Hello all! One final writeup before we all disappear into the offseason. It's been really exciting to see the Angels' farm grow and develop this season - we really haven't seen anything like this in a long time, so there's loads to be excited about. Can't wait to continue this next season - I'll probably have one more writeup about the system's depth chart and one for the international draft. In the meantime, enjoy!

TOP 30 PROSPECTS

1. SS Arjun Nimmala (20, AA)

The headliner of the Soriano trade immediately made a big splash in the Angels’ farm system! After a brief adjustment period, Nimmala did nothing but mash at AA, putting up a .260/.389/.577 slash line, good for a .966 OPS. He has prodigious power to all fields, but keeps his strikeouts to a manageable level while posting an excellent walk rate of 16%. If he continues his current level of play and/or continues to improve, he’s going to force his way onto the big league roster in the next year or two, which will raise some interesting questions about the Angels’ infield. In any case, Nimmala is an exciting impact player with a thunderous bat - exactly what the farm system needed.

2. RHP Tyler Bremner (22, AA)

If you just look at Bremner’s ERA at Tri-City (4.28) and Rocket City (4.44), you wouldn’t be particularly impressed. But all of the interesting stuff about Bremner lies a little deeper in the stats, especially at AA. His 13.32 K/9 is elite, the 1.11 WHIP is very good, and the 7.03 H/9 is also stellar. Bremner made big strides this season with his secondary pitches - he already has a plus fastball, which does a great job setting up his plus-plus changeup. Both his loopier curveball and his tighter slider/cutter (slutter?) have seen massive improvements over the course of the season - there are some videos floating around Twitter/X where you can see how nasty those pitches have gotten.

It would be a lot easier for Bremner to spam fastball-changeup and dominate minor league batters for a sexier ERA, but the minors are for development, and that’s exactly what he did this season. If he can bring four plus pitches to the mound with him, he’s going to be everything the team needs and more. Expect a stronger performance in AA from him next season, and a potential callup once Kikuchi is gone at the trade deadline.

3. OF Hayden Alvarez (19, High-A)

Alvarez had a great 2025 between the ACL Angels and the Low-A 66ers, but he started to turn everyone’s heads this season when his bat popped off for the Quakes. He put up an impressive showing for a 19-year-old in Low-A, slashing .296/.396/.479 (.875 OPS) before being called up to High-A Tri-City, where he slashed .258/.371/.360 (.731 OPS) over 22 games. Alvarez had a big leap forward in power this year (his ISO jumped from .080 to 1.83), and he’s shown good plate discipline, posting a solid sub-20% strikeout rate and an elite 14% walk rate. He’s also a prolific base stealer, and his average defense is showing signs of steady improvement. Alvarez will likely develop even more power as he fills out, indicating a potentially high ceiling. It’s exciting to see him crack the top 100 prospect lists, and hopefully we’ll see him climb even higher once he spends a full season in High-A next year.

4. OF Jared Grindlinger (17, N/A)

We love a lefty impact bat! Grindlinger is the first high-ceiling first-rounder that the Angels have selected in years, and he’s a fascinating player. While technically a two-way player, the Angels seem to be primarily interested in keeping him in the outfield. The hit tool is already solid, and the team seems to be banking on him developing more power as he continues to grow and fill out. He has yet to make his professional debut so we don’t have a ton to talk about, but I’m excited to see him get going in the spring. Expect him to start in the ACL and spend approximately one year in each level of the minors (unless he goes bananas).

5. LHP Johnny Slawinski (19, ROK)

As the Angels’ third-round draft pick in 2025, Slawinski was projected to become a front-line starter if he could turn some of his offerings into plus pitches, and it seems like that’s exactly what’s happening. Slawinski had an excellent season in Rookie Ball, posting a 3.33 ERA across 54 innings of work. His strikeout rate was absolutely stellar - he maintained a 13.67 K/9 through the season, often making opposing hitters look absolutely foolish. His 82 strikeouts made him the most prolific K merchant in the ACL by a wide margin, and he looks primed to make the jump to Low-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2027.

As a side note, I consider his lack of presence on any of the top 100 prospect lists an absolute snub.

