Jordyn Adams

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #23 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: The Angels banked on the athleticism of Adams, a three-sport athlete committed to play football and baseball at north Carolina, when they drafted him no. 17 overall in 2018 and signed him to an over-slot $4.1 million bonus. He impressed in his first two seasons in the low minors, but struggled mightily upon returning from the 2020 shutdown. Adams hit enough with Triple-A Salt Lake (.817 OPS) to earn a big league callup in August, where he hit .128 with 16 strikeouts in 17 games.
  
  Scouting Report: Adams is a premium athlete with game-changing speed. He has tinkered with multiple swing alterations during his development, even showing irregularities from swing to swing. Adams’ tinkering led to weak contact and erratic swing-and-miss. He made adjustments that returned his natural athleticism and strength to his swing, allowing him to hit the ball harder and tap into his power more consistently. He doesn’t have a bad approach and swings at strikes, but swing-and-miss will likely always be part of his game. Adams is an 80-grade runner both on the basepaths and in center field. He tracks flyballs like a wide receiver and his closing speed makes him a plus defender at a premium defensive position.
  
  The Future: Adams will have to hit more consistently to be more than a late-inning pinch runner and defensive replacement. He has an opportunity to carve out a big league role in 2024.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 30 | Power: 40 | Run: 80 | Field: 60 | Arm: 45
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #24 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: A three-sport athlete committed to play baseball and football at North Carolina, Adams stood out at the 2018 National High School Invitational and became a surprise first-round pick by the Angels, who signed him for $4.1 million. Adams held his own in his first full seasons and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, but he suffered a hamstring injury three games into the 2021 season and has floundered since. He failed to hit .250 or hit more than five home runs at either High-A or Double-A and went unprotected and unpicked in the 2022 Rule 5 draft.
  
  Scouting Report: The best athlete in the Angels system, Adams has enticing tools but is still raw from a baseball perspective. He has tinkered with multiple swing alterations to try and get into proper hitting position, resulting in inconsistent at-bats and different swings. He struggles to be on time against velocity and mostly makes weak contact off the barrel. Adams has solid bat speed and natural strength to give him above-average raw power, although he can't tap into it. He'll have to find a swing and improve his breaking ball recognition to tap into any offensive upside. An 80-grade runner, Adams steals bases at will and covers lots of ground in center field, where he is a plus defender with an average, accurate arm.
  
  The Future: Adams has to prove he can hit to be even a backup outfielder. He'll try to find his swing at Double-A in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 30. Power: 45. Speed: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #4 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Adams was committed to North Carolina to play both baseball and football before the Angels drafted him 16th overall in 2018 and signed him for an over-slot $3.475 million bonus. After spending 2020 at the alternate training site, he opened the 2021 season at High-A Tri-City but suffered a hamstring strain in the third game of the season that sidelined him for five weeks. Adams struggled to find a consistent swing after he returned and finished the year batting .217 with five home runs and 38% strikeout rate.
  
  Scouting Report: Adams is an elite athlete and an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength. But after making progress translating those tools into production at the alternate training site, he seemed to plateau in 2021. Like many young players, Adams gets in trouble when his swing gets long, which prevents him from catching up to fastballs and often leads to strikeouts and weak contact. When he finds a more efficient swing, he will be able to tap into the above-average raw power that makes him such an enticing prospect. Adams tracks pitches well and knows the strike zone, but his swing issues and overall lack of feel for the barrel prevent him from projecting as more than a below-average hitter. Adams might be big league ready on defense, where his speed and athleticism play well in center field. He has refined his jumps and has run cleaner routes in the past two seasons, he has a strong, accurate arm and has already shown an ability to rob homers with leaping catches at the wall.
  
