As we prepare for the season ahead, the Pitcher List staff will be creating profiles for every fantasy-relevant player for 2021. Players will be broken up by team and role through starting pitchers, bullpen, lineup, and prospects. You can access every article as it comes out in our Player Profiles 2021 hub here.
Here at Pitcher List, we are big fans of lists. The Dynasty Team will be covering the top 50 fantasy prospects for each MLB team, and today we are covering a farm that has made big strides to improve itself in recent years after previously being regarded as one of the worst. Below are the fantasy prospect profiles on the top 50 prospects for the Los Angeles Angels.
Note: These Top 50 lists are all done through a fantasy baseball-focused lens. Many players who are ranked higher or lower on other platforms will get a boost here. For example, players who profile as middle relievers or glove-first infielders likely won’t have much fantasy relevance, so they won’t be ranked as highly
1) Jo Adell, OF
Age – 22
Highest Level – MLB
The slam dunk top prospect in this system. An athletic freak, he clearly stood out in his time as a minor leaguer. He will lose his eligibility in most leagues very shortly, but let’s bask in his output while he is still on this list. Before Triple-A in 2019, Adell was always 15% better than league average offensively with stints consistently in the 140 wRC+ range. Adell’s lone wart so far has been his selectivity at the plate, he swings and misses more than anyone would like to see from their top fantasy prospect, in a Luis Robert mold, although he has made up for it with tremendous contact quality. Adell clearly needs to clean something up, but in the past he has shown the ability to adapt to the next level after some growing pains. The question now is how well will he adapt to much-improved sequencing and a heavier diet of breaking balls that the MLB will have ready for him. In the end, I am not overly concerned as it seems that people know what to expect here. He should be able to hit for average, averages and slug his way through most other problems. This is kind of the classic run producer mold, as he doesn’t look like a future run-scoring machine, but he certainly will homer himself in and clear the bases frequently enough to be worth the investment.
ETA: 2020
2) Brandon Marsh, OF
Age – 23
Highest Level – Double-A
Marsh has been a high-end prospect in his own right but has consistently hidden in the shadow of Adell’s potential superstardom. That, however, does not mean Marsh cannot be a serious producer for your fantasy team. Marsh is a better hitter for average than Adell mostly due to this better plate discipline. A better walk and strikeout rate also reduce the likelihood of experiencing the prolonged slumps that Adell will inevitably hit where he gives you almost nothing. Marsh’s skill set is well rounded, with above-average hitting, power, and speed leading to constant production. He is likely to start 2021 in triple-A so he is knocking on the door in terms of future production for your fantasy team.
ETA: 2021
3) Reid Detmers, LHP
Age – 21
Highest Level – Training Camp
Detmers is a pitchability lefty who has yet to make his pro debut. While being a low risk, low reward bet isn’t what attracts most fantasy owners, he does bring reliability to the table that few minor league pitchers can match. Since he hasn’t played professionally yet, imagine something similar to a Zito type when trying to figure out what to anticipate. A strike-thrower, who mixes his pitches well, he has a huge curveball he throws for strikes. The slider and changeup need to catch up, but when they do Detmers will be able to reach his destiny as a fantasy mid-rotation starter.
ETA: 2022
4) Jordyn Adams, OF
Age – 21
Highest Level – High-A
Adams is the opposite of what was just written about Detmers in every way. An extremely tooled up athlete, Adams needs to clean up the finer aspects of baseball. Mechanically he is fine, and his approach has been mostly average outside of 40PA in High-A, which I am not going to look into. It’s curious how a player with so much athleticism isn’t doing more on contact when he seemingly does not have obvious flaws in his game. The swing has many similarities to Byron Buxton, which is perhaps an easy comp to make – but it seems that we are waiting for it to all click, which if it does, could result in a big change in value for Adams.
ETA: 2023
5) Kyren Paris, SS
Age – 19
Highest Level – AZL
Paris is similar to Adams in the athletic mold which seems to be a very Angels archetype. He is so young and so early in his career that this could go many different ways, but he’s physical, fast, and has shown the ability to hit so far. Buyer beware, but it is very unlikely that Paris is still No. 5 on this list a year from now with the direction he moves in a total unknown.
