Here are the Angels' 2023 Top 30 prospects
Jonathan Mayo
@JonathanMayoThe Angels¡¯ system is far from being among the deepest in Major League Baseball. But at the very top of the new Top 30, it¡¯s a lot more interesting than it has been in a while, and the top two on the list should hit Los Angeles soon.
It starts with catcher Logan O¡¯Hoppe, obtained at last year¡¯s Trade Deadline for Brandon Marsh. He made his big league debut last year and should get plenty of time behind the plate in the big leagues, a reason why he¡¯s shown up on American League Rookie of the Year candidate lists.
While Zach Neto was drafted just last year, the first-rounder raked in Double-A in 2022 during his pro debut. He¡¯s on the fast track now and has the kind of advanced bat that could get him to Los Angeles very quickly.
And No. 3 prospect Edgar Quero is further away, but he has put himself in the Top 100 conversation. After winning California League MVP honors last year, the switch-hitting catcher could jump up the rankings with a repeat performance.
Beyond that, it does thin out quickly, though the 2021 all-pitching Draft looks like it will produce some legitimate big leaguers. Chase Silseth already got there and lefty Ky Bush should get there soon. There are 16 pitchers on the Angels' new Top 30, seven coming from that Draft class.
The Angels continue to rely on being active on the international amateur free agent market, with 11 of the Top 30 coming from those efforts. If many of those super-young players with considerable tools take steps forward in 2023, that could be the key for the system to move up the ranks.
Here¡¯s a look at the Angels top prospects:
1. Logan O¡¯Hoppe, C (MLB No. 53)
2. Zach Neto, SS (MLB No. 89)
3. Edgar Quero, C
4. Chase Silseth, RHP
5. Ky Bush, LHP
Complete Top 30 list ?
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2021 preseason list to the 2022 preseason list.
Jump: Werner Blakely, 3B (2022: 24 | 2023: 8) The Angels knew this might be a bit of a long play when they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2020 Draft out of the Detroit area high school ranks. He was starting to figure some things out in his full-season debut last year before getting hurt. He¡¯s only 21 for all of the 2023 season and there¡¯s some ceiling for him to grow to.
Fall: 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 had a strong pro debut in 2021 in the Arizona Complex League. His .572 OPS and 27 percent strikeout rate in full-season ball in 2022, however, has many worrying if he can add the strength and approach to hit at higher levels.
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
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
Curveball: 55 -- Caden Dana
Slider: 60 -- Sam Bachman
Changeup: 55 -- Sam Bachman (Ky Bush, Landon Marceaux)
Control: 55 -- Landon Marceaux
How they were built
Draft: 18 | International: 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 | OF: 4 | RHP: 14 | LHP: 2