At this point, the 2021 Los Angeles Angels have nothing to play for.
With a 72-79 record and seven losses in their last 10 games, they are well outside of the playoff picture in the American League.
They have been out of the race for a while, in a year in which they encountered several obstacles.
Mike Trout didn’t play since May, and Anthony Rendon is also out for the year.
Shohei Ohtani was left with most of the weight to carry, and though he did what he could (he has produced an MVP-like campaign), he can’t do everything by himself.
The Angels organization failed to bring impact pitching once again and it cost them dearly.
However, let’s look at the future.
With Trout, Rendon, and Ohtani all healthy, the Angels will try again next year.
Will they be able to bring reinforcements?
That remains to be seen, but as of now, all we can do is look at their internal options as we look for impact players.
The Angels do have some exciting prospects who can contribute as soon as next year.
3. Brandon Marsh
The 23-year-old outfielder made his MLB debut this year after a decent showing in Triple-A, where he slashed .255/.364/.468 with three home runs and two steals in 24 games.
He was called up to the big league team, and while he didn’t set the world on fire, he had a decent .254/.313/.365 slash line, two blasts, and four thefts in 59 contests.
Brandon Marsh has considerable raw power, but it’s yet to reach its peak in games.
What he does offer at this point is an ability to get on base via walks and decent speed, even if he strikes out too much (37.2 percent strikeout rate in MLB).
He is also a very good fielder out in center, so there is a foundation and a path for All-Star caliber play when Marsh reaches his peak.
2. Reid Detmers
The Angels desperately need pitching, and that’s not a secret.
Reid Detmers, a 22-year-old lefty who had huge numbers in college, is a really promising arm and could be part of the rotation in 2022.
He pitched 54 Double-A innings this year, with a solid 3.50 ERA and a whopping 97 punchouts.
He also had a start in Triple-A, and threw six shutout innings with nine whiffs.
Those numbers earned him a call to the big league team, where he struggled to the tune of a 7.11 ERA in 19 frames.
Make no mistake, though: he will be a valuable core piece in the Angels rotation for years to come.
He has four pitches and a really solid curveball.
Hey Reid Detmers: I'm pretty sure that's considered bullying. pic.twitter.com/gICkx1MF2u
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 7, 2020
The Angels just need to be patient with him.
1. Jo Adell
After struggling mightily in the pandemic season (.161/.212/.266 in 132 plate appearances), the 22-year-old Jo Adell had a strong showing in Triple-A this year (.289/.342/.592, 23 round-trippers).
After dominating there, he found himself back in the majors and was actually decent (.246/.295/.408 with four homers in 35 games) before an abdominal injury ended his season.
Adell is athletic, has loads of power and is speedy enough to steal a few bases at peak.
Next year, he will be given every opportunity to secure a spot in the Angels outfield.
If he achieves that, he can be a franchise cornerstone for years to come.
Jo Adell & Brandon Marsh growing into the studs we all dreamed they would be as top prospects is such a wonderful thing to witness
Just need to have a little more patience, the future of the Angels is bright 😇 pic.twitter.com/vqAv0X8A3d
— ꜰᴡꜱ (@FletchWasSafe) September 9, 2021
He is that good.
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