Headlines

  • Craig Kimbrel Elects Free Agency
  • Marlins Place Ryan Weathers On 60-Day IL With Lat Strain
  • White Sox To Promote Grant Taylor
  • Red Sox Promote Roman Anthony
  • Mariners Designate Leody Taveras For Assignment, Outright Casey Lawrence
  • Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rookie Radar: AL West

By Jeff Todd | March 23, 2020 at 8:22pm CDT

The delayed start to the 2020 season will obviously have a wide range of massive effects on Major League Baseball. Among them: a totally different promotional timeline for some of the game’s most exciting young players. We will never know how things would’ve unfolded. And we don’t yet even know what the parameters are for an altered season. But there’s no doubting the impact.

Typically, opportunities open as rosters evolve over the course of a grueling, 162-game season. Some top prospects force their way up to the majors; others are called upon because a need arises. In a shorter campaign, there’ll be less attrition … though we may also see relaxed roster rules and changes to allocation of service time that could create opportunities.

Still, with more time to examine rosters and think about the state of the game, there’s an opportunity to stop and appreciate the young talent on the cusp of the majors. We’ll run through the most interesting prospects pressing for near-term MLB action, starting with the American League West:

Angels

There’s loads of excitement at the top of the farm. The Halos have one of the game’s very best overall prospects in Jo Adell. Perhaps their best chance of catching the Astros lies in Adell taking the league by storm and combining with Mike Trout and (a hopefully resurgent) Justin Upton to form one of the game’s best outfields. Another highly regarded young outfielder, Brandon Marsh, is also close. An elbow injury limited him this spring, but he’ll hopefully rehab through that while the game is on pause.

Otherwise, the Angels will certainly hope they get a significant contribution out of lefty Patrick Sandoval. The 23-year-old took some lumps last year but did put up a 13.5% swinging-strike rate in his first ten MLB outings.

Astros

The division’s dominant force enters the season facing a few questions in the MLB staff. Fortunately, there are a bunch of arms coming. Forrest Whitley still has immense upside despite a brutal 2019 season. He’ll be tasked with getting back on track in the upper minors. Having snuck past Whitley, Jose Urquidy will slot right back into the big league rotation. He’s not known for his high-powered arsenal, but he was highly effective late last year — even including a remarkable performance when pressed into postseason duties (one earned run, 12:2 K/BB in ten innings).

High-octane righty Bryan Abreu also got some playoff action after a strong relief showing late in the season. He could be a force in the pen. Fellow right-handers Christian Javier, Enoli Paredes, and Brandon Bielak are also on the rise.

Another well-regarded player who debuted in 2019 is third baseman Abraham Toro. He smashed minor-league pitching but didn’t thrive in a 25-game run in the majors. Toro had also struggled in Grapefruit League action this spring, but it’d be a surprise if he isn’t called upon at some point in 2020.

Athletics

There’s loads of talent ready to see action in Oakland. Lefties Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk recovered from injuries and hit the majors last year. They’ll draw loads of attention, and rightly so, but that’s just the start. Righties Daulton Jefferies and James Kaprielian could also push for their debuts.

There are names to watch on the position player side as well. The A’s have a bevy of youthful backstops who’ll be entrusted with holding down the catching duties. Sean Murphy put himself on everyone’s map last year. He could be joined by Austin Allen, but fellow young receiver Jonah Heim is also a factor. Infielders Sheldon Neuse will factor, though he hasn’t hit much this spring and didn’t impress in his 2019 debut. It remains to be seen how the club will handle the out-of-options Jorge Mateo with strong competition at second base. Outfielder Luis Barrera hasn’t yet debuted but earned a 40-man spot after a solid partial season at Double-A.

Mariners

On the pitching side, lefty Justus Sheffield has been on the map for some time and is in need of extended testing at the game’s highest level. Righty Justin Dunn had some struggles in his brief debut last year but is competing for a MLB job in camp. Recent first-rounder Logan Gilbert ran up to Double-A in his first professional season and now stands as a consensus top-100 prospect.

Several position players are sure to factor in the bigs as well. Recently extended first baseman Evan White is obviously slated for a big role. And the M’s may well go ahead and provide long looks to 24-year-old outfielders Jake Fraley and Kyle Lewis, each of whom cracked the bigs last year. The Seattle org will want to get a sense of their outlook. After all, there’s more talent coming up behind. It never seemed likely we’d see much-hyped outfield prospects Jarred Kelenic and Julio Rodriguez in 2020. With some or all of the minor-league season now gone, it’s even less likely.

Rangers

Most of the best-regarded Texas farmhands are still queuing up further down the system. But there are a few players vying for immediate playing time.

First and foremost, infielder/outfielder Nick Solak is almost sure to fit … well, somewhere. He has featured in the team’s planning all winter, even if the vision for where and how much he’d play has shifted as the Rangers pursued offseason additions. It’s plausible to imagine Solak appearing at first, second, third, and anywhere in the outfield as needs dictate.

Unless and until there’s an injury, the rotation doesn’t have any space. But lefty Joe Palumbo could be among the first names on call if a need arises, or he could slot into the pen. Righty DeMarcus Evans joined the 40-man after a lights-out 2019 season and seems likely to get a crack at the majors at some point.

Share 0 Retweet 9 Send via email0

Houston Astros Los Angeles Angels MLBTR Originals Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers Rookie Radar

How The Delayed Season Impacts The Angels
Main
Breakout Candidate: Robert Stephenson
View Comments (17)
Post a Comment

17 Comments

  1. throwinched10

    5 years ago

    Mariners have some studs. 2022 baby!
    Kelenic, Rodriguez, White, Marte, Haniger, Long on offense. Gilbert, Sheffield, Dunn, Kirby, Gonzales for the rotation.

