One of the Angels’ biggest camp storylines is who they’ll tab as the starting second baseman. They narrowed the field over the weekend, optioning Christian Moore and Kyren Paris. They’re each going to open the year at Triple-A Salt Lake.
Moore seemed like a slight favorite for the job entering Spring Training. He was certainly the most exciting of the in-house options as a 2024 top ten pick who has hit well in the minors. Moore really struggled following an aggressive big league promotion last season, though. He struck out more than a third of the time while hitting .198/.284/.370 through 184 trips to the plate.
The Angels would have loved for Moore to seize the job in Spring Training. That’s not what happened, as he hit .175 with just one extra-base hit (a homer) in 40 at-bats. Moore will look to address some of the swing-and-miss concerns at Salt Lake to put himself in the running for a midseason promotion.
Paris is a career .157/.244/.290 hitter. He wasn’t going to win the second base job and probably needed a monster spring to put himself in consideration for a bench spot. He hit well on the surface (.333/.419/.556) but struck out nine times in 31 plate appearances. Paris has raw power but has held back by whiff concerns throughout his career. This will be his final minor league option year, assuming he spends at least 20 days there over the course of the season.
With Moore out of the mix, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com writes that non-roster invitee Adam Frazier is the favorite for the second base role. The lefty hitter has made a strong impression in camp, batting .348 while striking out just four times in 23 at-bats. Frazier’s profile is well established. He puts balls in play with minimal power and has been a below-average hitter since his 2021 All-Star season. He carries a .241/.302/.343 batting line in more than 1800 plate appearances between four teams over the last four years.
Manager Kurt Suzuki tells Bollinger he’s open to a platoon arrangement that’d pair Frazier with a righty bat. The 34-year-old is a career .200/.273/.333 hitter against southpaws, so it’s natural they’d keep away from lefty pitching if he breaks camp.
The Halos have a few right-handed infielders vying for one or two roster spots. Oswald Peraza and Vaughn Grissom are out-of-options former prospects who haven’t performed at the big league level. Chris Taylor and the switch-hitting Jeimer Candelario are in camp on minor league deals.
Peraza offers the most defensive value and has stepped up during Spring Training, hitting .351 with a pair of homers in 13 games. Grissom, acquired from the Red Sox in an offseason trade, is batting .185 despite only striking out twice all camp. Candelario and Taylor have each shown well in exhibition play but haven’t hit much in the regular season over the last two years.
The Angels would need to create 40-man roster space for any of Frazier, Candelario or Taylor. They have a pair of obvious 60-day injured list candidates in Robert Stephenson and Anthony Rendon. That essentially gives them two free roster spots with which to play.
Mentioning Anthony Rendón in an Angel’s post is akin to mentioning cheeseburgers in a vegan forum.
Considering Arte is the ownership equivalent of dog hair on a lint brush, I haven’t *seen* these guys play this spring. However, from what I’ve *heard*, Candelario has a good shot of making the team. Especially considering he can play 3B. He can play 2B as well, but Frazier is a good fit too. I’m not sure they have room for both, but both are solid options while Moore figures things out in the minors.
@Nukeg- So your telling us you listen to Roger Lodge without actually saying you do?
I love Roger Lodge. Yes he is the optimistic Homer out there. But he has also one of the most gracious and nicest human beings on the planet.
soccer_ref: “I love Roger Lodge. Yes he is the optimistic Homer out there. But he has also one of the most gracious and nicest human beings on the planet.”
I also like him as a person and always wish him well. But, he does work for the team, and his firehose-of-hopium approach just plays like a gaslighting infomercial to me. I haven’t listened to his show in years.
These guys are there to sell a product. I don’t have any issue with that, but you should not be using them as a source when evaluating talent or a players production.
Candelario sounds like he does have a good shot from the few ST broadcasts that I’ve listened to, probably at Grissom’s expense.
I think Peraza makes the team as a SS-capable backup IF and late-inning defensive replacement, especially if Candelario gets significant starts against LHP at 2B and Moncada misses time.
As for Grissom, are there any other teams who would claim him on waivers if the Angels tried to outright him to AAA?
