ANAHEIM -- The Angels will send three of their Top 30 prospects to play in the Arizona Fall League, headlined by catcher Taylor Ward, their No. 3 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com. The other top prospects are right-hander Victor Alcántara (No. 8) and infielder David Fletcher (No. 9).
The rest of the Angels' contingent with the Scottsdale Scorpions includes right-handers Adam Hofacket and Eduardo Paredes and outfielder Michael Hermosillo. Michael Wuertz, the pitching coach for Class A Advanced Inland Empire, will serve the same role for the Scorpions, who will also feature prospects from the Giants, Mets, Phillies and Yankees organizations.
The Angels have an additional roster spot, which could be filled by Garrett Richards, who is rehabbing a right elbow UCL injury and trying to avoid Tommy John surgery. Richards has yet to progress to throwing off a mound, but he has reported no issues playing catch from 90 feet. Richards would need to get approval to pitch in the Arizona Fall League, because it does not normally allow players with as much Major League service time as Richards to play.
The AFL begins on Oct. 11 and runs through the championship game on Nov. 19.
Alcantara, Fletcher and Paredes currently play for Double-A Arkansas. Ward, Hofacket and Hermosillo are with Inland Empire.
The Angels selected Ward with the 26th pick in the 2015 Draft out of Fresno State. In that same Draft, the Halos took Fletcher in the sixth round (No. 195 overall) out of nearby Loyola Marymount University. Alcantara was signed as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in '11.