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**Right below is the Angels Risers and Shiners list simplified. Scroll further down for FULL Future Grades, Role, ETA, and summaries on EACH PLAYER ranked on this list! Tons of 2021 Statistics on each player as well! Some player highlights, future outlooks and more enjoy!**
| Rank | Player | Position | How Acquired |
| 1 | Arol Vera | OF | International Signing 2018 |
| 2 | Sam Bachman | RHP | 1st Round: 2021 Draft – 9th Overall |
| 3 | Kyren Paris | SS | 2nd Round – 2019 Draft |
| 4 | Jeremiah Jackson | SS/2B | 2nd Round – 2018 Draft |
| 5 | Ky Bush | LHP | 2nd Round – 2021 Draft |
| Risers | |||
| 1 | Alexander Ramirez | OF | International Signing 2018 |
| 2 | D’Shawn Knowles | OF | International Signing 2017 |
| 3 | David Calabrese | OF | 3rd Round – 2020 Draft |
| 4 | Landon Marceaux | RHP | 3rd Round – 2021 Draft |
| 5 | Braden Olthoff | RHP | 9th Round – 2021 Draft |
1. Arol Vera SS | Inland Empire 66ers (A)
19-Years-Old | Bats: S | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 170 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 55 | 6 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .304 | .307 | .401 | .771 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 23.2% | 7.1% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .097 | 108 | 23.5% | 55.2% | 20.6% | 24.2% | 40.2% | 20.7% | 39.1% |
Scouting Report:
Vera is easily the top prospect in the Angels system and will rise into one of the premiere prospects in all of baseball. I wrote about Vera in my 2021 Top 20 Arizona Complex League Hitters . Vera impressed me with his solid bat-to-ball skills and ability to hit gap-to-gap. He should stick at short long term with his arm and quick hands. While he doesn’t have strong speed, he’s a smart base runner and could surprise with his stolen base capabilities. In the end, Vera’s hit tool is solid and he should be a solid contributor in the Angels lineup for a long time.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
2. Sam Bachman RHP | Rocket City Trash Pandas (AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’1″ | 235 lbs. | ETA:
| FB | CH | SL | Control | Role |
| 70 | 50 | 45 | 45 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 14.1 | 5 | 5 | 3.77 | 1.19 | 25.9 | 6.9 | 0.63 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 15.0 | 3.7 | 66.7 | 13.9 | 19.4 | 31.6 | 23.7 | 44.7 |
Scouting Report:
Bachman played his college ball at Miami (OH) and became the school’s first ever first round draft pick when the Angels took the hard throwing RHP 9th overall in the 2021 Draft. Bachman made a brief pro debut in summer 2021 at the A+ level. He had a 3.77 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP and 15 SO in 14 â…“ IP.
Bachman’s FB is what brought a lot of eyes to him as an amateur. He sits 94-97mph with his FB and will touch 98/99mph. He commands his FB decently well, with his best command being armside of the plate. Bachman will also throw his SL pretty often. While his SL does have a solid gyro action to its break, it can morph into a bit of a cutter at times and not have a ton of horizontal break. He will throw his SL in different counts and has a good feel for the pitch. However, his command of the pitch can be a bit shaky at times as he will leave it over the plate often. While he could get away with doing this in college, he will need to tighten up the command of his SL if he wishes to have success with the pitch. Bachman will also mix in a CH that he has shown an advanced feel for at times. He throws a circle CH that is tunneled extremely well and has good deception to it. His repertoire is very much FB/SL oriented, he could find more success the more he works his CH into his repertoire.
Bachmann has a decently large reliever risk. He has not shown great stamina and his command is not anything special. Considering the way he throws and the fact he can run his FB up to triple digits, it may actually be beneficial for Bachman to be converted to a reliever. If the Angels are competitive next year it is possible that Bachman may be expedited to the big leagues to serve as depth to the Halos pen.
