Los Angeles Angels Top 50 Prospects for 2017

The Angels farm system is around the bottom of the league in terms of quality. It may even be the worst system in the league although the Arizona Diamondbacks system isn’t very good either. The future of the Angels doesn’t look all that bright since they don’t have many prospects who could make an impact on the MLB team for the foreseeable future.  Nonetheless, it’s a challenge to find the best of the Angels organization but I’ve scoured their farm system to bring you my top 50 Los Angeles Angels prospects.  Enjoy dynasty fantasy baseball leaguers and all of you Halos fans!

Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have high likelihood of making the majors but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)
Tier 5: Players who are worth keeping an eye on, but likely to never make a team’s 40-man roster


Tier 1

None


Tier 2

None


Tier 3

1. Jahmai Jones, OF
Age: 19 (DOB: 8/04/1997)
Jones is a speedy outfielder who has a great amount of raw athleticism and he has the ability to be an everyday center fielder in MLB. He has great speed which helps him out both in the field and on the bases. As his body develops I believe that he will develop average power with the ability to hit around 12-15 Home Runs in a given year.

2. Matt Thaiss, 1B
Age: 21 (DOB: 05/06/1995)
Thaiss has good extra base power and has a good approach at the plate which led to him taking his fair share of walks and walking almost as often as he struck out after being drafted in the 1st round in the 2016 MLB draft. He has an advanced approach at the plate which could allow for him to move quickly through the ranks and maybe even help him be successful at the highest level.

3. Brandon Marsh, OF
Age: 19 (DOB: 12/18/1997)
Marsh was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft and the Angels like the tools that he brings to the table. He needs to work on his left-handed swing in order to develop a more consistent approach at the plate. He wasn’t able to make his professional debut in 2016 due to a back issue but once he gets on the field he profiles to be capable of being a decent outfielder.

4. Nonie Williams, SS
Age: 18 (DOB: 5/22/1998)
Williams is an interesting young player. He has above average bat speed and plus raw power. He’s bigger than the traditional SS and will probably need to shift over to 3B or 2B in the future although some scouts believe that he’s destined for CF.

5. Taylor Ward, C
Age: 23 (DOB: 12/14/1993)
Ward has an advanced approach at the plate which allows for him to take a good amount of walks. His swing is more centered on hitting line drivers but as he continues to develop he should learn how to turn on balls more and take advantage of counts that are in his favor. Ward is a work in progress defensively and he needs to work on his ability to call a game. Although one of his best defensive assets right now is his plus arm which allows for him to control the running game.

6. David Fletcher, SS
Age: 22 (DOB: 5/31/1994)
Fletcher isn’t an exciting player by any means but he is a guy who just knows how to play the game. Defensively he makes the plays that he should make and he is consistent in doing so. He isn’t particularly fast but he is smart on the bases and can be a solid runner. He consistently makes contact but there isn’t much power to his game.

7. Jaime Barria, RHP
Age: 20 (DOB: 7/18/1996)
He’s probably already hit his physical peak but there may be room for a little more projection with his body. He knows how to pitch and he showed an ability to throw strikes this season. He pitched to a 3.85 ERA over 117 innings but he doesn’t have overpowering stuff and won’t miss many bats as evidenced by his 78 strikeouts. He has a chance to have three average pitches when everything is said and done.

8. Nate Smith, LHP
Age: 25 (DOB: 8/28/1991)
Smith has a four pitch mix and while none of his pitches stand out he is able to consistently throw them all for strikes. He has a good feel for pitching and should eventually develop into a #4 or #5 starter at the next level.

9. Vincente Campos, RHP
Age: 24 (DOB: 7/27/1992)
This is where the list starts to get interesting. Campos was claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks in November. He has a history of elbow troubles and had Tommy John surgery in 2014. The biggest question mark about Campos is his ability to stay healthy but if he proves that he can stay healthy he has the potential to be a middle of the rotation starter because he has three pitches that could potentially develop into plus pitches.

