The Los Angeles Angels sent catcher Hank Conger to the minor leagues Tuesday following a series of defensive mistakes in recent weeks, according to ESPN.
Conger was dealing with some mechanical issues and had thrown out just eight of the 56 base runners who tried to steal on him. He was batting .214, and just .176 since June 1.
“It was hard to swallow, but looking at the big picture, I’ve got to go down there and get some work in,” Conger told ESPN.
“I’ve been injured most of my life coming up through the minors. I’m just trying to catch up. I appreciate how the Angels handled my situation. They really gave me a chance to try to perform when I was up here.”
The demotion for Conger, a highly-touted prospect since he was drafted in the first round of the 2006 baseball draft, was seen as temporary. However, Angels manager Mike Scioscia would not elaborate on how long the minor league stint would be, according to the Orange County Register.
Conger, who graced the cover of KoreAm‘s May 2011 issue, graduated from Huntington Beach High School in Southern California.
