3 internal candidates to fill LA Angels last starting rotation spot

The LA Angels are still searching for one more starter to fill up their six man rotation.

While there are of course trade rumors that have been set ablaze at certain points this offseason, there are a few guys already in our organization who have the chance to get the job done. While none of these are sure things, they have the chance to really excel if developed the right way.

All three are young, and have shown untapped potential just waiting for them to fulfill.

No. 3 internal candidate to fill LA Angels last starting rotation spot: Janson Junk

Janson Junk would be an interesting plug-in for the LA Angels' last spot in the rotation. Junk was quietly pretty solid in his first taste of Major League Baseball last season. Recording a 3.86 ERA, he only walked 1.1 batters per nine frames.

That walk number is something all of us can get behind, and while it was only in four starts, the lack of earned runs allowed shows that he does indeed have some promise in his arm.

We can use him in the bullpen next year, but he can also start. Recording a 5:1 strikeout to walk ratio in 2021, I'm more than curious to see how he performs through a bigger sample size. He's still not too old at just 26 years old, and will likely be up at the Major League level more often in 2022 regardless of if he wins the starting spot. He's the type of pitcher who's worth working on.

No. 2 internal candidate to fill LA Angels last starting rotation spot: Reid Detmers

Reid Detmers didn't have the numbers Junk did last season, but I do think that he'd have a higher chance of taking the job next year due to how much the LA Angels have invested in him.

The Halos' 2020 first-round pick, they're really hoping for big things from Detmers. Detmers has great command of his curveball, and while he may not be a fireballer, he has great command of his fastball too. Those are the types of things we saw in Detmers' development last year despite him putting up poor numbers in his five starts.

If this lockout can finally end and we get a real spring training, don't be surprised if we see a much-improved Detmers.

With all this being said, however, I truly do feel that due to how much the Angels have invested in Detmers, they could also be cautious about not bringing him up full-time too early. That's a common mistake that's even happened to some players on our own team like Jo Adell and Justin Upton back when he was in Arizona.

If Detmers comes up, however, it's going to be must-see TV for Angels fans, and other fans across the nation.