walks to supplement his .520 slugging percentage across five Minor League seasons. Scioscia was impressed with the way Wood handled himself against the Rangers, "just missing" a pitch that traveled 395 feet to the warning track for an out before he unloaded against ex-Angels farmhand Warner Madrigal on an 0-1 fastball for the game-winner. "Strikeouts are not necessarily an issue if they're offset with power and a certain amount of walks that make a player more effective," Scioscia said. "Obviously, the power numbers are there, and the walks have increased a little more. "Pitch recognition is an issue for any young player. You have to get in your zone, understand what pitchers are trying to do to get you out. Brandon's got a chance to be an effective player. He's making a lot of strides." Wood can cite Cuba as a major port in the journey. (MLB.com)
One could easily argue that Brandon Wood deserves the #1 spot, and if their was a way to share the spot, I'd do it, but no knock on Brandon who would be No. 1 on most other teams' prospect lists. It's really just a testament of how well Tony Reagins, Eddie Bane & Co. have done with drafting and developing as a collective group. One has to wonder what totals Wood would have if he didn't get recalled 3 times to the parent club in '07, seeing just 21 sporadic at bats before September. Brandon is a legitimate power hitter that can hit the ball out of any ball park and to all fields, though he did have trouble going the other way, pulling off the ball on the outer half. His extra-bases were down in '07 after leading the minors in two straight seasons, failing also to post a .500 slugging pct. in what is an extreme hitter's league & park in Salt Lake. Wood needs to improve his discipline at the plate as opposing pitchers took advantage of his over-aggressiveness which had him fanning once every 3.6 at bats. Though he did match his breakout season in '05 in his walk-strikeout ratio (.38). Wood was shifted to third-base at the start of the season and he made a seamless transition. Wood has a strong arm, soft hands and has slightly above average range. Though he profiles well at the hot corner, their is no doubt he could be a solid shortstop in the big leagues defensively. Would has some speed, though just a tick above average, but enough to steal 15-25 bases annually down the road. With the recent backlog of outfielders, infielders and Figgins' anchored at the hot corner, one has to wonder just what is in store for Brandon Wood in the near and long term future. If I was a betting man I'd say he's going to give Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis a run for their money in Spring Training for the SS gig. If he doesn't win that outright a move back to Salt Lake for a half a season to improve his overall skills at the plate wouldn't hurt and is what most likely will happen, forcing the Angels to sort it all out and find a permanent spot for Wood long term. MLB Comparison: Troy Glaus, Cal Ripken (Angels Win Blog)
More: Minor League Prospect Watch
Here are Brandon Wood's stats for this season: .293/25 HR/61 RBI/.36 OBP/.606 SLG/.966 OPS
Wood has impressive power and that is not in question, however much like Travis Snider, there are questions about him because he strikes out way too much. To Wood's credit, his strikeout rate(K%) is actually down this season compared to the previous two seasons. Wood has been up with the Angels a few times the last couple years but has yet to stick in the majors.
You can check out the rest of Brandon Wood's stats player pages at First Inning and Baseball Reference.