ETA: 2024
6) Arol Vera, SS
Age – 18
Highest Level – Tricky League
Vera has no statistics to reference, but finds himself this guy for similar reasons to the two players above him. He is another thin athletic up the middle player. But with even more risk seeing as he has never taken an AB in an actual professional game. The skills are tantalizing, but I would be lying to you if I said I knew how this was going to end up.
ETA: 2025
7) Chris Rodriguez, RHP
Age – 22
Highest Level – High-A
Rodriguez has the stuff of a pitcher you want and the injury history of someone you don’t. He missed all of 2018 and almost all of 2019 because of a back injury that eventually required surgery. When he has been on the mound, he has both stuff and command. At this point, his injured back will hopefully be in the rearview mirror, but we truly do not know the answer to the most important question in regards to his evaluation. I would take a totally healthy Rodriguez over Detmers, but that might be so far from reality that I cannot in good conscience put him any higher than this.
ETA: 2021
8) Jeremiah Jackson, SS/2B
Age – 20
Highest Level – Rookie Level
What is that I hear you saying? You want more athlete-first players? Jackson is what I can only assume people thought of Jazz Chisholm a few years ago. An extreme uppercut on a player who is not extremely big, but surprisingly big power for a person his size. Jackson strikes out a lot, and his hits homers a lot. It is up in the air which one will become the more common outcome going forward, but this is another huge variance player, especially considering he is currently at shortstop despite not being likely to be there forever.
ETA: 2022
9) David Calabrese, OF
Age – 18
Highest Level – Did not play
Fast and skinny, Calabrese has the classic leadoff hitters build, but at age 18 still looks as if he has to grow into what a more big-league body for him would look like. He has not played a pro game so I won’t pretend to know his play inside and out, but his video appears to be that of the stand doubles power defence-first center fielder.
ETA: 2025
10) Hector Yan, LHP
Age – 21
Highest Level – Low-A
Yan is a fastball-first lefty who piled up strikeouts and walks in his first year in full-season ball in 2019. His low arm slot leads to uncomfortable at-bats, but his breaking ball and changeup both lead to a lack of stuff to back up his fastball. I have questions about how this is going to work seeing as he is likely to keep leaning on his fastball in games until it stops working, but it does not appear to be a power offering. Hopefully some sort of secondary pitch comes along and then we can have real conversations about his big league future, but as of now it seems to be a fastball from the left side and not much more.
ETA: 2023
11) Werner Blakely, SS
Age – 18
Highest Level – Did not play
This is a monster shortstop who likely will outgrow the position and move to third. His raw power is what the profile is built around, but there isn’t a ton known about him, because he has yet to play a pro game. Still an interesting long term play, and yet another draft pick where athleticism was what came first.
ETA: 2025
12) Jahmai Jones, 2B/OF
Age – 23
Highest Level – MLB
Jones has seen time at both second and the outfield during his minor league tenure. The talent is there but the production has oscillated between good and bad. There is speed, raw power, and hitting ability. This is a risk/reward play. I think he can put it all together, but I am not sure if it will be this year or down the line.
ETA: 2020
13) D’Shawn Knowles, OF
Age – 20
Highest Level – Short Season
Knowles is yet another high ceiling athlete in this system, blessed with a plus arm, speed, and average raw power (more than you would think from one look at him). With these athletic traits, it’s time to focus on the more granular parts of baseball. Fantasy owners want to see him hit for more power and hit more consistently. If it clicks, he could go off like dynamite, but until then he’s another risky outfielder in an organization that has quite a few.
ETA: 2023
14) Trent Deveaux, OF
Age – 20
Highest Level – Short Season
You are going to get bored of this, but Deveaux is yet another athlete over polish outfielder. He has the wheels to easily be an MLB center fielder, and above-average power. The hit tool has not been close to the rest. He has stuck out a lot so far, and every video posted seems to have slightly different mechanics than the last. Maybe in the lost year, he had time to bear down on something that works for him, but as of now, this is a hands-off wait and see guy.
ETA: 2023
15) Jose Alberto Rivera, RHP
Age – 23
Highest Level – Low-A
Rivera has been a power arm, with big-time stuff, and very much reliever walk rates so far in his career. He’s an athlete, who probably ends up in the bullpen where his walks will annoy a fantasy owner, but his actual production will be good for the Angels.
