Ranking Angels top prospects' likelihood of making impact at 2026 spring training

The Los Angeles Angels might have a bottom-ranked farm system, but there are some intriguing youngsters waiting in the wings. The Angels always promote quickly, but some of these prospects are legitimately on the verge of making the leap.

With so many holes on the big league roster, a bunch of them will get a chance to prove that they will break through once the Halos descend on Tempe. Still, some have a better shot than others, so we're going to take a look and rank the prospects with the best chance to make an impact from least to most likely.

Power ranking the Angels' prospects with the best shot to break through in spring training

6. Walbert Urena

Walbert Urena is a long shot, but the Angels' No. 24 prospect is on the 40-man roster and is finally coming off a healthy campaign in which he logged 141 innings. He can light up the radar gun, regularly hitting 100 on the gun, while showing a change-up with some promise. He made one final start at Triple-A Salt Lake, but spent the rest of his 2025 campaign with the Trash Pandas.

Walks have been a problem, though he cut them down to a slightly more manageable 12.1% last year, and the strikeouts haven't been there considering the power in his repertoire. Urena has been used as a starter his entire professional career, but perhaps a switch to the bullpen could help him break through. Los Angeles has a lot of bullpen roles up for grabs, and a power arm could fit nicely there.

5. Joel Hurtado

After signing for just $10,000 as a 21-year-old out of the Dominican Republic, Joel Hurtado went from afterthought to intriguing piece in 2025. The right-hander hadn't posted an ERA better than 4.61 since arriving stateside, but with the Trash Pandas, things seemed to click. The 25-year-old made 18 starts, posting a 2.70 ERA.

There were some red flags, though. Hurtado saw his K-rate fall to just 15.5%. On the plus side, his power sinker generated ground balls at a 50.4% clip. If the Angels want to continue developing him as a starter, he will need more seasoning, but a strong spring showing could put him on the map as a swingman or a potential bullpen arm as the season wears on.

4. Samy Natera Jr.

There was talk of Samy Natera Jr. making a push for time in the big league bullpen down the stretch last season. That didn't come to fruition, but there might be an opening now. After dealing Brock Burke, the Halos have only Drew Pomeranz from the left side in the pen. A high strikeout lefty like Natera Jr. would make a ton of sense, then.

The 26-year-old struck out 34.3% of hitters between Rocket City and Salt Lake, but he also walked 16.9% of batters last season. If he can show that he's leveled up his command, he could sneak his way onto the opening day roster. If not, a strong showing could still make him a player to watch as the season unfolds.

3. Sam Aldegheri

No Angels prospect saw his stock drop more in 2025 than Sam Aldegheri. Along with Caden Dana, he was part of the club's baffling decision to use top pitching prospects as sacrificial lambs, calling up the youngsters to eat innings when the bullpen was burnt out, regardless of the beating they'd take.

The 24-year-old southpaw posted a 7.90 ERA in the bigs, but the youngster spent the vast majority of his season with the Trash Pandas, watching his strikeouts crater while his walks soared. Still, there's a lot of potential that shouldn't be disregarded just because of an uneven season where he was put in bad situations, and he'll have a shot to compete for the fifth starter role.

2. Denzer Guzman

Long noted for his defensive prowess, Denzer Guzman has been a player who had struggled to put his raw tools together offensively. The young shortstop has intriguing raw power, but it hadn't shown up in games until 2025. Splitting time between Rocket City and Salt Lake, his bat came alive and he cracked 17 homers while posting a combined 11.5% walk rate. The hit tool can be spotty and he can be prone to striking out, but it was an encouraging showing that culminated with a big league cup of coffee.

The biggest issue Guzman faces is what his role would be on the big league roster. He has experience playing third and could theoretically platoon with Yoan Moncada, but he'd benefit from more regular playing time. He could jump into the second base mix, but would fall behind Christian Moore in the pecking order at a position he's never played before. His natural shortstop spot is occupied by Zach Neto. An argument could be made that the best-case scenario for Neto's defensive value would be a move to second base, clearing shortstop for Guzman, but it's unlikely that Los Angeles would be so bold.

1. Nelson Rada

Of all the youngsters on this list, Nelson Rada has the best combination of talent, proximity to the big leagues, and pathway to securing a big league job. The speedster hit another gear once he got promoted to Salt Lake, slashing .323/.433/.416.

Swiping 54 bases and walking a combined 12.7% of the time, he has the looks of an ideal lead-off man who can also spray line drives all over the field. Defensively, Rada has the goods to be a plus defender in center, which could help him win a job with the big club, as there are no natural center fielders on the big league roster. At just 20-years-old, all of this might seem premature, but the Angels don't have many other options. With a strong showing, he's the most likely candidate on this list to lock down a major league role.