2023 saw quite a bit of talent leave the Angels farm system via trade and promotions. Players such as Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe, and Chase Silseth, each spent considerable time with the big-league club and look to be major building blocks for the future.
Turning to this next season, the farm system’s outlook is not so rosy. While there will be a few players to graduate because of playing time for the team (Nolan Schanuel and Ben Joyce being prime candidates), the minor leagues for the Angels will once again be ranked very low. While the Angels have done very well for themselves in the MLB Draft and are picking players that are almost guaranteed to be MLB players, they need to improve in gathering international talent, something that has plagued them since the signing of Roberto Baldoquin.
Seven Prospects1500 writers contributed to this column and rankings including Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), Tony Bps (@tonybps1), Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Adam Greene (@aj_greene1015), Clint Fasse (@ProspectLarceny), Andrew Rhodes (@A_Rhodes77) and Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.
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 to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact
Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2023
Tier 1
None
Tier 2
1. Nolan Schanuel, 1B, 21, MLB
The 11th overall pick in 2023, Schanuel rocketed up to the majors playing in only 22 games in the minors, as has become an MO of the Angels. Coming into the 2023 Draft, Schanuel had the reputation as having one of the most polished bats in the draft, and that reputation was well earned when he put up a .405 OBP in 29 games for the Angels. Schanuel is a plus hitter who walks more than he strikes out. He has a swing that is more geared to contact than for power, as he had an 85% contact rate with only a .055 ISO (SSS). There are some concerns that he may not develop power based on his wood bat exit velos. As a runner he’s average, and he might hit 10 SB at his peak. (@A_Rhodes77)
2. Nelson Rada, OF, 18, Single-A
2022 international signee Rada has done nothing but impress since he signed with the Angels. After being one of the best players in the DSL as a 16-year-old, the Angels had him try his talents in Single-A as one of only a handful of 17-year-olds in full season ball. Rada not only held his own but took a step forward in his baserunning and fielding, stealing 55 bags and winning a MiLB gold glove. Rada had a consistent line drive swing that allowed him to make plenty of contact, which along with his good plate discipline, gives him an above-average to plus hit tool. Power could become average with physical maturity but is below average now. His speed is a solid plus and he has a knack for stealing bases. (@A_Rhodes77)
Tier 3
3. Caden Dana, RHP, 20, High-A
The big 6-4 righty earned the biggest bonus for a player taken after the 10th round in 2022. Dana did well in his 15 starts in 2023 before being shutdown with workload management and arm fatigue. Dana has a fastball that sits 93-97 with a ton of spin that allows it to play at the top of the zone. His slider is his best out pitch that generates a ton of swing and miss, while his curveball and changeup lack consistency. Dana has the upside of a middle of the rotation starting pitcher if he can improve either his curve or change. (@A_Rhodes77)
4. Kyren Paris, SS/2B, 22, MLB
Paris had a good year for the Trash Pandas despite dealing with the tacky Southern League ball that caused so many problems for hitters in the first half. He was able to get a taste of the big leagues in September to better prepare him for this year. Paris’ best trait is his speed, routinely getting the extra base and racking up the steals last season. He is very patient at the plate, averaging around a 20% walk rate each season, but this has also led to him striking out 30+% of the time. His power is more double and triples (because of his speed) rather than home run power. His defense is adequate from either position but will play better at 2B. (@A_Rhodes77)
5. Ben Joyce, RHP, 23, MLB
When on, Joyce is unhittable. Just ask Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez! The 3rd round draft pick out of Tennessee in 2022, Joyce needed only 27 games to make his MLB debut. He is known for his electric 100+ mph fastball that has a ton of life. He also has a slider that is mid-to-high 80s with plus potential. Closer potential is there, but there’s quite a bit of room to grow for Joyce, as he’s been 80% fastball and that leads to some of his inconsistencies. More use of his slider will help back hitters off from the heater when he doesn’t have a feel for it. The other issue is durability. He’ll need to be able to stay on the field and go back to back days if he is to reach his potential as a dominant closer. (@A_Rhodes77)
