LOS ANGELES — Spring Training games have begun and there’s plenty of questions surrounding the Angels. Coming into camp, the starting rotation seemed set aside from two spots. Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval and Tyler Anderson would headline the rotation as right-handers Griffin Canning, Chase Silseth and Zach Plesac fight for the remaining two slots.
Zach Plesac, the nephew of former three-time all-star LHP Dan Plesac, has the longest track record out of the group. Through five seasons with the Guardians dating back to 2019, he tossed 466.2 innings with a 4.20 ERA. Plesac had a steady start to his MLB career, as he gave the Guardians 115.2 innings with a 3.81 ERA in his rookie season and followed that up with a tremendous Covid-shortened 2020 season where he posted a 2.28 ERA. However, his production took a sharp dive as Plesac failed to post another productive season in year three.
His struggles led to a demotion to Triple-A in 2023 and Plesac elected free agency this offseason, eventually signing with the Angels. Plesac has never been a strikeout pitcher, averaging just 6.9 K/9 over his career, but the Angels will give him plenty of looks through Spring Training in hopes of restoring his 2019-2020 self.
Canning is the second-most experienced arm out of the group and quietly recorded a solid 2023. His 4.32 ERA over 127 innings provided depth at the bottom of the Angels rotation and barring a disastrous spring training, he’ll be penciled in to make the Opening Day rotation. The key for Canning will be limiting the long ball, as he gave up 1.6 HR/9 last season. That inflated home run mark led to a slightly elevated ERA, but with a revamped coaching staff, especially a new pitching coach in Barry Enright, Canning will look to make strides in reducing hard contact.
Silseth arguably has the most upside, but he may be better suited to a multi-inning relief role. He’s still young at 23 years old and was recently drafted in 2021 out of the University of Arizona. Silseth’s arsenal is still a work in progress, but a low-leverage bullpen role will allow for a smooth transition into the rotation. If he can manage to control his mid-to-upper 90s fastball, he’ll be a great depth option for the Angels in the event of an injury or an underwhelming performance from a current rotation member.
Shifting to the outfield grass, the Angels currently have a logjam of options they could potentially turn to in right field. Taylor Ward and Mike Trout are set to handle left and center field respectively, as Mickey Moniak, Jo Adell and Aaron Hicks will compete for the final spot.
Aaron Hicks has by far the most big league experience, recording 716 hits over an 11-year career. Hicks broke out with the Yankees after a stellar 2018, slugging 27 home runs and posting an .833 OPS. The Yankees inked him to a seven-year, $70 million deal the following offseason, but injuries derailed his career in New York. In 2022, Hicks was finally healthy and played 130 games, but he struggled. The following season was even worse as Hicks stumbled out of the gates and the Yankees designated him for assignment in May. He was picked up by the Orioles and Hicks seemed to have found his former self in Baltimore, posting an OPS above .800 before a hamstring injury prematurely ended his season. If Hicks can recapture his power and ability to get on base while staying healthy, he’ll be a quality option for the Angels.
Moniak and Adell are both former top prospects, but haven’t played up to their lofty expectations. Moniak was the Phillies’ first overall pick out of La Costa Canyon High School in 2016, forgoing his college commitment to UCLA. But in his limited playing time with the Phillies, he struggled tremendously and failed to cement himself as an everyday outfielder. Philadelphia ultimately decided to move on from him and traded him to Anaheim in exchange for RHP Noah Syndergaard. In 2023, while filling in for the injured Mike Trout, Moniak was an above-average contributor, slashing .280/.307/.495, although most of his production came against right-handed pitching.
Adell still hasn’t found his footing at the big league level, as his bat seems to be between Triple-A and MLB. Power is his most notable trait, as in minors, he has slugged 95 home runs and with the Salt Lake City Bees last year—the Angels Triple-A affiliate, he hit a mammoth 514-foot home run. Adell has no trouble putting the ball over the fence, but he struggles to put the ball in play if it’s not going yard. He’s gone down on strikes over 35% of the time with the Angels and doesn’t supplement it with big enough power numbers. So far in Spring Training, he’s 2-2 with two extra-base hits, so if Adell continues to succeed, he and Moniak could form a dangerous platoon in right field. This ensures both players receive at-bats with the platoon advantage and could maximize their strengths.
Only time will tell who eventually starts in right field on Opening Day, but the Angels will most likely lean on Hicks to begin the season. Hicks is a switch hitter, but hits lefties much better, so on days where the Angels face a righty, Moniak will likely see increased reps. Adell may thrust himself to the top of the conversation with a strong Spring Training showing, but he’ll have to prove to new manager Ron Washington that he’s created a more contact-oriented approach.