Normally this wouldn’t be news. Teams promote their prospects all the time and Cam Bedrosian, despite being a former first round pick with great bloodlines, has never once appeared on any Top 100 prospect lists. In fact, entering this season Bedrosian was ranked only 10th amongst a weak Angels minor league system. So what’s the deal, why is this even news?
Bedrosian’s complete and utter dominance of the minor leagues is what makes this newsworthy. Bedrock (the name he’s inherited by his father), started the season off by striking out 15 across 5.2 innings in the hitter friendly Cal League. Upon getting his first taste of advanced hitters in AA, Bedrock fanned another 30 batters across 18 innings. For those keeping score at home, that’s an eye-popping 17 K’s per 9 innings. But the strikeouts, while impressive would mean little without mentioning his WHIP, BB/9 and ERA. Bedrosian gave up runs in only one appearance this season, posting an ERA of 1.47. His BB/9 sank to a very manageable 3.0 and his WHIP was an otherworldly 0.6.
When you add it all up, Bedorsian was striking out two-thirds of the hitters he retired, and was allowing a base runner every other inning. Not a run, a base runner. Those are some video game numbers. Bedorisan does it as most other successful relievers do it, a mid to high-90’s fastball, fall off the table slider and the ability to keep it low, on the black on the outer half. His first outing in the big leagues was a pretty standard outing. An inning, a strikeout and three ground ball and lots of late swings. Given the Angels struggles in the bullpen in recent history, don’t be surprised if he soon finds himself in a set up or even closing role.
This isn’t the last of Angels relievers we’ll see this year either. Recent promoted Mike Morin posted a 1.93 ERA in the minors last season with a 1.3 BB/9 and has done more of the same this season with the Angels, posting a 1.32 ERA so far, with a consistent 1.3 BB/9. Also, perhaps the most dangerous of all Angel relievers, R.J. Alvarez should find himself in the majors soon. Alvarez hasn’t allowed a run in AA so far this year, striking out 28 across 19 innings. Last season he posted a 2.96 ERA and a 14.6 K/9.
The Angels may not do a lot of things right, especially at the minor league level. But these three relievers may be the most dominant in the minors and look primed to take the league by storm.