6. OF Nelson Rada (21, AAA)

Rada got a lot of people excited last year after posting a .323/.433/.416 (.849 OPS) slash line in AAA as a 20-year-old, but those stats were a bit of an illusion buoyed by a .405 BABIP. His slash line this year is more representative of who he is at the plate - he went .278/.376/.363 (.739 OPS) over the course of a full season. It’s not bad by any means, but Rada is never going to hit for any significant power - I imagine that his peak is a Bryce Teodosio type that can hit .250-.270. Rada led the PCL in stolen bases with 43 while continuing to play excellent defense in the outfield. There’s an outside chance that he gets called up for a cup of coffee in 2027, but I think it’s more likely that he plays another season in AAA. If he can start walking more than he strikes out (which isn’t too big of a stretch), he could definitely be productive at the major league level.

7. 2B Jarren Advincula (21, N/A)

Like Grindlinger, Advincula has yet to make his professional debut. As a college draftee, he’ll likely start at a higher level. My best guess is that he’ll start at High-A, given how advanced his hit and fielding tools are. Advincula is a more traditional second baseman: contact over power, solid glove but weaker arm, and speedy on the bases. He rarely strikes out and reportedly has good baseball instincts. His ceiling would be a faster, better fielding Luis Arráez, which I think any team would take. I’m very curious to see how things shake out in the Angels’ infield - if Moore can’t figure things out, Advincula and Jaxon Willits would be the players duking it out for the second base position.

8. SS Joswa Lugo (19, Low-A)

Lugo’s first two seasons of pro ball were decent to good, but he had a big breakout at the plate this year in the ACL that earned him a promotion to Low-A. In 59 games with the ACL Angels, he slashed .281/.415/.495 (.910 OPS), raised his walk rate to 15%, lowered his K rate to 22%, and more than doubled his ISO from .101 to .214. Lugo was promoted to Low-A Rancho Cucamonga in early August - he initially struggled but showed clear, linear improvements over 26 games. He finished his stint in Low-A with a .233/.302/.359 (.661) slash line - not mind-blowing, but his steady improvement over his time in the Cal League is a positive indication that he’s right where he should be. Lugo will likely get a full season of Low-A next year, with a potential callup to High-A if he replicates his Rookie ball breakout.

9. RHP Dylan Jordan (20, High-A)

Jordan, taken by the Angels in the fifth round of the 2024 draft, had a very good year for the Low-A Quakes before an August callup to High-A Tri-City. He posted a 3.71 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP over 80 innings of work while also showing off excellent peripherals: his 6.53 H/9, 0.56 HR/9, and 12.71 K/9 were all some of the best in the Cal League. This earned him a promotion to High-A, where he was absolutely shelled in 5 starts, putting up a 9.87 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP. His walk rate and hit rate both ballooned after his promotion, but he was able to maintain his stellar K%, which is a good sign. Jordan will likely spend all of next year in High-A adapting to a higher level of play.

10. 3B Gavin Grahovac (21, Low-A)

I strongly believe that Grahovac might end up being one of the biggest steals in the 2026 draft. The Angels managed to scoop him up in the third round, and started mashing the second he was assigned to the Low-A Quakes. In 24 games, he slashed .304/.402/.641(!), good for a 1.043 OPS. He hit 8 homers, most of which were absolute nukes. The 27% K rate is a concern, but that’s not unusual for power bats. The high average and disgusting slugging percentage, along with a very good 12% walk rate, all combine to make the whiffs much more palatable. I don’t know if Grahovac will stick at third (Jake Munroe’s dark horse antics have added some question marks to the future of that position), but he profiles nicely as a first baseman or corner outfielder. I think he may start next year in Low-A again, but if he does he’ll be promoted to Tri-City very quickly.

11. Trey Gregory-Alford (20, Low-A)

TGA’s first full season in Low-A was a mixed bag. He boasted an improved K% and rarely gave up home runs, but struggled to keep men off of the basepaths. He ended up posting a 4.29 ERA to go alongside a 1.52 WHIP in 98.2 innings. TGA has an excellent fastball, but he lacks enough command with his secondary offerings to fool batters, so they can just sit on the 4-seamer and feast on soft contact, or just take their walks. TGA is still quite young for Low-A and will get another full season at this level in 2027. There’s a lot to like about him, but he’ll really have to cut down on the hits and walks to keep progressing through the minors.