10. Alex Meyer, RHP
Age: 27 (DOB: 1/03/1990)
Meyer had his 2016 season cut short because of arm troubles. But the Angels liked his ability to throw hard and they acquired him in the Hector Santiago trade at the deadline. If Meyer can show that he can stay healthy then he should be a really interesting arm because of his frame which is 6″9 and his ability to throw his fastball in the upper 90’s. He is on the older side as far as prospects go but prospects of his size typically take longer for their mechanics to click. It may be in the organizations best interest to use him as a high leverage reliever though to try to keep him healthy.

11. Chris Rodriguez, RHP
Age:18 (DOB: 7/20/1998)
Rodriguez had an impressive debut in 2016 even though it was only 11 innings of work. He could overachieve relative to what you would expect out of a 4th round pick but there’s a lot of risk involved with him.

12. Grayson Long, RHP
Age: 22 (DOB: 5/27/1994)
Long is a big right hander who has two above average offerings. The first is a fastball that generally sits in the 89-91 MPH range but he can regularly reach 93. His second is his changeup which has good deception to it. He also throws a slider which has a chance to develop into a third average offering. Long has the potential to be a #5 starter in the Majors.


Tier 4

13. Keynan Middleton, RHP
Age: 23 (DOB: 9/12/1993)
Purely a reliever Middleton has stuff that can play up in the bullpen. Pitching in shorter stints has allowed his fastball to get up there in velocity with it now sitting around 95-99 MPH. He needs to work on his control some more but it’s gotten better since he shifted to the bullpen. He has what it takes to be a capable late inning reliever.

14. Connor Justus, SS
Age: 22 (DOB:11/02/1994)
Justus isn’t an exciting prospect but he’s the kind of player that has the ability to stay at short and have an average hit tool. He has average speed with a solid arm which allows for him to get the job done at SS and make all the plays that he’s expected to make. He’s not the most flashy player but he has what it takes in order to be a good albeit unexciting SS at the next level.

15. Jared Foster, OF
Age: 24 (DOB: 11/02/1992)
Foster had a good deal of success this year throughout two levels of the minors hitting .276 with 9 HR and 9 SB. He’s an explosive athlete and has some really impressive raw tools. He’s a bit older for a prospect so don’t be surprised if he moves through the ranks a bit faster next year with AAA being a real possibility if he succeeds. Although Foster does need to work on taking walks because that is one facet of his game that needs a great deal of improvement if he wants to succeed in the MLB.

16. Troy Montgomery, OF
Age: 22 (DOB: 8/13/1994)
Montgomery has plus speed and good defensive instincts which allows him to play CF although he spent most of his time in his first professional season patrolling RF. He often tries to sell out for power and that leads to him trying to do too much. He’s a raw player but if the Angels can help him to refine his approach then he could be a solid prospect going forward.

17. Jesus Castillo, RHP
Age: 21 (DOB: 8/27/1995)
Castillo has a good frame currently but there is still some room for improvement. His fastball currently sits in the 88-92 range which isn’t overpowering by any means. He misses a decent amount of bats while limiting his walks so there is room for him to reach his ceiling but everything would have to break right for him in order for that to happen.

18. Joe Gatto, RHP
Age: 21 (DOB: 6/14/1995)
The 2016 season was nothing short of a disaster for Gatto. He finished with a 7.03 ERA with a WHIP of 1.89. There were no positives to take from this upcoming season. However he’s a big righty so if he can get back on track he has the ceiling of a potential #5 starter.

19. Miguel Hermosillo, OF
Age: 22 (DOB: 1/17/1995)
Hermosillo has good athleticism and there’s a lot to like about him. I believe that he can be a breakout prospect in this system in the next year because he has the tools to succeed and he has a solid makeup.

20. Cole Duensing, RHP
Age: 18 (DOB: 6/16/1998)
Duensing has a good frame with a 6-4 body but he has room to fill out his body some more. He was pretty good in his cup of coffee in professional ball this year after being drafted and could be a prospect who moves up the lists quickly in the next year.

