Angels Prospect Update: Klassen and Johnson making their case for a MLB call-up

With the 2025 MLB draft right around the corner and the Los Angeles Angels looking like they will add a fast-moving college pitcher into their pipeline, it seems like the right time to look at the fast-movers they already have. Yes, they have Caden Dana -- their 11th round pick from 2022 who has not pitched in a game in almost a month, and is about to be passed in the Angels' prospect rankings by whoever they select in a week's time. They have both Sam Aldegheri and Víctor Mederos who, like Dana, are having occasional dalliances in the big leagues this year. All three of those pitchers are quite good, but lately two other pitchers are showcasing how they might have higher ceilings than all of them.

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Angels Prospect Update: George Klassen and Ryan Johnson making their case for a MLB call-up

George Klassen is back to his old ways for the Trash Pandas. Before he was struck in the head by a line drive on May 11th, Klassen allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his seven starts. He recorded at least five strikeouts in all four of those games despite maxing out at 5.1 innings. After May 11th, Klassen had only one outing of six in which he allowed two earned runs or fewer. However, he posted five strikeouts in those six innings pitched, which was far below his average K/9 of 11.28. Well, the Angels' no. three prospect just looked better than his old self in his latest start on July 5th.

Klassen produced 21 whiffs in his 86 pitches against the Knoxville Smokies, and turned in his second nine strikeout start of the season. He posted a 16.20 K/9 in that start, his highest mark in a single game this year. In his five innings pitched, he allowed one earned runs, two hits and three walks.

Should the Angels want to continue the merry-go-round of promoting their top pitching prospects to The Show in order to eat some innings, Klassen could be working his way closer to the front of the line after this outing.

Ironically, one of the pitching prospects the Angels have used in their bullpen this year could be called back up soon...but as a starting pitcher this time around. Yes, Ryan Johnson is dominating as a starter in High-A to the point where he simply has to be seriously considered as a candidate to replace Jack Kochanowicz (or Tyler Anderson if he is traded) in the rotation in the near-future.

The only comparable start to Johnson's gem on July 5th is John Means' near perfect game back in 2021. In the past five seasons, only Johnson and Means have starts in either the major or minor leagues in which a pitcher went nine innings, struck out at least 12 batters, allowed at most one hit and did not allow either a run or walk. Starts like that you see more often in MLB than MiLB, so Johnson is pretty much in a league of his own in recent years where pitchers are coddled and not allowed to go the distance.

The Angels are reticent to use a starting pitcher besides the five they have used all year, despite Kochanowicz's struggles and the advantages of trading Anderson. If they do, how do they not opt for Johnson? He has MLB experience, is built up physically and certainly looks like the best internal option the Angels have. The 22-year-old has shown he can strike out MLB hitters already, and he is clearly in his bag right now. Let the kid cook as the no. five starter, and Kochanowicz work as the team's long reliever in lieu of an Aldegheri, Mederos or Dana.

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