Halos don't plan to add breakout prospect Rojas

September 4th, 2019

OAKLAND -- Infielder Jose Rojas had a breakout year at Triple-A Salt Lake, slugging 31 homers and leading the Pacific Coast League with 107 RBIs, but he won’t be a September callup, Angels manager Brad Ausmus said Tuesday.

The Angels recalled catcher from Triple-A on Tuesday to give the Angels three catchers on their active roster, but Rojas will not be added to the 40-man roster despite batting .293/.362/.577 in 126 games.

“He kind of came out of nowhere starting in Spring Training, to some degree,” Ausmus said. “There was some caution that it was just Spring Training, then he carried it into the season. But he will not be here.”

Rojas, an Anaheim native who was drafted out of nearby Vanguard University in Costa Mesa in the 36th round of the 2016 MLB Draft, also offers some versatility, seeing action at first base, third base, second base and left field. But at 26 years old, he wasn’t considered much of a prospect heading into the season.

Rojas, though, played his way into the conversation this year and now the Angels will have to decide whether to add him to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Ausmus said it wasn’t his call not to bring up Rojas.

“I don’t make all those decisions,” Ausmus said.

The only healthy player who could join the Angels as a September callup is reliever Taylor Cole, who was optioned on Aug. 27 and is eligible to be recalled again on Friday.

Otherwise, the Angels figure to get back infielder Tommy La Stella (broken right tibia) and relievers Justin Anderson (right trapezoid strain) and Cam Bedrosian (right forearm strain) from injuries this month.

La Stella didn’t go on the trip to Oakland, but he has progressed to hitting on the field and participating in light running drills at Angel Stadium. There’s a chance he could join the Angels for their three-game series that starts on Friday against the White Sox in Chicago, but it’s more likely he returns at some point during the club’s homestand next week.

“There’s a possibility he could join us in Chicago but no guarantees,” Ausmus said. “He also may join us and not be activated.”

Anderson has also been making good progress and threw 25 pitches in an “up-down” bullpen session on Tuesday that saw him throw 13 pitches, take a short break and then throw 12 more pitches. A batter stood in at the plate, but Anderson won’t progress to throwing a simulated game until Friday in Chicago. If all goes well in his simulated game, he could return that Sunday in Chicago or when the Angels return home on Monday, when they host the Indians.

“It’s just about working out the kinks of being back out on a mound,” Anderson said. “Getting a feel for the pitches, things like that. But as far as the pain, everything is good.”

Bedrosian is still resting his forearm after being placed on the injured list on Saturday, but the Angels don’t expect him to miss much more than 10 days.