  The Future: Adams has upside, but his future will depend on his swing development.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #5 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Adams was committed to play both football and baseball at North Carolina but opted to sign with the Angels after they made him the 17th overall pick in 2018. He rose to high Class A in his first full season and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he accumulated roughly 200 at-bats and impressed coaches and teammates with his jaw-dropping speed and athleticism.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams was set to play wide receiver in college and brings that elite athleticism to the diamond. He is an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength, but he’s still learning to translate those tools into production. He has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, but he often hits weak ground balls and is still learning how to take his best swings in games. He showed growth with five home runs at the alternate site. After committing 13 errors in 2019, including when he outran balls in the gaps, Adams has refined his jumps and is running cleaner routes in center field. He has improved his arm strength to average and shows flashes of being a plus defensive center fielder, including when he made three home run-robbing catches at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has huge upside, but a lot depends on his swing development. He could see Double-A in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #3 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The 17th overall pick in 2018, Adams turned down a chance to play baseball and football at North Carolina and signed for an over-slot $4.1 million bonus. He showed elite athleticism but raw baseball skills in his first full season, though he held his own at low Class A Burlington and managed to touch high Class A Inland Empire as a 19-year-old.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams is an elite runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength. He makes contact and hit for more power after he reinstituted the modified leg kick he used in high school last July, though he is still working on his swing path to more consistently impact the ball. Adams has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, leaving him more advanced than many other raw athletes of his ilk. Adams' 80-grade speed allows him to outrun some of his mistakes in center field. He is working on his pre-pitch routine and learning how to read balls off the bat, get better jumps and run cleaner routes.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has the speed to lead off and wreak havoc on the basepaths. He also has room to add 20 pounds to his frame and grow into a middle-of-the-order bat. His hitting development will be key to watch at Inland Empire in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #7 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: A standout outfielder and wide receiver in high school, Adams was committed to play both baseball and football in college at North Carolina, where his father was the defensive line coach for the football team. Instead, the Angels drafted him 17th overall and signed him for an over-slot $4.1 million bonus to turn pro. Adams' first season after signing was cut short by a broken jaw, but he still advanced to Rookie-level Orem.
  
  Scouting Report: Adams boasts tantalizing athleticism but is raw in baseball skills because of his two-sport background. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, he is a wiry strong with excellent bat speed and is a plus-plus runner. He has a chance to be an impact defender in center field as he hones his instincts, and he began showing plus power late in his senior season. The main question with Adams is how much he'll hit. Adams' bat progressed rapidly between his junior and senior years of high school, but his track record as even an average hitter is short.
  
  The Future: How quickly Adams rises through the system will depend on his hitting development. He has the speed to be a leadoff man or the projectable power to grow into a middle-of-the-order bat, depending on what he emphasizes. He'll get his first taste of full-season ball with low Class A Burlington in 2019.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #45 prospect in 2018 draft
  One of the most athletic players in the class, Adams is at least a 70-grade runner and many scouts have called him a legit, top-of-the-scale 80 runner. Committed to North Carolina to play both baseball and football, Adams is a four-star wide receiver whose father, Deke, is the defensive line coach for the Tar Heels football team. Adams has long been seen as a talented football player whose reputation among baseball circles was a raw, athletic player with tools who had real questions about his ability in the batter's box. That perspective changed at USA Baseball's National High School Invitational in late March, when Adams was arguably the tournament's best hitter in a field that included many of the top prep bats in the draft class. At the NHSI, Adams had the fifth-highest average exit velocity thanks to a number of well-struck line drives. Teams immediately started watching Adams' games with Green Hope High (Cary, N.C.) with more interest, as he put himself in the conversation to be a potential day one pick. Adams is an 80-grade athlete with impressive makeup, a chance to become an impact defender in center field and possesses a better hit tool than most scouts believed a year ago. Late in Green Hope's season Adams has also shown enough power in games that might allow evaluators to project future plus power considering his bat speed and wiry frame, although there are scouts who have already put 60-grade power on Adams now. Between his collection of tools and his performance in front of the league's top decision-makers, Adams has positioned himself to go on day one to a team that has the money to invest in a high-risk, high-reward player who could take large steps forward if he ever focuses exclusively on baseball. As a highly rated receiver with a potential in professional football, the price tag will likely be a high one.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #8 prospect in 2018
  Adams was likely going to attend North Carolina to play both football and baseball before the Angels signed him for an over-slot $4.1 million bonus. His rawness showed, but Adams flashed the tools that enticed scouts, with plus-plus speed and plus range in center. There’s still a lot of work to be done in improving his approach at the plate. Adams will have to make better quality contact, but the tools, bat speed, strength and raw athleticism are there. Adams moved up to the Pioneer League, but his season ended early as he broke his jaw in an on-field collision. “He’s clearly a superb talent—a super talent,” Angels manager Jack Santora said. “He’s young … just playing the game and learning through experience and developing will be his biggest challenge going forward.”

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: A three-sport athlete committed to play baseball and football at North Carolina, Adams stood out at the 2018 National High School Invitational and became a surprise first-round pick by the Angels, who signed him for $4.1 million. Adams held his own in his first full seasons and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, but he suffered a hamstring injury three games into the 2021 season and has floundered since. He failed to hit .250 or hit more than five home runs at either High-A or Double-A and went unprotected and unpicked in the 2022 Rule 5 draft.
  
