Hank Conger

2013

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2012

Conger posted an .851 OPS at Triple-A over the last two seasons, but he hit just .209 in 177 at-bats with the big club last year. It's clear he knows how to hit Triple-A pitching, but his offensive struggles with the Angels last season prompted the club to acquire Chris Iannetta in the offseason. While Conger remains the Angels' catcher of the future, he'll either open 2012 as Iannetta's backup, or back at Triple-A at age 24 to get regular playing time.

2011

Conger had little trouble figuring out the pitching in his first Triple-A season, finishing with a .300 batting average, 11 home runs, 49 RBI and an .848 OPS. Conger, the team's top selection in the 2006 draft, appears ready for the big leagues, but several other experienced catchers on the roster still block his way. Conger will likely do no better than split the playing time behind the plate at any point this season, but expect the Angels to get him enough playing time to potentially take over the full-time duties in 2012.

2010

A slow start tamped down his numbers, but Conger showed significant gains in plate discipline and in throwing out runners. That last part is critical, as not everyone is sold on him as a catcher, and he needs to stay behind the plate to sustain his value. He'll reach the majors this year, but with Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis ahead of him, Conger may not get real playing time until 2012.

2009

Conger batted .303 with 13 home runs and 75 RBI for High-A Rancho Cucamonga last season. He's proving to be very effective at the plate, but he still needs to work on his ugly 14:55 BB:K ratio. The Angels' first-round pick in 2006, Conger is progressing nicely through the system, but he’s still a year or two away from contributing to the major league squad.

2008

Conger battled injuries in 2007, but he was impressive when he was on the field. In only 84 games, Conger hit .290 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI at Low-A Cedar Rapids. Though not as good defensively as other catchers in the system, Conger may have the best bat of the bunch. Conger is a long ways away from Anaheim, but he should solidify his prospect status in 2008 with another big year at the plate. Don't expect him to make his debut until mid-to-late 2009.