Rada is slashing .337/.462/.442 with one home run, 17 steals, a 16.5 percent walk rate and a 15.7 percent strikeout rate in 25 games for Triple-A Salt Lake.
While he's enjoying the hitter-friendly conditions of the Pacific Coast League, Rada's been 37 percent better than league average, thanks in part to a fortunate .413 BABIP. The 5-foot-9 Rada has hit six home runs in 406 career games and has typically been an extreme slash-and-dash hitter, logging high groundball rates and high opposite-field rates. However, at Triple-A, he has a career-high 41.8 percent pull rate, which at least opens the door for some power gains in the coming years if he can make similar strides with his groundball rate (54.8 percent at Triple-A). Rada, who turned 20 in August, is an above-average defensive center fielder and the youngest player to log over 100 plate appearances at Triple-A this season.
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Angels' Nelson Rada: Beginning year at Double-A
Rotowire
Rada will start the 2024 season at Double-A Rocket City, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
The Angels have elected to place Rada on an accelerated track through the minors by having him skip High-A. The 18-year-old slashed .276/.395/.346 with two homers, 48 RBI, 54 stolen bases and 94 runs scored over 115 games at Single-A Inland Empire a season ago.
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Angels' Nelson Rada: Gets invitation to spring training
Rotowire
The Angels have invited Rada to participate in major-league spring training.
The Angels signed Rada as an international amateur free agent for $1.8 million in January of 2022, when he was 16 years old. The Venezuelan made a positive impression in the Dominican Summer League that year before jumping to the Single-A level in 2023, and he put together another strong showing with a .276/.395/.346 slash line along with two home runs, 48 RBI, 54 steals (in 65 attempts) and a 73:98 BB:K over 540 plate appearances. Rada is likely at least a few years away from reaching the majors, but he could elevate his prospect stock further in 2024 with continued growth in the minors.