You don’t DFA a guy you traded for. Then again, the Angels do tend to be the lowest-IQ organization in MLB,
Candelario is also the only player in the group that can play First Base. I expect Frazier, Candelario, Taylor, and Peraza to all make the Angels roster.
@Rsox. Where’s siri or teodosio, and TDA.
Nick Madrigal could replace Peraza. He’s had a decent Spring. Frazier will be the starting 2B as he gives them another left handed bat.
No one is replacing Peraza. He’s out of options and is hitting so far in Spring. Of the two out of options guys, Grissom is far more likely to get cut.
I’d be surprised if Siri makes the team. Teodosio deserves to make the team, but I can also see them going with Taylor due to this versatility of playing both OF/IF.
That’s the way I see it. Grissom likely goes on the IL. They probably haven’t decided if it’s Teodosio or Taylor as the 4th OF’er yet but Taylor’s ability to play IF and Teodosio’s need for regular reps probably gives Taylor the edge for opening day. Frazier, Candelario and Peraza appear to be locks at this point.
I think it’d be highly unlikely that Grissom would clear waivers for the Angels. Even if the next team tries to sneak him through waivers themselves.
@Baltimore_44. Yeah I think they try to pass peraza and teodosio to the minors. Grissom won’t make it. If peraza and teodosio dont pass through they have paris, and meckler. Siri probably has a opt out.
Moore isn’t ready yet and that’s fine. In a functional organization he’d have spent last year in high A and AA.
I like Frazier. He doesn’t strike out a ton like most of the rest of the team.
Moore isn’t close. Maybe he can turn into Adell light, but that’s a couple three years. Good bat speed, good running speed.
I don’t like any 2B candidate. But turn two and play good defense and I can change my mind.
Yeah, here’s hoping that Moore has a strong couple months in AAA and returns to take back 2B for good by early June.
He’s not going to learn how to play second in two months. That’s the problem with drafting poor defensive college secondbaseman. They have to really hit.
It’s another dumb draft choice.
He’s the Halo’s version of Kristian Campbell. Hit tool is there but where the heck do you play him. Rushed through the system and now regressing.
Good analogy.
I’m not as down on Moore as Halos11 is, but it does seem evident that 2B may not be his long term position.
This spring, he’s cut down on his strikeouts and his exit velocity has been outstanding, so I think the bat will come around. AAA will be good for him. He’s only 23 years old for crying out loud.
But gosh having Konner Griffin picked right after him doesn’t help.
Keith Law has consistently and rather forcefully opined that Moore will never be a major league second baseman. He has suggested left field as most likely, but said it makes sense for the Angels to try him at third.
Johnny, please understand, it’s not Moore I dislike, just like it’s not Schanuel. It’s the draft capital that was used to acquire them. They are both likely to be adequate major league players.
Early second round…late first round…fine. But with such high draft picks, you don’t want to draft players with this many flaws and such low ceilings.
Johnny Ray didn’t hit well enough to play LF, and I have on more than one occasion compared Moore to Johnny Ray.
The Angels drafted him Instead of Konner Griffin. As a pirate fan I couldn’t believe the Angels drafted Moore at #8. It was like we gained a spot in the draft
This is how I know you and I are old lol.
Because I know exactly who and what you are talking about.
I respect your opinion on everyone. I happen to think Moore will turn out pretty well, but I completely see your point, especially with Schanuel. Wasted pick.
I would be curious to see if the Angels strategy of drafting under slot 1st round, then paying over slot for HS arms later, is intentional.
I thought Adam Frazier retired?
Maybe you’re thinking Joe Frazier?
Down goes Frazier…Down goes Frazier. Down goes Fraizer.
You thinking of the guy from Cheers? He’s still going too.
At this point, I’m convinced that the Dodgers AAA Oklahoma City team would sweep the Angels in a three game series.
The Angels swept the Dodgers last season. Not that it mattered all that much in the end.
Interesting theory. Meanwhile, in reality, Angels 3 Dodgers 0 last year sweep the Dodgers But sure, keep promoting the OKC Dodgers if it helps your ego little man
If that’s the case, then the Dodgers triple-A team might be better than the Dodgers, as they’ve lost their last 7 games to the Angels.