Here is where Brandon Wood is ranked by various publications among minor league prospects:
Ranking in ScoutingBook (8/2/2008): #18
Ranking in Baseball America 2008: #16
Ranking in Baseball Prospectus: #38
Ranking in MiLB.com Season Preview: #19
Ranking from the Sporting News: #18
Ranking from ESPN: #34
Here is everything you need to know about Brandon Wood:
Wood crushed a trio of 420-foot home runs last weekend at Fresno to kick off the week in style. But he didn't stop there. He also homered in Salt Lake on both Wednesday and Thursday, and collected four multi-hit games on the week. As we know, Wood's game is all about power, and as his slugging percentage has climbed this month (.758), so has his strikeout rate (29 percent of at-bats). This has been true throughout his career, but for a guy who can fit at shortstop or third base, the sort of outburst Wood displayed this week could make him attractive to other teams as the trade deadline approaches. With nearly two full seasons of Triple-A experience, Wood has had ample time (732 at-bats) to show what kind of player he can be. In that time he's batted .275/.340/.518 with 42 home runs (one every 17.4 at-bats) and 71 walks and 200 strikeouts (.35-to-1 ratio). (Baseball America)
Wood's hot streak officially has reached ridiculous proportions. He's the first player this season to repeat as king of Prospect Hot Sheet, and the righthanded slugger has clubbed 10 home runs in his past 15 games—and 11 total in 107 July at-bats. Going back two weeks, Wood has hit an unconscious .446/.492/1.036 (25-for-56) with 10 homers, three doubles, 17 RBIs, 20 runs, five walks and 16 strikeouts.If you were rooting for Wood to be traded this trading deadline to a team willing to give him an extended big league look, you weren't the only one. If he keeps hitting like this, the Angels will have to get creative this offseason. (Baseball America)
We all remember the huge power and the awesome numbers Brandon Wood put up in 2005 at Single-A Rancho Cucamanga where he hit 43 HRs, 51 doubles, and sported an ISO-power of .351. However, we haven't seen numbers close to that output since. As Wood has climbed the minor league ladder, some red flags have shown themselves. The biggest red flag is Wood's propencity to strike out. His K% in 2005 wasn't all that high at 21.5%, but that number jumped all the way up to 28.5% in AA, and though he improved in 2007, his K% was still 24.6%. By striking out as much as he does, Wood puts a cap on his batting average and in the process puts a cap on his OBP since Wood doesn't walk enough to make up for a sub-par batting average. His MLE (Major League Equivalency) for batting average is around .230. If Wood hits .230, his OBP still comes out in the .280 - .310 range. If you bump his average up to .250, his OBP becomes more respectable. If he is able to hit .270, Wood will have a great deal of value because his OBP will be at a more than acceptable level. One reason for the high K% is the problems he has with pitch recognition, which is one of the more difficult things to improve upon, though it is doable. Wood has shown a split against LHP and RHP, but his numbers against RHP have been good enough to play everyday against them. However, last year was the first season where his numbers against RHP looked somewhat sketchy; he hit .255 with a . 775 OPS and struck out in 26.4% of his ABs. Were there any warning signs in Wood's swing back in 2005? Not particularly, but for a power hitter he has always made contact a little too far out in front where ideally he should be letting the ball travel deeper into his hitting zone. By letting the ball travel deeper, he gives himself more time to decide whether to take the pitch or swing. On the plus side, Wood has always generated excellent bat speed. His load is a bit long, but is a major factor in the power he generates. Wood has an aggressive turn through the ball that brings his arms around with it. His swing plane is tailored to generate plenty of hard hit fly balls. So far we've talked about what Wood does not do well. However, what Wood does do well is hit for power. In fact, his power is pretty close to plus-plus. The .351 ISO Wood put up in 2005 likely set unrealistic expectations for Wood going forward, but the .276 and .225 ISO-powers put up by Wood the past two years are nothing to sneeze at. The big question is what position Wood plays at the major league level. Most scouting reports I've seen indicate Wood is a good fielder at shortstop. However, it is not certain Wood will be playing at SS for the Angels. If Wood is able to stay at SS, his value greatly increases as there would be much less pressure on his bat to carry him at the big league level. Wood is noted for his strong work ethic and is also known to be a good athlete, which will help him as he continues to tweak his swing. Nevertheless, whether he can develop better pitch recognition is easily the biggest question mark Wood faces. When you have a new player that strikes out a lot and has problems with pitch recognition, there is a tendency for things to snowball on that player when they start slumping. The reasons include a tendency to press, deciding to swing at a pitch before it is thrown, not feeling confident hitting with two strikes, and the list goes on. If Wood is able to maintain his confidence and not worry about striking out, he should be fine. Wood will probably not reach the expectations laid out for him after his 2005 season, but there are much worse things to have on your roster than a good fielding, low average, high power SS. His bat should play at any position, but his value dramatically increases by staying at SS. (Baseball Intellect)
