The Angels announced that first baseman/outfielder Trey Cabbage has been designated for assignment. The transaction creates a 40-man roster spot for Matt Moore, whose one-year, $9MM deal is now official.
Cabbage was a fourth-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft, and he was a member of the Angels organization for the last two seasons after signing as a minor league free agent. He didn’t show much at the plate over his first five pro seasons, but after sitting out 2020 due to the canceled minor league season, Cabbage’s bat suddenly caught fire. A .283/.377/.574 slash line over 414 Double-A plate appearances was followed up by a .306/.379/.596 slash line in 474 PA at the Triple-A level, and it resulted in Cabbage getting a look on the Angels’ active roster this past season.
Despite only a .553 OPS over 56 PA in the Show, Cabbage at least finally made the big leagues, debuting slightly after his 26th birthday. He might now find himself on the move to another team in the event of a waiver claim or if the Halos opt to simply release him after the DFA period, though one would imagine Los Angeles might just hang onto a player who has performed so well against minor league pitching. Cabbage’s age could be a slight caveat to his numbers, though his performance can’t even be chalked up just to the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, given how Cabbage’s breakout started when he was still in Minnesota’s farm system.
After getting some time as a third baseman and shortstop earlier in his career, Cabbage has settled into a first base/corner outfield role. His DFA could indicate that the Angels simply prefer other options at those positions — Nolan Schanuel is penciled in for regular first base duty and Brandon Drury can also play the position, while Miguel Sano and Hunter Dozier were recently signed to minors contracts. The corner outfield picture is also pretty crowded, and could be even more crowded if Mike Trout is moved to left field in order to both help keep him healthy and to improve the defense with a more glove-focused center fielder.
CCooper8920
My cabbages!?!
oldgfan
Yes the whole Trey of them.
NoNeckWilliams
Lettuce not mock his name.
oldgfan
Unless we can Produce another good one.
BlueSkies_LA
Don’t get steamed. Some people will do anything to get a head.
oldgfan
Poor guy was named after a refrigerator drawer?
For Love of the Game
Y’all get a like for the witty repartee!
Unclemike1526
I had Trey Cabbage once. Then I went to Vegas. Cabbage gone.
Paleobros
Looks like he’s going back to the farm.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Cabbage, by a head.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Confirmed by the law group of Lettuce, Turnup and Pea
spudchukar
$3.
DarkSide830
Matt Moore ain’t the Avatar, that’s for sure.
DockEllisDee
He who would pun would pick a pocket!
I.M. Insane
Too bad he was born too late to play alongside R(e)uben Sierra.
Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Some of you all need to workshop your jokes before sending them out for world consumption.
DockEllisDee
Lettuce tell you if we want any constructive criticism there bub! I find olive these puns in good taste!
HalosHeavenJJ
Super nice guy. I’ve interviewed him a couple of times.
He made sure to come over and sign a ball for my son. Took some pictures with us and waived other players over to sign.
My son was thrilled. I’ll always appreciate that.
i like al conin
Result cool. Would love to see him get a bit more of a look. Probably good for his career if he can go to another team with a potential opportunity this season.
pohle
white sox LF left year?
i like al conin
* Really
Liberalsteve
You love to brag about your interviews. We get it. You are famous
Sid Bream Speed Demon
You seem to be a rare combo of jealous and angry. Not rare for you, but most people aren’t crybabies.
HalosHeavenJJ
Honestly it is incredible to write about my favorite team.
I’m not trying to brag. Just hopefully add a little glimpse of the person involved in the article. These players are more than just stats on a site.
And, maybe, if your favorite team signs one or you see him in a game you’ll think “he’s a good guy.” Because Trey really is a great guy.
BPax
I get it Steve, you live in your mom’s basement and are bitter at anyone’s success and happiness.
nukeg
Other than very recent guys like Neto and Schanuel, I swear almost every other young guy the Angels have brought up recently came from another teams draft. Are the Angels just that bad at drafting? Maybe the recent drafts give *some hope…
HalosHeavenJJ
Yes. The Angels also had a horrible strategy for years. Eppler would draft raw athletes hoping to make them baseball players while Arte pinched pennies on player development.
orange2001
@Nukeg – Reid Detmers, Chase Silseth, Sam Bachman, Ben Joyce, who all figure to be part of the 26-man roster, were drafted by the Angels.
websoulsurfer
Was Canning drafted by the Angels?
Motor City Beach Bum
The guy had a 30-30 season in under 500 at bats in the minors last year. Looks interesting.
Tacoshells
That’s some fine cabbage right there. Where’s the corn beef?
Human Being
Too soon for St. Patty’s day jokes. 🙂
carllafong
This guy had better numbers than Adell last year– look it up. Angel fans constantly overvalue our prospects. Why isn’t anyone clammerring to trade for our players, or sign our players once they’re free agents? Fletcher was already DFA’d. Now I will listen to people explain that Stefanic needs to play. He has ZERO trade value– that tells you everything.
bkbk
Imagine believing that minor league numbers were how they determine which prospect is better
Halo11Fan
No one in their right mind would release Adell,so I guess the problem is how Minasian built the 40 man roster.
So who on this board is the one constantly bringing up how Minasian uses the 40man roster? ….gosh, let me think.
prov356
Why would Adell only be released by crazy people?
Halo11Fan
The answer is self evident. He’s not yet 25, hit the 11th hardest ball in the big leagues last year, has sprint speed well above 90 percentile and makes the minimum.
Basically tools. It’s still too early to cut him. Only an idiot would cut him from the 40 man roster.
Of course next year if he was a plus 35% KRate and a sub 3% walk rate, like Moniak, it’s time.
It’s virtually impossible to be a good player with those peripherals.