21. Brooks Pounders, RHP
Age: 26 (DOB: 9/26/1990)
Pounders has a massive frame at 6-5 weighing 265 pounds. This past year in the KC system he was deployed mostly as a reliever and for the most part had success in that role. He managed to reach the majors in 2016 but it wasn’t a very good debut for him as he got absolutely rocked allowing 6 HR in 12.2 innings to go along with an era of 9.24. His fastball can reach 97 which would be a good offering if he were to stick as a reliever. Pounders has the ability to be able to be an effective late inning reliever if everything goes right for him.

22. Caleb Adams, OF
Age: 23 (DOB: 1/26/1993)
Adams is capable of playing CF but probably fits better in a corner OF role. He has an incredible work ethic which allows his tools to play better than they really are. He likely won’t have much power moving forward but he can still be capable of getting a fair share of extra base hits. Some have compared Adams to Kole Calhoun which if he could reach that ceiling would make him a valuable MLB asset.

23. Kyle Survance, OF
Age: 23 (DOB: 12/06/1993)
This may be an aggressive ranking for Survance since he missed all of 2016 and there aren’t many recent reports on him but I think there is still a lot to like about him. He is really fast and this is the main reason why the Angels drafted him in 2015. Survance is a player who plays to his strengths by hitting to the gaps which can help him utilize his speed more consistently. He may need to add more to his frame to be able to hit to the gaps on a consistent basis but there is a lot to like about him and his future and if everything goes right in 2017 then he could end up being one of the Angels better prospects.

24. Brennon Lund. OF
Age: 22 (DOB: 11/27/1994)
Lund profiles as a 4th OF at the highest level. He had a good debut among two levels after being drafted in the 11th round of the 2016 draft. He managed to steal 15 bases and put up respectable averages. If everything goes right then I think he could be a name to keep an eye on in future seasons.

25. Jordan Zimmerman, 2B
Age: 22 (DOB: 11/21/1994)
Zimmerman is a prospect to keep your eye on. He had a mixed debut he absolutely destroyed Rookie level pitching to the tune of a .422 average with 4 HR. But he struggled in A ball hitting .154 in 148 AB’s. I think that Zimmerman has a good shot to continue to produce throughout the minors and his bat could eventually carry him up the ranks if he can continue to hit.

26. Julio Garcia, SS
Age: 19 (DOB: 7/31/1997)
If Garcia makes it to the Majors it will be because of his glove and not his bat. He is a smooth defender and makes it look easy. He needs to work on his offensive approach and his biggest challenge will be to add weight to his body in order to help him develop at the plate. Power probably won’t be part of his game.

27. Chad Hinshaw, OF
Age: 26 (DOB: 9/10/1990)
Hinshaw will probably never hit for power. But he should be able to be a decent gap hitter when everything is said and done. 2016 was not his friend as across multiple minor league levels he hit a disappointing .200. He’s a good defender and can play all three positions in the outfield. He’s a solid baserunner who can steal a handful of bases. His ceiling is probably that of a 4th outfielder.

28. Manny Banuelos, LHP
Age: 25 (DOB: 3/13/1991)
Oh how the mighty have fallen. A few years back he was considered one of the best prospects in the game. He has been plagued by injuries and he had Tommy John surgery in 2012 which caused him to miss much of the 2012 season and all of the 2013 season. If he can find a way to stay healthy and put everything together then there is still a chance that he is able to someday be a useful arm on an MLB squad.


Tier 5

29. Jake Jewell, RHP
Age: 23 (DOB: 5/16/1993)
Jewell has a big fastball that can touch 94 MPH. He needs to work on his control and learn to limit the walks. The Angels tried him as a starter in 2016 but I think he’s better suited as a reliever and if he’s put into the bullpen then he could manage to make it to the MLB.

30. Hutton Moyer, 2B
Age: 23 (DOB: 4/30/1993)
The son of Jamie Moyer has an aggressive approach at the plate which leads to him having a good amount of power as he hit 17 HR in 2016. He may need to refine his approach in order to allow him to keep the power while also maintaining a respectable average. He has average speed and is able to steal a decent chunk of bases. His ceiling is probably that of a super utility man in the MLB but one that has a good offensive profile which can lead to a lengthy MLB career if everything breaks right for him.

