Below is a partial list of Minor League Baseball players in the Los Angeles Angels system.
Werner Mathew Blakely (born February 21, 2002) is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Blakely attended Detroit Edison High School. He was drafted by the Angels in the fourth round of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft and signed with the team for $900,000, forgoing his commitment to Auburn University.
Blakely made his professional debut with the Rookie-level AZL Angels and batted .182 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 44 games. He spent 2022 with the Low-A Inland Empire 66ers of the California League, where he batted .295 with five home runs and 40 RBIs in 55 games. He was promoted to the High-A Tri-City Dust Devils of the Northwest League for the 2023 season, where he batted .214 with five home runs and 28 RBIs in 92 games.[1] He finished the year playing two games for the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas of the Southern League after being promoted there on September 12.[2]
Mason Andrew Erla (born August 19, 1997) is an American baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Erla played college baseball at Michigan State for five seasons. He pitched in two games as a freshman before tearing the Latissimus dorsi muscle in his pitching shoulder and using a medical redshirt.[3] In 2018, he briefly played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4] Erla went 2-0 four starts before the 2020 season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. As a redshirt junior, he had a 5-6 record with a 3.50 ERA 80 strikeouts.[5]
Erla was selected in the 17th round by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[6] After signing with the team he was assigned to the Arizona Complex League Angels and made two appearances before being promoted to the High-A Tri-City Dust Devils.[7] Erla was assigned to the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas at the start of the 2022 season.[8] After his first start, Erla was placed on the injured list due to shoulder soreness and did not return for six weeks.[9]
Trey Robert Gregory-Alford (born May 4, 2006) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Gregory-Alford attended Coronado High School, where he emerged as a notable baseball prospect; The Gazette later dubbed him "the most valued high school draftee in Colorado Springs history."[10]
The Los Angeles Angels drafted Alford in the 11th round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft. On July 22, he signed with the team for a $1.95 million bonus, setting an MLB record for the highest bonus in the fourth round or later of the draft.[10]
Denzer Guzman (born February 8, 2004) is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
On January 15, 2021, Guzman signed with the Angels as an international prospect for $2 million.[11] He was first assigned to the rookie-level Dominican Summer League Angels on June 8, 2021. In 44 DSL games, Guzman batted .213 with three home runs and 27 RBIs.[12]
On June 6, 2022, Guzman was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Angels. In 52 games, Guzman batted .286 with three home runs and 33 RBIs. On August 25, he was promoted to the Single A Inland Empire 66ers of the California League. In five games with Inland Empire, Guzman went 3-for-17 (.176) with two RBIs.[12]
Ryan Christopher Johnson (born August 5, 2002) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization. He played college baseball for the Dallas Baptist Patriots. The Angels selected Johnson with the 74th pick, a compensatory pick, in the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.
Ryan Christopher Johnson was born on August 5, 2002, in Dallas, Texas, to parents Jeff and Amy Johnson. Jeff pitched at Dallas Baptist from 1986 to 1990.
Johnson was homeschooled and played baseball for Christian Athletes Storm as part of the Home School Texas Alliance, where he was a four-year letterman. Perfect Game ranked Johnson as the tenth-best pitcher and fourth-best right-handed pitcher in Texas. He committed to play college baseball for the Dallas Baptist Patriots.[13]
In his 2022 freshman season at Dallas Baptist, Johnson split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen. He earned his first career save on February 25 against the Sam Houston State Bearkats and his first career win on March 5 against the San Diego Toreros. On April 16, Johnson pitched five scoreless innings and earned a win against the Bradley Braves. On May 21, he worked 6+2⁄3 innings of shutout relief against the Indiana State Sycamores. He finished the season with a 3–2 record, 4.30 earned run average (ERA), and 47 strikeouts in 58+2⁄3 innings.[13]
In 2023, Johnson began the season as the Patriots' Saturday starter. On March 15, he struck out nine batters and gave up two runs in six innings against the FIU Panthers. On March 24, Johnson became the team's Friday night starter, striking out 12 batters and allowing two runs in seven innings against the Charlotte 49ers. On the year, Johnson went 8–4 with a 4.43 ERA and a school-record 116 strikeouts in 87+1⁄3 innings.[13]
The Los Angeles Angels selected Johnson 74th overall in the 2024 Major League Baseball draft, a compensatory pick awarded to the team due to the loss of Shohei Ohtani in free agency. He signed with the team for a $1.75 million bonus, above the league-recommended value of $1.06 million for the pick.[14]
Dylan Christopher Jordan (born October 15, 2005) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Jordan played baseball at Viera High School in Viera, Florida, and committed to play college baseball for the Florida State Seminoles. In his 2023–24 senior season, Jordan posted a 1.32 earned run average (ERA) with 103 strikeouts in 58+1⁄3 innings.[15]
The Angels selected Jordan in the fifth round of the 2024 Major League Baseball draft, the 143rd overall pick. On July 18, Jordan signed with the team for a $1.2 million bonus, above the league-recommended slot value of $480,000 for the pick.[15]
Barrett Cole Kent (born September 29, 2004) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Kent was born in Denison, Texas. He attended high school at Pottsboro High School in Pottsboro, Texas. In June 2020, following his freshman season, Kent committed to play college baseball for the Arkansas Razorbacks.[16] On November 10, 2022, he signed his National Letter of Intent to play for Arkansas.[17]
Kent was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the eighth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball draft, the 234th overall selection. He signed with the team for a $1 million bonus, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball for Arkansas.[18] In his first professional season, Kent pitched two games of relief for the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Angels and made one start for the Low-A Inland Empire 66ers of the California League, totaling 8+2⁄3 innings with no runs surrendered and ten strikeouts.[19]
Brett Dustin Kerry (born April 12, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Born and raised in Clemmons, North Carolina, Kerry began his high school career at West Forsyth High School in Clemmons before transferring to Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina.[20] He went 10-1 with a 0.60 ERA as a senior in 2018.[21] Unselected in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, he enrolled at the University of South Carolina to play college baseball for the Gamecocks.
