Welcome to Volume Five of PARScards for 2026! We're already halfway to matching the number of cards from 2024. PARS as a whole really feels back now.
Next up, we have Jake Munroe of the Angels, as requested by The GUD Stuff Co (@gudstuffco). He also requested Carlos Virahonda (54.9) and Corey Cousin (70.7). Both score well on PARS, but I decided to go with Munroe. Let’s dig in.
Background
Munroe was the Angels’ 2025 4th-round pick (109th overall) out of Louisville, signing slightly under-slot. LAA combined these savings with those from fellow underslot signee, No. 2 overall pick Tyler Bremner, to ink 3rd-round stud Johnny Slawinski. Munroe, along with Pirates’ 16th-rounder Eddie King Jr., led the Cardinals in most major offensive categories in 2025, earning CWS All-Tournament Team honors. Prior to Louisville, Munroe was a JUCO transfer from John A. Logan College, where he set both the single-season and career home run records, with 35 jacks in 110 games.
How’d We Get Here?
Scouts saw room for growth in the power department, and Munroe made good on that assessment in his High-A debut thanks to a post-draft swing change. As an amateur, he had a short, somewhat choppy swing, with no lift. He’s added some leverage without sacrificing his excellent K-rate.
Home run #6, back on May 12th
Home run #9 on May 24th into the Cascade mountain range
On the surface, we have a case of the Angels correctly assigning a player to a level, allowing confidence to build, then promoting them just in time for it to be shattered. Post-draft, Munroe was assigned to Single-A Inland Empire for 12 unremarkable games. Most organizations would play it cautiously and have him start 2026 back at the level. Here’s our first clue that we’re dealing with another potential mishandling by the Angels, albeit not egregious. Munroe was age-appropriate for his 2026 High-A Tri-City assignment. He performed very well (.258/.391/.505, 11 HR, 17% K-rate, 14% BB-rate), earning a promotion after 62 games.
That one’s never comin’ down
This is where the potential mishandling begins. Rather than allowing him to continue dominating High-A—boosting his confidence, allowing those power gains to solidify, and getting us all to call him Rake Munroe—they ship him to Double-A Rocket City. The environment for the Trash Pandas can inflate a hitter’s home run totals, but simultaneously deflates batting average and on-base percentage, which is precisely what Munroe doesn’t need. An opportunity to struggle likely came too soon... and may break his stride.
Oh no, I got to keep on moving!
The Good
- Strong plate discipline: Ran an ~18% strikeout rate and 9.5% swinging-strike rate at High-A. He’s a high-contact/high OBP type with a decent floor to work with.
- Developing pull-side power. MLB Pipeline slapped him with 40 power, whereas Baseball America says it’s a 50, reflecting the power gains.
- Tri-City’s home park (Gesa Stadium in Pasco, WA), is one of the most pitcher-friendly parks in the Northwest League, making his power outburst more impressive. It should be noted that he slugged better on the road (.527) than at home (.413).
The Bad
- Basically zero speed.
- Not known for his defense. May move to first base or an outfield corner at some point.
- Organizational mishandling may lead to a flameout. Overall poor start in Double-A despite recording a hit in each of his first four games (.192/.276/.192).
Single in his first Double-A game
An excellent 35% GB-rate in A+ continues in Double-A
The Verdict
Munroe, a contact-first corner bat, is a breakout candidate due to his developing power and performance at High-A Tri-City, with essentially zero-acquisition cost. The true test will be whether this holds across the upper levels, beginning with Double-A Rocket City. But here is where the Angels dev program really messes things up. Should that test have come at this point in his arc? Their nonsensical placement of prospects not only hinders our ability to properly evaluate a player's performance and project an outcome (and decide whether to hold/drop on our fantasy squads), but it also truly affects the player’s development—and not for the better. If we, as fantasy managers, get frustrated with Angels prospects (Christian Moore, Ryan Johnson, etc) due to our league's minor-league eligibility rules, how much worse is it for the players themselves in real life? A good example is Moore’s rightful frustration after being demoted again on June 26th, just eight days after being recalled.
Mike DiGiovanna's reaction after witnessing Christian Moore's clubhouse outburst following his latest demotion. (via @HaloTerritory)
I hope I'm wrong about Munroe’s handling and that he continues to find his power stroke. We need him to be Rake Munroe. Keep an eye on his Double-A performance with the Prospect Tracker and add him when appropriate for your league (300+ prospects; boost in OBP leagues; downgrade in points leagues). I already added him on May 15th—he's the type of low-cost bat I'd rather stash a year early than chase after a breakout pushes him into everyone's top 100.
Thanks for reading!
- Rick ✌🏼