6. Alberto Rios, OF, 21, Single-A
Former Angels scout team player and Stanford breakout Rios was picked in the 3rd round this past year. Rios has a good feel to hit with his short swing and good discipline. The power will be average to above-average due to his ability to barrel up balls. Double digit steals isn’t out of the question with the new rules. The biggest question mark is his defensive position. With some LF challenges, he will look to transition to behind the plate although there are question marks about his ability there too. (@A_Rhodes77)
7. Denzer Guzman, SS, 19, Single-A
Guzman is one of the most well rounded prospects in the Angels system, as he provides a combination of smart and strategic hitting, decent speed, and good defense at shortstop. He experienced the ups and downs of a full season in Single-A last season, and while the batting average wasn’t super pretty he did have over 100 hits. At just 19 years-old, there’s plenty of time for him to improve on his strength and approach, and turn some of his strikeouts to walks. Guzman’s defense IQ and arm will keep him at short, and with another consistent season he could be seeing the upper minors sooner rather than later. (@aj_greene1015)
8. Barrett Kent, RHP, 19, Single-A
The recently drafted high school pitcher made three appearances last season for a combined total of 8.2 innings between Complex League and Single-A. In these appearances he posted a zero ERA and recorded ten strikeouts. There’s no question Kent will be a long-term project for the Angels pitching development team, but the upside is definitely there with a four pitch mix all with good control. The former Arkansas commit decided to make the jump straight to playing professionally, so pitching a full five to six month season will be a big step for Kent’s progression. (@aj_greene1015)
Tier 4
9. Adrian Placencia, 2B/SS, 20, Double-A
10. Jorge Ruiz, OF, 19, Single-A
11. Jorge Marcheco, RHP, 21, High-A
12. Jack Kochanowicz, RHP, 23, Double-A
13. Werner Blakely, 3B, 21, Double-A
14. Jordyn Adams, OF, 24, MLB
15. Livan Soto, SS/2B/3B, 23, MLB
16. Trey Cabbage, 1B/OF, 26, MLB
17. David Calabrese, OF, 21, Double-A
18. Victor Mederos, RHP, 22, MLB
19. Dario Laverde, C, 18, Rookie (ACL)
20. Felix Morrobel, SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
21. Camden Minacci, RHP, 21, Single-A
22. Jadiel Sanchez, OF, 22, Single-A
Placencia has a .223 career batting average after three seasons in the Angels farm system, but has had 20+ SB the last two years. After two Rookie ball seasons, Ruiz had a strong showing at Single-A Inland Empire in 2023, slashing .304/.379/.419, knocking in 52 in only 73 games. Kochanowicz, the Angels 2019 3rd round pick, was stellar in five games at A+ Tri-City, but struggled mightily at AA Rocket City, where he should start 2024. Blakely spent most of 2023 in High-A and saw two games (hitless) at Double-A. The 2020 4th rounder out of high school does need to improve upon his career .227 MiLB BA. Adams got the MLB call-up as a 23-year-old this past season. He’ll compete for a spot on the Angels Opening Day roster but will likely head back to Salt Lake to kick off the year. Cabbage had some video game-like MiLB numbers in ’23, tallying 249 total bases including 30 HR, 89 RBI and 32 SB at Triple-A, which earned him a 22-game stint in the majors late in the season. Minacci pitched out of the bullpen in his college career and, with his tools, has the ability to be a solid holds man and perhaps even a closer in the major leagues. Sanchez is a backup outfielder type without any standout tool. Good feel for hitting but little speed or power. (@Scotty_Ballgame and @tonybps1)
Tier 5
23. Ryan Costeiu, RHP, 23, High-A
24. Walbert Urena, RHP, 19, Single-A
25. Randy De Jesus, OF, 18, Rookie (ACL)
26. Kelvin Cáceres, RHP, 23, MLB
27. Oswaldo Patino, 2B, 17, Rookie (DSL)
28. Kevyn Castillo, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
29. Adrian Acosta, RHP, 18, Rookie (DSL)
30. Tucker Flint, OF/1B, 22, Double-A
31. Arol Vera, SS/2B, 21, Double-A
32. Juan Flores, C, 17, Rookie (DSL)
33. Davis Daniel, RHP, 26, MLB
34. Capri Ortiz, SS/2B, 18, Rookie (ACL)
35. Eric Torres, LHP, 24, Triple-A
36. John Wimmer, SS, 18, Rookie (ACL)
37. Francis Texido, LHP, 18, Rookie (DSL)