As a freshman at South Carolina in 2019, Kerry made 22 appearances (with two starts), going 4-1 with a 2.62 ERA, 65 strikeouts, and seven saves over 58+1⁄3 innings.[22] After pitching only 15 innings in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he spent the summer playing for the Lexington County Blowfish of the Coastal Plain League.[23] For the 2021 season, Kerry made 17 appearances with three starts and went 5-1 with a 2.15 ERA and 84 strikeouts over 54+1⁄3 innings.[24] Following the season, he was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the fifth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[25][26]
Kerry signed with the Angels and spent his first professional season with the Inland Empire 66ers of the Low-A West and the Rocket City Trash Pandas of the Double-A South, posting a 1.26 ERA over five starts and 14+1⁄3 innings.[27] He returned to Rocket City for the 2022 season.[28] Over 25 games (twenty starts), he went 5-7 with a 4.46 ERA and 118 strikeouts over 103 innings.[29] To open the 2023 season, Kerry was assigned to Rocket City.[30] He was promoted to the Salt Lake Bees of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in early September.[31] Over 27 games (23 starts) between the two teams, Kerry went 8-5 with 4.60 ERA and 122 strikeouts over 135 innings.[32]
George Edward Klassen (born January 26, 2002) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Klassen Port Washington High School in Port Washington, Wisconsin and played college baseball at the University of Minnesota.[33] He missed his freshman year at Minnesota in 2021 after undergoing Tommy John Surgery.[34]
Klassen was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft.[35] He made his professional debut in 2024 with the Single-A Clearwater Threshers. On June 11, Klassen was promoted to the High-A Jersey Shore Blue Claws.[36]
On July 27, 2024, the Phillies traded Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Carlos Estévez.[37][38]
Matthew Jabel Lugo (born May 9, 2001) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop for the Los Angeles Angels organization. He is the nephew of former MLB player Carlos Beltrán.[39][40][41]
After Lugo's junior year in high school, he was selected to play in the 2018 Perfect Game All-American Classic.[42] He was committed to the University of Miami and was the highest-ranked Puerto Rican prospect (No. 38) in the 2019 MLB draft.[43] In the draft, the Red Sox selected Lugo in the second round.[44][45][46][47] After getting drafted and forgoing a college career, he was assigned to the GCL Red Sox, where he played 39 games and slashed .257/.342/.331 with one home run.[48] In the offseason, Lugo played in the Puerto Rican Winter League for Atenienses de Manatí.[49] After the 2020 minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lugo was invited to participate in the Red Sox' fall instructional league.[50] Lugo spent the 2021 season in Low-A with the Salem Red Sox, batting .270 with four home runs and 50 RBIs in 105 games.[48]
Lugo spent most of 2022 in High-A with the Greenville Drive, and also played in three Double-A games with the Portland Sea Dogs.[51] For the season, he batted a combined .282 with 18 home runs and 79 RBIs.[51] During the 2022–23 offseason, he played in the Puerto Rican Winter League for Criollos de Caguas.[51] Lugo returned to Portland for the 2023 season, batting .242 with five home runs and 37 RBIs in 83 games.[51]
On July 30, 2024, Lugo, Niko Kavadas, Yeferson Vargas, and Ryan Zeferjahn were traded to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Luis García.[52]
Luke Evan Murphy (born November 5, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Murphy attended East Robertson High School in Cross Plains, Tennessee and played college baseball at Vanderbilt University.[53] He was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the fourth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[54][55]
Murphy made his professional debut with the Tri-City Dust Devils. He started 2022 with the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
John O'Reilly (born October 4, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher.
Raised in Northvale, New Jersey, O'Reilly played prep baseball at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan.[56]
O'Reilly played college baseball at Rutgers from 2015 to 2018.[56]
In June 2018, O'Reilly signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an undrafted free agent.[57]
He was released on September 28, 2023.[58]
On March 25, 2024, he signed for Irish Wolfhounds Baseball Club.[59]
O'Reilly signed with Los Angeles Angels on April 16, 2024.[60]
Nelson Gabriel Rada (born August 24, 2005) is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Rada signed with the Los Angeles Angels organization in January 2022.[61] He made his professional debut that year with the Dominican Summer League Angels.
Rada spent 2023 with the Inland Empire 66ers.[62][63]
Eric Anthony Torres (born September 22, 1999) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization.
Torres attended Sussex Hamilton High School in Sussex, Wisconsin, and played college baseball at Kansas State University.[64] In 2019, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[65] In 2020, he played in the Northwoods League for the Green Bay Booyah.[66] As a redshirt sophomore at Kansas State in 2021, Torres went 4-0 with a 2.75 ERA, 58 strikeouts, and nine walks over 39+1⁄3 innings pitched.[67] After the season, he was selected by the Los Angeles Angels in the 14th round with the 411th overall selection of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.[68]
Torres made his professional debut with the Tri-City Dust Devils and gave up five earned runs over 8+1⁄3 innings. He played the 2022 season with the Rocket City Trash Pandas.[69] Over 42 relief appearances, he went 2-2 with a 1.59 ERA and 81 strikeouts over 51 innings, and was third in the minor leagues with 22 saves.[70][71] He returned to Rocket City to open the 2023 season and was later promoted to the Salt Lake Bees.[72] Over 38 relief appearances between the two teams, he went 1-3 with an 8.35 ERA, 66 strikeouts, and 57 walks over 46+1⁄3 innings. After the season, he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League with the Surprise Saguaros.[73]