ST. PETERSBURG -- Less than 14 months after being selected by the Angels with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 Draft, outfielder Jo Adell made his debut with Double-A Mobile on Tuesday and continued to turn heads, going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in the BayBears' 9-6 victory.
After opening the season at Class A Burlington, Adell has already earned two promotions, batting .303 with a .936 OPS, 19 home runs and 73 RBIs in 83 games across three Minor League levels. The 19-year-old is the second-youngest player to reach the Double-A level this season, behind top Padres prospect Fernando Tatis Jr., who is three months younger.
Adell's impressive raw power was on display on Tuesday, as his home run -- his first Double-A hit -- traveled an estimated 428 feet with an exit velocity of 112.9 mph, according to BayBears director of broadcasting and media relations Steve Goldberg.
Ranked the No. 16 overall prospect in baseball and the Angels' top prospect, Adell is easily the club's most exciting prospect since another high school outfielder -- Michael Trout.
"I think everyone is excited about Jo and where he is," manager Mike Scioscia said on Wednesday. "Just the growth you've seen from a teenager in a couple years, it's incredible. His athleticism is off the charts, and he's doing some great things on the field."
Although Adell has made a rapid ascent through the Angels' farm system, Scioscia thinks it's still too early to consider him part of the club's depth chart at the Major League level.
"There's a lot of things a young player has to learn before he's ready for that opportunity," Scioscia said. "But there's no doubt that Jo, he's made great strides. He's been really dynamic in everything he's doing on the baseball field."
Worth noting
• Trout started at designated hitter on Wednesday to get a day off from playing on the artificial outfield turf at Tropicana Field, leaving Shohei Ohtani out of the starting lineup against the Rays. Eric Young started at center field in place of Trout.
"There's certainly going to be days when you're not going to be able to get everybody in the lineup," Scioscia said. "It's just where we are."
Ohtani, who is limited to hitting as he works his way back from a sprained elbow ligament, has progressed to throwing from 100 feet.
• Shortstop Andrelton Simmons returned to the lineup on Wednesday after receiving a scheduled day off on Tuesday.