2. Jo Adell, OF
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 4/8/1999 (18)
2017 teams/levels played for: Arizona Rookie League Angels, advanced rookie Orem Owlz
2017 Stats: .325/.376/.532, 222 PA, 5 HR, 8 SB, 14/49 BB/K
Info: The Los Angeles Angels have been focusing strongly on premium athletes with Billy Eppler as the team’s General Manager the last two seasons. In the 2017 draft, they had not only arguably the best athlete in the draft fall to them with the 10th pick, but also a polished baseball player as well.
Adell crushed home runs during his high school season, and his power was on display in his pro debut, with 11 doubles, 8 triples, and 5 home runs over 49 games. The power is not in question with Adell.
Pro scouts I talked with have different levels of belief in Adell’s contact ability, with many relating his lack of high-level competition as a concern behind the contact concerns. Adell certainly has the bat control and bat speed to have a positive contact rate if he doesn’t fall in love too much with his power stroke.
One of the more underrated things about Adell in high school was his impressive skills on the mound, and he does bring a powerful arm to the outfield along with above-average speed and excellent instincts both in the outfield and on the bases to allow him to use his speed very well.
Adell profiles as a premium defender in right field with the type of athletic profile to be a guy who can offer power and speed offensively. He should open 2018 in a full-season league, and if he adapts quickly, he could move fast through the Angels system.
1. Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 7/5/1994 (23)
2017 teams/levels played for: none
2017 Stats: none
Info: The most highly-anticipated Japanese free agent arguably to ever come to the league, and certainly to come over to MLB since Hideki Matsui, Ohtani ended his free agency by surprising many by signing with the Los Angeles Angels.
A big reason that Ohtani reportedly was drawn to the Los Angeles Angels was that he could have the chance to both hit and pitch.
With (Ohtani’s) ability to possibly (hit and pitch both), he is one of the best all-around prospects in the entire game.
As a hitter, Ohtani would be among the 25 best prospects in the game coming over from Japan. As a pitcher, Ohtani would rank as one of the top 2-3 pitching prospects in the entire game. With his ability to possibly do both, he is one of the best all-around prospects in the entire game.
On the mound, Ohtani can routinely top triple digits in velocity, with an elite split-finger fastball and a plus slider as well. He utilizes a change and a curve that are not as impressive in their quality, but that he does command very well, allowing them to play up.
Ohtani’s major complaint from scouts who’ve watched him pitch was that he often stayed up in the zone with his pitches, and his fastball has minimal movement, but when he locates it well and utilizes his split finger to off-set the pitch, it plays well. However, a straight fastball up in the zone at any velocity could be tagged by any professional hitter.
At the plate, Ohtani’s power is unquestioned. However, he has not had pitchers utilize the whole plate against him, and in international competition, he struggled on inside pitches. He certainly could make the adjustment to cover the whole plate.
Ohtani will open the season with the Los Angeles Angels major league club, barring any injury issues during spring training.
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