Angels Challenge Tucker Flint With Aggressive Assignment

Tucker Flint, a 13th-round pick out of Chipola (Fla.) JC last year, was so impressive in minor league camp this spring that the Angels plan to start the 21-year-old corner outfielder/first baseman at Double-A Rocket City in 2023.

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Flint, who signed for $132,500, hit .287/.443/.455 with three home runs in 30 games for Low-A Inland Empire last summer, striking out 40 times and walking 23 times. 

The natural progression for most prospects who finish a season at Inland Empire would be to start the next season at High-A Tri-City, but the Angels believe Flint, who bats and throws lefthanded, is ready for a bigger jump.

“We’re gonna be aggressive with him, challenge him to start the season, and see where it goes,” Angels farm director Joey Prebynski said. “What stood out this spring was the professional at-bats. He showed the ability to drive the ball to all fields with plus raw power and has had consistent at-bats against lefthanded and righthanded pitching.”

Flint played high school ball in Providence, R.I., and spent two years at Maryland, where he struggled to hit in the Big Ten Conference. He transferred to Chipola in hopes of boosting his draft stock and hit .370 with 14 homers in 2022.

Flint’s potential was apparent at Inland Empire, where he showed good power and plate discipline, good speed, improved defense and a strong work ethic. He has a balanced stance and starts his timing mechanism with a short leg kick. His upper and lower body work well together to produce a smooth, controlled swing.

“The big focus for him over the winter, coming into spring, is his ability to stay on his back side, stay square to the baseball,” Prebynski said.

The bulk of Flint’s playing time will come in the outfield, where he is working on route efficiency, footwork, jumps and reads off the bat, but he will continue to play some first base, where he has shown good hands, range, athleticism and better actions.