12. George Klassen (24, MLB)

After getting roughed up pretty badly in two April starts for the Angels, Klassen returned to AAA for most of 2026 and showed stark improvements that earned him a return trip to the show. He was terrific in August, posting a 2.01 ERA in 4 starts before his homecoming was truncated by lower back inflammation. Klassen boasts a plus fastball and one of the best sliders in the game - the quality of his stuff has never been in doubt, but his control has. When Klassen lives in the zone, there’s just not very much that hitters can do about it. His Achilles’ Heel has been (and probably always will be) walks. He’s historically given up enough free passes that even bloop singles end up being devastating. If he can keep the walks under control at the major league level, Klassen has every chance to become a front-line starter.

13. 1B/DH Gabriel Davalillo (18, Low-A)

Davalillo is still incorrectly listed by every publication as a catcher, even though he caught zero games in Low-A this year. He’s spent the majority of his playing time at first base and DH, where he’s naturally better suited. He’s not a fleet-footed defender at first (this is a big dude we’re talking about), but he can definitely pick it well enough to stick at the position. Davalillo’s offensive stats could be considered disappointing - his .245/.336/.398 (.726 OPS) slash line was a precipitous drop from his 2025 DSL stats, but it’s important to remember that 1) he’s an 18-year-old in Low-A, and 2) he’s been dealing with multiple positional changes from catcher to third to first. I’ve seen him play multiple times and I was amazed by his power - I saw him send multiple blasts into the trees at Rancho Cucamonga, and he clearly wasn’t swinging that hard. I think another season in Low-A will do him good - I’d love to see him cut down on the strikeouts and focus on getting the bat to the ball more often now that he’s settled in defensively.

14. C Juan Flores (20, AA)

Flores started the season with High-A Tri-City and showed an impressive offensive breakout in 46 games, slashing .275/.342/.538 (.880 OPS). His breakout, along with his already plus defense, earned him a promotion to AA Rocket City in June. He maintained his defensive excellence but struggled at the plate, slashing .186/.233/.303 (.536 OPS) for the Trash Pandas over 50 games. His biggest challenge will be to cut down on the strikeouts - he averaged more than one K per game with the Trash Pandas. Flores is great enough defensively that even average offense will make him a valuable player, so hopefully his bat can continue to improve at AA next season.

15. LHP Talon Haley (20, Low-A)

There was a lot to like about Haley’s first year of pro ball. Though he pitched to a 4.72 ERA over 87.2 innings in Low-A, he had a solid H/9 (7.80), an elite 0.51 HR/9, and a stellar 12.42 K/9. Unfortunately, the walks are just killing him, and his 5.24 BB/9 is inflating his WHIP and allowing opposing teams way too many scoring opportunities. Everything else is there besides the walks, contributing to a positive outlook on his future as a starter. He likely gets another crack at Low-A next season, and will almost certainly earn a promotion if he can cut down on the free passes.

16. RHP CJ Gray (19, Low-A)

Gray was working out at the pitching lab to start the season, and didn’t start to see any action until June. He pitched fairly well in the ACL - his 4.44 ERA is partially the result of some rough BABIP luck over 26 innings of work, but he also posted a 12.99 K/9 and only allowed one home run. He was dominant enough to earn a promotion to Low-A, where he struggled in three short starts, ending the season with a 7.88 ERA. He had shown some improved control in Rookie ball, but seemed to lose it after getting bumped up to Low-A saw his walk rate skyrocket. Gray is most definitely a long-term project. He’s extremely athletic and has terrific velo and stuff, but his future will be determined by his ability to stay in the strike zone. He’s still on track to be a starter, but I could easily see him becoming a high-leverage reliever somewhere down the line.

17. RHP Nate Snead (22, AA)

Snead’s first year of professional baseball started with High-A Tri-City, where he was dominant over 7 starts. He posted a 2.80 ERA, a sub-1.00 WHIP, and an elite 1.53 BB/9. His strong performance lead to a promotion to AA Rocket City, where he struggled for his first few starts before settling in later on in the season. He got BABIP’d a bit after his promotion to AA, but he still managed to post an elite walk rate and a respectable WHIP of 1.28. He needs to miss more bats to have long-term success, but he’s primed for a full season of AA ball in 2027 and hopefully we see him continue to get more comfortable on the mound.