Written by: Milton Dauber (@MiltonDauber)
3. Kyren Paris SS | Tri-City Dust Devils (A+)
20-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 180 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 40 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .267 | .388 | .459 | .848 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 31.4% | 14.6% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .192 | 127 | 16.5% | 37.1% | 23.8% | 39.0% | 38.9% | 24.1% | 37.0% |
Scouting Report:
Paris is an interesting prospect, he’s had a slow start to his minor league career but there’s so much potential with this 20-year-old shortstop. He’s started his minor league career hitting .227/.350/.388 with seven home runs. With that being said, Paris’s best trait is his ability to draw walks and his eye at the plate. His hit tool is above-average and while his power is subpar his ability to spray the ball and get on-base make him an impact player going forward. He’s got good speed and should be a top of the order bat for the Angels going forward.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
4. Jeremiah Jackson SS/2B | Rocket City Trash Pandas (AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 165 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 50 | 55 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .277 | .358 | .548 | .906 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 33.0% | 11.5% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .271 | 158 | 21.7% | 36.9% | 18.0% | 45.0% | 44.2% | 29.2% | 26.7% |
Scouting Report:
Jackson has been a steady hitter throughout his minor league career, he’s shown a good amount of power and ability to hit. However, he’s been somewhat inconsistent during his career but this is because of a slight injury history. Then again, he’s got the potential to be a good player on both of the ball. He does struggle with strikeouts but the raw power is there for him to become a middle of the order bat with some speed going forward. He barrels the ball up with authority and while his hit tool lags behind his power, he should hit enough to stick in the majors long term.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
5. Ky Bush LHP | Rocket City Trash Pandas(AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: L | 6’6: | 240 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| FB | CB | CH | SL | Control | Role |
| 60 | 55 | 45 | 60 | 50 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 12 | 5 | 5 | 4.50 | 1.58 | 37.0% | 9.3% | 0.0 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 18.8% | 2.67 | 50.0% | 35.7% | 14.3% | 32.1% | 21.4% | 46.4% |
Scouting Report:
This 2021 draftee has the potential of being a premier left-handed pitching prospects with time. Bush has a quality four pitch mix, that starts with a fastball that sits low-to-mid 90’s with late life to it. His best secondary is a slider that he can spot down in the zone. With it’s late bite and control, it’s a massive swing and miss weapon. He also displays a changeup and curveball. The latter of the two will be a better option as it has 12/6 movement and good dive to it. Bush, is a quality left-handed pitching prospect and Angels fans should take notice to this 22-year-old pitcher.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
1. Alexander Ramirez OF | Inland Empire 66ers (A)
19-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 180 lbs. | ETA: 2026
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 40 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 4 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .206 | .323 | .367 | .690 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 35.7% | 12.3% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .161 | 86 | 23.8% | 50.5% | 15.9% | 33.6% | 38.9% | 24.8% | 36.3% |
Scouting Report:
Ramirez has the potential to be a slugger at the big-league level, but struggles with pitch recognition and can get fooled by off-speed pitches. When he makes contact, the ball jumps off the bat and he should be able to produce 20-24 bombs a season when he’s a finished product. He’s a centerfielder now but should transition to a corner outfield spot, especially if the Angels keep him as they have Mike Trout and Jo Adell with the big-league squad. The best way to describe Ramirez is a raw athlete with high risk/high reward.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
2. D’Shawn Knowles OF | Tri-City Dust Devils (A+)
21-Years-Old | Bats: S | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 165 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 50 | 40 | 60 | 60 | 50 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .227 | .280 | .355 | .635 | 5 | 31 | 1 | 29.0% | 6.4% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .127 | 67 | 15.9% | 50.0% | 20.3% | 29.7% | 42.5% | 29.0% | 28.6% |
Scouting Report:
While Knowles doesn’t bring much pop to the plate, there is legitimate strength and athleticism that the switch-hitting centerfielder brings to the field. There’s video of him bench-pressing four cinder blocks from 2020, and he’s got a legitimate shot at sticking in center as he makes great reads and his speed plays there. His speed also plays on the base paths as he was caught just one time in 2021, and projects for 20+ stolen bases at the big-league level. Knowles’ main issue is finding rhythm and consistency at the plate, but his bat should still play out as average once he’s called up.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
3. David Calabrese OF | Inland Empire 66ers (A)
19-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: R | 5’11” | 160 lbs. | ETA: 2025
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 35 | 50 | 60 | 50 | 4 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .201 | .303 | .306 | .609 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 32.7% | 12.1% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .104 | 68 | 26.8% | 44.6% | 16.9% | 38.6% | 54.1% | 17.6% | 28.2% |
Scouting Report:
Calabrese has started off on a bad note to his minor league career with a slashline of .197/.282/.598 with four home runs and 12 stolen bases. Power isn’t his strong suit but when Calabrese is healthy, he’s fun to watch. His hit tool is above-average and he has good speed to pair with it. He’s aggressive on the base paths and is someone that if he can start walking more, will start seeing better results and get noticed by fans and evaluators alike. Health is the big key with Calabrese and if he can stay healthy he’ll be one prospect to watch in this Angels system. At only 19-years-old, Calabrese has plenty of time to develop into a solid big league outfielder.
