Top Prospects Series
Below is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Los Angeles Angels. Scouting reviews had been compiled with info offered by trade sources in addition to my very own observations. This is the third yr we’re delineating between two anticipated aid roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “position” column under: MIRP for multi-inning aid pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning aid pitchers. The ETAs listed typically correspond to the yr a participant must be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Manual changes are made the place they appear acceptable, however I take advantage of that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Value) means may be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview may be discovered right here.
All of the ranked prospects under additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the location gives that includes sortable scouting info for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan knowledge from varied sources) than this text and integrates each staff’s listing so readers can examine prospects throughout farm techniques. It may be discovered right here.
Other Prospects of Note
Grouped by sort and listed so as of desire inside every class.
The 2021 Arms
Brett Kerry, RHP
Luke Murphy, RHP
Eric Torres, LHP
Ryan Costeiu, RHP
Nick Jones, LHP
Braden Olthoff, RHP
Andrew Peters, RHP
Brandon Dufault, RHP
Mason Erla, RHP
We’re now two years faraway from the 2021 draft that noticed the Angels principally goal fast-moving faculty pitchers who may assist them win in the course of the brief window the place they nonetheless had each Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani. We’re in Ohtani’s contract yr now, so how is that this going? It has yielded two present members of the large league 40-man roster (Silseth and Bachman), a number of different prospects ranked above, and this group. I’ve included the around the pitcher was drafted in behind their identify. Kerry (fifth, South Carolina) is pitching properly within the Double-A rotation regardless of solely sitting 90-92 mph. His breaking ball command can be fairly good, and he’s monitoring like a spot starter with 40 stuff and plus command. Murphy (4th, Vanderbilt) is pitching out of the Double-A bullpen and sitting 94 with a median slider. He’s upper-level aid depth with two common pitches. Torres (14th, Kansas State) is a soft-tossing lefty reliever who’s having upper-level success. Costeiu (seventh, Arkansas) had success in 2022 with a low-90s fastball (which was down from faculty), an above-average changeup, and a median curveball earlier than being shut down with an elbow difficulty that has lingered into 2023. Big Nick Jones (eighth, Georgia Southern) reached Double-A final season however is presently at High-A, the place he’s gotten his walks beneath management within the bullpen. Olthoff (ninth, Tulane) was a one-pitch marvel with a bizarre supply and an incredible slider. Peters (tenth, South Carolina) was a sturdy faculty starter with a giant body and mid-90s arm power, however below-average secondaries. Both Olthoff and Peters are on the IL and haven’t pitched this yr. Dufault (sixteenth, Northeastern) and Erla (seventeenth, Michigan State) regarded good early on after the draft, every sitting 93-97 mph, however Dufault is struggling to throw strikes proper now and Erla’s velocity has backed up considerably.
Guys I Overevaluated
Natanael Santana, OF
Jeremiah Jackson, UTIL
D’Shawn Knowles, CF
Adrian Placencia, 2B
Arol Vera, SS
Alexander Ramirez, OF
David Calabrese, OF
Most of this group was understanding 5 miles from my home for 2 years and I mistakenly thought a number of of them would hit. I’m endlessly fascinated by the 21-year-old Santana, who has one of the crucial spectacular physiques in professional baseball. He is so quick for a man his measurement that I ponder if any faculty soccer recruiters studying this publish would possibly need to fly in to observe him play and see if he can have some type of Chris Weinke-like profession as a linebacker or operating again. He has simply missed too many reps due to the pandemic and a 2022 knee harm. Jackson has above-average uncooked energy and a 20-grade hit instrument. He’s begun to play a number of different positions, together with heart discipline, an experiment that’s in its very early levels. He might be a bit if he takes to heart. Knowles runs properly sufficient to play heart discipline, however his offensive efficiency has been manner under an appropriate degree for a prospect for a number of years now (RIP Pioneer League numbers). My greatest whiffs from this group are Placencia and Vera, who each have swings which might be simply far too lengthy to be viable, one thing I ought to have seen manner sooner than I did. Vera has stuffed out significantly at this level and is barely a shortstop anymore. Placencia remains to be tremendous athletic and projectable, however his arm solely suits at second base. Ramirez has plus energy and is placing out a ton. Calabrese I used to be by no means on all that a lot; except for his pace, he was extra of a mannequin darling due to his draft day age than a scouting favourite.
