Fallen Angels prospect making a case for a roster spot with spring training outburst

One of the lesser talked about spring training battles in Angels' camp is the battle for the last man off the bench. After suffering a litany of injuries that bogged down the team's 2024 campaign, finishing with a franchise-worst 63-99 record, the team has prioritized adding depth to the roster.

Free-agent signings like Kevin Newman and Travis d'Arnaud went a long way towards improving the Halos primary backups at key positions, but even at the end of the bench the team has brought in several candidates who could provide more upside.

Headlining the battle are a pair of veterans on minor-league deals who have track records of success in Tim Anderson and J.D. Davis. Also in the mix is former Phillies top prospect, Scott Kingery who adds versatility and defensive upside while looking to revive his career.

The front runner, however, is none of these veteran names, but rather a guy who has been here and disappointed several times before -- Kyren Paris. It may feel like Paris has been around forever, he was a second-round pick out of high school back in 2019, and reached his peak prospect status in 2022 when Baseball America ranked him the no. 3 prospect in the Angels' system, but he's still just 23 years old.

Since that point, Paris's star has faded significantly. His first taste of big-league action in 2023 did not go well for him, slashing .100/.200/.100 in 15 games in 2023, and his 2024 minor league campaign was also full of struggles with a .167/.254/.278 line before again coming up to the majors and looking like a fish out of water.

Kyren Paris has been one of the best hitters at Angels camp and is making his case to make the opening day roster

The sample size is small, but through six games and 12 plate appearances, Paris is hitting .455/.500/.818 with a double, a home run, and a stolen base. Meanwhile, his chief competition for the last spot on the bench, J.D. Davis, Tim Anderson, and Scott Kingery have all struggled in comparison.

While it might surprise you that Paris has gotten off to such a scorching start, it shouldn't. The talent has always been there, however, like many top Angels prospects in recent years, he's had trouble translating his natural gifts into actual baseball production.

To that end, Paris put a lot of work into his swing this offseason and the results are starting to show. He tweaked his stance and brought his hands lower, and as a result he's getting the barrel of the bat into the zone faster and for longer, allowing him to make solid contact much more frequently.

Spring mirages happen all the time, and that could certainly be the case for Paris. However, typically when and uptick in performance is based on a fundamental change, especially when that change is made by such a young player with so much potential, it tends to stick.

If Paris should continue his hot-hitting throughout the rest of spring training, he should move into the pole position for the final utility man spot. He can play second, short, and third which would give the Angels the versatility they crave, and if he can finally hit as expected, he may even push for an expanded role as the season progresses.

As much as fans would like to see prospects fast tracking their way to big league success a la Zach Neto, sometimes it's the long route they need to take to finally realize their potential. It's early, but perhaps that's the case for Kyren Paris.

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