Angels' Prospects To Open Play In AFL Playoffs

Two months after winning the Double-A Southern League championship with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Los Angeles Angels' prospects Arjun Nimmala, Jake Munroe and Kyle Robinson will begin the chase for additional postseason glory today when their Mesa Solar Sox open play in the Arizona Fall League playoffs against the Salt River Rafters.

Game time is 5:30 p.m. MT at Sloan Park in Mesa and the contest will be streamed live on MLB.com and MLB.tv.

The Solar Sox, whose roster also includes players from the A's, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays' systems, finished regular season in fifth place in the AFL standings with an 11-15 record, while the Rafters finished third with a 14-15 mark.

As expected, shortstop Nimmala was the Angels' standout performer during the regular season. In 20 games, the game's No. 34-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, hit .304 (24-for-79) with a .974 OPS, seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, 15 RBIs, six stolen bases and a 22-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

In mid-October, he was named the league's Hitter of the Week after a three-game stretch in which he hit .545 (6-for-11) with a 1.758 OPS with two doubles, two triples, three RBIs and five runs scored. He was also selected to play in the AFL's Fall Stars Game on Nov. 8.

Third baseman Munroe, who Baseball America named the Angels' Minor League Player of the Year in September, has also had a solid AFL showing. In 16 games, he has put together a .250 average (14-for-56) with an .874 OPS, team-leading three home runs, four doubles, 14 RBIs and a 14-14 K/BB ratio.

Robinson has made five starts for the Solar Sox and fashioned a 2-2 record, though it has come with an elevated ERA of 10.43 courtesy of 17 earned runs allowed in 14.2 innings pitched. His peripherals show a 1.64 WHIP and .267 opponents' batting average.

Robinson was not the only Angels' pitcher to struggle in the thin air of the Phoenix, AZ, area.

The best showing in terms of ERA among Angels' hurlers has come from Yeferson Vargas, whose 6.43 ERA features five earned runs allowed over seven innings and seven appearance. Najer Victor is close behind with a 7.04 ERA mark courtesy of six earned runs allowed in 7.2 innings over nine appearances. Victor is one of four Solar Sox pitchers to record a save.

Rounding out the Angels' pitchers are Peyton Olejnik (six games, 16.1 innings pitched, 18 earned runs, 19 strikeouts, 9.92 ERA) and Sam Tookian (eight starts, 0-1 record, 7.1 IP, 13 ERs, 15.95 ERA).

First baseman Anthony Santa Cruz de Oviedo joined the Mesa squad later in the season and appeared in seven games, going 5-for-29 (.172) with one double and three runs scored.

If the Solar Sox defeat the Rafters, they will advance to Friday's semifinals against the No. 2 seed Peoria Javelinas (5:30 p.m. MT). The AFL championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. MT.