18. RHP Chase Shores (22, High-A)

Shores spent the entirety of the 2026 season in High-A, posting a 4.83 ERA in 16 starts. He didn’t have a terribly impressive season, and actually posted stats nearly identical to his last season at LSU. His big fastball plays well, but he’ll have to continue to hone his command and improve the quality of his secondary offerings to stick as a starter. Expect to see him in High-A again next season, with his performance in 2027 determining his path as a starter vs reliever.

19. OF Raudi Rodriguez (23, AAA)

Raudi had a pretty good year offensively for the Trash Pandas, slashing .261/.374/.417, good for a .791 OPS. This year saw his K% decrease and his walk rate increase, something you always are happy to see from position players! His consistency earned him a promotion to AAA, where he played reasonably well in 38 games, slashing .268/.374/.396 (.770 OPS). He’ll need another year in AAA before he’s ready for the show, but there’s every indication that he could be a solid depth option for the big league club sooner rather than later.

20. 3B Jake Munroe (23, AA)

Jake Munroe surprised the hell out of everyone this year. The angels drafted him in the fourth round of the 2025 draft, and nobody raised an eyebrow until he turned into an absolute machine at the plate this year. Munroe has been an incredibly consistent hitter across two levels of the minors. He started the season with High-A Tri-City, and slashing .258/.391/.505 (.896 OPS) before being promoted to AA Rocket City, where he slashed .315/.412/.491 (.903 OPS) and was a huge part of their Souther League Championship win. Munroe was selected by the Angels to participate in the Arizona Fall League, where he’s currently the 6th best hitter in terms of OPS (albeit after only 4 games). The Angels have been organizationally thin at third base for ages, and the emergence of Munroe (and potentially Grahovac) has been a very pleasant surprise. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get a cup of coffee some time next season if Guzman is either injured or unable to find some consistency at the plate.

21. RHP Mason McGwire (22, High-A)

Acquired from the Cubs in the Zeferjahn trade, McGwire (yes, that McGwire) pitched reasonably well for the Dust Devils. I have a hard time seeing him as anything other than a spot starter or potential long-relief guy, but his 0.46 HR/9 and 10.53 K/9 are pretty promising - he just needs to start missing some more bats to cut down on the damage that opposing hitters are doing to him. Expect him to start in High-A again with a potential promotion to AA if he performs well.

22. C Jacob Cozart (23, AA)

Cozart came over from the Guardians as the Angels’ return for Jo Adell, and he’s been very impressive so far. He’s a plus defender, and has also been a pleasant surprise as a lefty bat with pop, something that the Angels are in dire need of. He slashed .248/.356/.475 in 28 games with the Trash Pandas, and was another key contributor to their Championship run. He absolutely smokes the ball when he gets ahold of it, and it’s hard not to get optimistic about the upside of lefty pop at the major league level. Cozart will probably start 2027 in AA again, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a callup some time next season if his bat stays hot.

23. OF Rylan Lujo (21, N/A)

Lujo is the last of the 2026 draftees to make the top 30 and, like Grindlinger and Advincula, is yet to make his first professional appearance. Lujo is a contact-oriented righty bat with average power. He has a plus glove but mediocre arm, and runs like the wind. Currently, Lujo projects as a fourth outfielder, but he could certainly end up being a starter if he’s able to make strides with his power and/or his arm. I think he’ll likely start 2027 in Low-A, but be the next man up to High-A depending on how he performs.

24. SS Jaxon Willits (21, Low-A)

Like Grahovac, Willits also immediately started mashing upon his introduction to professional baseball. Widely regarded as a high-baseball-IQ player who’s much greater than the sum of his parts, the Halos’ 5th-rounder hit very well for the Quakes in 26 games, slashing .305/.437/.474 (.911 OPS). His power is to the gaps, but he’s just an all-around solid player. He walks about as much as he strikes out, he’s a solid fielder, and the intangibles are clearly a cut above most players. I don’t know exactly where he might fit in the Angels’ infield, but I could see him becoming one of the best utility players in the game if he doesn’t full-time it at any one position. I think he’s generally rated too low in the Angels’ top 30.

25. RHP Barrett Kent (22, Low-A)

Kent missed all of 2026 recovering from Tommy John, but what he showed in 2025 was promising. He posted a sub-2.00 ERA in Low-A, showing a knack for keeping runners from scoring. He walks way too many guys, but the upside and strong mental presence on the mound is definitely there. We’ll likely see him in Low-A again to start 2026, but he has some catching up to do after his surgery.

