Angels Camden Minacci came into the organization as a superstar closer out of a superstar college program with Wake Forest and thus far has shown himself to be every bit the superstar that was drafted back in 2023. While the Angels are known for their quick promotions on high grade prospects Minacci’s relatively quick rise to AA has come by the virtue of his own strength. Nothing borrowed or begged for, Minacci has taken the accountability of his growth into his own hands, leaving nothing to organizational chance. Grit and self-determination are the biggest calling cards in his quickly developing reputation as both an individual and as a ballplayer; and for a future big league closer on the rise there are few better characteristics to hold close. 

“Development as a person can have a large impact on your development as a player. Especially as someone who has to throw in high leverage, stressful situations. Your stuff is your stuff. You work on that all off-season and you've got what you got. From there your main weapon is your mind. I've seen arguably the biggest strides in my career through the mental side. What you have to do physically; like lifting weights, mobility, taking care of your body and getting good sleep, are all very standard. But navigating your own mind can be incredibly challenging. It isn’t something most people can do, a dive deep into understanding how you’re thinking.”

Minacci is hitting strides in his growth across all observable categories; be it stamina, K rate, mental approach, physical condition etc. His ability to fully miss bats has been night and day compared to his debut season with Low A. Though he threw just 8.1 IP in Low A last year he allowed 18 hits, yet in AA he’s allowed just 7 hits across 9 innings. One of his bigger learning curves last season came through developing a relationship with the ball side of the strike zone and how to productively locate outside the black. This ability to locate outside the zone is as important as any in developing successful Major League habits and you can see how the trends affect positively in Minacci's 2023-2024 evolutions. Last year saw Minacci throw strikes 69% of the time en route to his then .990 OPS allowed, yet this season in AA has seen him log a strike percentage of 62% with batted ball numbers that are better than ever (.672 OPS) and a 2.00 ERA that ultimately signifies the level of all around success he is currently generating. Sometimes reading a specific prospects development can feel as if you’re sifting through tea leaves, though with trends as obvious and impactful as Minacci’s growing strides there is little inference needed. At this rate all that Minacci needs is the time to let the growth really seep into his bones and bond themselves as an unshakeable part of his developing form.

“[The change-up] has been a great addition. It's been working more since we last spoke, definitely a great step in the right direction. It's such a feel pitch, just needs to be thrown more and refined over time. I'm with such a great group of guys; I've picked up little tips and tricks from different guys regarding that pitch. I've taken their tips, learned about them, and made them my own. It's helped significantly. It's been a pitch that I'd like to go to more often now, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable with it. It's only up from here.”

Of all the developing functions in Minacci's rising ability perhaps the most exciting may be his fresh new change-up, which he dutifully developing coming into the year in order to elevate his ability to mix-up around the zone. Prior to this season Minacci ran as a two-pitch reliever, which worked quite well for him in Wake Forest, but going forward it was apparent to the young star the importance in expanding his zone and creating new planes to exploit. The contributions of his new change-up cannot be understated in his current developmental successes, and though the pitch is still within it's own adolescence the strides he's made in maturing the change-up in such a short time must be noted. The internal excitement in his development doesn't just come from just one or two specific qualities on the mound; his presence of mind in understanding where he is versus where he wants to be and subsequently adjusting physically and mentally to fill the gaps. This is perhaps the most important quality of any developing prospect regardless of actual on mound ability, yet Minacci also possessing that in spades is what makes his path to the Los Angeles Angels so abundantly clear.

“I had two plates and twelve screws put into my arm when I was in eighth grade and had them taken out eleven months later during my freshman year at high school. A physical therapist named Randy Sullivan did my therapy, he runs a facility called the Florida Baseball Armory. I enrolled in his throwing program and the rest is history. Those guys are the reason why I'm here today. The most important thing I learned was the value of good, hard work. When I got hurt I already wasn't the best baseball player, we had to work double time to level the playing field and get back to average. That double time mentality has stuck with me since. That rehab instilled a great amount of discipline in me. It truly taught me how to work and what hard work can get you. All you can do is take a step forward every day and be consistent. Maybe today we'll take two steps forward and the next day we'll take three, then you close your eyes and blink and it's eight years later and you're in professional baseball. It’s been a long journey but not one I’ve taken for granted whatsoever.”

While it is expected to see Minacci continue his quick rise to the Angels that Major League elevator likely won’t be in service until sometime next year, at least on a more permanent basis. The more preferable landing date lies somewhere in 2025 though it wouldn't be a surprise to see him catching a September cup of coffee this year, for developmental purposes. His college reputations as a big game closer remains fully intact through his initial developmental phases and with sentiments being as high as they are there is little internal doubt as to the veracity of his big league ability. His 15 saves this year would be the most he's ever collected in a single season (13 SVs in 2023 w/Wake Forest) and with an entire half season remaining there is plenty of room for Minacci to fill out the final gaps needed for his Major League mainstay. He may be just one year removed from college, but as is he's closer to the MLB than he is his college days, and with time he will prove to be one of the most exciting pitchers in the game with the Angels as he was with Wake Forest.