After Sunday’s victory in Chicago, the Angels boarded a plane for Kansas City. Top prospect Brandon Wood, on the other hand, will be heading to Portland to rejoin the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.After a four-day taste of the major-league life, Wood was optioned back to Triple-A in order to create a roster spot for Chone Figgins. Figgins is completing his minor-league injury-rehabilitation assignment in Triple-A this afternoon and will join the Angels in Kansas City.“It was great to be able to see how the team handles things outside of spring training, the intensity and how guys .. handle themselves in the spotlight of the major leagues,” Wood said. “It was a great opportunity for me.”Wood went 1 for 8 in his two starts, struck out four times but got his first major-league hit Sunday — a single in the ninth inning off one of his predecessors as an Angels phenom, Bobby Jenks.“Getting that first hit, I won’t have that on my shoulders when I get back,” Wood said.And, yes, he said “when” not “if.” His Angels teammates obviously expect him back some day soon as well. Wood said veteran Garret Anderson came over after the game and gave him some advice about what to work on in his swing. Howie Kendrick talked to Wood about his experience last season when he was also sent down after a brief taste of the major leagues.“Once a kid comes up and gets his feet on the baseball diamond and realizes that it’s the same game — maybe there are more people in the stands — but the competition is real, it’s there and you can measure it, that experience is extremely valuable,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Obviously he didn’t light it up but just seeing the competition and realizing, ‘You know what? My talent will play up here’ — that’s the confidence that he’ll take with him.” (Angels Blog)
As expected, the ever-patient Angels left their baby slugger smoldering at AAA for almost all of 2007. He strikes out a bit too much, still, but when he connects it's worth your ticket price. His size and strength might encourage a move to a new position, but as long as the Angels get adequate defense from him, they'll be happy. With batting champ Howie Kendrick locked in at second base, his likely destination is third base or left field, should veterans Chone Figgins or Gary Matthews Jr. factor out of the LA plans in the future. Independent of openings, he'll get a long look in 2008, but with the logjam of bats in the Angels lineup, it's hard to say whether he'll have a chance to stick unless trades or injuries clear a path for him. (Scouting Book)
Brandon Wood hasn't yet hit or made his mark on the Major League stage with the Angels, but he has been exposed to big-time pressures and conditions -- with a highly favorable response. When Wood powered a game-winning, two-run, eighth-inning homer on Friday against the Rangers in Surprise, it wasn't the first time that had happened. An identical stroke highlighted his performance in 2006 for Team USA in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Cuba. Along with another of the Angels' premium young talents, Nick Adenhart, Wood helped drive the Americans to an Olympic berth and a dramatic 7-5 victory over host Cuba in the finale, giving Team USA the tournament title. It was Wood's two-run homer in the eighth that delivered the decisive runs, quieting a Cuban throng that had been so loud, Brandon recalled, "you couldn't hear yourself breathe." He could, however, feel the impact of bat on ball and the rush of circling the bases at what, at the time, was the biggest moment of his evolving career. "That was Cuba's A team, its best players," said Adenhart, who went 4 2/3 innings in his appearance against Brazil, a winning effort. "I had never been in any kind of environment like that, with the emotion of those crowds. It was amazing, really. "Brandon kind of struggled at first, but he was a staple defensively with the team. And that home run he hit was big; that was for first place, and it came against one of Cuba's most famous pitchers. "I love Brandon's game, the way he plays. He's a great teammate. He can hit, and he's very solid defensively. He showed that in the tournament, making all the plays." For Wood, this was a rite of passage, a proving ground. When you deliver in circumstances such as these, it's something that stays with you, carries you through rough times. "To beat Cuba on its turf with 45,000 people screaming and yelling," Wood said, "that was a great feeling. "We'd already qualified [for the Olympics] as one of the top two teams when we played that final game. I hit a couple of home runs [in the tournament], but that two-run homer I hit in the eighth inning to make it 7-5 was something I'll remember. "That was a great feeling as far as doing something for your team and your country." Equally memorable moments