Beneath is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the Los Angeles Angels. Scouting studies have been compiled with info offered by trade sources in addition to my very own observations. That is the sixth yr we’re delineating between two anticipated aid roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “place” 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 needs to be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Handbook changes are made the place they appear applicable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Worth) means could be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview could be discovered right here.
All the ranked prospects under additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the location affords that includes sortable scouting info for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from numerous sources) than this text and integrates each staff’s record so readers can evaluate prospects throughout farm methods. It may be discovered right here.
Different Prospects of Be aware
Grouped by kind and listed so as of choice inside every class.
Rio Foster
Rio Foster, LF
Early final September, the Northwest League named Foster as its Participant of the Month. That very same day, he was concerned in a devastating automobile wreck. Sitting within the passenger sit of a automobile piloted by a drunk driver, Foster flew via the window after the automobile veered off the street, slammed into an influence pole, and flipped over. He suffered debilitating mind accidents which have left him unable to stroll, eat on his personal, or maintain a dialog. His profession is nearly actually over, and the hope now could be that he can sometime get well and lead a traditional life. The Angels have dedicated to insuring Foster and paying his wage via 2026, however the monetary and logistical challenges in managing the 22-year-old’s care stay important. It’s been heartening to see teammates, opponents, and several other Angels massive leaguers make important contributions to the GoFundMe arrange by his mom. Right here at FanGraphs, we want him nothing however the most effective.
DSL Crew
Yojancel Cabrera, RF
Anthony Santa Cruz de Oviedo, 1B
Greylin De La Paz, 3B
Yelinson Betances, CF
Liordanys Menendez, 2B
Jhostin Betances, RHP
The Angels’ DSL group, significantly on the place participant facet, is an attention-grabbing bunch. A number of made the primary a part of the record, and whereas there are not any ensures whenever you’re this distant, a yr in, the 2025 class seems robust. Cabrera has a easy arrange and respectable barrel really feel, a great hit-tool starter package. There’s long-term energy projection and main-section upside to go along with it, however neither his athleticism nor the information underneath the hood stood out sufficient to push him. A $200,000 Cuban signee, Santa Cruz de Oviedo has somewhat pop and a few hit ability, although given the heuristics — he’s already 18 and enjoying solely first base — you’d like both the information or the visible eval to face out somewhat greater than it does. De La Paz repeated the DSL and carried out this time. He has above-average energy and a powerful arm, however breaking balls tie him in knots.
Yelinson Betances is athletic, with a fast bat and a path to common energy, however the swing’s somewhat messy and offers him no likelihood on breaking balls presently. I’ve a watch on him, however he’ll have to make important changes. Menendez must get stronger, however his related swing, manipulable barrel, eye, and skill to play up the center give him a basis if he can. Jhostin Betances has a clear arm swing, he sits within the low 90s and touches 95 out of the rotation, and he flashes an above-average slider. As soon as skeletal, he regarded stronger yr over yr, and related bodily progress in 2026 might propel him to the type of arm power that will get him to the primary part of the record.
Higher-Stage Size Arms
Ryan Costeiu, RHP
Mitch Farris, LHP
Austin Gordon, RHP
Jose Gonzalez, RHP
Costeiu is an efficient athlete who will present you 4 common or higher pitches. He’s by no means put all of it collectively, although, and the optimism I as soon as had for important command progress is fading quick. Farris has a plus Bugs Bunny change that misses bats. It’s weak if he hangs it, although, and every thing else within the holster is fringy. He’s a spot starter. Gordon is an enormous man with respectable physique management. He throws strikes with a deep mixture of fringy and common pitches, and might be a spot starter; maybe it’s value seeing if he can decide up a number of velo briefly bursts and if there’s a path to a 55 breaking ball together with it. Gonzalez signed as a minor league free agent this winter. He has plus command of largely fringy stuff and initiatives as an up-down size arm.
Tweener Bats, Higher-Stage Version
Rubel Cespedes, INF
Anthony Scull, CF
Adrian Placencia, 2B
Jorge Ruiz, OF
David Mershon, Util
Joe Redfield, CF
J.J. D’Orazio, C
Cespedes at one level garnered Prime 100 consideration at this web site. He has plus really feel for contact, a 70 arm, and above-average energy, however poor swing selections and a bent to increase the zone have stalled his offensive recreation. Scull’s dreadful strategy undermines his common energy and protection in middle. Placencia has gotten stronger and now has above-average affect. His manufacturing during the last year-and-a-half has breathed life into a man who as soon as appeared like a launch candidate. His glove and speak to ability appear like they’ll mature south of what you’d like in a utility participant. Nonetheless, I can’t assist however surprise if a change of surroundings would do him a number of good, and I don’t suppose a late-blooming, Andy Ibáñez-like profession is solely out of the query.
