Jo Adell made his Major League debut to mixed results in 2020. The toolsy outfielder still has a bright future in Los Angeles despite an opening salvo of .220/.294/.266 across 132 plate appearances. His output last season can be taken with a grain of salt, however. If not for the bizarre circumstances of 2020, the 21-year-old likely would have spent the season in Triple-A.
Apparently, that’s where he’ll return at least for the beginning of 2021, per Maria Torres of the Los Angels Times. Manager Joe Maddon didn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation: “He needs more time in the minor leagues, no question.” Adell turns 22 years old in April, so more time in the minors hardly counts as a setback for the former first-rounder.
Still, the news might challenge some assumptions about the makeup of the Angels roster heading into 2021. With Adell ticketed for the minors, new GM Perry Minasian will no doubt explore free agent outfielders as a short-term stopgap.
Mike Trout and Justin Upton have hammerlocks on center and left. Taylor Ward and Jared Walsh are the only other outfielders on the roster. Both Ward and Walsh are 27 years old, and while they aren’t exactly top prospects, both raked with the Salt Lake Bees in 2019. Walsh stayed hot into the 2020 season, slashing .293/.324/.646 in 108 plate appearances. They both boast some power potential, but if the Angels anticipate Adell spending a healthy chunk of 2021 in Triple-A, they may want insurance beyond that pair.
David Fletcher has spent a fair amount of time in the outfield grass, but he’s presently slated for every-down reps at second base. Still, Fletcher’s presence gives the club some flexibility when looking to build out the roster for 2021. Prospects Jahmai Jones and Brandon Marsh could also theoretically enter the outfield picture while Adell gets more seasoning time in Triple-A.
As ever, don’t expect Shohei Ohtani to roam the grass. Maddon fully expects Ohtani to return to the rotation, and any other playing time is likely to come at designated hitter. Though Ohtani no doubt has the capability of playing the outfield, the Angels have long tabled that possibility.
I’d rather trade adell for snell or someone of similar ilk. Never been high on adell while the tools wow, to much swing and miss in his game to see him being all worldly. I have Seen marsh play in person and could see him end up being far superior to adell long term, see a lot of Jim Edmonds…
You’re smoking crack if you think you getting Snell for Adell
You’re smoking crack if you think any team is giving up a prospect as good as Adell for Snell. Under 5 IP per start and a 4 ERA while missing 22 starts to injuries the past 2 seasons is not getting the Rays a top 5 prospect.
5 innings pitched is more a product of the team he’s playing for than his own limitations. Cash sticks to his twice through the order, quick hook BS regardless of who’s pitching
Not at all. Its a function of the fact that Snell’s stats fall off a cliff when they left him in longer. Glasnow and Yarbrough both went significantly deeper in games than Snell.
That also does not address the 3.94 ERA and the fact that he has only had a n injury free season once in 5 seasons. Even in 2020 he missed a start.
Snell is just not worth what fans think he is. Most fans are still only thinking about the one start he made and was pulled from in the WS. They never saw Snell pitch before that.
@Koamalu & @johndietz –
I think the truth lies somewhere between. I’ve watched Snell throw against the Yanks for years.
He’s always at 100 pitches by the end of the fifth.
The Yanks have a lineup that’s probably not a lot of fun for Snell to work through. So I get that. But I’ve seen him toss a few games against other teams & on those occasions he ran up high pitch counts, as well.
Wow, you’re talking about a young Cy Young award winner, not in the distant past, who has loads of control left on his contract, and would be the #1 pitcher on the Angels staff even if he never saw the 6th inning in any start, and you think there’s no chance that a “prospect”, who came up for a cup of coffee last year, and hit a whopping .220 would be lopsided trade….if you’re an Angels fan, you deserve the team you’ve presently got which frankly has a DIRE need of pitching much more than another “prospect” who may or may not ever live up to his hype.
You are, you are also talking about a pitcher who only had that one good year, and has had injury history. It’s an interesting trade. I don’t think the Angels do it. But it’s an interesting trade.
Obviously more would be going to rays, where did I mention just adell?
@koamalu your takes are usually pretty bad, but I’m willing to bet adell doesn’t stick with angels. Can’t hit, much like most of angels prospects not named trout and fletcher and to a lesser degree calhoun. Adell showed absolutely zero skills, say he was rushed to majors do create excuses but the guy looked lost in the outfield. No idea how to make reads and actually knocked a would be double over the fence with his glove ala Jose conseco. He showed no ability to read pitches and only was able to hit fastballs similar to Joey Gallo.