ETA: 2021
16) Alexander Ramirez, OF
Age – 18
Highest Level – DSL
The Angels have a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell athletic outfielders. Ramirez is a standard corner outfield project, where he was born big, and it is up to him, Angels strength and conditioning, and a nutritionist what variation of big he wants to be. He smashes the baseball, but he also was striking out a third of the time in the DSL. This could go any direction and I have so little info on him, I have no real recommendation other than this is risk/reward territory.
ETA: 2023
17) Jack Kochanowicz, RHP
Age – 20
Highest Level – Did not play
Kochanowicz is a high schooler from Pennsylvania who has not played professionally. He is listed at 6’6″ and already has a strong like bull build. Since I have no data and have not seen him personally, this is an aggregated write up based on others all liking his build/velo/off speed and present command.
ETA: 2024
18) William Holmes, RHP/OF
Age – 20
Highest Level – Short Season
Holmes is your standard freak athlete Angel; A right/right starting pitcher and outfielder who has succeeded at both in an extremely short timeline. I think his future is on the mound where he brings average grades across the board to along with a strong build and quick arm stroke. In the batter’s box, he is kind of what you would expect; a big strong guy taking G hacks where all other parts of his game are ahead of his hit tool.
ETA: 2023
19) Stiward Aquino, RHP
Age – 21
Highest Level – Short Season
Aquino has a power pitcher’s body without the power stuff. He comes from a high arm slot with a short arm path so it appears that there is some ride and funk to his fastball. He’s piled up the strikeouts and walks so far in his career, so this looks like a future reliever.
ETA: 2022
20) Packy Naughton, LHP
Age – 24
Highest Level – Double-A
The craftiest of crafty lefties, it’s almost like the Angels traded for the opposite of what they traditionally draft and sign internationally. At this point, him making it to double-A and being traded for really indicates that he is on a path to the bigs in an Angels uniform. His stuff doesn’t blow anyone away, but the changeup is really good, and he can throw it in any count. The breaking balls lag behind, but this could be a kitchen sink guy who efficiently cuts through lineups.
ETA: 2021
21) Adrian Plancenia, SS
Age – 17
Highest Level – Did not play
A small-bodied, smooth swinging, switch-hitting second baseman who has yet to make his pro debut. This could go many different directions, but as of now you are buying a guy with a seven-figure signing bonus with a great looking set of swings.
ETA: 2025
22) Sadrac Franco, RHP
Age – 20
Highest Level – Short Season
A short right-handed starter who has two above-average pitches and a high three quarters arm slot. Without knowing his trackman data, it appears that he may be a guy who can live with his fastball up in the zone because of his flatter vertical approach angle.
ETA: 2023
23) Jose Bonilla, SS
Age – 18
Highest Level – DSL
Bonilla is a shortstop who projects to move off the position because of his wider build. His swing is a well-sequenced group of moving parts, and he hit well in the DSL, his first go at pro ball. He looks to be hit tool over everything else, but it is possible he develops more power and is an average offensive producer.
ETA: 2024
24) Orlando Martinez, OF
Age – 23
Highest Level – High-A
Martinez has quietly produced at a slightly above league average level the past two seasons while being below the league average age. He’s a corner outfielder who has a vanilla toolset of a bunch of average skills.
ETA: 2022
25) Oliver Ortega, RHP
Age – 24
Highest Level – Double-A
Ortega can be a lot of things, but consistent is rarely one of them. His short arm stroke and power stuff from an over the top motion, along with being listed at 6′ leaves him with a fastball with good riding life, and a curve that relies on its break more than deceptive angles. He is likely a reliever because of his command woes, but he is an interesting arm.
ETA: 2021
26) Aaron Hernandez, RHP
Age – 24
Highest Level –High-A
Hernandez has stuff, but lacks command, and has had a lot of injuries. If we waive the magic wand and give him a clean bill of health he could be a multi-inning guy who gets a bunch of strikeouts and walks.
ETA: 2021
27) Gerardo Reyes, RHP
Age – 27
Highest Level – MLB
Reyes is 27, and is a sidearmer who has been up to 99. He’s all over the place with his location, but he is hell on righties so maybe his breaking ball or change up improves so he can stop being heaven for lefties.
ETA: 2019
28) Gabriel Tapia, RHP
Age – 18
Highest Level – DSL
Tapia has an average build and can throw a change-up pretty well. He needs to gain some velocity to make this work, but he is a strike-thrower and has a back end rotation future right now.
