LA Angels: Jo Adell Is Proving He is Ready for the MLB

This summer, one of the most intriguing storylines for the LA Angels and their fans has been the rise of Jo Adell. The top prospect is shining internationally, and deserves for his emergence to end with an Opening Day roster spot.

It all started in the Arizona Fall League for the LA Angels top prospect. The AFL is where prospects go head-to-head against their counterparts, and is one of the best indicators of a prospect’s MLB readiness.

Well, all Jo Adell did in the AFL was slash .273/.351/.444 in 24 games. He had three home runs to go along with eight doubles, showcasing how much of an extra-base hit threat he’ll be in the majors. The ball popped off his bat at an extremely high rate, and his exit velocity was arguably the biggest takeaway from his time in Arizona. While his strikeout numbers (29) still weren’t what you’d want, he paired those poor numbers with a solid walk rate.

More from Halo Hangout

• New York Post columnist has LA Angels bringing veteran starter back to LA
• Dodgers make wild mistake signing failed LA Angels starter
• Why LA Angels’ Qualifying Offer to Raisel Iglesias could become historical
• Both Gold Glove finalists for LA Angels getting snubbed is a complete joke
• Marcus Stroman definitely appears to be interested in the LA Angels

Strikeouts are something that just take time to work on. When Mike Trout came into the league, he was one of the most strikeout prone hitters in all of baseball. That, obviously, is no longer true. As Adell reaches the MLB and becomes used to MLB pitching, we’ll see him progress more and more in terms of discipline.

The Arizona Fall League was just a launchpad for Adell, as he went on to represent Team USA in the Premiere 12 Super Round. While the team as a whole disappointed by failing to qualify for the 2020 Olympics (they still have two more chances), Adell was not just one of the best players on Team USA, but in the entire tournament.

Adell slashed .394/.429/.697 in the tournament. Although it was a small sample size, Adell showed just how phenomenal of a talent he truly is. His three home runs were tied for the most in the tournament, and he displayed all five tools steadily throughout the Team USA games.

The Angels have a dilemma on their hand. They could manipulate Adell’s service time to gain an extra year of control down the line. However, that would go against everything the Angels have told the public this offseason. They hired Joe Maddon to win now. Arte Moreno is opening up his wallet for free agents to win now.

Not having Adell on their Opening Day roster would go against everything else the Angels have said and done. He has proven he’s ready, and now it’s time for Jo Adell to join Mike Trout and Justin Upton in the outfield on Opening Day.