Also snell has 4 years of control, and is very worth it as he is young and already won cy young. Pitched fantastic in playoffs and ws against my dodgers.
Snell has 3 years left
Not more. LESS would be going to the Rays.
His manager, who knows more about baseball than you do, and the writers for this website, who know more about baseball than you do, are saying Adell is going to be a special player. He is not expected to hit .300. Never has been except by people totally ignorant of the way the game is played today. But he will hit .260 with 30 HR and a .850-.900 OPS while playing Gold Glove caliber defense.
That you are trying to base anything on 2020 just shows us all your lack of understanding. Try again with someone that is as lost as you are.
You on the other hand bring nothing to the table and have zero credibility.
Snell has 3 years of control. 1 game is not his season.
Gentlemen, we are all passionate baseball fans but come on now. Why the vitriol when we are simply talking g about a player’s worth-future-etc?
It is an interesting question. Adell for Snell, who hangs up first.
I can’t tell you.
Baseball Trade Values says that’s about even
Jim the Goad,
You don’t want to be the GM that loses that trade.
I think the Rays accept something like that. They’d trust their coaches to tap Adell’s potential
Idk if angels do. Jmo
But you do wanna be the GM that wins it.
You need to pass over whatever you’re smoking man….we want to visit the fantasy world of yours.
No doubt Jim. You definitely do not want to be the gm to lose that trade. And it could be a win/win deal for both, Truly
Depends how you value Snell. Is he a #1, or a real nice #3? LAA and LAD may have two different opinions. Is 21 year old Adell with less than 75 games at or above AA really showing you his potential? Of course not. But he was rushed probably 1.5 years or more. So what is he really?
It’s a fun challenge trade. May need to be a bigger deal for it to happen imo, gms can be wary of trusting 1 guy to replace the all star long term. Will be interesting
@Halo11Fan As an Angel fan, I hang up first. Snell doesn’t make sense for the Angels. Part of what makes him viable in Tampa is their strong bullpen. The Angels don’t have that. We do not need a #1 that can only go 5 innings. They need a legit ace and Snell’s best year is in the rear view.
I think most people are putting way too much stock in last year stats. With having a spring training separated from the regular season like last year,, a lot of hitters struggled last year. Giving Adell’s age, it is not surprising that he struggled since he is not familiar with many of the major league hitters. HE is not the only top prospect or young player that struggled to hit last year. Most people view last year for what it was and still view Adell as a valued commodity.
I agree so much. Marsh just seems like he can be a guy that is a terrific player , very well rounded . no big faults . adel just doesnt have that hit tool
I agree!!! After FINALLY being able to watch Adell, his swing doesn’t translate to success at the big league level. He should fetch a high end pitcher in a trade. Walsh and Marsh look like better bets for MLB production. Their approach at the plate looks a lot more p polished than Adell right now
@johndietz exactly man! I’d trade him now while he has value before he eventually washes out of the league….I’d take plesac from indians, Sonny Gray, snell. Any of them would be a huge addition.
So you’re saying that as a baseball fan you see something that other GMs – who do this for a living – wouldn’t also see? I mean if what you’re saying is correct (and who knows, there isn’t a very big sample yet) then you’re certainly not getting Snell from a smart team like the Rays, not to mention a very young and cost controlled starter like Plesac.
Didn’t you know coop, these guys are scouts.
I can understand that argument to a point, but come on, how many times have we seen teams miss on the evaluation of players? It happens constantly…
1984wasntamanual
They miss lots of times, But teams don’t trade the second best prospect in the teams 60+ year history.
Halo11Fan, Next you will tell us that Ohtani is the real deal right? LOL
He wasn’t the real deal as a hitter in 2018 and 2019? 134 OPS+.
So he hasn’t come back from TJ surgery yet, but you have to be crazy to think a 134 OPS+ in his first two seasons isn’t the real deal.
Mookie Betts OPS+ in his first two seasons was 119 in about the same number of ABs.
You people are crazy.
Is a 65 FV prospect really the second best in their history? (I assume 1 is Trout).
Really Pitching wise Ohtani has a electric stuff. Yeah he scuffled at the plate this past season. so what? He’s still learning the league. Can’t figure why people dog this guy. Jealousy I’m guessing. Same reason dog the Angels for having Trout.
