Los Angeles Angels Report: Ranking the Best Prospects from Spring Training

Cuts are already being made at the Los Angeles Angels' Tempe Diablo Stadium, and even the best prospects are being sent to minor league camp. That makes this the perfect time to rank those who are among the Angels' best prospects.

Soon, spring stars like Taylor Lindsey and Kole Calhoun will become household names. For now, they'll have to hope for a midseason call-up or an All-Star Futures game invitation.

Here are the Angels' best prospects from spring training.

8. Luis Jimenez

Third baseman Luis Jimenez was just optioned to Triple-A camp, but it was hardly because of a poor spring performance.

He actually had himself a solid spring, hitting .308 over nine games. Among his four total hits were a double and a home run.

Jimenez played mostly as a pinch-hitter this spring and will spend most of his 2012 season in Salt Lake, as his skill set isn't something the Angels currently need at the big league level.

7. Ariel Pena

Recently optioned to the minors after an impressive spring stint with the Angels, Ariel Pena looks like a guy with real major league potential.

Pena only threw five innings, but he didn't give up any runs, only allowed one hit and struck out five. His main problem still appears to be control, as evidenced by his four walks. Pena throws pitches that miss bats, but he also throws pitches that miss the strike zone.

As a guy who can hit 95 on the radar gun, Pena definitely has a future in the major leagues. Based on the upside we saw this spring, a midseason call-up is hardly out of the question.

6. Brad Mills

Brad Mills was the piece the Angels got from the Toronto Blue Jays in return for Jeff Mathis, and based on his spring training, they may have gotten a better deal than expected.

In 8.2 innings this spring, Mills has allowed no runs, only three hits and struck out seven. This is a guy who, to this point, has a career 8.57 ERA in the majors. Maybe a move to the western United States is all he needs.

Mills won't break into the Angels' loaded rotation, but bullpen work is hardly out of the question. Even with his small sample size, he already looks like a better asset than Mathis.

5. Garrett Richards

Twenty-three-year-old Garrett Richards will be competing with 30-year-old Jerome Williams for the final spot in the Angels rotation, and Richards' spring campaign certainly helped his cause.

The Angels' top pitching prospect started out slowly, giving up two runs in two innings in his first game. In the two games he pitched since then, however, he hasn't given up any runs and has struck out seven over six innings.

Meanwhile, Williams has been forced out of spring training games due to a hamstring injury. Richards is certainly taking advantage of the opportunity and is looking like a legitimate fifth starter for the Angels' incredibly deep rotation.

4. Taylor Lindsey

Taylor Lindsey only has 10 at-bats this spring, but he has gotten a hit in eight of them. Among those eight hits are one triple and two doubles, good for a 1.200 slugging percentage and 2.000 OPS.

Lindsey, a second baseman, has only been playing professional baseball for two years, so it may be a while before he finds himself in the locker room at Angel Stadium. The depth of middle-infield talent in the Angels organization will be another obstacle for Lindsey to compete with.

The 2011 Pioneer League MVP certainly caught some eyes this spring and will certainly be a prospect to watch in 2012.

3. Kole Calhoun

Kole Calhoun is tied with Howie Kendrick for the most hits on the team this spring with 13. There must be something that Mike Scioscia likes about him, because he is also leading the Angels in at-bats with 34.

The right fielder has six doubles and a triple, so he isn't just getting lucky on ground balls up the middle.

Calhoun doesn't have any home runs yet this spring, but as evidenced by his 22 jacks for Double-A Inland Empire in 2011, he is definitely capable of bringing power to the plate.

This is a guy that could be surveying the outfield for the Angels in the near future.

2. Jean Segura

Jean Segura is currently the Angels' second-ranked prospect (behind only Mike Trout), and he showed it this spring.

The shortstop hit .381 and displayed some power by hitting two home runs in a game against the San Diego Padres last week. He worked four walks while striking out three times and had one steal as well.

Segura has seen the last of big league camp this spring, however, as he was just cut and will be playing on the Triple-A squad from now on. He is becoming more and more of the player the Angels organization expects him to be though, so it's likely that fans will see the name "Segura" on the back of an Angels jersey sometime soon.

1. Alexi Amarista

Alexi Amarista from Venezuela has been around the top of every statistical category for the Los Angeles Angels this spring.

Through 10 games, the 21-year-old second baseman has collected 11 hits, two of which were home runs. His eight RBI are second only to Albert Pujols and Vernon Wells, and his low strikeout total only confirms what we already knew about his plate discipline.

Amarista has spent time in the big leagues before, and after the spring he's had, it wouldn't be surprising to see him start the season in an Angels uniform.