The Angels informed reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register) that they’ve signed infielder Keston Hiura to a minor league contract. He’ll report to Triple-A Salt Lake after being released by the Tigers last week. He is a CAA client.
Hiura is a Southern California native who starred at UC-Irvine. The Brewers selected him ninth overall in the 2017 draft. Hiura was a top prospect who looked like a budding star when he hit 19 homers in 84 games as a rookie for Milwaukee during the ’19 season. That huge debut showing came with a 30.7% strikeout rate that unfortunately previewed massive swing-and-miss problems. Hiura’s strikeout rate increased in each subsequent season, leading to a cumulative .205/.293/.394 slash between 2020-22.
The Brewers outrighted Hiura off their 40-man roster on the eve of the 2023 season. He spent the year in Triple-A and qualified for minor league free agency at year’s end. Hiura signed a minor league deal with Detroit and played in 49 games for their top farm team. He slumped to a .232/.312/.401 batting line across 199 trips to the plate. Hiura walked at a strong 10.6% clip but fanned 28.1% of the time and only hit six homers. The Tigers released him in conjunction with their decision to option former first overall pick Spencer Torkelson, who’ll play regularly at first base in the minors.
While Hiura didn’t have a great couple months with the Tigers, he has a strong minor league résumé. Hiura owns a .289/.382/.550 batting line in nearly 1100 Triple-A plate appearances over parts of five seasons. He blasted 23 homers in 85 contests as recently as last year.
Initially drafted as a second baseman, Hiura scuffled defensively and has moved primarily to first base. The Tigers played him exclusively at first base or designated hitter. Whether the Angels will give him any work at the keystone isn’t clear, but Hiura offers an alternative to struggling first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Last year’s #11 overall pick is hitting .211/.279/.333 over 231 plate appearances in his first full professional season.
When Ohtani was an Angel, who thinks it was possible to trade him with Trout and/or Rendon in one package for the purpose of salary dump, not in full amount but maybe half? I mean right now they’re paying the full amount (not that I’m paying) and the two players not even playing.
It wasn’t possible. Ohtani was testing free agency no matter what but pairing him with either Trout or Rendon would have cost a team a massive prospect haul and the Angels would have had to eat mass amounts of salary (especially in Rendon’s case. Plus Arte was never going to trade his main cash cow, let alone both of his cash cows in the same deal
rsox and ariana – All of that is a moot point. Both Rendon and Trout have full no-trade clauses. Trading them is not Moreno’s decision to make. It’s theirs.
Ohtani was open to signing a big extension during the last off season and the Angels balked. Once the season started, Ohtani was no longer was willing to talk extension. At that point, Ohtani was, by far, the biggest trade chip in the MLB. The team could have brought in a boatload of talent, gotten rid of a huge contract, or some combination of both. Yeah, they would have had to talk Mr. Trout into waiving his NTC but I think he would have been happy to be set free at this point.
Instead they dragged it out all season and traded away some of the best remaining farm hands for a non-sensical stab at a WC spot which would probably not have enticed Ohtani to stay with the team anyway. This team is a dumpster fire and it will take new dedicated ownership and years of Dodger-style rebuilding to bring it back from the dead.
He was either going to Anaheim or the south side
Southwest? Wicked pissah
This guy couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.
He just doesn’t make enough contact
You have to be one of the worst commenters on MLBTR, honestly, BirdieMan.
36% career strikeout rate.
That 2017 MLB draft has been pretty awful with Daulton Varsho having by far the highest WAR from all those picks with a .720 career OPS.
Over 13 war for a player drafted 7 years ago is amazing. Especially since he has like 1800 PA and 500 games.
Royce Lewis, Hunter Greene, Mackenzie Gore, Tanner Houck, Chaz McCormick, Shane Baz, Garrett Whitlock, and James Karinchak are all pretty good
This is a list of unfulfilled potential. Still time but pretty bad.
Flashes of good/great are < consistency
In a 162 game season, availability is the best ability. I think Gore is the only one who hasn’t missed significant time.
You could argue the 2016 draft was worse. It won’t be a good argument, but you could argue.
It seems the Angels are picking up as many former top prospects in hopes of one of them panning out. Mickey Moniak, Willie Calhoun, Carson Fulmer, Evan White, and now Hiura.
It’s a pretty sad state of affairs
And putting too much stock in that juiced 2019 year. *Rendon stands up*. Hiura is a poster boy for those artificially inflated numbers.
When he gets called up, the sad part is we have to hear during telecasts the Angels bragging about how there’s “x number of 1st round picks in the starting lineup!” It’s not rocket science what Minasian does.
I apologize for doubting Jacob Wilson over Nolan . A’s picked right for what was left .
Suarez has a couple decent bullpen outings and the Angels thought he could start a game.. What a joke. I really hope Detmers can figure it out, but I’m not hopeful. It seems like his confidence is shot.
That’s the Angels way. A bad pitcher has a couple of good outings and they figure that’s his new normal when it was just an anomaly. They’ve done it for years. Suarez should not be on a major league roster.
@kellin they need to let saurez go. Reminds me them holding on to loup the whole year with a 6+ era. Time to bring up Davis daniel
@rex If you’re gonna suggest an Angels move, you might as well suggest a rush job and have them bring up Caden Dana. Kid is killing it in AA.. Although, you’re right Daniel is another very Angels move, he’s got a 5+ ERA and a 1.5 WHIP this season.
The AAAA ballplayer. Will redemption await him?
@kellin baby Thor needs to stay in the minors and not get rushed. Saurez is a lost cause and Anderson is probably getting moved so why not try someone else for a start or two.