Angels MiLB player of the year is a feel-good story everyone can get behind

While the Angels’ young core in the big leagues saw mixed results this season with Zach Neto making the leap to superstardom while Logan O’Hoppe took a step in the wrong direction, their minor leagues saw some prospects make dazzling contributions. One of those wound up shocking everyone, as a former 19th round pick earned notice from one of the top baseball publications. 

Angels MiLB player of the year is a feel-good story everyone can get behind

Raudi Rodriguez was drafted by the Angels in the 19th round during the 2023 MLB Draft. After playing his high school baseball at the Georgia Premier Academy (where 2025 draftee and potential star Ivan Tatis played), Rodriguez was one of the lesser-known prospects in the Halos’ class. He immediately made the organization notice him, hitting .368 in his 12 Rookie League games. 2025 was his first full season of minor league play, where he spent the season raking for the Single-A Inland Empire 66ers, earning a spot on the Single-A All Star team alongside teammates Bobby Thompson and Harold Coll. For Rodriguez, the acclaim did not stop there. 

Baseball America released their list of the top minor league player for every organization on Monday, and Raudi Rodriguez was given the honor for the Angels’ farm system. They have glamorous reviews of his performance, writing, “Outfielder Raudi Rodriguez had little fanfare on Opening Day. He was a 19th-round prep pick in 2023 who signed for $100,000 and was sharing playing time to start the season with Low-A Inland Empire. By the end of the season, he was the California League’s top run producer. The 22-year-old’s breakout season finished with a league-leading 90 runs scored, 83 RBIs and 14 home runs, while his 38 stolen bases were fifth-best in the league.”

Rodriguez is likely to skyrocket up prospect rankings this offseason, especially if this production continues into the Arizona Fall League season, where he’ll look to continue his exceptional pace. Rodriguez is currently not ranked in the Angels’ Top 25 list, but by the time MLB.com updates their rankings by Opening Day 2026, Rodriguez could find himself not just on the list but within the Angels’ top 10.

Rodriguez is no stranger to these honors, as he was also named the Pacific Coast League’s Player of the Month in August. The outfielder is making his name well-known across minor league circuits, and 2026 could be the season that Raudi Rodriguez makes his name known across not just the Angels’ organization, but all of baseball.

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