26. SS Jeyson Horton (17, DSL)

Horton had a very solid debut in the Dominican League this summer. He slashed .290/.464/.372 (.836 OPS), walked more than he struck out, and showed a knack for managing consistent quality contact. He doesn’t project for much power, but his other tools are strong enough to offset that facet of his game. We’ll likely see him start 2027 in the ACL.

27. RHP Joel Hurtado (25, AAA)

If the Angels don’t add Hurtado to their 40-man roster this offseason, they’ll likely lose him to another team in the Rule 5 draft. Hurtado has thrown two very good full seasons for the Trash Pandas, and spent some time in AAA at the end of this season, where he was knocked around a bit. He doesn’t strike many guys out, but is quite good at eliciting weak contact and keeps the walks under control. He has two big fastballs that play well - I could see him succeeding in a relief role if the Angels don’t have a place for him in the rotation. If he’s added to the 40-man, I anticipate him breaking camp as a bullpen arm.

28. SS Yilver de Paula (18, ROK)

Though de Paula profiles as a glove-first shortstop, he had a huge start in the DSL last season slashing .387/.525/.484 (1.009 OPS) before incurring a season-ending shoulder injury. He was promoted to the ACL regardless, and performed reasonably well for an 18-year-old, slashing .257/.360/.396 (.756 OPS). He draws his walks and keeps his strikeouts down, showing a mature approach at the plate. I think he’ll start in the ACL again next season, but he’ll be an early candidate for promotion to Low-A if he can get the bat going again.

29. RHP Kendri Fana (17, DSL)

Fana had a great debut in the DSL, posting a 2.82 ERA across 11 starts. His peripherals don’t jump off the page, but he has a great presence on the mound and is a gritty pitcher that manages to get outs everywhere. He’s still growing and adding velo, which will help him tremendously with the strikeouts. It’ll be a long while before he’s ready, but Fana is definitely an arm to keep an eye on.

30. C Marlon Quintero (19, Low-A)

Quintero has tumbled down in the rankings this year, though it’s due more to the fact that the Angels have injected and developed loads of talent rather than him doing anything wrong. Quintero is an absolute whiz behind the plate, with his defense already considered MLB-caliber. The bat is the big question - though he showed a clear offensive progress this year (his slash line improved from .258/.265/.290 to .246/.284/.376), he has a lot more work to do at the plate before he’s playable. Increasing his OPS by over 100 points is something to be excited about, however - if he continues to improve, expect to see him climb back up the rankings.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

OF Anthony Scull (22, AA)

Scull was just an okay hitter in 2024 and 2025, but had a breakout at the plate this year in High-A, slashing .272/.329/.524 (.853 OPS) before getting called up to AA Rocket City, where he slashed a less eye-popping .253/.293/.409 (.702 OPS). Scull’s AA numbers are marred by a very rough start after his promotion, but he slowly and steadily improved his play throughout the rest of the season - something you want to see from every prospect. He barely walks and has a lot of swing and miss in his game, but he has a powerful lefty swing and it’s awfully fun to see him get ahold of pitches in the zone.

SS Kendrey Maduro (22, High-A)

Maduro was an undrafted free agent - my favorite kind of prospect! He played 88 games in Low-A this year and just mashed the ball, slashing .296/.372/.523 (.895 OPS) and hitting 17 home runs. He eventually earned a callup to Tri-City and continued his reign of terror, slashing .313/.341/.522 (.863 OPS). Like Scull, he struggles to take walks and has swing and miss in his game, though to a lesser extent. Maduro was scouted as a good fielder, but he made quite a few errors at short this season and doesn’t look terribly comfortable out there - I think he’s more of a DH type. In any case, Maduro is looking like a fantastic pickup. He’ll likely start next season at High-A again and get a callup to AA at some point, but he’ll probably spend most of his time as the DH with Nimmala getting reps at shortstop.