would arrive months later when Wood, in an Angels uniform, lined his first Major League hit in Chicago on April 29 against closer Bobby Jenks and homered in Baltimore on Sept. 12 against Danys Baez. "It's hard to beat the thrill of your first big league game, hit, home run," Wood said. Having added about 15 pounds of upper-body muscle in the offseason, reaching 215, Wood is third on the depth chart at shortstop and third base. He wisely resists focusing on his chances of making the 25-man roster, aware of the likelihood of opening the season back at Triple-A Salt Lake. Even though his mission is to reach Anaheim, "you can't let it affect your play. I think my chances are a little better this spring, but you can't dwell on it too much. My goals are to play well and make the decision as tough as possible on them." Third base, a position he learned to play last spring, was his avenue to the Majors in 2007, when Chone Figgins and Maicer Izturis were down with injuries. The first of Wood's five stints in Anaheim came on April 26, and he was back in each month except June. Wood finished with a .152 average, his 33 at-bats coming so intermittently there was no way he could find anything close to a comfort zone. The challenge for Wood, as with all young hitters, is to gain a confident approach and manage anxiety while honing in on pitch recognition and pitch selection. For young power hitters -- Mike Schmidt is the name that always leaps to mind -- it can be a painstaking process. Contact hitters with more compact swings, such as Howie Kendrick, Wood's teammate in several Minor League stops, tend to negotiate the turf more quickly. "Howie can wake up and hit in the middle of November," Wood said. "For me, it's going to take Spring Training to fine-tune some things. I'm not as quiet with my hands as Howie. It's learning your swing." Wood, who celebrates his 23rd birthday on Sunday, remains the club's No. 1 prospect, followed closely by Adenhart. But Wood's 583 strikeouts in 549 Minor League games have raised a few eyebrows. Manager Mike Scioscia looks at Wood's .350 on-base percentage in relation to his .282 batting average as an indicator that he's seeing the ball and drawing enough walks to supplement his .520 slugging percentage across five Minor League seasons. Scioscia was impressed with the way Wood handled himself against the Rangers, "just missing" a pitch that traveled 395 feet to the warning track for an out before he unloaded against ex-Angels farmhand Warner Madrigal on an 0-1 fastball for the game-winner. "Strikeouts are not necessarily an issue if they're offset with power and a certain amount of walks that make a player more effective," Scioscia said. "Obviously, the power numbers are there, and the walks have increased a little more. "Pitch recognition is an issue for any young player. You have to get in your zone, understand what pitchers are trying to do to get you out. Brandon's got a chance to be an effective player. He's making a lot of strides." Wood can cite Cuba as a major port in the journey. (MLB.com)
One could easily argue that Brandon Wood deserves the #1 spot, and if their was a way to share the spot, I'd do it, but no knock on Brandon who would be No. 1 on most other teams' prospect lists. It's really just a testament of how well Tony Reagins, Eddie Bane & Co. have done with drafting and developing as a collective group. One has to wonder what totals Wood would have if he didn't get recalled 3 times to the parent club in '07, seeing just 21 sporadic at bats before September. Brandon is a legitimate power hitter that can hit the ball out of any ball park and to all fields, though he did have trouble going the other way, pulling off the ball on the outer half. His extra-bases were down in '07 after leading the minors in two straight seasons, failing also to post a .500 slugging pct. in what is an extreme hitter's league & park in Salt Lake. Wood needs to improve his discipline at the plate as opposing pitchers took advantage of his over-aggressiveness which had him fanning once every 3.6 at bats. Though he did match his breakout season in '05 in his walk-strikeout ratio (.38). Wood was shifted to third-base at the start of the season and he made a seamless transition. Wood has a strong arm, soft hands and has slightly above average range. Though he profiles well at the hot corner, their is no doubt he could be a solid shortstop in the big leagues defensively. Would has some speed, though just a tick above average, but enough to steal 15-25 bases annually down the road. With the recent backlog of outfielders, infielders and Figgins' anchored at the hot corner, one has to wonder just what is in store for Brandon Wood in the near and long term future. If I was a betting man I'd say he's going to give Erick Aybar and Maicer Izturis a run for their money in Spring Training for the SS gig. If he doesn't win that outright a move back to Salt Lake for a half a season to improve his overall skills at the plate wouldn't hurt and is what most likely will happen, forcing the Angels to sort it all out and find a permanent spot for Wood long term. MLB Comparison: Troy Glaus, Cal Ripken (Angels Win Blog)
More: Minor League Prospect Watch
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