The Angels’ system is far from among the deepest in Major League Baseball. But right at the top of the new Top 30, it’s a lot more interesting than it’s been in a while, and the top two on the list are set to arrive in Los Angeles soon.
It starts with wide receiver Logan O’Hoppe, obtained in last year’s Trade Deadline for Brandon Marsh. He made his major league debut last year and is expected to have plenty of time behind the plate in the majors, which is why he’s on the American League Rookie of the Year nominee lists.
While Zach Neto was only drafted last year, the first round raked the Double-A in 2022 on his pro debut. He’s in the fast lane now and has the kind of advanced batting that could get him to Los Angeles real quick.
And No. 3 prospect Edgar Quero is further away, but he has placed himself in the Top 100 conversation. switch could climb the rankings with repeat performance.
Beyond that, it quickly dissipates, although the 2021 draft appears to be producing legitimate big leaguers. Chase Silseth has already gotten there, and southpaw Ky Bush should get there soon. There are 16 pitchers in the Angels’ new Top 30, seven from that draft class.
The Angels continue to rely on their activity in the international amateur free agent market, with 11 of the top 30 players resulting from those efforts. If many of these super-young players with considerable tools progress in 2023, that could be key for the system to move up the ranks.
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2021 pre-season roster to the 2022 pre-season roster.
Leap: Werner Blakely, 3B (2022:24 | 2023:8) The Angels knew it might be a bit long when they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of Detroit-area high school ranks. He was starting to figure things out in his full season debut last year before he got injured. He is only 21 for the whole 2023 season and he still has a ceiling to reach.
Autumn: Arol Vera, SS (2022:3 | 2023:29) Vera was one of the top-rated prospects for the 2019-20 international signing period and joined the Angels in July 2019 for $2 million. The pandemic certainly didn’t help, but there was optimism when he made a solid pro debut in 2021 in the Arizona Complex League. His .572 OPS and 27% strikeout rate on the ball all season in 2022, however, is of great concern if he can add the strength and approach to hit at higher levels.
Players are rated on a scale of 20-80 for future tools – 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average, and 70 is 80 is way above average. Players in parentheses have the same rank.
To hit: 60 — Zach Neto
Power: 55 — Logan O’Hoppe
Run: 80 — Jordyn Adams
Arm: 55 — Zach Neto (Logan O’Hoppe, Denzer Guzman, Kyren Paris, Nelson Rada, Jeremiah Jackson, Arol Vera)
Defense: 60 — Jordyn Adams (Livan Soto)
fastball: 80 — Ben Joyce
curve ball: 55 — Caden Dana
Slide: 60 — Sam Bachmann
Change: 55 — Sam Bachman (Ky Bush, Landon Marceaux)
Control: 55 — Landon Marceaux
How they were built
Draft: 18 | Internationals: 11 | Trade: 1
Breakdown by ETA
2023: 6 | 2024: 10 | 2025: 7 | 2026: 6 | 2027: 1
Breakdown by position
C: 2 | 2B:1 | 3B: 1 | SS: 6 | FROM: 4 | HPR: 14 | HPL: 2