  Scouting Report: The best athlete in the Angels system, Adams has enticing tools but is still raw from a baseball perspective. He has tinkered with multiple swing alterations to try and get into proper hitting position, resulting in inconsistent at-bats and different swings. He struggles to be on time against velocity and mostly makes weak contact off the barrel. Adams has solid bat speed and natural strength to give him above-average raw power, although he can't tap into it. He'll have to find a swing and improve his breaking ball recognition to tap into any offensive upside. An 80-grade runner, Adams steals bases at will and covers lots of ground in center field, where he is a plus defender with an average, accurate arm.
  
  The Future: Adams has to prove he can hit to be even a backup outfielder. He'll try to find his swing at Double-A in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 30. Power: 45. Speed: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
  
  Track Record: A three-sport athlete committed to play baseball and football at North Carolina, Adams stood out at the 2018 National High School Invitational and became a surprise first-round pick by the Angels, who signed him for $4.1 million. Adams held his own in his first full seasons and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, but he suffered a hamstring injury three games into the 2021 season and has floundered since. He failed to hit .250 or hit more than five home runs at either High-A or Double-A and went unprotected and unpicked in the 2022 Rule 5 draft.
  
  Scouting Report: The best athlete in the Angels system, Adams has enticing tools but is still raw from a baseball perspective. He has tinkered with multiple swing alterations to try and get into proper hitting position, resulting in inconsistent at-bats and different swings. He struggles to be on time against velocity and mostly makes weak contact off the barrel. Adams has solid bat speed and natural strength to give him above-average raw power, although he can't tap into it. He'll have to find a swing and improve his breaking ball recognition to tap into any offensive upside. An 80-grade runner, Adams steals bases at will and covers lots of ground in center field, where he is a plus defender with an average, accurate arm.
  
  The Future: Adams has to prove he can hit to be even a backup outfielder. He'll try to find his swing at Double-A in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 30. Power: 45. Speed: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Track Record: Adams was committed to North Carolina to play both baseball and football before the Angels drafted him 16th overall in 2018 and signed him for an over-slot $3.475 million bonus. After spending 2020 at the alternate training site, he opened the 2021 season at High-A Tri-City but suffered a hamstring strain in the third game of the season that sidelined him for five weeks. Adams struggled to find a consistent swing after he returned and finished the year batting .217 with five home runs and 38% strikeout rate.
  
  Scouting Report: Adams is an elite athlete and an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength. But after making progress translating those tools into production at the alternate training site, he seemed to plateau in 2021. Like many young players, Adams gets in trouble when his swing gets long, which prevents him from catching up to fastballs and often leads to strikeouts and weak contact. When he finds a more efficient swing, he will be able to tap into the above-average raw power that makes him such an enticing prospect. Adams tracks pitches well and knows the strike zone, but his swing issues and overall lack of feel for the barrel prevent him from projecting as more than a below-average hitter. Adams might be big league ready on defense, where his speed and athleticism play well in center field. He has refined his jumps and has run cleaner routes in the past two seasons, he has a strong, accurate arm and has already shown an ability to rob homers with leaping catches at the wall.
  
  The Future: Adams has upside, but his future will depend on his swing development.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 45. Speed: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 55.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Adams was committed to North Carolina to play both baseball and football before the Angels drafted him 16th overall in 2018 and signed him for an over-slot $3.475 million bonus. After spending 2020 at the alternate training site, he opened the 2021 season at High-A Tri-City but suffered a hamstring strain in the third game of the season that sidelined him for five weeks. Adams struggled to find a consistent swing after he returned and finished the year batting .217 with five home runs and 38% strikeout rate.
  
  Scouting Report: Adams is an elite athlete and an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength. But after making progress translating those tools into production at the alternate training site, he seemed to plateau in 2021. Like many young players, Adams gets in trouble when his swing gets long, which prevents him from catching up to fastballs and often leads to strikeouts and weak contact. When he finds a more efficient swing, he will be able to tap into the above-average raw power that makes him such an enticing prospect. Adams tracks pitches well and knows the strike zone, but his swing issues and overall lack of feel for the barrel prevent him from projecting as more than a below-average hitter. Adams might be big league ready on defense, where his speed and athleticism play well in center field. He has refined his jumps and has run cleaner routes in the past two seasons, he has a strong, accurate arm and has already shown an ability to rob homers with leaping catches at the wall.
  
