Najer Victor Among Angels Prospects Producing Eye-Opening WBC Performances

Most baseball fans probably hadn't heard of Najer Victor before Great Britain's latest game in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. But the 24-year-old put his name on the map with an impressive showing against the United States on Saturday.

Victor, a 14th-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Angels in 2024, picked up four outs in relief as Great Britain's first man out of the bullpen against Team USA. Most notably, though, all four outs were strikeouts of brand-name MLB players, including three-time MVP Aaron Judge, two-time MVP Bryce Harper, All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson, and former top prospect Roman Anthony.

Victor did allow one walk to Team USA catcher Will Smith, and he also gave up an unearned run when Ernie Clement reached on an error and later came around to score after the 24-year-old had been replaced on the mound. But regardless, the Angels minor leaguer turned a lot of heads with his hitless outing against some of the biggest stars in baseball.

Other Angels prospects stand out early in WBC

Mar 6, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; Brazil outfielder Lucas Ramirez (24) hits a home run during the eighth inning against the United States at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Victor isn't the only Angels prospect making a name for himself in the WBC. Lucas Ramirez, a 17th-round pick by Los Angeles in 2024 and the son of 12-time All-Star Manny Ramirez, also had an impressive performance in Brazil's game against the U.S. on Friday.

The 20-year-old led off Brazil's first half inning at the plate with a home run against San Francisco Giants All-Star pitcher Logan Webb, and later hit another solo shot in the eighth inning. Ramirez also showed off his arm from the outfield by throwing out the speedy Jakob Marsee at third base in Brazil's game against Italy on Saturday.

Neither Ramirez nor Victor is ranked on MLB Pipeline's top-30 prospect list for the Angels. But Sam Aldegheri, Los Angeles' No. 17 prospect for 2026, joined the group of players from the organization to stand out so far in the WBC. The 24-year-old lefty pitched 4 2/3 shutout innings as Italy's starter against Brazil, only giving up one hit and two walks, while striking out eight.

Aldegheri has made a handful of starts in the majors over the past two years, while Victor and Ramirez haven't played above High-A yet. Regardless, all three prospects have given Angels fans some names to keep an eye on for the rest of the WBC and beyond.