3 Yankees players the Angels should demand in a Mike Trout trade

2) Yankees prospect Drew Thorpe

If there's one thing the Angels need, it's pitching. Shohei Ohtani's future on the mound is up in the air, and his future with the Angels in general is even more up in the air. Guys like Reid Detmers and Patrick Sandoval who were expected to anchor this rotation at some point have taken a step back, and Tyler Anderson looks like a shell of his all-star self. The Angels could use a pitcher if they did trade Mike Trout, and Drew Thorpe makes a lot of sense in that regard.

Thorpe might not be the Yankees top-rated pitching prospect per MLB Pipeline, but he is their second-best and fifth-best propsect overall. Thorpe has had a fantastic season splitting time in A+ and AA, and figures to be MLB-ready sometime next season or in 2025 at the latest.

Thorpe has gone 14-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 23 starts and 139.1 innings pitched. Thorpe has 182 strikeouts compared to just 38 walks. He has electric strikeout stuff headlined by a wicked change-up, and his command has been outstanding as well.

This season was Thorpe's first in professional baseball after being a second round pick of the Yankees last season, and it's safe to say it's gone as well as the Yankees could've hoped. In fact, he continues to get better as he has a 1.48 ERA in five starts since being promoted to AA Somerset.