Neither is likely to be good. But you see how it plays out.
BrianStrowman9
It’s amazing that Mickey Moniak could put up above average numbers for even half a season with that ugly K/BB ratio.
Didn’t realize it was 118/9BB. That’s a different level of bad.
Halo11Fan
Brian, and Moniak can’t hit lefties. For the most part, platoon, the two. I don’t expect good results. Then give up on them with a good conscience.
There is no way that Moniak is going to hit 400+ on balls in play.
socalbball
Dan Szymborski wrote on Fangraphs last month that if he were running the Angels he’d be tempted to start Stefanic at second and use Drury in a super sub role. ZiPS projects Stefanic for a 97 OPS+, which is obviously a bit below average, but close enough to maybe give him a shot. I don’t agree, but there is an argument there.
Plugnplay
SoCal, I think Dan should look for a knew hobby to write about.
😉
websoulsurfer
About 20% lower than Drury. Not sure that would be a good tradeoff. Do you want Stefanic as your starter instead of Drury?
carllafong
Why does that strategy sound like a failure? Why take a guy out of second who hit 26 homers and 83 RBI and replace him with a below average fielder with zero power who if he’s successful can’t hit above .280 max?
cpdpoet
TBH got a few Mike Cubbage vibes there…..
Edp007
Career path going the way of Sauerkraut
BlueSkies_LA
I heard he’s a real hot dog!
DockEllisDee
His throws have plenty of mustard
BlueSkies_LA
It’s something to relish.
Longtimecoming
Release Cabbage to save some lettuce?
User 4095290658
He’s moving to a new patch.
User 2161944466
Major source of flatulence
beyou02215
Padres??? They need OF. Why not.
sdhitman19
I was thinking the same thing. Plays two positions of need and displays both power and ability to steal bases. We currently have plenty of roster space as well.
bag o ballz
C’mon, he needs to play with Seth beer- it would make for such a good Irish heritage night
Edp007
Jake Burger walks in the pub with David Fry, Phil Coke says hey I’m coming too.
Astros2017&22Champs
Dodgers got everybody beat. Jackson ferris and walker buehler.
JayRyder
Looks like he’s Cole Slaw Now. !
baked mcbride
Third cabbage from the sun…
Americanentropy
If Anaheim somehow managed to obtain both Belly and JD Martinez… they might have a pretty good line up, but man they should just cut bait with Rendon. Pay him to leave.
angelsbroncosfan
Belly yes. JD no thanks. Leave the DH, to give guys a rest from playing the field.
Americanentropy
Other than Trout not sure the other guys who play the field are better than JD.
Astros2017&22Champs
Trey Cabbage sounds like a down south Rapper’s name cous. LOL
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
If Anaheim just mans up and signs Bauer Outage, they will be right back in contention.
Americanentropy
They might be able to get him on a cheap 1 – year prove it to me deal., They need a couple of stud starters.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
Trevor should get an 8 year $400+ million contract already weeks ago
Astros2017&22Champs
When will you Angel’s fans learn? Not even trying to troll. They need a new owner. That organization is built on a stilt foundation. It needs to be torn down and rebranded.
kellin
Yes, we know we need a new owner. Thanks Cap’t Obvious. At this point the team needs one or two solid starters and we’ll see where the rest of the offense stands.
prov356
AstrosChamps – “When will you Angel’s fans learn?….They need a new owner.”
Every Angels fan on this board knows we need a new owner. I don’t know why you think Angels fans need to learn that.
websoulsurfer
Found Bauer’s account.
The guy can’t get a call back on a league minimum deal. He is toast. His only shot at playing again is to return to Japan and play there.
BlueSkies_LA
You are in serious need of getting a life, dude.
D.rey
Between AA and AAA he’s got 200 games with .950+ OPS 58hrs 44SB. He literally went 30/30 last year, impressive at any level.
Genuinely don’t understand why he hasn’t got a true shot to play. Renfroe, Grichuk, Lamb, Cron all on expiring contracts doing nothing and kid still didn’t get his shot
cpdpoet
Bit similar type of a “prospect”, but so did the Phillies Weston Wilson as a 30/30 guy. And they won’t even find a bench spot for him.
toptimrubies
Because those HR/SB numbers came along with a 30% K rate in AAA. If you K that often in AAA, then you will be eaten alive by MLB pitching, as he was in his tiny sample last season.
we_dont_talk_about_that
Some team will sign him after a few injuries in the outfield and he will get in a few games. He will be a Cabbage Patch.
Ghost Pepper
Should have ended it with “kid”.
"Sixth City" Guards
About dang time. He’s cooked.
Jacksson13
Unsurprisingly, also DFA was:
CORNEDBEEF N CABBAGE !!
preauto
Well, this stinks
chrisjaybecker
His nickname in the KBO would be ‘Kimchee.’
sadmarinersfan
End of an era
Armaments216
Orioles should claim Cabbage. Mix him in with Coby Mayo for a tasty slaw to handle the infield corners in Norfolk.
letsholdemandgohome
They sure showed him how the cow ate the cabbage.
benhen77
Cabbage doesn’t pair well with Trout.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
Trout is only available 1-3 months a year now anyway.
pstef123
I saw him play a couple of times when the Bees came to Reno. I thought he showed potential.
settledownitsjustagame
But they signed his brother in law Cole Slaw to a minor league deal.
88 Brooklyn Dodgers
He should eat more cabbage.
baseballguru
How does LAA let go of a guy who is a 30/30 man? It’s not like they’re overloaded with talent!? There are some really dumb men throughout baseball making these calls…a high K rate ok whatever…he’s still young and hits 487 foot dingers and has had 120mph exit velos…crazy…