Los Angeles Angels: Four offseason steps to return to playoffs in 2019
By Jason Reed
4. Call up Matt Thaiss to be the help at first base
One of the areas of need that Eppler also addressed was first base, which likely was going to be improved internally. That is exactly what the Los Angeles Angels must do as the team has a pretty good first base prospect in AAA that is just waiting to be called up.
More from LA Sports Hub
- Lakers: 5 Players to Target Through Trades to make another championship run
- LA Chargers: Week 8 against Denver Broncos is a must-win
- LA Rams: Jared Goff wants to keep the Los Angeles title streak going
- Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles Clippers interested in Rajon Rondo
- LA Chargers: Justin Herbert wins AFC Rookie of the Month
Matt Thaiss is ranked as the Angels fifth-best prospect on MLB Pipeline and has been quickly moving up the ranks. Before the season, Thaiss was the organization’s ninth-best prospect and by the time next season rolls around, will likely be in the top three and even crack the top-100. He is already the fourth-best first base prospect.
Thaiss is not the traditional first baseman. Moving from behind the plate after being drafted, Thaiss has a bat and offensive mindset that is already very developed. However, he does not have the power that most first baseman often have, with his ceiling in a 162-game season likely being 20 home runs.
The six-foot left-handed hitter has a smooth stroke, though, that naturally gaps in the field and will lead to him being an on-base machine. He is not necessarily fast but still hit 34 doubles in the minor leagues this season with a .802 OPS.
One of the things the Angels really lacked in was getting on base. Despite slugging 214 home runs (seventh-most in the MLB), the Angels finished 15th with 721 runs scored. That was due to the team’s .313 on-base percentage, which put them in the bottom third of the MLB.
Offseason target profile: Yasmani Grandal. dark. Next
Thaiss looks like he can already be a nice bat to hit in front of the power of the lineup in order to give Mike Trout and Justin Upton more RBI chances.