Matt Angle, #51

The Orioles beat the Indians 8-3 today, but overall the game was great for me as Buckeye product Matt Angle made his major league debut, leading off and playing left field. Angle grounded out three times against Jeanmar Gomez, then drew a walk against Joe Smith. Angle is now the fifty-first OSU product to play in the majors, although the unconfirmed list I maintain is now up to sixty. Angle played at OSU from 2005-2007 and was a seventh round pick in '07 by the Orioles.

Unfortunately, Angle's upside is probably fifth outfielder. At OSU, he was a good center fielder and leadoff hitter, getting on base a ton but not hitting for much power. In the minors, he has been a similar type of player with a career .285/.372/.350 line. Angle can certainly help a team as a pinch-runner/defensive replacement, but he's yet to display a consistent ability to get on base at the highest levels of the minors (his AAA OBA is .336 in 765 PA).

Whether he has much of a career or not, he's in the encyclopedia forever now, and that's an awesome thing. Jack Shuck might be the next best hope for a Buckeye in the majors, but his AAA line is similar to Angle's without the speed (.267/.375/.321). Of course, in the Astros system...