38. Eliezer Rivero, C, 18, Rookie (ACL)
39. Luis Torres, 1B, 19, Single-A
40. Joe Redfield, OF, 22, High-A
41. D’Shawn Knowles, OF, 22, Double-A
42. Alexander Ramirez, OF, 21, High-A
43. Anthony Scull, OF, 19, Rookie (ACL)
44. Bryce Osmond, RHP, 23, Double-A
45. Mason Erla, RHP, 26, Triple-A
46. Leonard Garcia, LHP, 20, Single-A
47. Sonny DiChiara, 1B, 24, Double-A
48. Sammy Natera Jr., LHP, 24, Double-A
49. Keythel Key, RHP, 20, High-A
50. Cole Fontenelle, 3B, 21, Single-A
Urena is a future middle reliever with potential for starting if he can work on the command issues. De Jesus has good power with some speed but struggled in his second year in Rookie ball. The tools are there and he is only 18 years old. Patino is a speedy 17-year-old middle infielder signed out of Venezuela who looked pretty good in his first year of Rookie ball. Castillo looked impressive this season with a slashline of .371/.478/.548 with 23 steals. Let’s see what he does stateside in 2024. Costeiu, Cáceres, Acosta, Torres, Erla and Osmond project to be middle relievers if they reach the major leagues. Flint showed some good power and solid overall showing this past season after being selected in the 13th round last year. Vera was a name to watch a few years ago but hasn’t developed his bat over the years. Flores is a good defensive catcher with some pop, but doesn’t project to hit much. Daniel is a potential 5th starter type, perhaps as early as this season. Ortiz is a speedy shortstop with a solid hit tool but not much power as of yet. Keep your eye on him this season to see if he can add some pop. Wimmer could develop into a utility player with his ability to hit the ball and positional versatility. Texido is a talented right hander with a good fastball and solid off-speed stuff. If there’s one player in this tier I’m keeping my eye on, it’s him. Knowles is entering his seventh year in the organization and hasn’t hit enough to match his solid speed. This may be his final year to prove his prospect status. Scull is a quick outfielder who could develop to be a 4th/5th outfielder type. DiChiara, who played in the Arizona Fall League, has some pop but a lot of holes in the swing. Key is a young right hander with good stuff to keep an eye on as he moves up in the organization. (@tonybps1)
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Adam Greene is a Sport Management and Marketing double major at UMass Amherst's Isenberg School of Management. His main focus is sport marketing, where he's already had internships with the local Westfield Starfires and Springfield Thunderbirds. He now writes for the Cape Cod Baseball League. From Longmeadow, MA, Adam is a huge Red Sox fan and has been following the team his whole life. When Covid hit, he started paying a lot more attention to the Red Sox minor league teams, and now, follows them almost as much as the big league squad. Follow him on Twitter at @aj_greene1015 and Instagram at the same handle.
Prospects1500 Angels correspondent. Angels fan since he was 6, Andrew has been engrossed with baseball and the minor leagues since 2011. Participates in several fantasy leagues. Enjoyer of ancient history, video games, and memes. Don’t ask him to watch a show, you’ll almost never get him to watch one, especially not during the baseball season. Software Tester for the Navy thru ISPA Technology. Lives in Panama City Beach, FL with his dog Max. Follow on Twitter at @A_Rhodes77.
Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @JMahyfam for more baseball content.
"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too." -Yogi Berra
Tony Bps Spina is a lifelong baseball fan hailing from the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia! Tony has loved baseball since 1980 and has followed the Phillies through good and bad times. Tony is married with 3 kids and works for a financial institution but has enough free time to play in 20 fantasy baseball leagues with 75% of them being Dynasty Leagues. He lives a few blocks away from Citizens Bank Park and attends many Phillies games per year in addition to their minor league teams in Lehigh Valley and Reading. He can be reached on Twitter at @TonyBps1.
President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing in real life. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.
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Scott Greenehttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/scotty_ballgame/
Where would you guys rank Charles Leblanc?
We couldn’t rank Leblanc. Not eligible. He has 156 AB in the majors.