Can’t find anything else . So they latch on to the narrative he’s been to only playoff series. ANYTHING to talk crap about the Angels
1984, probably is. Probably Glaus, Salmon, Erstad, Trout and Adell. Ohtani would be higher but he was from Japan.
Agreed on moving Adell, if they don’t think he’ll figure it out at the big league level. Coupling that with the halos timeline, the only real way to maximize his trade value is to send him down. Hoping he lights it up and strike while the irons hot to maximize the return.
No one in baseball things Adell wont figure it out. No one thinks he wont be an every day regular. Many think he’ll be a perennial All Star.
Many also think if he can’t hit enough he won’t be on an mlb roster. Lots of swing and miss in minors he strikes out nearly 30 percent of the time….judging by angels perennial years of missing playoffs due to lack of talent I stand with those evaluations of him not being an every day player. Remember kevin maitan?
Agreed, I think Perry shops him for some pitching help!
I don’t think Perry is that stupid, but you never know.
So there is no pitcher you would be willing to trade Adell for?
Of course there is. Probably not one you could get. If Adell is going to be traded, it’s going to be for someone like MacKenzie Gore.
And I’m not even suggesting that. I don’t think Adell is going to get traded. I can’t remember the last time a prospect ranked that high got traded. But maybe you can remind me. It’s not like I’m an expert. When Tatis was traded he was not a top 100 prospect.
As I said BP had him ranked #2, It had Gore Ranked #5
Yoan Moncada? Gleyber Torres? Wil Myers?
Torres was like 25th when he was traded. Myers had 2 successful years under his belt. Moncada is probably the best recent comp, and that was for a boneafide ace with control. I’m sure there are others if I look enough
It happens, but it’s probably the biggest deal in many seasons when it does happen. It’s not common place to trade a top 5 prospect in all of MLB
You overvalue prospect mightily. Snell>gore any way you slice it, 90 percent of the time players don’t meet projection. Majors are where you either are valued or not, minors stats and projections are worthless.
Myers was the top prospect in baseball (or maybe #2 after Jurickson Profar) when the Royals traded him to the Rays for James Shields. And Shields wasn’t even an ace. More like a really good #3.
Touché, I thought you were referencing the SD/TB trade. I forgot about the Shields deal
“a really good number 3” also describes Snell, fwiw
Maddon will ruin these young players like he did in Chicago. A dynasty that never was cause of this joker
Adell is overrated.
I agree. I’d like to see a trade for some pitching.
if he is overated why would any team take him for a pitcher? and i assume for a good pitcher? he is just too young and needs some coaching and experience.
Adell to tampa for Snell and maybe the send KK back in the deal?
Vizionaire: I agree w your assessment. Adell debuted as a 21 yr old. Even though a handful of guys debut as 19-21, most do not. 21 is the age of most high school draftees in their 3rd full season and a top college draftee’s draft yr. Could Adell wash out? Sure. At this point it’s way to early to say. Lack of instant success doesn’t mean overrated.
absolutely!
Adell is a raw talent with upside needs year in minors
it is been the long time since i have seen you, 61! good to see you.
Is 61 the year you were born?
yeah ive never been as high on him as most. still, even overrated, he’s still quite talented.
So was Mike Schmidt. He was terrible his rookie year and they drummed him out of baseball.. Oh wait.
You people are insane.
Goodwin is available as of yesterday. I’d like to see the Angels give him a one year deal until we figure out who can be an every day RFer. Goodwin did a good job for us and he would be very cheap.
Room for Refsnyder…3 HOF OFers in same OF….well, maybe not Upton…..
Angels are going to get George Springer, aren’t they?
If the Angels spend big again on a hitter and miss the playoffs again due to their pitching they will never live it down.
Surely their new GM wouldn’t make the same mistakes as the last guy?
If the angels don’t get Bauer or Tanaka then I would be shocked if they signed Realmuto or Springer. I don’t think they need anymore offense. They need 2 starters and a couple bullpen arms. And I think that could give them a playoff team
He’s too young and not asking for enough years for the angels.
nah, not the cheater. the owner would never.
I still have hopes for Adell but if they could swing him for some pitching and maybe prospects back in return, I would take it.
With Ohtani, he needs to show within the first month of the 2021 season that he is back 100% and able to regain his 2 way abilities. We have wasted enough time with a lot of players who are trying to repeat former greatness. Most people talk about scrapping his pitching and letting him field a position and hit. I’d like to see him drop the bat and become an ace on the mound. I think he has the skills for it and that’s what we need most of all.