So, since I was censored on a different account, why won’t you fine folks mention Grissom’s injury in your “articles?” Apparently that destroys the false narrative around the fact you don’t actually know what’s going on. The stats don’t tell the whole story, considering a left wrist injury impacts hitting tremendously.
If Grissom is injured that solves the issue of what to do with; put him on the IL and reevaluate later when he’s ready to return
When did it say wrist? All I see is hand. Might be a hamate. Either way, I don’t see him starting at 2B.
Rendone not already on the 60day is odd. Why is every other team putting players on the 60day who actually have a chance of playing. Angels obviously going to use his spot on Frazier
Spring training 40 man doesn’t matter since you can still play non-roster invites. Even though you can place players on the 60day starting in February, it doesn’t start counting until opening day.
Basically, there’s no benefit until you need to open up the slot once rosters are finalized.
It’s going to happen regardless. So why wait was the point I didn’t make.
Unreal that the Angels picked Christian Moore at #8 when Konnor Griffin went #9. Braden Montgomery would have been good too as he’s recovered beautifully from that ankle injury he had before the draft
that is a bit of a stinger.
They should just have a giant tire fire in the middle of the field, literally an actual pile of tires and set it on fire. It would probably win more games than their 40-man roster.
I remember when it was a luxury to have power hitting numbers from your second baseman. If you can hit at the major league level and play good defence that should be good enough.
V. Grissom traded by the Sox for C. Sale…bad trade
who was rushed in a very similar fashion to C. Moore…imagine that. Thank goodness my parents raised me to read beyond childish confirmation biased news articles.
In good news
The waver wire will be full of cast offs has bins and never was players
For MORONassian that’s like Christmas Morning. Hitting the 90% off clearance racks at JC Penny and Ross with the $10 gift card the old cat lady next door gave him.
I’m sure he’ll bring in a couple more middle infielders that were good five years ago. Or can’t hit.
Maybe a reliever that has a 7.28 career era or that starter coming off his 11th arm surgery
Moore was rushed to the big leagues.
BABIP was through the roof and high K rate in the minors. This feels like White Sox bringing a polished college hitter in Gordon Beckham up without much minor league time. Turned into a career utility guy.
Moore sadly is the new modern day baseball player. All they care about is exit velocity and launch angles. God forbid you hit a single going the other way. It’s 35 home runs 200 Ks and a .222 average. But those 35 home runs will keep you in an everyday lineup. Think about that. 35 times you connect in over 550 at bats and you get 15 mill a season. If this was 1993 you would not be anywhere near a major league stadium unless you bought a ticket With numbers like that.
You wanna win. Look at Cleveland
Cleveland hasn’t won anything since the 1950s.
Lol Moore is better than that. He has flaws, but he’s not a lost cause.
This spring, he has shown improvement in all the areas he needed to:
* Better EV
* Higher Barrel rate
* Better Contact rate
* Fewer chases (OZ swing %)
Believe it or not, his launch angle is what was lacking this spring.
Of course, this is all in a small sample size, but the initial steps towards improvement are there.
Let him go down to AAA to gain consistency, develop the above listed skills, and figure out where is defensive home will be.
He is the infield version of Adell
Sorry my post got cut off.
The rest of my post
Look at Cleveland and Tampa. They are consistently in the upper half of the league. Get into the playoffs. They do it by drafting contact hitters. Not power bats
Contact hitters develop power as they go through the system. Power hitters it is rare for them to develop contact without sacrificing power.
Plus with a good scouting department. Split minor league instruction. They rebuild on the fly year after year. When they do make a trade at the end of the controllable years. They get maximum value
If the Angels could just learn this. They have the money to keep some of those types of players.
Instead we rush them to the majors and stun the development.
Donovan Walton is another quality option.
That’s a generous description of a 31 yo AAAA player
He’s a gamer!
The Mariners barely gave him a chance when they were a crappy rebuilding team 6 years ago.
He’s a gamer!
Will they win 59 or 61 games??? That’s the big question
We have so many options for the infield. What we need is pitchers. Sign Tyler Anderson. He’s good enough.