TEMPE, Ariz. -- Cactus League play is in full swing for the Angels, and they are exactly one month away from Opening Day against the A's on March 28 in Oakland.
It’s been a while since the last Angels Inbox, so here’s the first of several leading up to the start of the regular season:
Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado's eight-year, $260 million extension to remain with Colorado affects the Angels in a few ways. Arenado, who grew up in Southern California and attended El Toro High School in Lake Forest, had long been linked to both the Angels and Dodgers as a potential free agent. It’s hard to know how realistic it would’ve been for the Angels to sign Arenado, but there is no doubt they would’ve been interested.
But the other way it impacts the Angels is that he’s yet another star player deciding to sign a mega extension instead of waiting to reach free agency. It could bode well in Los Angeles' attempt to sign Mike Trout, who is a free agent after the 2020 season. The average annual value of Arenado's contract is $32.5 million, which is second only to D-backs right-hander Zack Greinke's $34.42 million. That sets a baseline for Trout, who is a much better player than both Arenado and Greinke and would command more money per season than either in an extension.
As for possible free agents next season, the class is highlighted by starting pitchers Gerrit Cole, Chris Sale, Madison Bumgarner and Justin Verlander, first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, shortstop Xander Bogaerts and third basemen Anthony Rendon and Josh Donaldson. But of course, things can change, as any of those players could sign an extension.
Thaiss has been one of the best hitters in the Cactus League early in spring -- he's 7-for-10 with three doubles, two triples and eight RBIs in just four games. It’s a great sign for Thaiss, who has worked to retool his swing, but it’s worth noting that it’s an extremely small sample size, and spring stats don’t always translate to the regular season.
Thaiss, ranked as the club’s No. 8 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is coming off a solid year in which he hit .280/.335/.467 with 16 homers, 34 doubles and 76 RBIs in 125 games between Double-A and Triple-A, but the Angels would like to see him tap into his power more. If they believed he was ready for the Majors, they wouldn’t have signed veteran Justin Bour to a one-year deal, so it’s clear there are things Thaiss needs to work on in the Minors. But it’s been a good spring for the 23-year-old first baseman, and the Angels would love to see him take a big step forward this year and prove he can be a capable Major Leaguer.
Thaiss is certainly on that list, but other prospects who could make an impact this season include right-hander Griffin Canning (No. 2), left-hander Jose Suarez (No. 5) and second baseman Luis Rengifo (No. 7). Canning and Suarez are both close to being ready for the Major Leagues and could step up if any starting pitchers have an injury. Rengifo is also nearly ready and there's a chance he could be starting at second base later in the year. Center fielder Jo Adell, the club's No. 1 prospect, could reach the Majors this year as well, but he's still just 19 and the Angels will be patient with him.
Maitan, ranked as the club's No. 15 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is in Minor League camp, as he only played at Rookie-level Orem last year, hitting .248/.306/.397 with eight homers and 26 RBIs in 63 games. Maitan, who turned 19 on Feb. 12, played against competition that was two to three years older than him. He split time between shortstop and third base, but given his frame, he's more likely to end up at third.
Maitan is worth monitoring in his first full season of professional baseball, as he was widely regarded as the No. 1 international prospect when he was originally signed by the Braves during the 2016-17 signing period. He was later declared a free agent because of a penalty against Atlanta, and the Angels signed him for $2.2 million before last season.
After spending the last eight Spring Trainings covering the Twins in Fort Myers, Fla., it’s been fun adjusting to covering Spring Training in Tempe. I enjoyed Florida, but covering Spring Training in Arizona is preferable and much easier because the ballparks are so close to each other. So far, my favorite restaurant I've eaten at is Carlsbad Tavern in Scottsdale because I love New Mexican food and it reminds me of my grandmother’s cooking. But I’m open to suggestions, so send them my way.