Angels Prospect Update: LAA makes feel-good promotion, Aldegheri injury
Gustavo Campero's amazing story, and Samuel Aldegheri has a semi-concerning injury
The roster shuffling continues, as the Angels needed a replacement player for the replacement player. Bryce Teodosio, who was helping fill in for Kevin Pillar and Jo Adell's absences, went down with a fractured middle finger on his non-throwing hand. The 64th man on the roster to appear in a game was Gustavo Campero, a prospect who emerged from the deepest rung of irrelevance.
Gustavo Campero is the Angels' feel-good story of the year
Former Angels reliever Kolton Ingram summed up Campero's journey succinctly. For those who are not familiar with the development list, it is effectively a way to assign full-time bullpen catchers for Minor League teams. Any prospect can be placed on the development list, but oftentimes it is used for catchers who are viewed as non-prospects. They are not active for games and are assigned to catch pre-game and in-game bullpen sessions.
The fact that Campero emerged from a AA dev. list, switched positions, started raking, and got called up to the Show is completely unfathomable. Angels staffers had no clue this was ever going to happen. Dev. list catchers usually disappear from Minor League ball altogether, and Campero should be an inspiration to aspiring ballplayers all over the globe. Kudos, Campi.
Samuel Aldegheri heads to the Injured List
Marquee prospect Samuel Aldegheri suffered a blister on his throwing-hand's middle finger, which perhaps helps explain his lackluster start against Houston on September 13th. When pitchers sustain blisters it's slightly concerning, as they are typically a reoccurring issue. Blisters derailed Mackenzie Gore's career for some time before he got them handled. Hopefully Angels fans can simply chock up the blister to a recent switch from Minor League to Major League baseballs. Aldegheri will undoubtedly prepare all off-season with Major League balls and become accustomed to the different seams.
Aldegheri could still reappear this season, but the Angels might opt for José Suarez and/or Carson Fulmer (who was activated off the IL as the corresponding roster move) to fill out the rotation for the remainder of the year. Suarez will likely start on September 19th against Houston, and Fulmer threw an inning in relief on September 15th. Perhaps Minasian tries to fill in the rotation with George Klassen at some point this month, the other piece of the Carlos Estévez trade alongside Aldegheri.