You can consider him this year's Kevin Frandsen, Paul McAnulty, or Curtis Pride ––  one of the interesting career minor leaguers or woodshed whackers we pick up each season to fill a gaping hole on the depth chart. The current shallow part of the pool is at the infield corners, and that's precisely where Jeff Baisley has played most of his career, mostly at third base, where scouts rate him an above-average defender.

I had considered writing a FanShot about Baisely when the Angels signed him to a minor league contract last month. I had remembered him as a signature right-handed power bat in the Oakland farm system a few years ago, at a time when they really lacked in that department. He was a consistent bopper for the River Cats, but never quite took with the big club.

Now, as it tends to do with replacement-level players and MLBers alike, Salt Lake is making him look like a star in the early returns: in his first 27 ABs -- .481 avg / .500 obp / 1.000 slg. 4 HRs and 27 total bases in the first week of action.

Given our "depth" at third base is the fragile wood-sprite Maicer and human windmill Brandon Wood, Jeff Baisley is someone we're likely to see on the 25-man roster at some point. Like the AAAAers who have come before him, he's not someone on whom we can pin the hopes of the franchise, but if you want to nibble on the hope biscuit, here are his credentials: MVP of the Midwest League in 2006, he posted good on-base numbers and modest power numbers at all levels during the seasons he wasn't injured. He had one cup of coffee with the Athletics in 2008 where he hit .256 but only struck out seven times in 47 plate appearances –– nothing to write home about, but also not a dreadful premier for a righty power bat. He made contact.

He should put up big numbers at Salt Lake –– he's already hitting cleanup behind Chris Pettit for the Bees –– and will probably be flirting with the Angels bench by summer or early fall.