The Los Angeles Angels still have a team that could be ready to compete for the 2016 AL West division title even after a disappointing 2015 that saw them finish third in the division race (albeit a mere three games out of first and one game out of the wild card). The division certainly didn’t get any easier with the Astros and Rangers both chock full of young talent and the Seattle Mariners continuing to try and build a winner through trades and free agents. At the end of the day, the Angels still have Albert Pujols, Kole Calhoun, Garrett Richards, and some guy named Mike Trout.

What the Angels don’t have is a lot of prospect depth. What little they had at the end of the 2015 season they traded away to Atlanta to acquire defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons. The Angels are far and away the most depleted farm system in baseball and quite frankly have no player whom I would advise owning in dynasty leagues.

If you are interested in more MLB prospects columns, head on over to our 2016 fantasy baseball rankings dashboard. You can find the rest of my team prospect breakdowns, fantasy baseball prospect rankings, tiered positional rankings, keeper values articles, and more - all in one easy place.

 

Los Angeles Angels Top 10 Dynasty Prospects

These are the top ten prospects for the Los Angeles Angels in terms of fantasy production for fantasy owners in the next few seasons.

1. Joe Gatto (SP, R)
Stats: 54.1 IP, 4.31 ERA, 4.64 FIP, 6.29 K/9, 2.82 BB/9, 0.66 HR/9
ETA: 2019
Joe Gatto works with a decent repertoire, but his style of pitching does not have much value for fantasy owners. He possesses a low-90s fastball and a power curveball that serves as his primary out pitch. Unfortunately his stuff is not conducive to high strikeout rates and he generally pitches to contact which limits his fantasy upside. He out of all the Angels’ pitching prospects is the most likely to have an impact in the big leagues, but he is still far from ownable.

 

2. Victor Alcantara (SP, A+)
Stats: 136.0 IP, 5.63 ERA, 4.37 FIP, 8.27 K/9, 3.84 BB/9, 0.66 HR/9
ETA: 2018
While Gatto has the best chance of making it to the majors, there is little doubt that Victor Alcantara has the best stuff of any Angels’ pitching prospect. He has a blazing fastball that can reach the upper-90s, but doesn’t typically sit there. His secondary pitches are mediocre at best, though they have potential to improve. Alcantara struggles greatly with command which scouts see as a legitimate obstacle that could keep him from a big league rotation. Alcantara’s limited repertoire, strong fastball, and lack of control really make it look like he is headed for a bullpen role in the future which gives him no fantasy upside.

 

3. Jahmai Jones (OF, R)
Stats: 183 PA, .244/.330/.344, 2 HR, 16 SB, 9.3% BB rate, 18.0% K rate
ETA: 2019
The only thing that Jahmai Jones could provide fantasy owners, if he is promoted to the majors, is some decent stolen base totals. Some scouts see him as being able to hit well enough to earn a spot on a major league roster which the gives him the potential to make use of his speed, but fantasy owners need to wonder whether or not he will be a much better option over other outfield prospects which is unlikely. Jones is the most ownable offensive prospect in the Angels’ system, but that does not mean dynasty owners should add him.

 

4. Kyle Kubitza (3B, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 526 PA, .271/.357/.433, 7 HR, 7 SB, 11.4% BB rate, 23.8% K rate
ETA: 2016
Kyle Kubitza made it to the majors last season and performed in exactly the role that most scouts envision him as: backup infielder. He is working out at second base and other infield positions to improve on his versatility, but before you start screaming, ‘Ben Zobrist,’ it is important to note that Kubitza would need to greatly improve on his plate discipline and refine his other tools before he can be a major contributor. Unless he makes some drastic improvements, consider Kubitza to be unownable.

 

5. Taylor Ward (C, A)
Stats: 103 PA, .348/.412/.413, 1 HR, 1 SB, 9.7% BB rate, 14.6% K rate
ETA: 2018
The Angels’ first pick in the 2015 draft, Taylor Ward put together a very solid campaign in 2015 in his progress towards proving scouts wrong. As a Reds’ fan, I am reminded of Tucker Barnhart when I look at Ward because he doesn’t have much to promise offensively, but is a very strong defender behind the dish. Scouts believe that he will make it to the majors, but serve primarily as a defensive backup for another catcher. Unless you consider Barnhart to be an ownable fantasy option at catcher, don’t bother stashing Taylor Ward.

 

6. Nate Smith (SP, AAA)
Stats: (from AA) 101.2 IP, 2.48 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 7.17 K/9, 2.48 BB/9, 0.89 HR/9
ETA: 2016
Nate Smith put together a solid campaign at Double-A in 2015, but Angels’ fans quickly forgot how good he was at Double-A when he hit Triple-A and put together 36.0 innings of 7.75 ERA with a 6.10 FIP. Smith profiles more as a lefty specialist with low strikeout totals because of his lackluster repertoire that features no standout pitches. Smith is not worth owning.

 

7. Roberto Baldoquin (SS, A+)
Stats: 309 PA, .235/.266/.294, 1 HR, 4 SB, 2.9% BB rate, 22.7% K rate
ETA: 2017
There is no doubt that Roberto Baldoquin can remain up the middle defensively, there is just the question of whether or not he will hit to be worth owning. Most dynasty owners like at least some stolen base potential from middle infielders, but Baldoquin doesn’t have nearly enough speed to swipe more than five bags per season. He is not worth owning for dynasty owners.

 

8. Kaleb Cowart (3B, MLB)
Stats: (from AAA) 253 PA, .323/.395/.491, 6 HR, 2 SB, 11.5% BB rate, 25.3% K rate
ETA: 2016
Sure, Kaleb Cowart put together a strong Triple-A season, but that should not be expected to translate to the majors. Cowart is a defensive specialist who could be a Gold Glove third baseman if he was to see full time, but he will never hit enough to justify owning in dynasty leagues.

 

9. Jake Jewell (SP, A)
Stats: 111.1 IP, 4.77 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 8.89 K/9, 2.51 BB/9, 0.65 HR/9
ETA: 2018
Jake Jewell may have the best fastball in the Angels’ system as it can reach the upper-90s, but that doesn’t make up for the rest of his repertoire. His slider and changeup both need a substantial amount of work and he will need to continue to improve on his control in order to remain a starter. Most scouts see his future as a reliever, meaning that his fantasy potential is very limited.

 

10. Natanael Delgado (OF, A)
Stats: 438 PA, .241/.276/.355, 6 HR, 2 SB, 4.3% BB rate, 23.7% K rate
ETA: 2018
Natanael Delgado has some power potential that scouts see, but he tends to be overly aggressive at the plate which leads to very high strikeout rates and low walk rates. He does not have much speed and lacks the upside that a lot of power hitting outfielders may have. Delgado, like everyone else on this list, can be ignored for fantasy purposes.

 

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