Angels announce 2020 roster: Five biggest takeaways

Angels Roster Takeaways: Jo Adell left off MLB roster

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way quickly. Jo Adell has been left off the roster and is headed to Long Beach to start the season.

The Angels’ top prospect and the number three prospect in the entire game, Adell has made quite the impression in summer camp. He has regularly been among the top hitters in camp, and his hustle and performance weren’t lost on Joe Maddon either.

"“I just like the energy, I like his attitude,” Maddon said. “That’s what we need. That kind of energy is going to make everybody else around him better, and I appreciate it.” (via MLB.com)"

However, there was little to no chance that Adell would break camp with the team. With the league still operating under the previous collective bargaining agreement, it was always likely that the Angels were going to have to manipulate Adell’s service time.

The only question was how long the Angels would need to play the game. With the season shortened to just 60 days, Adell only needs to stay in the minor leagues for seven days. It seemed like a foregone conclusion that the team would surrender a week of their top prospect for an extra year of contractual control.

ZiPS seems to be the most bullish on how much Adell will play for the Angels in 2020, estimating the rookie will appear in 51 games. In the ensuing 227 plate appearances, they project him to his a solid .273/.326/.450 with eight home runs, a 106 wRC+, and a 1.0 fWAR.

Of course, his playing time will all be determined on how well Brian Goodwin does in 2020 and the ability for Justin Upton to stay healthy this season. If an opportunity arises after the first week of the season, Adell could make his long-awaited debut.