Angels Should Call Up This Promising Young Outfielder

It’s almost call-up time in MLB, and the Los Angeles Angels certainly have plenty of viable candidates. Their minor league system is fully stocked with power arms, and they also replenished that system at the deadline with their recent sell-off. 

The writers at MLB.com recently addressed this with a piece naming one call-up that each team should make, and they chose Nelson Rada for the Angels. Rada has been fast-tracked through the Angels system to make it to Triple-A Salt Lake, but he’s still just 20, which is why the Angels haven’t called him up yet. 

But it’s clearly time for that to happen. Rada is leadingthe Pacific Coast League in steals with 32, and he’s hit .281 with an OBP of .378. He’s a plus runner who also offers plus defense in the outfield, the writers added, and Baseball America described him as “a high-contact, lefthanded outfielder with everyday, table-setting upside.”

His scouting report also lauded Rada’s ability to go the other way, and he has the ability to control the strike zone with his swing decisions, which is something that has been distinctly lacking in the Angels lineup this year. Rada was getting beat consistently on the inner half early in his minor-league career, but he’s corrected that issue over time as he’s learned to use his athleticism and swing skills. 

The power part of the Nelson Rada equation is still up for debate. He’s just 5’9” with a stocky frame, with most of his hard hits coming in the gaps and down the lines. Some evaluators think he’ll hit for more power as he fills out, and his ability to make advanced reads has scouts calling him an impact defender, although he’ll have to wait to get his shot in center with Mike Trout currently havin ga resurgent season. 

Still, there’s plenty of room for Rada in the Angels outfield, and the recent run by Wade Meckler has illustrated what can happen when the Halos have a natural leadoff man in the top spot. 

Meckler is currently in the seven-day concussion protocol after being hit in the head by a pitch in Houston, but there’s no reason to be trotting out Josh Lowe in the hopes that he’s going to become anything more than a bust who’s spent most of the season fighting to get above .200. Rada has earned the call, and the Angels should bring him up and find out more about what they’ve got with this promising outfielder.