Jett Bandy a Reliable Bench Option for LA Angels in 2017
Jett Bandy was one of the handful of players to take part in the LA Angels 2016 catching carousel. In limited action, Bandy showed he may have what it takes to stay on the big league squad next year.
In 70 games for the LA Angels this year, Bandy capitalized on his opportunities. He hit .234 with eight long balls, 23 runs scored, and 25 RBI’s. These numbers came in only 209 at bats, a solid rate for a player who had previously only played two major league games. However, he was not the most consistent player. While Bandy’s home runs went up by the month, his average continued to slip throughout the season. Part of this decline may have been fatigue.
Over the first half of the season, Bandy was a solid option at the plate, as he hit .277 with 2 big flies. Those numbers came over 22 games. However, in the second half of the season, Bandy was forced to play more and hit .215 with six home runs. Unless Bandy can adjust to a full schedule, he will be a career backup.
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Bandy’s claim to fame has to be his defense. He threw out 40% of would-be base stealers, a whopping 11% more than the league average of 29%. He had a great relationship with the Angels starting pitchers as well, as most of them preferred him behind the plate.
The Angels’ catcher situation is unique, as they used a platoon of Carlos Perez, Bandy, and Geovany Soto for much of the year. It is apparent that they do not see any of them as the long- term answer though.
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The Angels have used their first round pick the past two years on college catchers. Taylor Ward, the 2015 first rounder, is a primarily a defensive catcher but has been displaying some solid hitting in the minors. Matt Thaiss, the 2016 first rounder, is a hitting machine as he has consistently showed the ability to hit for both power and contact. However, Thaiss projects more as a DH or first baseman in the future.
Bringing Bandy back for 2017 would be the right move for the Angels, as they have more pressing issues to focus their money on. Bandy would be a cheap, reliable option for an Angels squad hoping to figure out what they have in 2017.
2016 Grade- C+
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