Angels give Newcomb Class A promotion
No. 2 Halos prospect moves up from Burlington to Inland Empire
ANAHEIM -- Prized pitching prospect Sean Newcomb is moving on up, to Class A Advanced Inland Empire.
The Angels promoted Newcomb, the 15th overall pick in last June's First-Year Player Draft, after watching him dominate for low Class A Burlington early in his first full season of pro ball.
Newcomb -- 6-foot-5, 245 pounds, with easy velocity on his fastball and command of three pitches -- posted a 1.83 ERA in his first seven starts for the Bees, striking out 45 batters and walking 19 in 34 1/3 innings. The 21-year-old left-hander will make his first start for the 66ers on Saturday.
Newcomb was drafted out of the University of Hartford and is deemed the 66th-best prospect in the country by MLB.com, which lists him behind only Andrew Heaney in the Angels' system. Newcomb briefly attended big league camp this spring and could be in the Major Leagues by the stretch run of the 2016 season.
"His talent is real," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said in Spring Training. "He has a chance to be special."