At the beginning of last year, the Angels had no representatives on MLB Pipeline's list of baseball's Top 100 Prospects. That isn't the the case in 2018.
Japanese two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani (No. 1), outfielder Jo Adell (No. 62), infielder Kevin Maitan (No. 87) and outfielder Jahmai Jones (No. 93) make up the Angels' contingent featured on this season's edition of the Top 100 prospects list compiled by MLB Pipeline, a clear sign of the infusion of talent that the club's farm system received in 2017. The quartet is the first group of Halos prospects to crack the ranking since Andrew Heaney and Sean Newcomb in 2014.
• MLB Pipeline's 2018 Top 100 Prospects list
:: Complete 2018 Top Prospects coverage ::
The annual ranking of MLB's Top 100 prospects is assembled by MLB Pipeline Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status entering the 2018 season are eligible for the list. Players who were at least 25 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible.
The Angels' farm system received its biggest lift in December when the club landed Ohtani, the most coveted free agent of the offseason due to his dual profile as a right-handed ace and left-handed-hitting slugger. In 2016, the 23-year-old went 10-4 with a 1.86 ERA and 174 strikeouts over 140 innings while hitting .322/.416/.588 with 22 home runs in 104 games with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan, though he missed most of last season with a right ankle injury.
Ohtani is expected to be a significant piece of the Angels' 2018 roster as he attempts to become the Majors' first two-way star since Babe Ruth. He has the tools to accomplish the feat, as he's blessed with a triple-digit fastball and tremendous raw power.
Adell was the Angels' first-round Draft pick last June (10th overall), and he lived up to the hype in his first professional season, batting .325 with a .908 OPS, five homers, 30 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 49 Rookie ball games in 2017. The 18-year-old is viewed as a plus athlete with outstanding bat speed and raw power and has All-Star potential if he reaches his ceiling.

Maitan, who was viewed as the top international prospect in 2016, originally signed with the Braves for $4.25 million, but he was declared a free agent in November as part of the sanctions levied against Atlanta for international signing rules violations. The Angels wasted little time in scooping up Maitan, who agreed to a $2.2 million deal the following month.
A switch-hitting shortstop with pop from both sides of the plate, Maitan saw his stock dip following an underwhelming debut in professional baseball last year. Though he's drawn comparisons to Jose Cabrera, the 17-year-old hit just .241 with a .290 on-base percentage and two homers in 42 Rookie ball games in 2017. Some scouts also believe Maitan won't stick at shortstop and will eventually shift to third base.

Jones, the Angels' second-round pick in 2015, reached Class A Advanced Inland Empire last year and hit .282 with a .794 OPS, 14 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 127 games across two Minor League levels. A two-sport athlete in high school, the 20-year-old Jones has impressive athleticism and speed in center field with the offensive profile to potentially develop into a regular in the Majors.