  The Future: Adams has upside, but his future will depend on his swing development.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Adams was committed to play both football and baseball at North Carolina but opted to sign with the Angels after they made him the 17th overall pick in 2018. He rose to high Class A in his first full season and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he accumulated roughly 200 at-bats and impressed coaches and teammates with his jaw-dropping speed and athleticism.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams was set to play wide receiver in college and brings that elite athleticism to the diamond. He is an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength, but he's still learning to translate those tools into production. He has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, but he often hits weak ground balls and is still learning how to take his best swings in games. He showed growth with five home runs at the alternate site. After committing 13 errors in 2019, including when he outran balls in the gaps, Adams has refined his jumps and is running cleaner routes in center field. He has improved his arm strength to average and shows flashes of being a plus defensive center fielder, including when he made three home run-robbing catches at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has huge upside, but a lot depends on his swing development. He could see Double-A in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Adams was committed to play both football and baseball at North Carolina but opted to sign with the Angels after they made him the 17th overall pick in 2018. He rose to high Class A in his first full season and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he accumulated roughly 200 at-bats and impressed coaches and teammates with his jaw-dropping speed and athleticism.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams was set to play wide receiver in college and brings that elite athleticism to the diamond. He is an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength, but he’s still learning to translate those tools into production. He has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, but he often hits weak ground balls and is still learning how to take his best swings in games. He showed growth with five home runs at the alternate site. After committing 13 errors in 2019, including when he outran balls in the gaps, Adams has refined his jumps and is running cleaner routes in center field. He has improved his arm strength to average and shows flashes of being a plus defensive center fielder, including when he made three home run-robbing catches at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has huge upside, but a lot depends on his swing development. He could see Double-A in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 40. Running: 80. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Adams was committed to play both football and baseball at North Carolina but opted to sign with the Angels after they made him the 17th overall pick in 2018. He rose to high Class A in his first full season and spent 2020 at the alternate training site, where he accumulated roughly 200 at-bats and impressed coaches and teammates with his jaw-dropping speed and athleticism.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams was set to play wide receiver in college and brings that elite athleticism to the diamond. He is an 80-grade runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength, but he’s still learning to translate those tools into production. He has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, but he often hits weak ground balls and is still learning how to take his best swings in games. He showed growth with five home runs at the alternate site. After committing 13 errors in 2019, including when he outran balls in the gaps, Adams has refined his jumps and is running cleaner routes in center field. He has improved his arm strength to average and shows flashes of being a plus defensive center fielder, including when he made three home run-robbing catches at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has huge upside, but a lot depends on his swing development. He could see Double-A in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 17th overall pick in 2018, Adams turned down a chance to play baseball and football at North Carolina and signed for an over-slot $4.1 million bonus. He showed elite athleticism but raw baseball skills in his first full season, though he held his own at low Class A Burlington and managed to touch high Class A Inland Empire as a 19-year-old.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams is an elite runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength. He makes contact and hit for more power after he reinstituted the modified leg kick he used in high school last July, though he is still working on his swing path to more consistently impact the ball. Adams has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, leaving him more advanced than many other raw athletes of his ilk. Adams’ 80-grade speed allows him to outrun some of his mistakes in center field. He is working on his pre-pitch routine and learning how to read balls off the bat, get better jumps and run cleaner routes.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has the speed to lead off and wreak havoc on the basepaths. He also has room to add 20 pounds to his frame and grow into a middle-of-the-order bat. His hitting development will be key to watch at Inland Empire in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The 17th overall pick in 2018, Adams turned down a chance to play baseball and football at North Carolina and signed for an over-slot $4.1 million bonus. He showed elite athleticism but raw baseball skills in his first full season, though he held his own at low Class A Burlington and managed to touch high Class A Inland Empire as a 19-year-old.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Adams is an elite runner with excellent bat speed and wiry strength. He makes contact and hit for more power after he reinstituted the modified leg kick he used in high school last July, though he is still working on his swing path to more consistently impact the ball. Adams has a mature feel for the strike zone and rarely chases offspeed pitches, leaving him more advanced than many other raw athletes of his ilk. Adams' 80-grade speed allows him to outrun some of his mistakes in center field. He is working on his pre-pitch routine and learning how to read balls off the bat, get better jumps and run cleaner routes.
  
  THE FUTURE: Adams has the speed to lead off and wreak havoc on the basepaths. He also has room to add 20 pounds to his frame and grow into a middle-of-the-order bat. His hitting development will be key to watch at Inland Empire in 2020.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  The 17th overall pick in the 2018 draft spurned a scholarship to play football and baseball at North Carolina to sign a well-above-slot, $4.1-million bonus. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Adams is highly athletic, with size, speed and strength and has excellent bat speed. Scouts think he will hit for more power as he adds muscle to his wiry frame, but he might project as more of a leadoff man than a middle-of-the-order bat in the big leagues.