1B Ryland Zaborowski (24, High-A)

Zaborowski is another undrafted free agent who can really swing it. He’s 24 years old so he’s not getting much attention, but some of the numbers he put up this season are worthy of note. He put up 1.065 OPS for the ACL Angels before being rushed to Low-A, where he slashed .284/.356/.544 (.900 OPS) in 45 games before being promoted again to High-A, where he slashed a less impressive but still impactful .216/.310/.459 (.769 OPS). His ISO remained consistent at all three levels, indicating some serious pop at the plate - the 16 home runs didn’t hurt, either. Zaborowski won’t appear on any top prospect lists due to his age, but he’s a great guy to have in a farm system and late bloomers aren’t terribly unusual in baseball. He’s currently representing the Angels in the Arizona Fall League alongside Arjun Nimmala and Jake Munroe, so hopefully he’s able to continue to develop there as well. I imagine he’ll start in High-A again next season - if he cuts down the strikeouts, we’ll see him in AA pretty quickly.

OF Kevyn Castillo (21, High-A)

Castillo has flown under the radar a bit, but is an interesting player with some promise at the plate. He played two seasons in the DSL, one bad and one incredible. He followed that up with two decent seasons at Low-A before breaking out for the Quakes this year, slashing .284/.394/.470 (.864 OPS). He cut his strikeout rate by more than 10% over two seasons while maintaining his excellent walk rate, indicating some major development in plate discipline. He took a step back after his promotion to High-A, slashing .247/.349/.387 (.736 OPS), but still managed to post respectable walk and strikeout rates. He’ll get another shot at High-A - he’s still young for the level, and I hope he takes another leap forward.

IF John Wimmer (21, Low-A)

Wimmer was taken in the 11th round of the 2023 draft, and floundered in the Angels’ farm system until this year. He had a major breakout at the plate this season, slashing .272/.384/.516 (.900 OPS) - his breakout started with a grand slam in a blowout game by the Quakes, which I was actually physically present for! Some of Wimmer’s success this season is illusory - he’s rocking a .392 BABIP, but his ISO has shot way, way up and he’s doing a much better job of getting the ball into the gaps. His strikeout rate is a big problem (it’s currently north of 33%), but we could see him become a quick mover if he’s able to improve on it.

3B Angel Arredondo (19, Low-A)

There wasn’t much excitement about the acquisition of Arredondo for Logan O’Hoppe and Chase Silseth, but he put together a pretty good back half of the season for the Quakes after being traded. He slashed .283/.383/.391 for a .774 OPS while providing solid defense at the hot corner, and more depth at third base certainly can’t hurt the Angels at this point. Arredondo does a great job of taking his walks and keeping his strikeouts at a manageable level - if he can access a little more pop, he could have a future as a well-rounded hitter.

OF Samil Dishmey (20, Low-A)

Dishmey had three unremarkable years in the Angels’ farm system before absolutely tearing up the ACL to start this season, slashing .358/.443/.567 (1.010 OPS) before earning a promotion to Low-A. His strikeout rate ballooned to 36%, but he was still able to produce at the plate, slashing .256/.322/.439 (.761 OPS). He’s way too chase-happy, but if he can reign that in, there’s a very good hitter in his profile.

OF TJ Ford (20, Low-A)

After being selected in the 14th round of the 2025 draft, Ford started his professional career with the ACL Angels and immediately started putting up big numbers despite his lack of power. He slashed .346/.488/.429 (.917 OPS), walked more than he struck out, and stole 32 bases in 51 games. The caveat is that he posted a .454 BABIP, but he was promoted to Low-A where he was clearly overwhelmed by better pitching, only slashing .123/.180/.123 (.303 OPS) and striking out 42% of the time. The underlying approach is clearly there when looking at his ACL stat line - hopefully he’s able to adapt to the Low-A environment next season, because his glove, speed, and hit tool are all very promising.

1B/OF Anthony Santa Cruz de Oviedo (19, RK)

SCO (I’m not typing it out every time) has been very consistent at the plate in his first two seasons of pro ball, posting an OPS of just over .800 in both the DSL and the ACL. His .254/.375/.435 slash line this season was promising, as was his increased ISO (.132 to .181). His walk rate is excellent and he’s been able to keep the strikeout rate under 20% while accessing more of his power. I think he’ll probably start next season in Low-A - if he can be Munroe-like in his consistency at the plate, he could move through the system more quickly than anticipated.

