Angels catching prospect Hank Conger goes on disabled list (updated)

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Hank Conger was pulled in the second inning of triple-A Salt Lake’s 1-0, 12-inning victory over Fresno on Monday night, setting off a flurry of speculation on Angels message boards that the top catching prospect was about to be traded or called up to the big leagues to replace a catcher who was to be traded.

Not the case.

Conger, a first-round pick from Huntington Beach in 2005, injured his throwing arm on a swing and was placed on the disabled list Tuesday because of a right rotator-cuff strain.

It was not known Tuesday how serious the strain is or whether it might require surgery, but the injury has to be a concern to the Angels because Conger was relegated to designated hitter because of shoulder problems for much of his first four minor league seasons.

Conger has been sound enough to do the bulk of the catching at Salt Lake this season, and he is batting .265 with five home runs, 27 runs batted in, 42 strikeouts and 40 walks in 74 games, and he has thrown out 24% of attempted base-stealers.

-- Mike DiGiovanna in New York