Brandon Wood
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Richard Brandon Wood (born March 2, 1985 in Austin, Texas) is an American Minor League Baseball shortstop/third baseman in the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim organization. He bats and throws right-handed. Though relatively unknown before the 2005 baseball season, Wood compiled statistics that season that were considered by some to be the greatest offensive season in the minor leagues.
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[edit] Minor League Career
[edit] 2003-2004
Brandon Wood was a first round draft pick (23rd overall) by the Angels out of Horizon High School in Scottsdale. He hit 5 home runs in his rookie league season. His first full year in the minor leagues was with the Single-A affiliate Cedar Rapids Kernels in 2004, where he hit .251 with 11 home runs.
[edit] 2005
He spent most of the 2005 season with advanced Single-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, hitting .321 with a California League record 43 home runs and 51 doubles. Combined with two doubles and a triple in four games with the Triple-A Salt Lake Stingers, Brandon Wood became the first known minor leaguer to hit more than 100 extra-base hits in one year.
Wood received several awards for his performance in 2005. Amongst his accolades are: the California League and Single-A Offensive Player of the Year awards, player of the year by Minor League Baseball's official website, and co-player of the year of the Angels minor league system, alongside fellow prospect Howie Kendrick. [1]
Brandon Wood was selected by the Angels to play on their Arizona Fall League team, the Surprise Scorpions, in October and early November 2005. He hit a league-record 14 home runs for the league runner-up. In mid-November 2005 he represented the United States on the U.S. Olympic regional qualifying team.
Brandon was featured in the "Big Surprise" article on page 136 in the December 5, 2005 issue of ESPN Magazine
[edit] 2006
Prior to the 2006 season, Wood was ranked as the 3rd best prospect by Baseball America, behind Delmon Young and Justin Upton. He had a solid, though not spectacular year, hitting .276 with 25 home runs and 19 stolen bases in 453 at bats for the AA Arkansas Travelers.
[edit] 2007
Brandon began 2007 as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America once more, holding the 8th spot overall. [2] He saw a position change however, as he slid over to the hot corner for the Salt Lake Bees, Anaheim's AAA affiliate. This move was made in part to accelerate his track to the majors.
