Under The Radar Angels

Every year, a few players perform at an All-Star level that don’t get the attention they deserve. Usually, they’re having a breakout season that is overshadowed by established stars the team has. The Los Angeles Angels are no different in that regard, with a few players under the radar.

Under The Radar Angels

Matt Thaiss

A former first-round pick out of the University of Virginia, Matt Thaiss, has been nothing more than a 4-A player. He is a player who has issues finding his swing at the Major League Level but does well at triple-A. The biggest problem Thaiss had was there we players that blocked him at both first base and catcher. However, with injuries at both spots this year, Thaiss got his shot for regular playing time.

Thaiss has had a few mishaps while catching this season early on. Getting called for multiple interference calls in the same inning. With those issues seemingly out of the way, Thaiss has become a decent catcher for the Angels this season. Digging into the more advanced numbers, Thaiss has the best offensive output of his short career. Having regular playing has paid off for him. He has the best barrel percentage of his career at 10.1%, the best max exit velocity at 110 mph, and a lower k rate at 27.3%.

Something has clicked for Thaiss this season. It could be the regular playtime instead of just getting spot starts. In that lineup, the Angels have him not having to do much is the key to his success. He has found his spot, and he has come up huge already in the first half no reason to believe he won’t continue into the second half.