If he cannot pitch due to arm problems he has too much talent to just DH. Last four years very few inn. Could end up in OF
I totally agree that if he shows he can’t pitch consistently without his arm falling off, then put him in the field on defense somewhere. He would be wasted as a DH only. But that should be plan C, pitching only is plan B, 2 way is plan A.
Eddie Rosario is a perfect fit there
In 2011, Mike Trout had 123 AB’s and hit .220.
Y’all need to chill out on Adell.
I agree Adell so much upside.
I think the better comp is Tim Salmon.
Salmon hit 177/283/266 in 92 PA in 1992
I think the rays would take Marsh in a package for Snell
I think the Rays are not going to trade Snell if they are requiring anyone like Marsh to be included in the trade. A 3.94 ERA with under 5 IP/G and missing 22 starts to injuries in 1.37 seasons (2020 was just .37 of a full season) does not make him all that valuable.
Cmon dude. Snell is a #2 or worst #3 for most teams, with a contract that pays him likely 50% of his true market value, and 3 years of control
He’s not ace I agree. But to think he would even get a top 100 prospect or Keibert Ruiz is folly. Remember Marsh is 27 and just debuting. Some guys have already played for 7 years in the majors by then
Wait, Snell won the Cy Young a couple of years ago!!
“ But to think he would even get a top 100 prospect or Keibert Ruiz is folly.”
Should be “he would not**** even get a top 100 is folly..”
Yup and they both made their ML debuts not too long after graduating high school.
but trout had a good hit tool, adell has NEVER had the hit tool. that’s THE MOST important . I’m very concerned. Marsh to me has way more of a high floor and ceiling is =
This is not accurate
What’s not accurate? The part about hit tools is. Adell’s hit tool is graded as 30/45, below is from Trout’s prospect ranking on fangraphs in 2011. Trout had a better approach and hit tool as a prospect.
“Trout is about as close to a legit five-tool player that you can get. He can hit for average, has the potential to steal 30+ bases, throws well and could eventually win a Gold Glove or five. The power tool is the biggest question mark but he posted a .218 ISO rate in a potent double-A league.”
So Adell is going to be bad because he’s worse than trout.
Let me go tell the entire league just to pack it up
They said the same about Byron buxton, billy hamilton all hype no talent. Adell couldn’t even field well and was the first player in 20 years to actually push a double into a homerun with his glove. Bad attitude to top it off, looks lazy and had zero chemistry with team. But go off there little man, many of us remember brandon wood, and kaleb cowart and how well there hype translated.
Been a fan since the ’70’s. Seen more than my share of Brandon Woods come and go. I don’t remember Adell being touted for his glove. But if you’re expecting enormous potential to be realized in a 60-game season during a pandemic when he should have been in AAA…you were bound to be disappointed.
“Adell posses 5 tool potential, with huge arm great instincts in the outfield and natural agility and speed to easily play center field. The biggest question marks are how well can he hit major league pitching. This will be deciding factor for adell’s potential of being either an all star or just and 4th outfielder.”
Literally didn’t show any of these traits, double a he stuck out a lot for that level. By all means sure last year was a small sample size but nothing he did showed he had flashes of greatness. I’d rather trade him for pitching and prepare for ohtanis eventual move to the outfield.
Either that Thurman8er or they are dumber than a box of rocks. I am going with latter. Adell is going to be special.
They think BA (which is what the hit tool is) is more important than what he brings to the table. Adell has plus power, speed, glove, and arm. His hit tool is the same as Marsh, a 55.
Compare their scouting reports
Adell Hit – 55, Run – 65, Field – 60, Power – 60, Arm – 60, Overall 65
Marsh Hit – 55, Run – 60, Field – 60, Power – 50, Arm – 60, Overall 55
If they had watched them both play in a regular season there would be no question who is better. Instead they watched Adell play in a handful of games on TV and they think they know WTH they are talking about. Or worse, they look at the stats from the crazy 2020 season and are basing their opinion on that.
@koamalu so instead of relying on, on field production you base your opinion heavily on what “scouts” say who are wrong 75 percent of the time? Sorry to inform you adell isn’t Mike trout, angel got lucky getting a once in a generation talent in trout but based on last 30 years angels are pretty terrible in drafting and developing talent (they aren’t the dodgers)
Majors
.161 average .212 obp 31 ops+ in 40 games
Aa/aaa
.289 average .359 obp 94/30 so/bb ratio in 300 plate appearances….pretty mediocre. Strikes out a ton and is now 22 years old. Above you said he wasn’t known as a great fielder clearly you have read the reports on him, as being “5 tool” but the way he played he appeared to have “no tools” -1.3 war speaks volumes
He’s 21 with like 50 games at or above AA and you’re calling him a bust. Blame the angels not him
I was never that high on Brandon Wood. I am extremely high on Joe Adell.
