Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40

Several months into the 2022 international signing period, the Angels landed Hurtado for the bargain price of $10,000. He was older, already 21 when he signed, so after getting started in the Dominican Summer League after signing, he went straight to full-season ball in 2023, starting very slowly but then figuring things out in the back end of the season. After starting and relieving with Single-A Inland Empire, he was a mainstay in High-A Tri-City’s rotation in 2024 with mixed results, though he did lead the Northwest League in innings pitched (138 2/3) and strikeouts (134).

Now 24, it feels like in many ways Hurtado is still figuring out who he is as a pitcher. The 6-foot-2 right-hander can light up the radar gun, flirting with triple digits and sitting in the mid-90s with ease, throwing two-seamers with sink to get groundball outs. His slider, which he can run up into the upper-80s, has become his breaking ball – he’s all but scrapped a slower get-me-over curve – and he misses a lot of bats with it. He continues to try to find a third pitch, some kind of change-of-speed, that can work for him.

Hurtado’s ability to land his two potentially plus pitches for strikes regressed in 2024 and he walked 5.3 per nine as a result. The Angels may not want to pull the plug on him starting just yet so he can work on his command and that third offering, but it’s hard not to dream about him as a sinker-slider reliever who’s throwing 100 mph-plus in shorter stints.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

When the 2022 international signing period opened in January of that year, the Angels found some high-price-tag talent right out of the gate, signing outfielders Nelson Rada and Randy De Jesus for seven figures apiece. They did some bargain shopping later on, getting Hurtado (then already 21 years old) for $10,000 at the end of June. He got his feet wet in the Dominican Summer League after signing and then came stateside for full-season ball in 2023. After really struggling out of the gate, he was very effective with Inland Empire, capping things off with seven innings of one-hit, shutout ball in a playoff start.

After giving up 19 runs in six innings in April 2023, Hurtado posted a 3.50 regular-season ERA from May 1 on, striking out 10.3 per nine while walking just 2.8. He does it mostly with a fastball-slider combination. He sits around 95-96 mph with his heater and can flirt with triple digits, and he started throwing more two-seamers with sink as the year went on. Hurtado's mid-80s slider, which can touch 88-89 mph, is his go-to breaking ball that can miss bats. He has a little get-me-over 82-84 mph curve, and he’s working on a changeup, though he didn’t bring it into games in 2023 much.

As Hurtado gained confidence and got stretched out as a starter during his U.S. debut last year, he started filling up the strike zone more consistently. Continued development on that front, along with finding an offspeed offering, could give him a chance to stay in a rotation.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40

When the 2022 international signing period opened in January of that year, the Angels found some high-price-tag talent right out of the gate, signing outfielders Nelson Rada and Randy De Jesus for seven figures apiece. They did some bargain shopping later on, getting Hurtado, then already 21 years old, for $10,000 at the end of June. He got his feet wet in the Dominican Summer League after signing and then came stateside for full-season ball in 2023. After really struggling out of the gate, he was very effective with Inland Empire, capping things off with seven innings of one-hit shutout ball in a playoff start.

After giving up 19 runs in six April innings in 2023, Hurtado posted a 3.50 regular-season ERA from May 1 on, striking out 10.25 per nine while walking just 2.75. He does it mostly with a fastball-slider combination. He sits around 95-96 mph with his heater and can flirt with triple digits, and he started throwing more two-seamers with sink as the year went on last season. Hurtado's mid-80s slider, which can touch 88-89 mph, is his go-to breaking ball that can miss bats. He has a little get-me-over 82-84 mph curve, and he’s working on a changeup, though he didn’t bring it into games in 2023 much.

As Hurtado gained confidence and got stretched out as a starter during his U.S. debut last year, he started filling up the strike zone more consistently. Continued development on that front, along with finding an offspeed offering, could give him a chance to stay in a rotation.

Awards

CAL Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
07/23/2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	09/16/2025	RHP Joel Hurtado assigned to Salt Lake Bees from Rocket City Trash Pandas.
	04/02/2025	RHP Joel Hurtado assigned to Rocket City Trash Pandas from Tri-City Dust Devils.
	03/06/2025	activated RHP Joel Hurtado.
	02/24/2025	RHP Joel Hurtado assigned to Los Angeles Angels.
	04/02/2024	RHP Joel Hurtado assigned to Tri-City Dust Devils from Inland Empire 66ers.
	03/07/2024	Los Angeles Angels Prospects activated RHP Joel Hurtado.
	02/09/2024	Los Angeles Angels invited non-roster RHP Joel Hurtado to spring training.
	04/04/2023	RHP Joel Hurtado assigned to Inland Empire 66ers from DSL Angels.
	09/28/2022	RHP Joel Hurtado and assigned to Angels Organization.
	07/18/2022	DSL Angels activated RHP Joel Hurtado from the restricted list.
	07/05/2022	RHP Joel Hurtado assigned to DSL Angels from DSL Angels.
	06/27/2022	Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Joel Hurtado to a minor league contract.