Next to the Rockies, the Angels may be baseball fans' favorite punching bag (except for those loyal Halos fans, we see you!). No matter the decision their front office makes, signing, trade, or draft pick, it's second-guessed with nearly as much scrutiny as the POTUS. This is not a team that isn't afraid to spend money, but let's be clear, their spending has been pretty subpar. The Angels are the culprits for some of the worst contracts we've ever seen (see Anthony Rendon).
The Angels are that guy in your fantasy league who obliviously attempts to complete each and every year, selling off futures, not realizing that he doesn't have the talent to compete. Everyone else in the league can see it, but he can't, and we're glad to take his money. It's actually a little bit sad to watch Mike Trout and his diminished skills, knowing that he may never sniff the playoffs again. The Arte Moreno regime has truly held this franchise back, and it will take years of solid management to bring it back up to the rest of the pack.
Offensively, this club lacks a true identity or direction, resembling the proverbial land of misfit toys. Trout is no longer the best player in the game, and before this season, he hadn't reached 500 plate appearances since 2019. He's surrounded by several top Angels draft picks (this is good), including Jo Adell, who, after years of struggles, finally came into his own, slugging 37 home runs. Zach Neto might be the most important offensive piece for this Angels team; he does it all and serves as the catalyst at the top of this lineup. Logan O'Hoppe and Christian Moore have high ceilings, but inconsistency (and a lot of swing and miss) plagued their games in 2025. Taylor Ward has been a solid player for several seasons, but will be 32 by the start of next season and is probably better suited for a contender.
On the pitching side, it's a whole lot uglier. Yusei Kikuchi is currently the staff ace, and it only goes downhill from there. Jose Soriano has a big fastball, but has shown inconsistent results early in his career. Old friend Reid Detmers was placed into the bullpen and will now get a chance back in the rotation in 2026. Can he harness his immense talent? The more relevant question might be, do you trust the Angels to help him do it? Young arms such as Caden Dana and Sam Aldegheri round out the back end of this questionable stable of arms. You have to admit though, this bullpen could be pretty good. Ben Joyce is a monster and there are several other talented arms behind him.
The farm is where you really learn about the depths of this Angels’ organization's struggles. Most of their draft pick capital is allocated to players who can move quickly and make an immediate impact at the highest level. While this has served them well in some instances (Neto), it has also been detrimental to their overall development system-wide. Their current top prospect on our Dynasty list is Tyler Bremner, their first-round pick from the 2025 draft. The fact that he heads their top prospects list at #121 and the next two names are teenagers, Hayden Alvarez (#169) and Nelson Rada (#173 - 19 at the time of our last rankings release) tells you pretty much all you need to know about the state of this system. It's going to take a lot of work to turn this ship around; it's been traveling in the wrong direction for many seasons. It might take a regime change and franchise-wide overhaul to get there at this point. Here's hoping Mike Trout finds some playoff success before he leaves the game.
Dynasty Buys
Nelson Rada
There's been an influx of speed merchants in the league lately. Most recently we've seen Xavier Edwards, Chandler Simpson, and Victor Scott II on the periphery of fantasy prospect relevance to sought after MLB assets. Nelson Rada fits in that mold and has the extreme age-to-level experience on his side. He's spent the last two years facing high-minors pitching as a teenager. After some struggles in 2024, Rada posted a 122 wRC+ with just 2 HR, but 54 SB and a .292 BA, .398 OBP. There's a strong possibility Rada debuts in 2025, so get in before the price to acquire skyrockets.
Reid Detmers
After a full season in the bullpen in 2025 the Angels are committing to putting Detmers back in the rotation for 2026. His stuff did tick up in the bullpen and was able to get significantly more balls on the ground (36.6% -> 44.6% GB) while getting over 30% K. There is an "ick" around Detmers in the fantasy community at this point, but the upside remains and the opportunity cost should be low. Buy in 14+ team leagues.
Dynasty Sells
Yusei Kikuchi
Beware of the WHIP! Despite a 3.99 ERA, he pitched to a 1.42 WHIP in 2025. Kikuchi reverted back to his old self last season with his 13% K-BB, his lowest mark since 2019. He turns 35 years old in 2026 and the upside flashed in 2024 looks all but lost. If you need innings, sure he should be a reliable source, but outside of that, best of luck. Sell while there's still some small name value attached.
Logan O'Hoppe
What happened here? Outside of hitting 19 HR over 451 PA, O'Hoppe didn't do much with the bat and it resulted in an anemic 72 wRC+. The real reason to sell is that long-term it's questionable whether O'Hoppe remains a catcher. His defensive metrics are horrible - bottom 15 percentile in all 4 catching categories on Baseball Savant. If he can't remain behind the dish, O'Hoppe will just end up out of a job altogether. While once thought of as a "safe" dynasty catcher, he's now anything but. Proceed with caution.
Let’s give Tyler Bremner the benefit of the doubt – over the course of his final collegiate season at UC Santa Barbara, it was widely reported he gained two inches of IVB midway through the year and the change paid off well; the alteration allowed the heater to really play well with his sterling changeup, an offering with lots of late movement which induced 48% whiffs last season. Bremner also has a sound slider, which does not draw nearly as many swings-and-misses as the cambio, but the elements are here of a classic mid-rotation arm. Long and lean, the 21-year-old right-hander explodes down the mound and is certainly in the organization to move quickly through the minor leagues. Much like a pitching version of the team’s 2024 first-rounder Christian Moore, the major issues that need ironing out can be bettered with time in the minor leagues, but exactly how long with Los Angeles let the cake bake? If the slider finds its home in the pitch mix and his fastball alterations hold tight, Bremner may be quick for success in the show; this promise saw the dynasty team rank him 15th of FYPD-eligible players at season’s end and 121st of all prospects. Invest with confidence and monitor his pro debut in 2026 for signs of progress. - Drew Wheeler
Alvarez is a monster in the making. Scouts rave about his speed, hit tool, approach, and steady defense in center field; we’re just waiting on the power to show up. He’s got the frame to add muscle, and if it all clicks, Alvarez could develop into a 20–40 threat with an above-average batting line. Our current ranking already bakes in some power projection, but there’s real potential for him to outperform that once the pop arrives. He’s a true five-tool talent, and now’s the time to buy in before he starts lighting up Twitter with nightly highlights. He’s only 18 years old, so patience will be required before the payoff, but this is the Angels, so they might just fast-track him anyway. - Tom Gates
Like many elements of the Los Angeles Angels' organization, Nelson Rada is unusual. After shredding Low-A as a 17-year-old in 2023, he became a trendy name in dynasty circles, but after being shot out of a cannon into Double-A and only performing acceptably, apparently, that was enough to fade his hype. "What have you done for me lately?" Strikes again! 2025 saw Rada climb all the way to Triple-A as a 19-year-old, where all he did was hit for a .323 BA and a .433 OBP and steal 20 bases in his 42 games at the level. The contact rates largely back up this production, and it looks like we are looking like a surefire major leaguer in the old-school mold of a speedy, contact-first leadoff bat who plays solid defense. It doesn't look like there's even as much pop as you'd find with a Caleb Durbin-type, so dynasty GMs are going to have to hope Nelson Rada can be more efficient on the basepaths so he retains the green light out there. If he does, this is a 50+ SB profile with quality ratios, and there's certainly a market for that. - Darren Eisenhauer
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Watch Path to the Show on Bally Sports Live & Stadium! | Amateur and Dynasty Team Writer/Podcaster | I love the Tennessee Volunteers, milk, pitchers, catchers, & you <3 P4:13
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