ETA: 2024
29) Jose Salvador, LHP
Age – 21
Highest Level – Short Season
Salvador has lefty relief written all over him. With slightly above average stuff and poor command, he needs to get stronger if he wants to stay on the starter train because right now he appears frail, and incapable of a starter’s workload.
ETA: 2022
30) Robinson Pina, RHP
Age – 22
Highest Level – Low-A
Pina is an interesting projection arm because he has already showing plus fastball velocity, and he also has the rare trait of monster extension greatly improving his pitches zone time. However, as is tradition on this list, he walks a lot of guys, and a starter’s future is hard to imagine for this right-hander unless he can start hitting the strike zone more often.
ETA: 2022
31) Kevin Maitan, 3B
Age – 20
Highest Level – Low-A
20-year-old prospects should never be a blast from the past, but here we are. Maitan has had a precipitous fall from grace, once being written about on Fangraphs as a 14-year-old, then being the top international signee by the Braves for $4 million, then being the centerpiece for John Coppolella’s lifetime banishment from baseball, then signing another $2 million contract with the Angels, and has since gained a massive amount of weight and the production has been nowhere near what was once expected. Maitan still has the thundering power he was rumored to have, he just doesn’t get to it very often. He has become far too big to play shortstop and is slowly going from a third baseman to a first baseman. His arm is still very big. But the offense has been a problem, striking out more than 30% of the time in Low-A as a teenager is acceptable for nearly any prospect except for ones with the history of Maitan. With essentially a gap year, the Angels are likely hoping something drastic has changed, but that is a total unknown to me. While the talent has never played to its potential perhaps there is still something deep down in there. For now, he is a hands-off wait and see.
ETA: 2025
32) Gareth Morgan, OF
Age – 24
Highest Level – Double-A
There is nothing like this guy. A hulking giant who is being forced through the minor leagues. Since 2016, he has never had a strikeout rate below 43.3% at any stint at any level. The reason you haven’t heard of him… he is a hitter. Morgan is swinging to always hit absolute moon shoots. He has had issues turning that plan into a reality frequently enough for him to rocket up rankings, but the power is legendary. He is a surprisingly quick outfielder, so he will remain on the grass, but from here on out, these are wait and see players.
ETA: 2024
33) Erik Rivera, OF
Age – 19
Highest Level – AZL
Rivera was supposed to be a pitcher and hitter, but the Angels only used him as an outfielder in 2019. He struck out a lot in his pro debut and is likely headed back to the AZL for another go, where hopefully pitching and hitting are explored.
ETA: 2024
34) Livan Soto, SS
Age – 20
Highest Level – Low-A
Soto can put the bat on the ball, he hardly ever strikes out, and he works his fair share of walks. He can play shortstop, but he is really lacking the physicality to compete at higher levels. Hopefully, he can show up in 2021 and put that worry to rest, and potentially be a big league backup.
ETA: 2022
35) Connor Higgins, LHP
Age – 24
Highest Level – High-A
Higgins has an over the top left-handed motion that allows his stuff to play up more than you would think. He pitched entirely in relief, and was giving up a lot of walks, but if he can tone the walks down a bit, he could be a middle reliever.
ETA: 2022
36) Adam Seminaris, LHP
Age – 22
Highest Level – Did not play
Something clicked with the left-hander at Long Beach State in his junior year. He did not walk many, averaging 2.2 BB/9 in college, but his strikeouts were up to 14.7 K/9 after previously being in the 6-7 range. He is a pitchability lefty, who does not light up radar guns, but increasing velocity has become a priority to the Angels in recent years. So perhaps there is more than meets the eye with Seminaris.
ETA: 2024
37) Natanael Santana, CF
Age – 19
Highest Level – DSL
Santana is a bigger-bodied corner outfield type who worked walks and his fair share of strikeouts in the DSL. He posted a 126 wRC+ in his first pro season and is a watch list player.
ETA: 2024
38) Jorge Jimenez, SS
Age – 18
Highest Level – DSL
Jimenez is a utility infielder who walked more than he struck out, posting a .381 wOBA in his first go at pro ball.
