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Shohei Ohtani Drawing Widespread Trade Interest

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The biggest question of this year’s trade deadline is whether or not the Angels will trade Shohei Ohtani. Unsurprisingly, several rival clubs are interested in acquiring his services, with Jeff Passan of ESPN connecting him to the Rangers, Dodgers, Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays. That’s in addition to reporting from yesterday connecting him to the Diamondbacks and Orioles.

The fact that several clubs are interested in Ohtani is hardly shocking, given that the superstar has played so well in recent years to make it a legitimate question as to whether he’s the greatest player of all time. He’s hit at least 34 home runs in each of the past three seasons, having already hit 36 this year for the league lead with still a few months to go. His overall batting line of .302/.398/.674 amounts to a wRC+ of 184, which also leads all major league hitters. In addition to that, he’s thrown 408 innings as a pitcher since the start of 2021 with a 2.98 ERA, including a 3.71 ERA in his 19 starts this year.

Given the unprecedented nature of his performance, it would be a shock if any contender weren’t interested in him, so it stands to reason that several of them are reportedly on the phone lines. Whether Ohtani can actually be pried loose from the Angels is an open question, however. Recent reporting has suggested that the club will be listening to offers but that a deal is still considered unlikely. Ohtani is an impending free agent but the Halos aren’t completely buried in the standings. Their 51-49 record has them 4.5 games behind the Blue Jays for the final playoff spot, but with the Yankees and Red Sox in between. FanGraphs pegs their playoff odds at 13.7% while Baseball Prospectus puts them at 13.2%.

Rival clubs will only be able to acquire a few months of Ohtani’s services, but the offers will likely still be robust. Since a player like Ohtani has never previously existed, it’s hard to know exactly how much clubs would be willing to relinquish in order to acquire him. But since he’s the most impactful individual player that any club could conceivably add, it’s possible the bidding goes to unexpected levels. Beyond his on-field talents, there would also be opportunities for increased ratings and merchandise sales, not to mention the ability to try to negotiate an extension with the two-way player. It seems highly unlikely he would forego the open market at this point, but the opportunity to start the conversation early surely has appeal.

The Rangers make a ton of sense for Ohtani, in that their rotation has lost Jacob deGrom and Jake Odorizzi to season-ending injuries. They also don’t have an everyday designated hitter and could easily accommodate Ohtani in their lineup. They are currently leading the American League West but the Astros are just two games back and Ohtani could go a long way to helping them fend off Houston. However, since they are in the same division as the Angels, lining up on a trade could be difficult. The Halos may not want to watch Ohtani thrive with their rivals, while the Rangers may have some hesitation about looking across the dugout at their former prospects for the next decade or so.

The Dodgers also make plenty of sense from a roster perspective. They currently have five starters on the injured list, including Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Walker Buehler, Noah Syndergaard and Ryan Pepiot. That’s forced them to bring up rookies like Bobby Miller, Michael Grove and Emmet Sheehan. The DH slot is usually taken by J.D. Martinez but he can at least play the outfield from time to time, a problem the club would likely be happy to work around. But the Angels may not prefer to send Ohtani across Los Angeles, given the public relations aspect. They and the Dodgers don’t compete in the same division, but they compete for customers and attention in the area, with the Angels usually the second fiddle to the Dodgers. Sending Ohtani to succeed in Dodger blue might be a bitter pill that they’d prefer not to swallow.

The other three clubs also make plenty of sense, given their tight American League East rivalry. The Orioles, Rays and Blue Jays currently occupy the top three spots in the division, separated by just 6.5 games. The Orioles have a 62-38 record but their rotation is clearly the weakest spot. Their starters have a collective 4.51 ERA that puts them in the bottom half of the league. They don’t have a clear DH either, often rotating various players through that spot.

The Rays actually have the strongest rotation ERA in the league, though that number may be skewed by their frequent use of openers. They certainly have a solid foursome in Tyler Glasnow, Shane McClanahan, Zach Eflin and Taj Bradley, but have lost Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen to season-ending surgeries while Josh Fleming seems likely to miss significant time as well. Given their fondness for versatile players, they could easily slot Ohtani into the DH role and move other players around as necessary.