4. Landon Marceaux RHP | Tri-City Dust Devils (A+)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 200 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Control | Role |
| 50 | 50 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 4 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 3.2 | 2 | 2 | 14.73 | 1.91 | 33.3% | 0.0% | 0.0 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 10.5% | 2.24 | 56.2% | 15.4% | 28.4% | 16.7% | 25.0% | 58.3% |
Scouting Report:
Landon Marceaux by no means was the flashiest draft prospect heading into the 2021 MLB Draft, but after LSU ace Jaden Hill went down from an injury, Marceaux took over and led the Tigers to another College World Series. After his outstanding season in 2021, the Angels decided that Marceaux was worth their third-round pick and made him the 80th player drafted in the June draft. He then signed for $765,300 and was sent to the Arizona Complex League, where he did struggle, but showed potential. His fastball can hit up to 93 mph and sits in the low 90s. His curveball is a big-league quality pitch as he has depth to it and can get hitters to swing over it.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
5. Braden Olthoff RHP | Rocket City Trash Pandas (AA)
23-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’4″ | 240 lbs. | ETA: 2024
| SNK | CB | CH | Control | Role |
| 50 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 16.2 | 5 | 5 | 5.94 | 1.44 | 34.7 | 5.3 | 0.54 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 28.6 | 2.95 | 47.6 | 23.8 | 28.6 | 44.4 | 26.7 | 28.9 |
Scouting Report:
Olthoff fell to the Angels in the 9th Rd. of the 2021 Draft, where he was signed below slot value. While he did struggle in his pro debut last summer, as he was hit around a bit, he has looked much sharper to begin 2022 and has dominated, and should get up to AA by the end of the season.
Olthoff is highly valued for his ability to throw strikes, he rarely walks guys and has put up staggeringly low BB rates so far in his pro career. His best pitch is a low 80’s CH that has late fade and arm side run to it. The pitch is tunneled extremely well off his Sinker and it can be hard for hitters to pick it up at times. His Sinker sits in the 89-92mph range and he will occasionally grab a 93/94. His Sinker gets a lot of arm side run and will regularly miss barrels. The way he effectively uses his CH/SNK combo allows him to induce a lot of weak ground balls. He will generate a GB% that will hover around 50%. With his ability to limit balls in the air, he is also able to keep HRs to a very low number. Olthoff’s main swing and miss pitch is mid-high 70’s CB that has a good amount of vertical break to it. With that said, he rarely utilizes it outside two strike counts, and rarely throws in in the zone. Good hitters will be able to spit on the CB out of the zone. If he can learn to be able to flip in for a strike every now and then, it should serve him well as an average offering.
While his mechanics look a bit nonchalant, they are nonetheless fluid and repeatable. He does not have any concerning injury history and has the stamina to go deep into games and have high pitch counts, as he showed the ability to do so at Tulane.
Written by: Milton Dauber (@MiltonDauber)
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