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4 under the radar LA Angels prospects who are killing it in 2022
In the last couple of years, the LA Angels farm system has steadily improved thanks to the ascension of several highly touted prospects.
Of course everyone knows about the top draft picks like Sam Bachman and Ky Bush, or previous breakouts like Michael Stefanic and Brendon Davis, but what about the more under the radar guys who have been quietly putting up huge numbers in the minors?
Just as the Angels are off to a hot start in 2022, the same can be said for their minor league affiliates, most notably the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas who are being propped up by some insane early season performances from four lesser-known prospects looking to finally make their names heard.
No. 4 under the radar LA Angels prospect in 2022 – Zach Humphreys
First on the list is 24-year-old catcher Zach Humphreys. After choosing to stay at Texas Christian University rather than be drafted in the 26th round of the 2019 draft by the Brewers, the LA Angels signed him to the High-A Tri-City Dust Devils in 2021 as an undrafted free agent. In case you were wondering why Humphreys isn’t on any top prospects list, this is why.
His lack of media attention and acclaim may soon be a thing of the past, however, as Humphreys is off to an absolutely torrid start in 2022. Through the first month of the season, he is batting .256/.420/.615 with a 175 wRC+ and .359 ISO, and already has four home runs. He’s also scored 11 runs and walked 11 times versus just nine strikeouts.
Establishing himself as one of the hardest hitting catchers in Double-A, Humphreys is currently top ten in home runs, slugging, OPS, ISO, and wRC+.
Behind the plate, Humphreys is showing off some impressive arm strength and accuracy, already gunning down four base runners for a 31% CS rate to start the year.
Making this even more impressive is the fact that he only has 22 games of professional experience. With such a quick ascension, Humphreys may soon be nipping on the heals of Matt Thaiss who continues to struggle in Triple-A.
While it’s obviously still super early in the season, I would keep an eye on Humphreys these next few months. If he can continue hitting like this, he may find himself challenging Thaiss for a potential backup catching role by this time next season.
No. 3 under the radar LA Angels prospect in 2022 – Brett Kerry
Next up is 23-year-old starting pitcher Brett Kerry. One of the 20 pitchers the LA Angels drafted in 2021, Kerry was taken in the fifth round from the University of South Carolina and just barely cracks the team's top-30 prospects list (according to MLB Pipeline) at #30. He's also apparently so under the radar that we don't even have a photo of him on this site.
After an impressive pro debut in 2021 that saw him put up a 1.26 ERA in five starts between Tri-City and Rocket City, Kerry has continued to impress in 2022, having been the Opening Day starter for the Trash Pandas and winning the Southern League’s first Pitcher of the Week honors of 2022.
Owning a 2.52 ERA, 2.30 FIP and 0.920 WHIP through his first five starts is great on its own, but what's really turning heads are Kerry’s eyepopping strikeout and walk numbers.
Utilizing his pinpoint command over all his pitches, through 25 innings of work he’s already struck out 38 batters while only walking four. That’s good for a ridiculous 13.7 K/9 and 40.4% K rate versus a 1.4 BB/9 and 4.3% walk rate. 12 of those strikeouts came on Opening Day when he faced 17 batters over five innings and allowed only two to reach base.
Among all qualified pitchers in Double-A, Kerry is first in strikeouts and top 10 in K/9, K rate and K/BB (9.50), BB/9, walk rate, and FIP.
For someone who has been criticized by scouts over his lack of truly good stuff, he’s sure managing just fine against the competition so far. If he can keep this up, look for Kerry to be a dark horse candidate for a late season call up. Who knows, we may even have a photo of him by then.
No. 2 Under the Radar LA Angels prospect in 2022 – Trey Cabbage
While I may be a sucker for great baseball names, there’s a lot more to 25-year-old utility player Trey Cabbage than just his excellent surname. Drafted right out of Grainger High School in the 4th round of the 2015 draft by the Twins, he elected free agency at the end of the 2021 season and was quickly snatched up by the LA Angels.
After a relatively pedestrian minor league career in the Twins’ system (hence why he’s not ranked in the Angels’ top-30), the lefty is having a breakout for the ages this year with the Trash Pandas. Through 21 games, Cabbage is slashing a team-best .351/.479/.753 with an otherworldly 223 wRC+ and .403 ISO along with eight home runs, five doubles, 21 RBIs, and 16 runs scored.
Unsurprisingly, Cabbage is featured all over the Double-A leaderboards, reaching the top five in home runs, RBIs, OBP, SLG, OPS, ISO, and wRC+.
Also, as an interesting aside, according to Fangraphs Cabbage had a 100% HR/FB rate through May 3, meaning that every single fly ball he hit through his first 20 games went out of the park. Obviously, this isn’t sustainable, but it is a pretty wild fact.
The only real knock against Cabbage is that he still strikes out too much, with 35 Ks already in just 96 plate appearances (36.5% K rate). This has been a problem throughout his whole minor league career and may become a serious hinderance in his path to the majors if he can’t learn to be more disciplined at the plate.
If he does manage to cut back on the strikeouts, Cabbage could become the best hitter the Angels farm system has to offer.
No. 1 under the radar LA Angels prospect in 2022 – Chase Silseth
Last but certainly not least is the youngest player on this list, 21-year-old starting pitcher and the LA Angels’ 17th ranked prospect Chase Silseth. Pitching at the University of Tennessee and the University of Arizona, Silseth was drafted in the 11th round of the 2021 draft and has proven to be a true diamond in the rough, currently pitching better than every single pitcher in the Halos’ farm system.
Through his first four starts, Silseth has allowed only three earned runs, giving him an elite 1.35 ERA, as well as a 2.37 FIP and 0.900 WHIP. He’s also racked up 27 strikeouts in 20 innings (12.15 K/9, 35.1% K rate) and is holding opposing batters to a paltry .186 batting average.
As of May 4, his ERA and FIP are the sixth best in Double-A. Silseth also slots into the top-20 in WHIP, K/9, K rate, K/BB (5.40), and HR/9 (0.45).
Like Kerry, Silseth also won a Southern League Pitcher of the Week award in April after earning his first professional win with a one-run, six-inning performance against the Tennessee Smokies (the Chicago Cubs’ affiliate) on April 22.
Though the scouts at MLB Pipeline note that Silseth may be more suited to a relief role should he ever make it to the majors, it’s not like the Angels wouldn’t need the extra help within the next couple of years. Plus, there is still hope that with the continued refinement of his above average curveball, slider and newly developed changeup that he may be able to continue as a starter.
dark. Next. Why the Angels need to call up Michael Stefanic
Like the others on this list, Silseth represents a major course correction within the Angels farm system. After spending years near or at the bottom of league rankings, the Halos finally have a respectable minor league system, spearheaded by guys who most people have previously never heard of, but soon will.