Ruiz is a nook outfielder who can hit, however he has no energy. The Angels drafted Mershon within the 18th spherical in 2024. He was seen as a speed-and-defense man with positional versatility and a light-weight bat. Somewhat than construct the bat up slowly, the Angels instantly despatched him to Double-A, the place he’s hit .189/.313/.236. Redfield reached Double-A final yr. A reliable hitter who can stand in middle, he lacks a carrying software. D’Orazio signed as a minor league free agent. At instances in Arizona’s system, he regarded like a backup catcher who might assistance on each side.
Tweener Bats, Decrease-Stage Version
Kevyn Castillo, OF
Dario Laverde, C
Felix Morrobel, SS
Anyelo Marquez, 2B
Castillo fell awkwardly as he tripped over first base whereas legging out an infield single in Might and missed the remainder of the yr. It’s a disgrace for a lot of causes, not least of which is that he would possibly’ve been promoted not lengthy after. He’s hitterish and younger, with brief levers and a fairly good strategy. He has a group of fringy instruments in any other case, and initiatives as an up-down man or fifth outfielder. Laverde’s swing regarded worse final yr. He’s pulling off the plate extra, his bat path isn’t masking the zone in addition to it used to, and he hasn’t grown into any extra energy. There’s sufficient bat-to-ball ability to remain on him, however for a man who’s already fringy behind the plate, 2025 was a misplaced yr. Already outdated for the extent, Morrobel’s second spin on the advanced didn’t go very properly. He has bat pace and projectable energy, together with an enormous arm, however the lack of progress on the plate pushes him down into this part. Marquez had somewhat helium coming into 2025, however the hit/energy mix didn’t translate properly stateside. He could lack a carrying software.
2025 Draft Guys
Nate Snead, RHP
Xavier Mitchell, LHP
Alton Davis II, LHP
Slate Alford, 3B
Snead was taken within the third spherical. He usually hits triple digits, however between his fastball’s round-down form and an absence of deception, he didn’t miss bats with it. He’s a aid prospect who might use a sharper breaking ball. Mitchell signed for practically $900,000. He’s a projectable lefty with a carrying fastball, attention-grabbing secondary shapes, and a pleasant supply. The fitting power program might be an actual boon right here. The long-levered Davis works on the primary base facet and has a pair markers in his launch and supply that appear like they might be misleading, however he was hit exhausting in faculty. He has an opportunity for an above-average fastball/slider combine and, like every lefty with traits, is value staying affected person with. A low-dollar senior signal, Alford has common pop and might play a good third base. The previous Georgia Bulldog noticed time at second base in his Athens days, and his greatest path to worth is probably going in some type of multi-positional function.
Reliever Matterhorn
Najer Victor, RHP
Carlos Espinosa, RHP
Luke Murphy, RHP
Brady Choban, RHP
Benny Thompson, RHP
Victor Garcia, RHP
Bridger Holmes, RHP
Fulton Lockhart, RHP
Jared Southard, RHP
Victor will present a plus fastball and an above-average slider. He’s been sneaky hittable courting again to his time in faculty, with too many pitches both in harmful places or nowhere close to the plate. He has a center reliever’s ceiling however wants a number of polish. Espinosa is a fringy athlete with a great arm. He initiatives to have 40 management of two above-average pitches, and has a path to center aid work. Murphy had a disastrous 2025 in Salt Lake, however his upper-90s fastball and common slider needs to be sufficient to not less than work an up-down function. Choban’s mid-90s energy sinker helped him run a groundball fee north of 60% throughout the higher ranges final yr. He doesn’t miss many bats, however the way in which he lives down within the zone presents a pleasant distinction to most relievers and will discover a place in the precise bullpen.
