ESPN Has Poor Review of Angels' Farm System After Trade Deadline, Draft

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 10, 2024

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels farm system entered the 2024 season ranked dead last by ESPN.

Now that the draft and trade deadline have passed, ESPN re-ranked the 30 Major League Baseball clubs.

Surprise, the Angles are still ranked No. 30.

The draft was predictable for the Angels. General Manager Perry Minasian has created a pattern with his draft plan that begins with a quick-moving college hitter, then mixes in some quick-moving relief types and a couple of prep arms.

Thank goodness for Christian Moore, who was the No. 8 overall pick of the draft. He is tearing it up in the minor leagues and could potentially be a late-season call-up.

Moore had nine hits in his first 16 at-bats, with two home runs, in just four pro games.

The Angels haven't said anything publicly about Moore potentially making his big league debut this season but Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register wouldn't be surprised if he did.

"The Angels said on the day they drafted Moore that they were looking forward to having him work with Ron Washington," writes Fletcher. "The Angels might see a late-season call-up as a chance to get Moore acclimated to the big leagues while getting him started under the tutelage of Washington and his coaching staff."

Kiley McDaniel, an MLB insider for ESPN, doesn't hate the Angels approach now that they are having success stories.

"I don't hate the approach now that they seem to have successes from each of those player demographics (Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel, Ben Joyce, Caden Dana, Barrett Kent)," writes McDaniel. "The return on the Carlos Estevez deal (pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri) is a breath of life into a system that desperately needed it."

Dana has been in Double-A all season and will most likely make his debut for the Halos next season. Plus, Klassen and Aldegheri could see big league stadiums at some point next season.

The Angels have been toward the bottom of farm-system rankings for several years now and really didn't do much to strengthen their teams. Instead of developing talent on the farm, the Angels have rushed them up to the majors.

Had guys like Reid Detmers, Neto, and Schanuel spent more time in the farm system, maybe it would be ranked higher. Schanuel was a 2023 draft pick and on any other team would still be in Triple-A and the same thing is potentially happening to Moore.