Angels' Once Top Prospect Who Struggled in 2024 is 'On a Mission' Says Manager

Sep 16, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers (48) walks on the mound after giving up a solo home run to Chicago White Sox first baseman Andrew Vaughn (25) in the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Angels are looking to get back into the contending conversation this season after the worst winning percentage in franchise history was posted in 2024.

As it will hopefully be a bounce back year for the team as a whole, there is a former top prospect who is catching the attention of his manager as he is also on a path to improve on last year's struggles.

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May 10, 2022 doesn't seem too long ago, but it's a distant memory to Reid Detmers.

That was the night that a then-rookie Detmers became the youngest member of the Halos to throw a no-hitter.

Even in arguably his greatest major league performance, Detmers went into that game with a career 6.33 ERA — the third highest ERA entering a no-no since earned runs were officially scored in 1913. Consistency has always been something that the southpaw has struggled with.

After a shaky 2024 campaign, Detmers was sent down to Triple-A for most of the summer, but made five starts in September with noticeably more command.

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This spring, as he was working to earn a spot in the rotation — but lost it to Jack Kochanowicz — manager Ron Washington observed someone battling for their MLB life.

“He’s on a mission,” Washington said. “You can see it. I don’t think he want to experience ever again what he experienced last year. And you could see the way he’s going about his business and his aggressiveness on the mound since he’s been down here, the use of his pitches. You can see that he’s on a mission.”

Detmers, still only 25 years old, will open the season in the bullpen as Kochanowicz earned the No. 5 starter spot.

Detmers will open the year as a long reliever in the bullpen, but will continue to work to get back to being a starting pitcher.

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