31. Jeremy Rhoades, RHP
Age: 23 (DOB: 2/12/1993)
Rhoades mainly pitches to contact which is evidenced by his 91 strikeouts over a total of 144 innings. He manages to fill the zone with strikes which is a plus for him. He has an unorthodox delivery and that along with his big frame could eventually project to a move to the bullpen in the future which I believe is where he may be best suited because he struggled in the rotation for the most part in 2016.

32. Sherman Johnson, 2B
Age: 26 (DOB: 7/15/1990)
Johnson is an interesting case he didn’t hit for a high average this past season but he had a really good eye at the plate because he managed to put up a 12.8 walk rate at AAA. His low batting average could possibly be attributed to the fact that his BABIP was a mere .265. Johnson also has some good speed and has the speed to steal around 10-15 bases in MLB. He also has 15 HR power and could be a really good hitter if he can continue to draw walks and get a bit luckier with his BABIP.

33. Jose Rodriguez, RHP
Age: 21 (DOB: 8/29/1995)
Rodriguez is a little known prospect who had quite a nice season and putting himself on the prospect map. He doesn’t have a very high ceiling but he knows how to pitch and has a good makeup so there is hope that he can succeed as he moves up the organizational ladder.

34. Jose Valdez, RHP
Age: 26 (DOB: 3/01/1990)
Valdez is a fairly inconsistent player. He has a fastball that can reach 97-98 MPH and a slider that can be a put away pitch when everything is going right. Valdez needs to improve on his ability to repeat his delivery and if he can manage to do that then he can be a closer in the future. He also needs to work on his ability to put the ball over the plate and limit the walks because they have hurt him to this point.

35. Abel De Los Santos, RHP
Age: 24 (DOB: 11/21/1992)
De Los Santos has a deep mix of pitches but he relies mostly on his fastball and his curveball. His fastball can reach up to 95 MPH and his curveball is his go to pitch to help him notch strikeouts. He needs to focus on limiting his walks and if he can do that then he has the chance to be an average reliever.

36. Brendon Sanger, OF
Age: 23 (DOB: 9/11/1993)
Sanger has below average power but he does have the ability to be a good extra base hitter if he can learn to hit more to the gaps. He’s an advanced hitter and he will draw quite a few walks with his approach at the plate. Sanger projects to be more of a fourth outfielder if he’s able to put it all together.

37. Eduardo Paredes, RHP
Age: 21 (DOB: 3/6/1995)
Parades took off this year with strong performances among two levels and managed to reach AA. If he can continue his newfound success then he could be on the fast track to the majors and potentially be apart of the Angels bullpen at some point in 2017.

38. Adam Hofacket, RHP
Age: 22 (DOB: 2/18/1994)
Hofacket had a mixed 2016 among three stops. He showed an excellent ability to strike people out coming out of the bullpen and managed to limit his walks for the most part both of which point to him being a solid reliever in the big leagues. He still has a long ways to go but if he can continue to strike guys out then he should have a good shot at reaching the majors.

39. Roberto Baldoquin, SS
Age: 22 (DOB: 5/14/1994)
Baldoquin had a dreadful 2016 and there weren’t many positives to come out of it. But he still is only 22 years old and after signing for 8 million dollars as an international free agent he certainly has the pedigree to be much better than he was in 2016. He will need to continue to work on his hitting if he hopes to improve in 2017 and a main concern for him will be putting the ball in play more to try to cut down on his strikeouts.

40. Mike Kaelin, RHP
Age: 22 (DOB: 3/30/1994)
Kaelin could be a prospect who could be fast tracked to the majors. He has great control and he can strikeout his fair share of guys. He had a very good debut and could make for a good middle reliever in the majors. He’s a bit undersized at 5-9 but I believe despite this that he can still be effective because of his impressive control.

