How the Angels' First Base Coach Got Jo Adell Untracked in the Field

He was part of a key breakout year for Adell.

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell has been having a much-needed breakout year after his career appeared to be at a crossroads heading into this season. The former first-round pick had yet to show what the Angels expected when they drafted him 10th overall in 2017 prior to this season, but is now playing at a higher level in the outfield and as a hitter.

Adell gave credit to a somewhat surprising source for molding the practice routine that has led to his success: Angels first base coach Bo Porter played a key role that ultimately led to his breakout performance this season.

“I have to give a lot of credit to Bo Porter," Adell told Trent Rush on the Under the Halos podcast. "We’ve come in, and first day in spring training we were about our routine. We were about our work. (Manager) Ron Washington talks about this all the time, but if we take care of practice, and we take care of our day-to-day routine, we can let everything else hang out when the game happens. When the game starts, it’s going to be what it is. Our routine has been so solid, and so buttoned-up from Day 1, I’ve honestly come out here and the game has been a version of practice. That’s really what it comes down to: it really comes down to my practice and how our work’s been."

For the first time in his major league career, Adell is on pace to have a positive outs above average in right field, according to MLB's Statcast data. He currently has an OAA of 1 this year, compared to previous years when he had an OAA of minus-3 or minus-4.

"One thing I struggled with was going back on balls," Adell told Rush. "I struggled going back on the baseball. And what did we do? We set up basically a simulated version of he game, where I would be going back on balls, going back working around the fence, knowing where my surroundings were. Once the game happens I’ve already made 25, 30 plays each and every way.

"Now it’s like, this is just kind of going through the motions in a way. So I have to give a lot of credit to them creating that practice routine, where I could just come out and play the game, and not worry about ‘is there a play I haven’t worked on?' — I haven’t gone this way before, I haven’t turned my right shoulder and done a spin move to try to make this play — I’ve done all of it. With that level of comfort in practice, it just translates over into the game.”

In addition to his improved defense, Adell is slashing .216/.279/.475 with 10 home runs, 23 RBIs, and eight stolen bases. He has already set career-highs in home runs and stolen bases.