Joswa Lugo

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #6 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
  
  Adjusted Grade: 35
  
  Track Record: The younger brother of Dawel Lugo, who played parts of three seasons with the Tigers from 2018 to 2020, Joswa signed with the Angels for $2.3 million as the headliner of their 2024 international class. It’s the second-highest bonus in club history for an international amateur player, trailing only Roberto Baldoquin’s $8 million in 2014. Lugo showed his offensive upside in his 2024 pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .301 with an .836 OPS and helping lead his club to the DSL championship. In his 2025 stateside debut, he produced a .271/.375/.372 slash line in 35 games before his season was halted with a back strain.
  
  Scouting Report: Lugo is a physical, righthanded-hitting infielder with exceptional power upside. Balanced and synced through his swing, he handles the barrel well and displays plus raw power and elite exit velocities—north of 112 mph—that portend above-average power because of his high-end bat speed and barrel control. Lugo will have to overhaul his pitch recognition and exercise swing restraint. He too often gets in swing mode, which leads to weak contact and concerning swing-and-miss, particularly on secondaries. If he can refine his aggression, he has a solid all-fields contact and power baseline befitting of a middle-of-the-order hitter. Defensively, Lugo has good body control and instincts with an above-average arm that should keep him on the left side of the infield. Physical gains to his 6-foot-3 frame may slow down his middling speed and athleticism, moving him off shortstop and to third base.
  
  The Future: Lugo has middle-of-the-order upside but will have to improve his pitch selection to become an impact power hitter. The extent of his physical maturation will dictate his future defensive home. He will get his first taste of playing at a full-season affiliate in 2026.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #6 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
  
  Track Record: The younger brother of Dawel Lugo, who played parts of three seasons with the Tigers from 2018 to 2020, Joswa signed with the Angels for $2.3 million as a headliner of their 2024 international class. He received the second-largest bonus ever given to an international amateur by the club, trailing only Roberto Baldoquin’s $8 million in 2014. In his first season of pro ball in the Dominican Summer League, Lugo showed his offensive upside by hitting .301 with an .836 OPS and helped lead his club to the DSL championship series by batting .290 with a home run and six RBIs over nine games in the playoffs.
  
  Scouting Report: Lugo is a physical righthanded-hitting infielder with well-rounded offensive tools. Balanced and synced through his swing, he handles the barrel with ease and displays plus raw power and elite exit velocities—with a max near 110 mph—that project above-average power due to his high-end bat speed and barrel control. Lugo will have to refine his pitch recognition. He shows aggression on breaking pitches that led to weak contact and swing-and-miss. As he gets more reps and improves his decision-making, he has a solid baseline of contact and power to profile as a middle-of-the-order bat. Showing improved footwork and fundamentals, Lugo has good body control, quiet hands and an above-average arm that should keep him on the left side of the infield. Physical gains to his 6-foot-3 frame may slow down his average speed and athleticism, moving him off shortstop and to third base.
  
  The Future: Lugo has middle-of-the-order upside but will have to improve his pitch recognition to become an impact bat. Physical gains will dictate his future left-side infield defensive home. He will make his U.S. debut in 2025, with a chance at a full-season assignment.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #8 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: The younger brother of infielder Dawel Lugo, who played three years for the Tigers from 2018-2020, Joswa Lugo signed for $2.3 million, one of the largest bonuses the Angels have ever handed out for an international amateur.
  
  Scouting Report: Lugo has above-average power potential with the ability to turn on a quality fastball. Like many young hitters he isn’t as comfortable when a pitcher keeps feeding him sliders, but Lugo has some feel for hitting. Lugo’s above-average arm should potentially help him stay at third base, but he may eventually outgrow the position. His power may be enough to handle a move to a corner outfield spot as well.
  
  The Future: Lugo immediately becomes one of the more prominent hitting prospects in a somewhat thin Angels’ system, and the bellwether of the most recent Angels’ international signing class.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55