Thompson lacks bodily projection however has attention-grabbing pitch information, an uncommon mixture on this system. His mix of common velo and 20 inches of vertical break performs down on account of different traits. He has a center reliever’s secondaries but additionally 20 current management. Garcia is of smaller stature with fringy arm power and below-average extension, however he throws strikes and has good secondaries. A sidearmer with massive run on his fastball and break on his slider, Holmes misses a number of bats. He’s been wild so far and bought hit in Excessive-A after a promotion. Lockhart throws 102 with a pointy slider and has redefined what “most effort” seems like for me. He’s additionally walked 48 hitters in 40 profession innings. There’s an apparent adjustment alternative right here. Southard had good numbers as a reliever on the higher ranges. He throws strikes with common stuff.
System Overview
This can be a below-average system. Partially, that’s as a result of the org retains accelerating its first-round picks via the minors in a short time. Issues would look higher, if nonetheless under common, if Christian Moore remained eligible, and we might’ve mentioned the identical this time final yr with respect to Nolan Schanuel. However there are different structural causes that assist clarify why the Angels perennially end close to the again of our farm system rankings.
The staff’s participant improvement equipment has a distinctly old skool taste. A whole lot of the coaches and employees are former massive leaguers, and loads of them have been there for years. There are actual benefits to that perspective and continuity. However there are additionally potential drawbacks, and it’s the latter that was prime of thoughts as I evaluated this technique.
To place it bluntly: As a gaggle, relative to friends all through the league, Angels farmhands haven’t progressed properly in recent times. Guys with swing-and-miss points once they enter the org are inclined to have the identical downside down the road. Undersized gamers don’t appear to get an entire lot stronger. You don’t see a number of pitchers make massive positive factors with their secondaries or their fastball shapes. There are exceptions — yow will discover a pair fairly darn good defensive catchers right here — however Angels gamers are inclined to get higher largely within the areas shored up by reps and expertise enjoying the sport, issues like extra dependable glovework and higher throwing accuracy.
There’s a plan at work right here. On the pitching facet, the org values velocity. The Angels have a bunch of pitchers who throw fuel, a few of whom work with a cartoonish and impractical stage of effort. The org is usually all around the guys who slip within the draft on account of issues like extension, pitch form, and launch angles. It’s a superbly nice lane to decide on — in the event you suppose you are able to do one thing to tweak these secondary traits, or construct a dev plan for these guys round their secondaries.
The Angels, for essentially the most half, haven’t finished this. As a substitute, it’s extra frequent to see high-velo/low-command pitchers with underbaked secondaries scatter fastball after fastball. There appears to be some stage of organizational rigidity about this: On one event, one in every of their personnel turned to me throughout a recreation and requested, “Does it seem to be we throw method too many fastballs?” However the sample endures.
You possibly can maybe promote out too exhausting within the different course — Davy Andrews just lately wrote a extremely attention-grabbing article in regards to the lowering correlation between stuff modeling metrics and outcomes, to supply only one tiny instance of how a hyper-modern dev technique has its personal pitfalls to navigate — however a recent coat of paint might do some good right here. Jared Hughes was just lately promoted to director of minor league pitching, and sources throughout the org have expressed pleasure and optimism about his imaginative and prescient. With so many pitchers each ranked extremely right here and in want of dev work, the stakes are excessive.
The developmental points at play could be compounded by the breakneck tempo at which the Angels are keen to speed up prospects via the system. Perhaps guys like Arol Vera, Adrian Placencia, and Cole Fontenelle have been merely by no means going to hack it, however aggressive promotions in extra of what most different orgs would think about didn’t do them any favors. Some gamers have thrived on this surroundings and others, like Nelson Rada, have bounced again simply nice after initially trying overwhelmed following an enormous promotion. However you want a number of psychological toughness to face these challenges, and that is the final place you’d suppose to ship a man in want of an enormous overhaul.
To go away on a constructive notice, I do suppose that the Angels discovered one thing with their strategy to the early rounds of the draft. They hit enormous on Zach Neto, who has already collected practically 10 WAR greater than another first rounder that yr, and I’m optimistic about Tyler Bremner and Moore, their prime picks during the last two drafts. Even when Schanuel settles in as extra of a forty five than a real difference-maker, he too can be offering the org with one thing approximating median worth for his draft orbit, with no lag in any respect between draft day and on-field manufacturing. In an period the place faculty gamers depart faculty with much less developmental work wanted than ever, focusing on essentially the most mature man within the cohort looks like an efficient strategy.