ETA: 2025
39) Anthony Mulrine, C
Age – 22
Highest Level – Short Season
Mulrine is a catcher who has a flat bat path who held his own in his first stint in pro ball. He has soft hands behind the plate but I could not find a video showing his arm so I do not know if he can or cannot stick behind the plate long term.
ETA: 2023
40) Starlin Gill, SS
Age – 20
Highest Level – DSL
Gill was an 18 year old who handled the bat well for a middle infielder in the DSL back in 2019.
ETA: 2025
41) Jose Rojas, 3B
Age – 27
Highest Level – Triple-A
Rojas has been a producer his entire minor league career. He is sporting a .852 OPS over four minor league seasons, with his most recent 2019 stint in triple-A resulting in a full season of .938 in the PCL. The guy tears the cover off the ball while also not having a defensive home, starting at first, second, third and in left field in 2019. The ceiling is that of a big-league regular whom fantasy owners might benefit from him getting shuttled around from position to position. The defensive limitations are still holding him back, so if that doesn’t happen he won’t be up, but there is something here even at age 27.
ETA: 2021
42) Brennon Lund, OF
Age – 26
Highest Level – Triple-A
Lund has been a league-average hitter during his minor league tenure, forcing himself through the minors on the back of a .290 minor league career. The 5’9″ outfielder is undersized, but his compact swing has worked so far producing tons of contact, and he is now knocking on the door of getting a shot at the MLB. His biggest obstacle at this point is the wall of quality outfielders the Angels already have on their roster.
ETA: 2021
43) Jhoan Urena, 3B
Age – 26
Highest Level – Double-A
Urena has quietly hit his way up the system as a corner infielder. His stocky build is not defined, but it also does not seem to have much projection either so for good fortune to fall on him, it will mostly be through batting average. It’s worked so far, and it looks like he’ll get a chance at triple-A, so he is another guy to have on your radar.
ETA: 2022
44) Michael Stefanic, 2B
Age – 24
Highest Level – High-A
Stefanic is a utility infielder who simply does not strikeout. Out of 1468 minor leaguers who qualified for their league’s batting title, only 20 had a lower swinging strike rate than Stefanic (5.0%). He’s been very low on power and speed so far, so it is a ton of pressure on his ability to continue to put balls in play and get love from the BABIP gods, but contact like that is clearly a skill, so physical development could help the bat play up quickly.
ETA: 2022
45) Spencer Griffin, OF
Age – 24
Highest Level – High-A
Griffin produced 10% above league average in 2019 while being age appropriate. He has a steep downward bat path, so we better hope he can leg out a lot of hits after putting 47.4% of all balls in play on the ground in 2019.
ETA: 2022
46) Franklin Torres, 2B
Age – 24
Highest Level – High-A
Torres is a catcher who has a flat bat path, is on the smaller side, and produced league average offense in 2019. His ability to catch is what is keeping him on this list.
ETA: 2022
47) Brendon Sanger, OF
Age – 27
Highest Level – Double-A
Sanger fully adopted the elevate and celebrate mentality in 2019. The second baseman/outfielder’s 32.9% ground ball rate is incredibly low, but it has yet to yield the results full desired at the moment. Hopefully, with a few more balls in play in 2021, he can use his launch angle to rise up the Angels list.
ETA: 2022
48) Torii Hunter Jr., OF
Age – 25
Highest Level – High-A
An older than normal prospect because he played football for Notre Dame. Drafted essentially because of bloodlines, he has done a very good job of being a largely average offensive player with so much time missed, while playing great defense in centerfield. Watch him and see if the athletic genes just needed some time to marinate in pro ball.
ETA: 2023
49) Brandon White, OF
Age – 23
Highest Level – Short Season
White showed a refined approach in his first experience as a pro, walking 9.8% of the time and striking out 19.6% of the time. His 11 steals are the highlight of this package, as he is a speedy outfielder who doesn’t pack a ton of punch yet.
ETA: 2024
50) Jose Verrier, 2B
Age – 23
Highest Level – Short Season
The Cuban second baseman has gone totally unnoticed largely because of his 36.4% strikeout rate. But Verrier does have a very strong and sturdy build, and was able to put up an .819 OPS in the pioneer league in his first time off the complex. That equates to him being 19% above league average at an age appropriate level. Obviously he isn’t someone you need to rush to your waiver wire to look into, but there are underlying tools here.
ETA: 2024
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