Koala, you’re an angry elf.
i dont think he’s Buxton. Buxton was another level of absurd hype. and the injuries were a factor as well.
No one said that about Billy Hamilton.
Ehh, Just trade him to DET already..
agree with Adell not ready.. he just doesnt have the hit tool and that’s not something you learn quick or at all..I’m worried. Marsh on the other hand looks like a future star
Marsh didn’t play at all last season and has never had a better hit tool than Adell. In fact, Marsh doesn’t do anything better than Adell.
@koamalu
Man you aren’t very smart
Adell aa stats
.288/.383 obp with nearly the same strike outs as marsh with 200 less abs
Marsh as stats
.300/.383 obp 425 abs more than 200 more plate appearances and only 20 more strike outs….and that was marsh’s first appearance in double a…..
This is like comparing Max Muncy when he signed with LAD to Alex Verdugo. Cmon dude. Age matters. A lot. And repeating a level is usually bad, not good
If they don’t have to spend too much, they should consider a short deal for Puig. With Maddon, Pujols and others there to help reign the Wild Horse, they’d be able to bring in some extra fans. Of course, I don’t recommend this if it gets in the way of building the rotation.
Puig won’t bring in more fans. Who do you think he is?? Mookie Betts?
LA and Cleveland loved him. Not sure about Cincinnati. He is fun to watch and he’s an above average player.
Mookie became the one of, if not THE team leader in LA, so no, I don’t think he’s Mookie Betts. I think the established leaders on the team can harness his energy.
No.
Let’s find out first if Brandon Marsh is for real or Brandon Wood 2. If he can cut it he stays in RF until Upton’s contract is up. Then it’s Adell time or another year in AAA or elsewhere. If these 2 guys are anywhere close to expectations it’ll be one of the top OFs in the league.
Angels should sign Reddick to play RF. Good glove and a LH bat
Trout also started slow…..
Angels should sign Reddick to play RF. Good glove and a LH bat until Adell is ready.
Maybe Jo will find his missing e in AAA.
should have never let kole walk away
That ship has sailed to the desert.
Kole is a solid player but hardly irreplaceable. you can do better at what he’s making in ARI.
Reading through the comments. Note to self:: Tatsumaki replies are not worth the typing.
LOL
Move on, folks. Move on.
Facts hurt, sorry they don’t support your weak arguments!
So a 3.24 career ERA in a stacked AL East with over 100 starts and a 2.83 playoff ERA qualifies starters as a has been or a reliable #3? Tough crowd.
I mean, he’s not an ace dude. At least not to a team like Wash/NYY/LAD/ even ATL/Mets etc. He’s not a sub 3 era guy anymore, and he doesn’t go deep in games. The reality is he’s not very good the 3rd time thru the lineup. Maybe that’s his catchers to blame, not building a full game plan? But it’s hard to ignore it when talking value
A team calling him their #3 is obviously going to be a top echelon team. In the same way David Price is LAD’s #3, it depends a lot on your teammates
It looks like there are two opinions on Adell, which is not surprising, I think he has talent and will eventually be a good player with more time in AAA. However, considering we need pitching now if we are going to contend, he could be a way to obtain it via trade. We have to give something to get something and he should bring in a good arm or two.
Few players not named Trout live up to their prospect rankings.
Trading Adell right now would be selling low on him since he did not do great in 2020 in the majors
If Ohtani keeps pitching, he’ll keep getting hurt. Just keep him at DH
The Angels didn’t invent the two-way concept and chose Ohtani to test it out. Ohtani was a two-way player long before he came to America. To have him DH only at his age would be a total waste of his talents.
Just my opinion but snell would be a lot better of a pitcher and pitch deeper in games if he would stop trying to strike everyone out glasnow also. They both throw way to many pitches trying to strike people out. Lots of full counts and walks are the reasons they are at a 100 pitches in the 5th
Offer Adell in a larger package to Cincinnati for both Sonny Gray and Luis Castillo. The Angels could use two quality SP a lot more than more OF prospects. Adell may turn out to be a great player, but the Angels have tried the “all-position player, no pitching” approach for too long and Mike Trout’s prime is being wasted.