LA Angels spring training guide: 5 prospects to keep an eye on

Jo Adell-OF

Jo Adell has been the most talked-about Angels prospect since Mike Trout. The outfielder is a five-tool player who has unlimited potential. Adell got a chance to prove himself in 2020 but, unfortunately, did not live up to the lofty expectations after racing through the minor leagues.

The 21-year old played 38 games, posting a .161 batting average with three homers and seven RBI. A cause for concern was the 55 strikeouts in just 124 at-bats. It seemed as if Adell was just overmatched at the plate. In the field, Adell looked much better despite having a Hall of Shame moment where he helped a ball over the fence while trying to make a leaping catch.

Is it time for the Angels to give up on Adell? Heck no. He has a ton of talent and was a victim of the short season. The fact that no minor league games were being played due to the pandemic hurt Adell.

A good spring training camp could result in Jo Adell returning to the Angels big league roster sooner than later.

The young outfielder should have started the season in Triple-A, which is what manager Joe Maddon says is likely for 2021.

Adell only played 27 games in Triple-A in 2019, where he batted .264 with no home runs and eight RBI. If Adell played in Salt Lake for a few weeks, it might have restored his confidence in his swing.

Hopefully, this season has a full and uninterrupted spring training, preparing Adell to start the season as the Angels right fielder. Even if this doesn’t happen, the likelihood of seeing Adell in Anaheim in 2021 is almost a certainty. Hopefully, Adell will make the most of his second chance.

From watching him multiple times in the minors and speaking with him, I think Adell has the right make-up to be very successful in the majors. It may take him a few games to get going, but he could go on a tear once he is locked in.

I believe there is an outside chance that Adell could even get some special hardware that three of his teammates have already earned, the AL Rookie of the Year Award (Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Shohei Ohtani).