LA Angels Top Prospect Countdown: #29 Caleb Adams

Apr 25, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; General overall view of a MLB baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2017; Anaheim, CA, USA; General overall view of a MLB baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

The LA Angels selected the 24-year old outfielder in the 2014 Amateur Draft. He played his college ball at Louisiana-Lafayette where he played two seasons. In college, he had a career .362 batting average with 27 long balls and eight triples.

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Adams brings raw skill to the table for the LA Angels in every department. He has shown excellent flashes of power, speed, and fielding throughout his amateur and collegiate careers. He is a player who always hustles and is aggressive in the field in every situation.

In his first two seasons, Adams has impressed enough in Single-A to earn him a couple of promotions to Double-A. However, he has not been able to show he can compete in Double-A, with a .230 batting average so far compared to a .291 average in Single-A. The biggest difference between his performance in the two levels is his walk and strikeout rates. While he displays an excellent eye for pitch location in Single-A, he is unable to do so against the higher level of pitches in Double-A.

Defensively, Adams is an above-average fielder. He has good speed and instincts. While he could play center field decently, he would be better suited as a corner outfielder.

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So far this season, Adams is off to a poor start. He started the season for Double-A Mobile Baybears. So far this season, he is hitting .196 with a home run, double, and three RBI’s. He has struck out 20 times in 15 games, compared to just five walks. He is still playing great in the field however, as he owns a perfect fielding percentage. 

Adams’ future as a major league outfielder will come down to hit bat. If he can learn how to face and adjust to better pitching at these higher levels (.291 batting average in Single-A Advanced compared to .221 in Double-A), then he can be an everyday outfielder in the bigs. If better pitching keeps confusing Adams, he will be destined as a bench player.

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Adams could reach the big leagues as soon as 2018, but if he continues to stutter and show a lack of discipline at the plate, his arrival could easily be postponed.