Where the Angels' Top 30 prospects are starting the season

With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Angels’ Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

1. Logan O'Hoppe (MLB No. 53), C -- Los Angeles (MLB)
2. Zach Neto (MLB No. 89), SS -- Rocket City (Double-A)
3. Edgar Quero, C -- Rocket City (Double-A)
4. Chase Silseth, RHP -- Salt Lake (Triple-A)
5. Ky Bush, LHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
6. Sam Bachman, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
7. Denzer Guzman, SS -- Inland Empire (Single-A)
8. Werner Blakely, 3B -- Extended spring training/injured (right hip strain)
9. Adrian Placencia, 2B -- Tri-City (High-A)
10. Kyren Paris, SS -- Rocket City (Double-A)
11. Ben Joyce, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
12. Caden Dana, RHP -- Inland Empire (Single-A)
13. Jake Madden, RHP -- Inland Empire (Single-A)
14. Nelson Rada, OF -- Inland Empire (Single-A)
15. Jeremiah Jackson, SS -- Rocket City (Double-A)
16. Livan Soto, SS -- Salt Lake (Triple-A)
17. Walbert Urena, RHP -- Inland Empire (Single-A)
18. Mason Erla, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
19. Ryan Costeiu, RHP -- Injured (elbow)
20. Victor Mederos, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
21. Coleman Crow, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
22. Landon Marceaux, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
23. Eric Torres, LHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
24. Nixon Encarnacion, RHP -- Extended spring training
25. Randy De Jesus, OF -- Extended spring training
26. David Calabrese, OF -- Rocket City (Double-A)
27. Jose Soriano, RHP -- Rocket City (Double-A)
28. Jorge Marcheco, RHP -- Inland Empire (Single-A)
29. Arol Vera, SS -- Tri-City (High-A)
30. Jordyn Adams, OF -- Salt Lake (Triple-A)

Team to watch
Head to Rocket City to see nearly half (14 to be exact) of the Angels’ Top 30 in action. That contingent is led by 2022 first-round pick Zach Neto, who is on a mission to reach Los Angeles in a hurry, and Edgar Quero, one of the best catching prospects in the Minor Leagues. Who wouldn’t want to root for a Trash Panda?

Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV
Los Angeles Angels
Salt Lake Bees (Triple-A)
Rocket City Trash Pandas (Double-A)
Inland Empire 66ers (Single-A)

Players we could see in MLB in 2023
We’ll err on the conservative side and not put Neto in this category. But Chase Silseth, the first player from the 2021 Draft class to reach the big leagues last year, certainly should be back and tossed shutout ball in his first Triple-A start this year to start knocking on the door. Livan Soto could be called upon at any time to fill a hole in the infield or in a bench role.

New faces
The Angels went over slot to sign junior college right-hander Jake Madden in the fourth round of last year’s Draft, but he didn’t pitch last summer. He’s big (6-foot-6) with a ton of arm strength that allowed him to be up to 98 mph with his fastball last spring. He has a slider and changeup that work, too, giving him a chance to start if he can improve his command, something he’ll work on starting in Inland Empire this year.

On the shelf
Werner Blakely missed a bunch of the 2022 season with a hamstring issue and a hand injury and now he’ll be delayed in getting out in 2023. The Angels are looking a potential return to action in May, where he’ll likely head to Tri-City. The elbow issue that shut down Ryan Costeiu in July last year has not been resolved, so the right-hander is starting the year on the sidelines.