OF Juan Cespedes (18, DSL)

Cespedes was an absolute menace in the DSL this season, posting a gritty .314/.454/.384 (.838 OPS) slash line while walking a ton, barely striking out, and playing plus defense. His most notable achievement, however, was stealing 68 bases over 51 games. It’s one of the highest stolen base totals ever recorded in the DSL, and makes Cespedes a player of interest. Everything revolves around his ability to get on base - if he can slap singles and continue to take an insane amount of walks, his team is almost guaranteed to immediately have a runner in scoring position through a manufactured double. He’s unlikely to develop much power, so consistency is key. I’m very curious to see how he handles pitching in the ACL next season.

RHP Peyton Olejnik (23, High-A)

Olejnik was bumped from the top 30 by the inclusion of a number of solid prospects, but I think the Angels might still have something here. He had a pretty decent debut in High-A this year - after a rocky month and a half to start the season, he settled in and was remarkably consistent from late May through the end of the season, with only one poor start out of his last 15. His slow start nuked his ERA and he finished the season at 4.47, but he clearly showed signs of improvement throughout the season and the consistency was impressive. The big challenge for Olejnik will be to get the walks down - if he can get the free passes under control, he’s going to be very effective on the mound.

RHP Austin Gordon (23, AA)

Gordon is another starter that lost his spot in the top 30, but I’m higher on him than I am on Olejnik. Gordon finished the season with a 4.78 ERA, but I believe there’s some inflation there due to getting BABIP’d pretty hard. Gordon was second in the Southern League in strikeouts and tenth in BB/9. He went on an absolute tear through 14 starts in the middle of the season before two rough starts in September derailed him, but he racks up the K’s and is able to absolutely shut down opposing lineups when he’s on. Gordon’s biggest issue is the home run ball - he posted an absolutely brutal 1.66 HR/9 this season. If he can reduce that number, I can definitely see him as a backend starter.

LHP Niccolo Pinazzi (26, AA)

Pinazzi pitched in relief in Low-A, High-A, and AA this year and absolutely dominated at every level, posting a 0.26 ERA with bonkers strikeout numbers over 34 innings of work. As a 26-year-old reliever, Pinazzi isn’t going to appear on any lists, but he’s earned a longer look in Spring Training and a potential crack at the big leagues. Good lefty relievers are hard to find, and having both Pinazzi and Natera Jr. in the bullpen could really help out the big league club.

RHP Camden Minacci (24, AA)

Minacci is a Trash Panda veteran who just wrapped up his third season in Rocket City. He’s had two very good seasons and one mediocre one at AA, and I think he might be ready for some roster consideration. He’s posted some terrific strikeout numbers (12.77 and 11.52 K/9 in his good seasons) and avoids giving up the long ball. The walks are a bit of an issue, but that’s not uncommon for relievers. I think he could end up being a pretty decent middle reliever, something the Angels are in dire need of.

My wife's mom passed away recently and we found this interesting little piece of history as we were clearing out her garage.

The Red Sox beat the Angels that night 7-5.

The winning pitcher was Bob Stanley.

The losing pitcher was Stew Cliburn.

The only homer that night was by Reggie Jackson off Mike Trujillo in the 5th inning.

26,952 attended the game.

The ticket price of $7 would be about $22 today, which would be a steal for a club box seat.

But also fuck the dodgers

Hilariously small sample size (4 games and 15 at-bats), but still great to see him hit well at every level. I have a feeling that he's going to hit himself onto the major league roster next season if Guzman can't find consistency with the bat.

I wish I could go back in time and watch this game again, it was probably the best game I’ve ever been to in the last few years

I know I know! Not exactly someone who will be a game changer but hear me out.

IKF has been a consistently decent player over his years in the league. He's not a star sure but he's a good player that's been valuable to rebuilding teams. He's a solid defensive guy with a serviceable bat but he where he really shines, is his versatility.

He can play every solidly play all IF postion except catcher and pitcher and can handle the outfield if needed, which is extremely rare in today's MLB. He'd be excellent depth for our team especially with our injury concerns. Plus he'll be cheaper than someone like... Jazz 🤮. With the bonus of not being Jazz and having to deal with a drama queen like Jazz. Like legit I've not personally heard a single bad thing about him. He's just a really quiet decent player.

So I have had this jersey that trout autographed for me for a very long time and I’m finally gonna get it put in a frame and have it on my wall. The picture frame I ordered has 2 slots to put pictures in. Angels fans, I need help. Does anyone have some suggestions for 2 iconic pictures of trout that I can put in these slots? Thank you!!

