Slugging LA Angels first baseman taking advantage of extra opportunity in AFL

Angels fans -- you should be tuning into the Arizona Fall League. The Mesa Solar Sox roster is comprised of at least one player who should contribute in 2025 and beyond.

Niko Kavadas has a clear path to breaking spring training with the Angels, as the team is currently constituted. While the team vowing to increase spending in order to round out depth affects Kavadas' standing, he will assuredly be heard of again next season. The team needs more left-handed hitters, and especially those with supreme in-game power. That's Kavadas' entire profile. He is known as a 3-true outcomes guy, someone who will pretty much exclusively either hit a ball out of the park, strike out, or walk. He is reminiscent of a poor-man's Kyle Schwarber or Adam Dunn, in that he cannot run fast, or field well, and strikes out a lot...but he has a violent, left-handed swing that can punish any mistake made by pitchers.

Kavadas, the Angels' no. 29 prospect, boasts an exemplary average exit velocity, barrel percentage, launch angle sweet spot percentage, chase %, and walk %. His 91.7mph average exit velocity only trailed Miguel Sanó as the Angels' top mark in 2024. His 11.5% barrel% ranked sixth on the Angels, trailing Mike Trout, Charles Leblanc, Taylor Ward, Logan O'Hoppe, and Jo Adell. His 27.3° launch angle is the highest mark on the team. His 18.9% chase% was the lowest mark on the team.

Kavadas performed well during Mesa's first game, going 2-3. With Paris and Bachman's mysterious removals from the roster, Kavadas is the only player on the Solar Sox from the Angels with MLB experience. Kavadas is joined this Fall by Cole Fontenelle, Jack Dashwood, Brandon Dufault, David Mershon, Sammy Natera Jr., and Houston Harding.

Bachman's removal from the roster is incredibly inauspicious, as his career has been since he was selected ninth overall by the Angels in the 2021 MLB Draft. Marred by injury, Bachman has provided the Angels with far more questions than answers in his career. Who knows if Bachman can effectively stay on the field? Would a full-time move to the bullpen even help him stay healthy? Does he prepare his body the right way, move optimally, or even have a body that can handle a pitching motion? Kyren Paris' removal as well is not ideal, but unfortunately Paris is no longer a priority prospect anymore.

Kavadas getting extra reps this Fall could be a solid development for the Angels, especially since his manager is Andy Schatzley, the Angels' AA manager. Hopefully Kavadas can turn some heads, and come into spring training having achieved his offseason goals.