SerpApi.Org
The Los Angeles Angels reportedly fired one of their pro scouts earlier this season after he allegedly filmed Colorado Rockies coaches while working in the stands, per a report by The Athletic.
The scout’s name was Justin “Boomer” Prinstein, but he gave himself the nickname “The Baseball Spy”.
“While seated in a section at Coors Field designated for scouts, he was spotted filming coaches on his phone during a game by a member of the Rockies organization. While scouts filming is generally considered a legal practice, using technology to steal or decode signs is not allowed,” The Athletic’s Sam Blum and Brittany Ghiroli wrote.
The incident reportedly happened before the series between the Angels and Rockies from June 1-3 at Angel Stadium. Perry Minasian was the general manager during this time but has since been released from his role.
Before the Angels hired Prinstein, he worked as an international scout for the Cincinnati Reds in 2023. He also wrote freelance articles and hosted a two-episode podcast called “The Baseball Spy”. Coincidentally, one of his podcast episodes was about the Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal in November 2019.
“It seems there needs to be a line drawn. And there is. There’s a (MLB) memo that went out. There’s a rule that says you can’t use technology,” Prinstein said in the podcast episode. “To do this, it’s more like spying.”
Angels Will Not Face Any Punishment From MLB
The Angels will reportedly not face any punishment from MLB for the incident. After the Rockies reported the filming incident to MLB, Minasian quickly fired Prinstein and apologized to the Rockies’ front office.
The Athletic reported that the Angels had no involvement in Prinstein’s act of filming the Rockies coaches.
The Rockies also ended up winning two out of the three games of that June series against the Angels.
Related Articles