The Jays have some rotation question marks, particularly in the case of Alek Manoah. He struggled badly enough in the beginning on the season to get optioned down to the club’s Florida Complex. He’s since returned and made three starts without much consistency. Hyun Jin Ryu is on a rehab assignment and could be back with the club shortly, rejoining Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi. The Jays use Brandon Belt as designated hitter most of the time but likely wouldn’t mind replacing him with Ohtani and figuring out a solution to that problem. The bigger issue might be their relatively weaker farm system compared to the other clubs listed here, as Passan lists them as a longer shot for that exact reason.

All in all, it’s still unknown how seriously the Angels are entertaining any offers coming their way. It’s important for them to do their due diligence so that they have all the information necessary to make the decision that is best for their organization, but that doesn’t obligate them to make a deal. The club starts a road trip tonight with three in Detroit, three in Toronto and then the first game of a series in Atlanta before the August 1 deadline. It’s possible that the results of those games will push the club in one direction or another, for the most significant decision of this trade deadline and arguably ever.

Diamondbacks, Orioles Interested In Shohei Ohtani

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The Diamondbacks and Orioles are two of the clubs that have spoken with the Angels about Shohei Ohtani, should the Angels look to trade Ohtani prior to the deadline, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi writes (Twitter links).  Since it is far from a foregone conclusion that Ohtani will be moved at all, Morosi notes that Arizona and Baltimore were essentially making “due diligence” calls, just in case the Angels’ stance changes.

Ohtani’s future has been the biggest storyline of deadline season, putting added import on the outcome of every Angels game.  Los Angeles has a 51-49 record entering into their final games before the August 1 deadline — a pair of three-game series with the Tigers and Blue Jays, and the opener of another three-game set with the Braves on July 31.  The Halos entered Monday four games behind Toronto for the final AL wild card berth, and the AL West crown is likely out of reach given the Rangers’ eight-game edge over Anaheim in the standings.

Whereas owner Arte Moreno firmly closed the door on even the possibility of an Ohtani trade last summer when the Angels were far out of contention, it would appear as if there’s at least a tiny chance that a deal might happen this year, even as the Angels remain on the fringes of the playoff hunt.  The club is at least willing to hear what other teams might have to offer for Ohtani, even if a trade is still considered quite unlikely at this point (and as long as the Angels keep winning).  Continuing with the theme of due diligence, there’s no harm for Angels GM Perry Minasian to at least listen to offers just in case another team is willing to give up a staggering return for two months of Ohtani’s services.

It makes particular sense for the D’Backs and O’s to check in on the two-way superstar, most obviously because both teams are battling to reach the playoffs.  Arizona has slumped in July while Baltimore has surged into first place in the AL East, yet both teams have designs on both getting into October and then making some noise.  Starting pitching is a shared area of need for the two teams, to varying degrees — the Orioles’ staff has been solid but unspectacular, whereas the Diamondbacks haven’t gotten much from their rotation apart from Zac Gallen and the injured Merrill Kelly.

Ohtani would naturally provide a huge boost to either pitching staff, as well as instantly becoming the biggest threat in either lineup.  As Morosi notes, minor league depth is another interesting commonality between the D’Backs and Orioles, as both teams have the kind of impressive prospects that it would take to pry Ohtani away in a trade.

Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen recently stated that his club plans to “be aggressive, even ultra-aggressive,” at the deadline, but not “reckless,” since “being reckless does not serve anyone’s interests, this year’s team or in the future.” On paper, trading multiple top-100 prospects for a rental player like Ohtani might be considered too big a risk, considering that Arizona’s payroll history doesn’t at all suggest the D’Backs are contenders to sign Ohtani in free agency this winter.  Likewise, Baltimore GM Mike Elias said back in May that his team was already intending to buy at the deadline, after such a long rebuild, Elias might not want to greatly reduce his core of elite prospects for a single player.

Then again, Ohtani is such a special case that it might convince a front office (or, perhaps more importantly, an ownership group) to make an extra push.  His two-way ability enhances a contender on both sides of the ball, and conceivably, the D’Backs and Orioles are both so deep in prospects that they’d still have a good crop of prospects even minus the three, or four, or five names it might take to obtain Ohtani’s services.  In the bigger picture, Ohtani would provide such a financial surge in ticket sales, merchandise, TV ratings, and overseas interest that acquiring him for even two months would be a franchise-altering move, beyond what he might do on the field to help the Diamondbacks or Orioles capture a championship.