Some Complex Dudes
Felix Morrobel, SS
Randy De Jesus, OF
Dario Laverde, C
Anthony Scull, OF
Manuel Cazorla, LHP
I wrapped up seeing the advanced group a number of nights in the past. Morrobel is within the DSL, so I haven’t seen him in particular person. He signed for $900,000 in January and is a projectable switch-hitting shortstop with a gap-to-gap-approach at current. De Jesus, who signed for $1.2 million, is the large identify in Arizona. He’s bodily mature, and has power and modest really feel for the barrel. I don’t love how his fingers work, as they don’t actually load and simply hearth from a useless cease proper now. It’s a troublesome R/R nook outfield profile. Laverde signed for $350,000. He’s a well-rounded, low-level catching prospect who has solely performed the place for a number of years. There’s no standout instrument proper now, however he’s a very good participant to have in your system. Scull is a lefty-hitting Cuban outfielder with 50 pace. With heart discipline most likely not within the playing cards, he’s extra of a fifth outfielder sort, perhaps a Jake Fraley form of 45 if you happen to like him and he retains hitting. Cazorla is a projectable lefty who’s sitting 88-91 mph and flashing an often good curveball and changeup.
Carve Your Own Path
Kenyon Yovan, RHP
Victor Mederos, RHP
Gustavo Campero, C
Erik Martinez, RHP
Hayden Seig, RHP
This complete group was both acquired by non-traditional means or took some bizarre, circuitous path right here. In highschool, Yovan regarded like he would possibly develop as much as be J.D. Davis, however as an alternative he’s turning into Joe Savery. Yovan handled accidents in faculty at Oregon and tried simply hitting for some time. He’s again to pitching and is sitting 94 mph, touching 98, and looking for a giant league slider. Mederos was a well-known excessive schooler with mid-90s warmth and a plus breaking ball, however no really feel for location. He transferred from Miami to Oklahoma State (neither is particularly good at growing arms) and has now been within the Angels system for a yr and remains to be largely the identical dude. Campero is a favourite of mine, an athletic 25-year-old switch-hitting catcher and outfielder who crushed 2022-23 winter ball, and is now hitting at High-A. He wants a promotion (and plenty of work on protection nonetheless). Martinez, 27, went to Cal by means of 2018, then pitched in Indy ball and in Mexico for 4 years earlier than signing his first professional contract within the offseason. His fastball has efficient rise/run motion and he has a reasonably nasty two-plane sweeper. Seig, a 6-foot-5 24-year-old, was a 2021 undrafted free agent senior from St. Joe’s who one way or the other has a low-slot supply that produces a downhill fastball due to his top and upright decrease half. He’s presently having A-ball success as a sinker/slider reliever.
System Overview
This is just not a very good farm system. There’s nobody cause for it, and never all the causes are dangerous. Reid Detmers is a giant leaguer whereas plenty of gamers from the 2020 draft are nonetheless prospects. Kyle Bradish and others (principally pitchers) from the 2018-20 draft lessons have been traded and are in different techniques. The hit fee on the toolsy athletes who the Halos gravitated towards within the draft for some time has been combined. Brandon Marsh panned out, Jo Adell regarded like he was going to however hasn’t, and Jordyn Adams, Jeremiah Jackson, and some others haven’t. At the time, I assumed the two-way participant experiments (Erik Rivera, William Holmes) had been worthwhile, however they value significant draft capital and didn’t work. The gamers signed by the worldwide program (and I believe that is the most important difficulty) usually are not hitting, with guys who acquired near $6 million of mixed bonus outlay presently hitting a collective .240 at Tri-City. The conservative, need-based strategy the Angels took to the 2021 draft meant they did not domesticate a category with actual upside, because the cement was principally dry on the pitchers they took. Those results may be felt right here.
The large league staff is presently 38-32, and scouts are hitting this method arduous in anticipation of the staff being deadline consumers for the primary time shortly. If the Angels are assured Logan O’Hoppe is their catcher of the longer term, they may transfer Edgar Quero because the centerpiece of a significant commerce. Or perhaps there’s a membership on the market that thinks Nelson Rada (who’s actually thrilling) is already adequate to hold comparable weight. Other than that, Los Angeles appears more likely to both make some small trades or be outbid by groups with extra minor league ammunition. Is there a giant fish lurking within the DSL? The Angels actually unfold their 2023 worldwide bonus pool out amongst plenty of high-six-figure guys, and that group ought to be a precedence for groups that may be a commerce match come July as a result of the remainder of this method is so mild.
If the Angels one way or the other fall comfortably out of rivalry in the course of the subsequent six weeks and search to commerce Shohei Ohtani, who is aware of how this method will look. His looming free company complicates the query, however Shohei is his personal factor, and it’s troublesome to gauge what they may get for him in return. The Scherzer/Turner commerce would possibly supply a good current proxy as a result of two premium gamers moved in a single deal, and that’s primarily what Ohtani is (to not point out the marketability, handsomeness, and so forth.). You can wager that the centerpiece(s) of such a deal would both be plug-and-play large leaguers or the highest prospect(s) on this listing as quickly because it’s consummated.
Content Source: blogs.fangraphs.com