So happy for Jo Adell, who more than deserves this. Good for him. I'm on the bandwagon.

I could do with a little less of the "he's been sitting on the sidelines every October in Anaheim and gets his first shot at the postseason after his long suffering years with the Angels" they've got going at least once a game, but I'm looking forward to rooting for him.

Once again, the big-market big-spending Angels have shown that money doesn’t buy happiness.  This year, they spent $2.8 million per win – more than twice as much as the playoff Guardians, Rays, White Sox and Brewers. Will a new owner turn things around?

The Guardians were the most cost-efficient team in baseball this year – spending a mere $934,118 per win – the only team under $1 million. And they made the playoffs. The least-efficient, once again, were the big-spending Mets, with the second highest payroll, spent $4.7 million per win. The Blue Jays also threw money away -- $3.65 million per win – and finished way behind the Rays, who had the best record in the American League with $1.1 million per win.

This is my ninth year measuring costs per win. I use Spotrac for salaries, because they measure all expenses, including injured and “buried,” meaning players getting paid who are now longer with the club. The Marlins, for example, with the second-smallest payroll in baseball, used $10 million of their overall $82.8 million to pay part of Giancarlo Stanton’s salary as a New York Yankee.

A lot of fans don’t like my efficiency measures. Each year, Angel fans’ basic response is they want the team to spend up to Dodger standards. As a Marlins fan told me on the team’s Reddit: “Can we just become inefficient and pay $380 million for 100 wins please?”

Still, the measure reveals how smart front offices in this era can navigate this era with wide gaps between the biggest and the smallest payrolls. The Rays, Guardians and Brewers are among the leaders year after year.

Baseball is the only major American sport without a salary cap, and owners have vowed to force a cap in the upcoming negotiations with the union. A cap is likely to include a floor, meaning the cheapest teams like the Marlins and A’s would be forced to spend more.

Smart spending can get a team into the playoffs, but when it comes to going all the way, big bucks still pave the way for ultimate victory. The last time a small-market team won a World Series was 2015 with the Royals. Will this year be different? Some union leaders may hope so – so they can claim there’s no need for a salary cap.

I came across this on eBay. What do you guys think?

I’ve been eyeing this Nike throwback for a minute and last week I came across one on eBay for $125. Had to pull the trigger. Now I have two. Button up and pullover. Different years of course. I’m not an Angels fan but I think they have the best uniforms when it comes to the throwbacks. My favorite one would be the Disney era one with the winged A.

I received a handful of Orem owls game used jerseys with the Nick Adenhart memorial Fund patch on the sleeve. I am trying to figure out who the jerseys may have belonged to.

I'm happy to see our beautiful boy get a chance to shine in an October series.

With it being this time of year, I always go back and watch highlights of the Angels playoff runs during the 2000s, since I was either way too young to remember or not even alive during these runs, I got a lot of questions. The first one, obviously the thundersticks were a staple of the 2002 run, and they seemed prominent in the following years, but not to the level they were in 2002. Did the org just stop handing them out to every fan during home playoff games after 2002? Was there even any distribution of them during the other playoff runs in the decade?

Is Ben Joyce the closer that Angels have been searching for or good 8th inning guy? Do Angels need to look for experienced closers somewhere else? Is betting on Ben Joyce for the closer yet another Angels fans' Hopium or do we have a legitimate closer already?

Last time that Angels reached .500 winning percentage was 2015

Compared with Chicago White Sox performance 2000 - 2026

Jo Adell just launched a bases loaded triple, mans now has 4 RBIS and two triples in the series

Same knows Same. All the money, All the talent. Same end result.

I work at a restaurant / bar in la and it’s a spot many come in to watch dodger games, it is packed even for regular season matchups. Ever since shohei left the Angels and signed with the dodgers I lost a lot of interest in baseball, especially after they won two in a row (I stay up to date with the Angels tho). One of my coworkers asked why I don’t even watch the baseball games and I told them it’s pretty miserable for me to watch the games. You just know the dodgers will 3 peat I mean the pitching staff alone is the best of all time. It’s sad bro I really hope the Angels get good again soon so I can watch baseball again bc I deadass can’t even watch the playoffs lmao