Anthony Rendon Suffers Setback, Undergoes MRI

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  • Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon recently underwent an MRI that revealed a deep bone bruise in his shin, as noted by Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register. Rendon has been out since the beginning of the month with a shin contusion, though the injury is more serious than initially believed. Manager Phil Nevin explained the situation to reporters (including Padilla), saying that “There’s some significant bleeding inside the bone. This is more significant than we actually thought… We’re going to have to calm him down for a little while.” Nevin didn’t offer a new timetable for return, though MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger indicates that Rendon will be shut down for at least two more weeks.
  • Sticking with the Angels, shortstop Zach Neto was scratched from today’s game against the Pirates due to lower back tightness, per Padilla. Andrew Velazquez replaced Neto in the lineup at shortstop today. Padilla noted that Neto was willing to play through the discomfort, but the Angels decided to act cautiously and rest him. Padilla adds that the club is considering sitting him again for tomorrow’s game in order to give him a three day period to rest in conjunction with Monday’s off-day, though Bollinger adds that the club is hoping the issue is minor enough he’ll be back in the lineup tomorrow, per Nevin. The club’s first round pick in last year’s draft, Neto has impressed by not only advancing to the majors in his first professional season but providing solid production with a 110 wRC+ combined with strong defense at shortstop.

Ohtani: Angels’ Playoff Chase “All I’m Really Focused On”

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Friday’s 8-5 victory over the Pirates extended the Angels’ winning streak to four games, and improved Anaheim’s record to 50-48.  The Angels sit eight games back of the first-place Rangers in the AL West, but more importantly four games back of the Blue Jays for the final AL wild card slot.  The Red Sox and Yankees sit between the Jays and Angels in the standings, and the Mariners and Guardians aren’t far behind Anaheim, but there’s no doubt that the Halos are at least in the mix to end their playoff drought.

If Los Angeles can retain this general position in the standings until the August 1 trade deadline, it would in all likelihood close the door on the possibility of a Shohei Ohtani trade.  Reports last week (when the Angels were still mired in a brutal slump) indicated that the club was at least open to hearing what other teams might offer for Ohtani, yet a trade was still considered improbable even if the Angels did fall out of the race.  Getting on track and getting back over the .500 mark only makes it more likely that the Angels will still have Ohtani in their clubhouse by August 2.

As for the man himself, Ohtani told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and other reporters yesterday that “I’m just trying to focus on the season and sort of block everything else out.  Like I said earlier, I feel like we’re in a decent spot to make a playoff run, and that’s all I’m really focused on at the moment.”

This focus extends to both the constant trade speculation and the broader concept over Ohtani’s future in Anaheim, as he said that “I’ve never really had a sit-down talk like that” in regards to discussing a contract extension beyond the 2023 season.  Ohtani also noted that he has “never really” heard from the Angels whether or not they definitively won’t trade him, saying  “I see [GM Perry Minasian] maybe once a week in the clubhouse, and we’ve never really had any conversations.”

Mid-year extension talks are relatively rare for any major free agent — most players don’t want any distractions during the season, and by this close proximity to the offseason, players are generally eager to at least test the open market.  In Ohtani’s particular case, it makes sense that he would want to hear what other teams have to offer, given how it is widely assumed that the two-way star’s next deal will be the largest contract in baseball history.  The Angels’ apparent lack of private clarity on Ohtani’s trade status also isn’t really unusual, if the club is still gauging the trade market and waiting on the next week’s worth of games before deciding whether or not an Ohtani trade is even something they’d be interested in pursuing.

Ohtani allowed five runs over 6 1/3 innings Friday, as four of Pittsburgh’s six hits left the park for home runs.  Despite the uninspiring numbers, Ohtani still earned the win thanks to a strong game from Anaheim’s lineup, and he contributed to the offense by going 0-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored.

Ohtani is now hitting .305/.400/.676 with 35 homers over 432 plate appearances, while also contributing a 3.71 ERA, 32.2% strikeout rate, and 10.2% walk rate over 111 2/3 innings on the mound.  Health is another wrinkle in any possible trade talks, as Ohtani has been recently bothered by a blister and cracked nail on his right middle finger.  This injury seems to be impacting his work on the mound, as Ohtani has a 7.71 ERA over his last 16 1/3 innings and three starts.

