LA Angels Top Prospect Countdown: #19 Troy Montgomery

The LA Angels have one of the worst farm systems in baseball. However, they have a good mix of prospects who will help soon and some with star potential down the road. In this series, we will evaluate each of the Angels Top 30 prospects. Today, it’s outfielder Troy Montgomery.

The LA Angels selected Montgomery in the eighth round of the 2016 Amateur Draft. The Angels have been known to draft athletic outfielders with raw tools over the past few years. They do this in hope of molding and refining these players so that they can compete and contribute at the highest level. Montgomery is their most recent experiment.

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Montgomery played his college ball at Ohio State. A left-handed outfielder who stands at 5-10 and weighs in at 185, he has an athletic frame and uses it well. He is more than capable of playing elite defense in center, but with so many other prospects (and Mike Trout) clouding the depth chart, Montgomery projects as a corner outfielder.

Montgomery enjoyed a solid college career. In three seasons he hit .289 14 long balls, nine triples, and 32 doubles. Perhaps the most impressive number was his 100 walks compared to 88 strikeouts.

Montgomery is the rare prospect who enters minor league ball with a very mature, patient approach at the plate. He had a fantastic first year, hitting .291 in 2016. He continued to show he is a do-it-all player, as he hit seven home runs and had four triples to go along with that. While his walks did not surpass his strikeouts (31 and 50, respectively), he continued to show his great plate discipline and vision. He knows how to wait for his pitch and make good use of it when it comes.

He is looking to build on his prior success this season, but has yet to find it this season. Montgomery is hitting .227 on the year. However, he is also sporting a .358 on-base percentage thanks to his 18 walks. He has two doubles, two triples, and two long balls on the year. He boasts a .973 fielding percentage as well, having only one error on the season. 

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Montgomery has flashed serious potential as a great hitter and fielder. However, he has yet to face top-level competition. The Angels can go slow with him, especially with the defensively elite outfield they have right now. He could break through late in 2018 when rosters expand, but a 2019 debut is more likely. Whenever he does make it, he will be well worth the wait.