Angels on the rise

Tom Kotchman stole a few glances at the Orioles-Angels game on the clubhouse TV while fielding questions about some of his former players.

But when asked which of the Angels' top prospects will soon make an impact on the major league level, his answer was anything but distracted.

"All of them," the Orem Owlz manager said, "if there's room."

With the Los Angeles Angels in the middle of a pennant race, there's not much room on the big club's roster for prospects. But the pipeline is full. Since 2001, when the Pioneer League club came to Provo, the talent in the organization has been flowing out of Utah County. Three former Provo players have been significant contributors for the parent club. Several other highly regarded prospects who started out in Provo are rising through the system.

Whether the fans know it or not, Utah County has been witness to one of the most prosperous and productive farm systems in all of baseball.

According to Baseball America, the Los Angeles Angels have the best talent in the game. The publication ranked the Angels No. 1 in its 2005 organizational talent rankings. Six players in the system, five of whom played in Provo, appear on the top 100 prospects list. Only the Dodgers, with seven, have more.

And the roster the Pioneer League club made its Utah County debut with in 2001 is a big reason why the Angels' system is so respected.

"That club right there, when they were all here and healthy, that's probably the most talented team we've ever had in a short season," Kotchman said.

The team that went 53-23 featured third baseman Dallas McPherson, who has shuttled back and forth between the Los Angeles Angeles in the bigs and the Salt Lake Stingers at the AAA level.

Also, Ervin Santana (6-5, 4.91 ERA), who pitched four games for Provo, is now a regular in the Angels' rotation and considered the club's best pitching prospect. Jake Woods (1-1, 4.55), a four-game winner for Provo, has been the only left-hander in the Los Angeles bullpen this year.

Three other players from that team — Casey Kotchman, Jeff Mathis and Steven Shell — are among the Angels' top 10 prospects, according to both Baseball America and FutureAngels.com.