The Los Angeles Angels didn't have a strong farm system coming into this year. They did, at the least, have one of the top prospects in all of baseball in the form of Mike Trout. Trout, of course, is no longer a prospect, and instead is now the American League MVP and maybe the best story in all of baseball in 2012.
After Trout, Los Angeles' top prospects, per Baseball America:
- Jean Segura: Traded
- Garrett Richards: AAA: 5.03 ERA, .302 BAA. MLB: 4.33 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, .280 BAA -- 24 years old
- Johnny Hellweg: Traded
- C.J. Cron: A+ (Cal League): .287/.323/.487, 20 HR, 15 BB, 60 SO, 450 AB -- 22 years old
- Kaleb Cowart: A/A+: .285/.371/.473, 14 HR, 58 BB, 85 SO, 425 AB -- 20 years old
- Taylor Lindsey: A+ (Cal League): .288/.328/.406, 8 HR, 24 BB, 56 SO, 441 AB -- 20 years old
- Daniel Tillman: A+/AA: 6.99 ERA, 37.1 IP, 31 H, 26 BB, 45 SO -- 23 years old
- Ariel Pena: Traded
- Nick Maronde: AZL/A+/AA: 80 IP, 2.03 ERA, 55 H, 18 BB, 78 SO -- 22 years old
As you can see, there's not a lot in the farm system in Los Angeles. The Angels basically sacrificed their 2012 draft class in free agency this past winter as well, signing C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols to mega contracts, and giving up draft picks as a consequence.
Los Angeles' best prospect is now Kaleb Cowart, who is a legitimate third base prospect. After that, though, it's really ugly. Richards doesn't look like anything special, Cron is 22 and can't draw a walk in the Cal League, and everybody else is just sort of there. Maronde has nice numbers, but he's turning 23 in September and the bulk of his innings came in A+.
If the Angels are going to continue to improve their roster, it'll be via free agency and trades. There isn't a lot on the farm.