The Angels' Offseason: A Quiet Period with Infield Questions
A Quiet Offseason, but a Busy Infield?
The Angels have had a rather uneventful offseason, but that doesn't mean there aren't intriguing developments to discuss. One of their notable moves was restructuring Anthony Rendon's contract, deferring his $38MM salary over five years. In terms of roster additions, the club signed some key bullpen arms, including Jordan Romano, Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates, and recently, Brent Suter. They also made some interesting trades and signings, acquiring Alek Manoah, Grayson Rodriguez, and Josh Lowe, while re-signing Yoan Moncada to play third base.
However, with Moncada returning, the Angels' infield hasn't seen a significant upgrade. This could be due to financial uncertainties, as the club recently terminated its contract with Main Street Sports and may consider a less lucrative arrangement with MLB for their broadcasts. Despite these moves, the team's infield still has some question marks, particularly at second base.
Infield Options: Who's in the Running?
Let's delve into the Angels' options at second base and explore the possibilities:
Christian Moore: Moore is the incumbent at second base after Luis Rengifo, who led Angels second basemen in plate appearances last year, became a free agent. Moore, the club's first-round draft pick in 2024, will get plenty of opportunities. However, his debut season in 2025 was challenging, batting .198/.284/.370 in 184 plate appearances across 53 games. His 10.3% walk rate is promising, but it's overshadowed by a high 33.7% strikeout rate. Defensively, he has room for improvement, with negative ratings in Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average. In 2026, Moore needs to make more consistent contact and get on base to utilize his 78th-percentile speed.
Vaughn Grissom: Grissom was acquired from the Red Sox a couple of months ago. He has a career line of .255/.309/.346 with an 82 wRC+ in 350 plate appearances for the Braves and Red Sox from 2022-24. Unfortunately, he didn't play in the majors in 2025, spending the year in Triple-A. While he performed above average there, time is ticking for Grissom to prove himself at the big-league level. Defensively, he's on par with Moore at second base, so he'll need to outperform him at the plate to compete for playing time. Grissom is out of options and has five additional years of team control.
Oswald Peraza: Peraza is a former Yankees prospect who hasn't made a significant impact in the majors yet. In 524 plate appearances from 2022-25, he's batted just .189/.260/.282 with a 54 wRC+. He's also struck out at a high rate of 27.1% in his career, including 34.7% of the time in 95 plate appearances with the Angels in 2025. Peraza has played only 205 innings at second base, but DRS and OAA rate him slightly above average. Apart from his range, he also has 81st-percentile arm strength, which the Angels could utilize across the infield. However, Peraza needs to reduce his strikeouts and improve his on-base percentage to justify a more significant role.
Denzer Guzman and Kyren Paris: Guzman, an international signing in 2021, made his big-league debut last year in 43 plate appearances. He batted .247/.343/.426 with a 119 wRC+ across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025, showcasing decent power with 17 home runs. Paris, the Angels' second-round draft pick in 2019, has made 245 plate appearances in the majors from 2023-25. He's a steady defender but hasn't impressed with the bat, with a career wRC+ of 50 and a high 42.1% strikeout rate in 140 plate appearances last year. As depth pieces, Guzman and Paris are behind Grissom and Peraza in the pecking order. Both have options remaining, so they're likely headed to Triple-A.
Minor-League Signings: Veterans with a Chance?
The Angels also signed Trey Mancini and Jeimer Candelario to minor-league deals. Both veterans will likely attend big-league Spring Training. Mancini was out of baseball in 2024 and spent 2025 with the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate, batting 10% better than average by wRC+ in 335 plate appearances. His last productive big-league season was in 2022 (105 wRC+). Candelario, on the other hand, was released by the Reds last year after a significant drop in offensive production compared to his 2023 campaign. In 554 plate appearances since 2024, he has a wRC+ of just 76 and has struggled to get on base. Candelario is limited to the infield corners, while Mancini is restricted to first base. Their roles are essentially as backups, providing depth in case of injuries to Moncada or Nolan Schanuel.
And There You Have It...
The Angels' infield situation is an intriguing one, with several players vying for playing time. It will be interesting to see how these players perform and whether any of them can step up and solidify their position. Who do you think will emerge as the Angels' starting second baseman? And what impact will these moves have on the team's overall performance? Feel free to share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!
