Although the Los Angeles Angels have dealt with a number of injuries among their crop of outfielders, the one benefit is providing young players with an opportunity to crack the big league roster. Former first rounder Jordyn Adams is one of those who received the call, making his debut at the beginning of August when he joined the team for their series against the Atlanta Braves.
Adams slots in as the No. 16 prospect in the organization, a speedy, rangy outfielder who uses his legs to impact a game.
Prior to joining the Angels, he posted a .264/.351/.465 slash with 37 steals in 89 games at Triple-A with the Salt Lake Bees.
Unfortunately, in his eight games of big league action, Adams went hitless in nine at-bats, striking out five times. But a measurement for rookies isn’t always about overwhelming on-field production, a sentiment Adams echoed, per Jeff Fletcher of the O.C. Register:
“I felt like I was actually all the way there,” the Angels’ rookie center fielder said Wednesday, a day after his second start. “The first game, so much adrenaline in me, I didn’t even feel like I was there. I felt like I was just floating around.”
Fellow rookie Zach Neto, Ben Joyce, are another few who’ve made their debuts this season, and figure to be in the plans for the Angels going forward. Adams has the potential to stick, but his taste of MLB was more about providing a stretch of games to get his feet wet.
Angels manager Phil Nevin discussed the benefits of being with the team and how immense of a boost it can provide a rookie on their first crack:
“Just sitting in the dugout watching a big league game, things slow down for you,” Nevin said. “You understand the pace is obviously a lot different than a Triple-A game. For him to sit in and absorb this, it’s gonna be a great benefit for his career.”
Adams is the next Angels prospect on their radar to see time in MLB, mainly because of their lack of depth with outfielders who are above him on the rankings. Looking ahead, he should be able to carry what he learned during this time and use it as a guideline which could help him in holding a spot on a Major League roster as a permanent guy.
Mickey Moniak enduring tough stretch with Angels
Some work with Angels coaches in the offseason had much to do with Mickey Moniak’s immense success, providing the team with multiple big swings in key spots. The former first-round pick made some alterations to his swing, crediting a more open stance.
An initial strong boom to the year has cooled off, and Moniak is fully aware of his rough patch, and is continuously working to flip a switch.
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