    2
    Reply
    • Sealbeach Comber

      5 years ago

      DiPoto will have traded all of those guys by 2022. He can’t help himself.

      3
      Reply
    • ayrbhoy

      5 years ago

      Throwinched- Ms prospects sound great on paper, 5 in the National top 100 helps makes it seem like the team is destined for success. Hearing National MLB pundits and execs admire about our prospects doesn’t hurt! It will be exciting to see how they all develop- to see which guy surprises us, which guy can’t hit ML off-speed pitching, which guy shuttles back and forth between Tacoma and Seattle, which guy recovers from a major injury and which guy becomes the future face of the franchise. It’s unfortunate theres going to be a helluva lot of losses in between

      Reply
      • ayrbhoy

        5 years ago

        Sp! Admire our…

        Reply
  2. Rangers29

    5 years ago

    With Odor actually looking really refined this spring, and IKF going on a tear, that leaves Solak in a tough spot. He’d play center, but Santana is back like never before. He could play left if Calhoun was injured, but it looks like he’s gonna heal and get ready to go by opening day. All in all, it’s gonna be tough for him to see playing time. Maybe if a few trades happen, he could get the playing time he deserves, but definitely once Choo leaves he’s becoming the dh.

    Demarcus Evans is going to burst onto the scene like Emmanuel Clase did last season. He’s big, throws hard, and get K’s, end of story.

    Palumbo and all of the other AAA pitching prospects the Rangers have are going to be trade pieces if Minor gets his extension. Because then all of the Rangers pitchers will be under contract until the end of the 21′ season.

    Somebody not mentioned in this is Jonathan Hernandez who is a hard throwing pitching prospect. Never highly touted, Hernandez is a starter-turned long reliever who can hit 99 mph with some crazy movement. He is a lock to be the LR of this team, and i’m so excited.

    Reply
    • FreedWillie

      5 years ago

      Love Hernandez as a bullpen piece. He seems super nasty only really gets into trouble with his control at times. Also cant wait to see what Taylor Hearn becomes. I like what the rangers are doing, but cant lie the angels future scares me too.

      Reply
      • Rangers29

        5 years ago

        Hearn does look really nice right now. Especially since he is all healthy now, I can’t wait.

        On a different note, I’m hoping that over the next few seasons some of the Rangers international signings start making big strides and get featured in the top 100. Players like Osleivis Basabe, Maximo Acosta, and Bayron Lora are going to start making a name for themselves here pretty soon as they are the projected future of the Rangers middle infield. Every article I read about the Rangers farm – kind of like this article – say that we have a lot of potential in the lower level of our farm, but they just haven’t developed enough yet to make us a highly ranked farm.

        1
        Reply
        • FreedWillie

          5 years ago

          Ya Lora definitley seems like he’ll be a big league hitter forsure. Gives me a little nelson cruz vibes.. Definitley think Acosta will be ranked in the top 100s pretty soon because he’s already getting the hype from a lot of scouts/blogs. Im not quite as sold on Basabe yet tho.

          Reply
  3. ckln88

    5 years ago

    Do you have a hard on for the astros Jeff Todd? They easily have the worst farm system in our division but somehow have the longest write up. They don’t deserve even a few paragraphs let along a full mobile page.

    Reply
    • OntariGro

      5 years ago

      The article isn’t even about farm systems, Cap’n Wordcount. Every team has minor leaguers on the cusp of getting called up to the show. The Astros have 5 + Urquidy. He lists 8 for the Ms, 10 for the A’s.

      Reply
      • Astros44

        5 years ago

        Just another valued member of the outrage mob

        Reply
        • Sealbeach Comber

          5 years ago

          Astros4…..Bang! Buzz! Karma.

          Reply
        • OntariGro

          5 years ago

          I don’t know who this Buzz Karma is, but you don’t tell me who to bang.

          Reply
    • Jeff Todd

      5 years ago

      ?

      2
      Reply
    • Rudy Zolteck

      5 years ago

      It’s called Rookie Radar not Organization Farm Radar

      Reply
  4. ChrisASeattle

    5 years ago

    Yal got the wrong Julio Rodriguez tagged for Seattle… that’s some AA reliever for the SF Giants system.

    Reply
  5. ManfredMustGo

    5 years ago

    It will be a shorter season. 0 is much shorter than 162.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Craig Kimbrel Elects Free Agency

    Marlins Place Ryan Weathers On 60-Day IL With Lat Strain

    White Sox To Promote Grant Taylor

    Red Sox Promote Roman Anthony

    Mariners Designate Leody Taveras For Assignment, Outright Casey Lawrence

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Braves Select Craig Kimbrel

    Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox

    White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel

    Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!

    Pablo Lopez To Miss Multiple Months With Teres Major Strain

    MLB To Propose Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System For 2026

    Giants Designate LaMonte Wade Jr., Sign Dominic Smith

    Reds Sign Wade Miley, Place Hunter Greene On Injured List

    Padres Interested In Jarren Duran

    Royals Promote Jac Caglianone

    Mariners Promote Cole Young, Activate Bryce Miller

    2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: May Edition

    Evan Phillips To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Recent

    Royals Outright Thomas Hatch

    Diamondbacks Place Kendall Graveman On 15-Day IL

    Craig Kimbrel Elects Free Agency

    Guardians’ Will Brennan, Andrew Walters Undergo Season-Ending Surgeries

    Marlins Place Ryan Weathers On 60-Day IL With Lat Strain

    White Sox To Promote Grant Taylor

    Nats Notes: Nuñez, Chapparo, Williams

    The Orioles’ Long-Term Catching Situation

    Angels Select Shaun Anderson, Designate Garrett McDaniels For Assignment

    Fantasy Baseball: The New CSW Darlings

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version