41. Michael Barash, C
Age: 22 (DOB: 10/12/1994)
Barash had a pretty impressive debut in Rookie ball but he came back down to earth among his promotion but he still managed to draw walks at a decent clip. Surprisingly though during his struggles at the upper level he actually reduced his strikeout rate which speaks to the type of hitter that he is and he can put the ball in play. He also is a good bet to remain behind the plate.

42. Francisco Del Valle, OF
Age: 18 (DOB: 8/18/1998)
He has a lot of strength in his body and could be able to hit quite a bit. He’s still very young though so at this point he’s probably best described as a boom or bust type prospect but if he takes off then he has the potential to rocket up the Angels prospect rankings.

43. Keith Grieshaber, SS
Age: 21 (DOB: 6/29/1995)
Grieshaber had a good debut year in 2016 and he hit at both levels. He has good speed and stole a handful of bases in his first taste of professional action. He also has a good eye and he doesn’t strikeout that often and he’s able to draw a handful of walks.

44. Zach Gibbons, OF
Age: 23 (DOB: 10/14/1993)
He absolutely tore through the competition in his first taste of professional action. However his stats should be taken with a grain of salt because he was old for the level, But still the stats that he put up are pretty impressive and he should be put at a more challenging level for 2017 and if he can sustain the success that he had in the Pioneer league then he should be one of the Angels better prospects.

45. Torii Hunter, Jr, OF
Age: 21 (DOB: 6/07/1995)
This may be a reach to put him here but I’m dreaming on his potential and if he’s half the player his father was then he will be a really good player. I know comparing a player to their father doesn’t always workout but Hunter is an interesting case. He left the Notre Dame Football team in order to pursue his baseball career and with him focusing solely on baseball for the coming season I’m interested to see what he’s capable of. He has plus speed and good range in the outfield so if he can put it all together he might be able to become more than just a fringe prospect.

46. Cody Ramer, SS
Age: 23 (DOB: 11/24/1993)
Ramer shined during his professional debut and if he can sustain this type of success that he showed then he has a future in the majors as a potential utility man. He’s an exciting young player who should get more attention if he can carry over his success to 2017.

47. Andrew Vinson, RHP
Age: 23 (DOB: 11/12/1993)
Vinson is consistent and he had a stellar college career and he was pretty good in his professional debut too. He has great command and was able to limit the walks which allowed for him to be successful as a reliever at the lower levels of the minors and if he can manage to miss enough bats he should be able to make it to the majors as a solid reliever.

48. Bo Tucker, LHP
Age: 21 (DOB: 5/23/1995)
Tucker struggled in his professional debut this season but it was a short sample size so there is still room for him to improve. He had a solid amount of strikeouts and he was able to keep his walks in check for the most part. If everything goes as planned then he projects to be a middle reliever in the majors.

49. Jack Kruger, C
Age: 22 (DOB: 10/26/1994)
I’m not sure if Kruger can remain a catcher long term because of the fact that he was utilized purely as a DH for his professional debut. But I do believe that if he can catch then he can be a pretty good prospect because he is a fairly decent hitter who will take a few walks and won’t strikeout a ton. There’s also potential for him to become a utility man which is interesting to say the least.

50. L.J. Kalawaia, OF
Age: 23 (DOB: 9/30/1993)
A decent hitter who manages to put the bat on the ball and manage his strikeouts while also managing to draw walks.  Didn’t seem to show that much power in his professional debut when he only had 7 doubles.  Kalawaia does show good speed and has decent base stealing ability.




3 Comments

    • He’s an intriguing young arm. He has a good sized body which you like to see in any pitcher. He was a bit unlucky though in the limited time he saw the field this year though as his advanced metrics were far better than his ERA indicated although it is a small sample size. He’s also shown an ability to limit the walks for the most part. All in all I believe if everything clicks he could become a decent prospect but at this time he’s still fairly young and didn’t get to log that many innings in 2016.

2 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

  1. Friday January 20, 2017 - Fantasy Baseball Links - FantasyRundown.com
  2. 2017 Minor League Recap | Prospects1500

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