This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger’s Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
ANAHEIM -- While the Angels have struggled, losing 10 of 11 and going 0-6 on the road against the Royals and White Sox this week, several of their top prospects are off to strong starts.
Just about a month into the Minor League season, let’s check in on which Halos prospects have been standing out in each of the club’s four affiliates.
Triple-A Salt Lake: CF Nelson Rada
Rada, ranked the club’s No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, is off to a solid start at Triple-A despite being just 20 years old -- over seven years younger than his average competition. Rada has slashed .286/.396/.374 with a homer, three doubles, a triple, 13 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 24 games this season.
Rada has been flaunting a blend of patience at the plate and prowess on the basepaths and is also regarded as an above-average center fielder. At 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, he doesn’t offer much power but fits the bill as a leadoff hitter who can get on base and steal bags. Rada signed for $1.85 million when the international signing period opened in January 2022 and could make his Major League debut this year. However, with Mike Trout's comfortability in center helping him regain his superstar form, exactly when Rada makes his debut remains to be seen.
Double-A Rocket City: CF Raudi Rodriguez
Rodriguez burst on to the scene in 2025 when he had a breakout season with Single-A Inland Empire. He carried his strong showing over to the Arizona Fall League (AFL), earning AFL All-Star Game MVP honors. He wasn’t ranked among the club’s Top 30 prospects before last year but now has risen to No. 15.
The 22-year-old is batting .247/.389/.384 with three homers, a double, 15 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 20 games. Rodriguez will need to improve his average and add some power going forward, but he’s walked 16 times compared to 17 strikeouts. He’s also playing center field this year but has experience as a corner outfielder. Rodriguez was a 19th-round pick in the 2023 Draft out of Georgia Premier Academy (Statesboro, Ga.) and is likely to make his big league debut in 2027, although a late-season call-up can’t be ruled out yet.
High-A Tri-City: RHP Tyler Bremner
Bremner, the No. 2 pick in last year’s Draft out of UC Santa Barbara, has lived up to the hype, as he’s been dominant in his first taste of pro ball. Ranked as the club's No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 71 overall prospect, Bremner has a 1.62 ERA in four starts with 25 strikeouts and five walks across 16 2/3 innings.
The 22-year-old appears primed for a promotion to Double-A Rocket City soon, as he’s been overpowering hitters at High-A. And given how aggressive the Angels are with their prospects, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Bremner make his MLB debut this season. He already possesses a Major League-caliber fastball and changeup combination but has been working to improve his off-speed pitches.
Single-A Rancho Cucamonga: OF Lucas Ramirez
Ramirez, the son of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez, turned heads with his performance for Team Brazil in the World Baseball Classic, including homering off MLB pitchers Jacob deGrom, Logan Webb and Gabe Speier. The 20-year-old remains unranked among the club’s Top 30 prospects, but that should soon change given how he’s started the year at Single-A.
Ramirez has slashed .368/.415/.592 with a homer, six doubles, four triples, two stolen bases and 19 RBIs in 19 games. He’s just a little under a year younger than his average competition, so if he keeps it up, the Angels are likely to challenge him at High-A Tri-City. He’s primarily played right field over the first month of the season, but has some experience in center and left. Ramirez, a 17th-round pick in the 2024 Draft out of American Heritage High School (Plantation, Fla.), is still considered a few years away from the bigs.