As the Los Angeles Angels try to piece the lineup together in the absence of Zach Neto, they’ve recently turned to David Fletcher as their primary option.
Fletcher spent 43 games with the Salt Lake Bees in Triple-A, posting a superb .909 on-base plus slugging, highlighted by a .383 batting average. His 125 wRC+ was a welcomed cherry on top, but his low strikeout rate was a continued trend that carried his initial success during his first few seasons in Major League Baseball.
Neto’s injury opened the door for Fletcher’s return, bringing his hot bat and a big league glove with him. The Angels didn’t hesitate to give him the call, citing a few changes he had made in his time in the Minor Leagues that have already begun to translate, per Jeff Fletcher of the O.C. Register:
“He looked like Fletch,” Minasian said this week. “The way he was moving around. The way he was swinging the bat, using the entire field. He made some adjustments. I thought he looked more and more like the old Fletch.”
Fletcher’s logged six hits in his 20 at-bats since being recalled, including one homer and six RBI. The six-year player has worked his way back to the Angels, competing where asked, and seemingly doing what had been expected of him:
“Honestly, I was just focusing on where I was,” Fletcher said. “I had a lot of good teammates there and a good environment. I honestly can say I was focused on where I was, and whatever happened I’d deal with it when it happened. I’m pretty good at just being in the present.”
His ability to put the bat on the ball is something Angels manager Phil Nevin’s offense can surely use, mostly because of the power threat’s up and down the lineup:
“He’s somebody that we need,” Minasian said. “We need him to be a good player and help us win games.”
Fletcher is probably locked in to the Major League roster moving forward, and his initial slate of at-bats this week is a great place for the 29-year-old to start. With Neto being slow-played back into action, the need for his elite glove is big, and he’ll continue to get a bulk of the playing time.
Angels prospects Edgar Quero & Kyren Paris to play in Futures Game
Both Edgar Quero (No. 2) and Kyren Paris (No. 8) were named to their respective roster for the 2023 Futures Game with the help of MLB, MLB Pipeline, Baseball America and all 30 MLB clubs.
The pair are highly-regarded prospects in general manager Perry Minasian’s system, both of whom have earned high praise from the Angels and will have an opportunity to showcase themselves at the Futures Game. The game is slated for Saturday, July 8th at T-Mobile Park, first pitch scheduled at 4:00 p.m. PT.
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