Jo Adell hit a 514-foot home run for Angels’ triple-A team
Jo Adell has yet to stay in the big leagues with the Angels.
But he makes it as hard as possible for them to keep him in the minors.
Adell played for Triple-A affiliate Salt Lake Bees and hit his MiLB-best 20th home run of the season in a 12-11 loss to Sugar Land on Tuesday night.
And what a home run it was — a game-winning three-run moon shot from Space Cowboys pitcher Austin Hanson in the eighth inning that went well over the left-center field wall. According to Major League Baseball statcast Using tracking technology, the ball traveled 514 feet, further than any major or minor league home run this season.
And there’s more. Adell’s shot also went further than any ball hit in the majors since Statcast started in 2015. The MLB brand is held by Nomar Mazarawho was a member of the Texas Rangers when he hit a 505-foot home run in front of Chicago White Sox pitcher Reynaldo López on June 21, 2019 at Globe Life Park.
When Adell hit his historic home run on Tuesday, it was the second time that game the outfielder had scored 3-0 against Hanson. In the fifth inning, Adell had witnessed a punch go dead center but ended up walking.
The second time he was ready for the field.
“This time the runners were on base and I figured if I get something in the zone just be ready,” Adell told MiLB. “I happened to have a pitch that was over the plate and I probably made one of my best swings of all time on it.”
Adell was drafted 10th overall by the Angels in the 2017 draft. He made his big league debut in 2020 but has yet to become a permanent part of the team. Last season, he had a career-best performance with the Angels: 88 games, typing a .224 batting average on eight home runs.
In his only appearance for the Angels this season, filling the roster spot from Hunter Renfroe while the outfielder was on paternity leave earlier in the month, Adell hit a 451-foot home run ahead of Chicago Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly.
“I’m not trying to force anything or create something that’s not going to happen,” Adell said before the game. “Any opportunity I get, I’ll try to make the best of it.”
Angels manager Phil Nevin said after that game, “If anything happens to anyone, we know it.” [Adell] can come here and do good things for us.”
