Angels 2026 Potential Breakouts (Minor Leaguers)
February 28, 2026 - Written by Zac Holladay
Ryan Johnson has made the Angels opening day roster without spending a day in the minors. He had an impressive outing yesterday where he struck out 4 in 2 innings of work and has looked great all spring.
— TheDynastyDigest (@Dynasty_Digest) March 25, 2025
Johnson has a deep pitch mix with a funky delivery, he leads with his… pic.twitter.com/vulJ4h6B7f
The time that we have waited for since the World Series ended: Angels play baseball this month! With spring training games taking place at the end of February, it is time to see who will get their time to shine on the main roster on Opening Day. The Angels have made a ton of additions to the minor league roster with plenty of major league experience. Included with them are a few guys that came up with the team throughout the year to fill a roster spot or as a replacement. There are plenty of talented guys in the minors that could not only be a reasonable replacement on the roster when someone gets injured, but could steal the spotlight and gain playing time. The following analysis is only for players not currently in the major league lineup, rotation, or on the projected main roster.
Bryce Teodosio- OF
The speedy outfielder had a pinch of experience on the Major League team in 2025. In 50 games, Bryce Teodosio hit .203 with only 1 home run and 7 runs batted in. But, while he had decent hitting numbers in the minors, Bryce stayed with the team for his defense. His defense in 2025 recorded 7 defensive runs saved along with 10 outs above average, which is a very impressive statline for about a third of a season. Teodosio made a great impression on the team but also a difficult decision to make for the next season: is his defense valuable enough to play him everyday? If I was the Angels manager in 2026, I would heavily consider playing Teodosio everyday because the Angels outfield is already crowded with power-hitting outfielders that lack the ability to hit for a decent average. The Halos have one of the weakest defenses in the league and playing Bryce everyday, giving up a little offense, is something that the team can afford to do. In his previous season in Triple-A Salt Lake, he hit .276 in 114 games, which gives hope for the team that he can improve his hitting ability with time in the big leagues.
Denzer Guzman- INF
One of the more prized pieces in the Angels farm system made an even shorter appearance (than Teodosio) in the 2025 season. As Denzer Guzman didn’t have a very big chance to wow anyone due to only playing 13 games in 2025, filling in for Zach Neto, he did display a small ounce of what he can do. He showed that he can provide above-average defense with a solid bat. His swing-and-miss game will improve as he gets used to the big league pitching and his power will play easily in any environment. In 2025, between AA and AAA, he swatted 17 home runs with and drove in 74 runs while hitting .247. Despite his strikeout numbers, he has the ability to get on base and even steal some bases with 14 stolen bases in the minors in 2025. The only question with him is when he will get time to play with the Halos. If any big injury takes place on the left side of the infield, Guzman would be one of the first guys called up. As his primary position is third base, he has a decent chance of playing this year as their current third baseman, Yoán Moncada, has a long injury history and hasn’t played a full season since 2021. His chances of getting time on his own will be tough, but if he gets in the lineup in 2026, he will not disappoint.
George Klassen- RHP
The Angels most promising young starter in the minors that hasn’t made their debut yet is nothing short of exciting to watch. He’s got a live arm and can touch the high 90’s. His breaking balls play very well with his fastball which is highlighted by his wipeout slider. Although George Klassen has a tendency to lose the zone from time to time, his maturity and calmness on the mound will play well once he is brought up to the major league team. The variable for his call-up is whether or not the team wants him to marinate in the minors for another year or not. With the trend of the Angels and their early call-ups, it is more likely than not that they call him up. And while this strategy has worked a majority of the time for the team, it hasn’t worked for the starters in the organization, as starters like Sam Aldergheri, Caden Dana, and Mitch Farris haven’t been able to succeed at the Major League level when called up. But is George Klassen the pitcher to break that trend? If anyone can have success early in their careers, it is the right-hander out of Wisconsin.
Matthew Lugo- OF
Matthew Lugo came onto the scene in 2025 with expectations of filling a roster spot and became an impressive sight in the Angels organization. Lugo immediately showed off his talents by slugging a triple for his first Major League hit in his second ever game with the club. His bat is pretty much where his complete value is stored as he has gap-to-gap power with some decent pop in his game. With the power matched with his ability to swipe bases, (16 stolen bases in 2024), his services would go really well with this Angels team. As this Angels team continues to produce and acquire droves of outfield talent, Lugo can make the starting job with ease with his skills at full force.
Ryan Johnson- RHP
Making his debut less than a year after getting drafted, Ryan Johnson was put in big moments from the get-go at the beginning of the 2025 season. After a small showcase in the big leagues, he was sent down after only 14 games as a reliever. His windup is one of the more unique ones as his funkyness catches hitters off-guard along with his swing-and-miss stuff. In 2024 for Dallas Baptist, he whipped up a 2.21 ERA with an 11-3 record and 151 strikeouts in just 16 games. So he has the capability to start, but it seems as if the Angels will use him in the bullpen. And despite his microscopic sample size in 2025, his stuff for sure impressed the team and labeled him as someone who can, and will, definitely make it as a big league pitcher. It would not be surprising at all to see Johnson on the 2026 roster as the Halos didn’t acquire much help in the pitching department over the offseason.
The depth for the 2026 Angels team has more promise than the media is giving them credit for. They have acquired a lot of veteran help and guys that know what it is like to succeed in the Major Leagues. Along with that, the young guys will fight their way to the main roster with their pure talent and grit to make it big. It will be fun to watch them fight for spots this Spring Training and these 5 guys will definitely make a close case.
Some honorable mentions of mine to possibly break out in the 2026 season are: OF Raudi Rodriguez, SP Walbert Urena, OF/INF Kyren Paris, and OF Nelson Rada.
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