Angels News: Two Halos Among MLB’s Top Prospects of 2023
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MLB Pipeline released their annual preseason Top 100 Prospects list on Thursday, and there are two Angels on the list. Neither player was in the Halos' system at this time last year.
Catcher Logan O'Hoppe comes in at number 53 overall as the Angels' top-ranked prospect. O'Hoppe came over from the Phillies at the trade deadline last year in the deal that sent Brandon Marsh to Philadelphia. The 22-year-old right-handed hitter made a brief big-league debut late in the season after posting a 1.147 OPS in 131 Double-A plate appearances after the trade.
O'Hoppe will have a chance to contend for the starting catcher job in spring training, with Max Stassi and Matt Thaiss the other catchers on the Halos 40-man roster.
Zach Neto, a shortstop who will turn 23 next week, was drafted in the first round (13th overall) by the Angels last year out of Campbell University in North Carolina. He batted .407 with a 1.283 OPS as a junior at Campbell, and he followed that up with an .853 OPS at High-A and Double-A after signing with the Halos.
Neto comes in as MLB Pipeline's 89th overall prospect, one of 22 shortstops in the top 100. The scouting report says Neto could stick at shortstop, but he could also move to second base and "hit his way to the big leagues in a hurry."
O'Hoppe should definitely be in the big leagues in 2023, and Neto could find himself there, too. With longtime superstars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani along with a lot of the supporting cast the Halos have put together this offseason, the prospects could complement the roster quite well and help LA put together a run this season.
