Brett Hanewich highlights LA Angels deep bullpen talent

The LA Angels bullpen is one of the best in the Majors currently, leading with a 1.41 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched [as of April 9th] . There is a big question as to how sustainable that will be over the course of the season, but what isn’t being realized is how deep the bullpen talent really goes.

It isn’t just a deep MLB roster for the LA Angels, featuring Ty Buttrey, Hansel Robles, a resurging Cody Allen and the so far impressive Luis Garcia. It doesn’t just end there, talent runs deep into the Minors as well.

The Angels bullpen hasn’t looked to be in this good a spot in a few years and it’s only going to get better from here. With guys like Justin Anderson available in Triple A to come up and down as the bullpen needs it appears the ‘pen can sustain this state of success longer than people are expecting.

Especially given the fact that we still have Keynan Middleton, the shutdown closer who sported a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 IP with 16 K’s before going down for Tommy John surgery. It doesn’t even end there, and this point we’re already in a very fortunate situation.

The Angels bullpen has been working hard already having thrown close to 40 innings on the season, it’s good to know there will be even more talent trickling into the pen in over the next couple of months. Even deeper in the Angels MiLB system, down at the Class A Advanced level, is another talent developing into a blow-away reliever.

Not only does the Angels upcoming power pitching star Brett Hanewich have strength on the mound, he has the mind of an iron-willed shutdown reliever. With a plus power-fastball hitters are made to look foolish; his fastball hits up to 97mph and punches through the zone like a “bowling ball”. Those aren’t my words, those words are that of former Cy Young winner John Denny on Hanewich’s fastball during their private workouts two years ago.

In fact that’s what everyone says about his fastball, from his father during their time playing catch in college to every catcher he’s ever thrown to at the professional level, “it’s heavy, it’s fast, and it dunks like a bowling ball”

With talent like that you would imagine that great things would come from a pitcher such as this and after watching him pitch to a 2.08 ERA with 5 K’s in 4.1 Spring Training innings these big dreams for Hanewich became just a bit more concrete. That’s the game of baseball and of life itself, every day you have to work your heart out and solidify yourself and your talents just a little more and more as the days roll on.

Most prospects understand this, and there is the minority who don’t fully grasp this knowledge, but Hanewich seems to be keyed in on the intense work ethic it takes to be success on another level. Brett Hanewich understands the keys to success in more than just baseball, but in life itself.

With all that in mind it looks like the Angels have quite the talent on their hands that will soon find a way to dominate in the Majors. With the drive and determination that burns within Hanewich we may see him catapult himself through the levels of the Angels MiLB system and land himself firmly within the Angels ‘pen by the end of this 2019 season.

What a way to keep the talent trickling into the bullpen not only through the season, but through the upcoming years. Let’s take a look at the work Brett Hanewich has been doing across three MiLB seasons to make himself the pitcher he is today.