Sticking with some other Angels health news, Mike Trout’s status is also a huge factor for the Halos’ chances of reaching the postseason, as the star outfielder hasn’t played since July 3 due to a left hamate fracture.  Trout underwent surgery and was given a recovery timeline of 4-8 weeks, but Trout told reporters (including Luca Evans of the Los Angeles Times) that he had his stitches removed.  Trout is starting to engage in such baseball activities as throwing and mobility-related exercises, but it isn’t yet known when his hand will feel good enough to start swinging a bat.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: All Eyes on the Angels, Cardinals Trade Options and Buyers or Sellers

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • Do you feel that the Yankees should be sellers? (17:25)
  • If the Rangers were to acquire Marcus Stroman and Cody Bellinger from the Cubs, would that make them the favorite in American League? (21:30)
  • What are the Blue Jays going to target at the deadline? (24:00)

Check out our past episodes!

Latest On Brandon Drury, Logan O'Hoppe

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After a strong start to the 2023 campaign, the Angels have faltered with a 4-14 record over their last 18 games. That slip to fourth place in the AL West has been accompanied by a rash of major injuries to key players like Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Gio Urshela. Fortunately for the club, the tides of their injury misfortune may be turning. MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger notes that both infielder Brandon Drury and catcher Logan O’Hoppe have progressed to hitting off a tee in their injury rehab processes.

Drury, in a particular, seems poised for a quick return, as Bollinger adds that he hopes to return from injury “in a few days.” O’Hoppe is farther away, considering his initial recovery timeline of four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum back in April. Still, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register indicates that O’Hoppe’s recovery is going well, as he told reporters that his healing process following the surgery is expected to end next week, allowing him to focus on baseball activities going forward. While no specifics were given regarding O’Hoppe’s timeline for return, his most recent comments seem to leave the possibility of a late-season return on the table, which is excellent news given his status as the Angels’ top prospect entering the 2023 campaign.

Angels Will Reportedly Consider Shohei Ohtani Trade Offers; Deal Seen As Unlikely

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As the trade deadline is now just over two weeks away, various clubs on the fringes of contention will have to make tough decisions about which players to trade and which to hang onto. The toughest decision and the one that is sure to get the most attention in the coming weeks is whether or not the Angels will trade two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

As of a few weeks ago, general manager Perry Minasian said the club’s position was “self-explanatory” at a time when they were 41-34 and in possession of a Wild Card spot. That seemed to suggest the club had no intention of trading Ohtani, though much has changed since then, with the club sliding in the standings prior to the All-Star break while also getting the grim news that Mike Trout is going to miss four to eight weeks after undergoing surgery for a fractured hamate.

With their record falling to 45-44 by last week, reporting indicated they seemed to be “leaving open the slight possibility” of making Ohtani available. After that report, the club lost two more games and went into the break at 45-46, fourth place in the West and five games back of the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. Their playoff odds on FanGraphs are down to 10.7%. Today, Jon Morosi of MLB Network echoes that earlier reporting, taking to Threads to relay that the club will consider incoming trade scenarios, even though their bar for a trade remains incredibly high and a deal is still considered unlikely.

It’s not terribly surprising to hear that the club will listen to whatever offers come their way from other clubs. This is one of the toughest decisions a baseball club has ever had to make and it stands to reasons that they would want as much information as possible about each path before picking one.

The reasons for the difficulty of the decision are both due to the unique talent of Ohtani and the precarious position of the Angels. Ohtani’s skills are unprecedented and well-documented, but here’s a refresher if you need one. Dating back to the start of 2021, he’s hit 112 home runs, a tally bested only by Aaron Judge in that time. His combined batting line of .274/.369/.579 in those seasons amounts to a 154 wRC+, which places him fourth among qualified hitters in that stretch behind only Judge, Trout and Yordan Alvarez. He’s done all that while posting a 2.86 ERA as a pitcher in just under 400 innings, with that earned run mark the eight best among qualified pitchers.

One player managing to simultaneously serve as one of the best pitchers and best hitters in the game is something that seemed unfathomable until Ohtani came along and reshaped our perceptions of what is possible in this game. But despite being the only club that has such a player on their roster, the Angels haven’t been able to construct a winning team around him. They haven’t even been able to finish with a record above .500 since 2015. With Ohtani set to become a free agent in a few months’ time, their window for achieving that goal is rapidly closing.

This isn’t the first time the prospect of an Ohtani trade has come up, as similar reports emerged one year ago. The club still had a year and a half of Ohtani’s services to bank on at that time, but they were even further back in the standings, sporting a record of 42-57. Ultimately, a deal didn’t come together, with owner Arte Moreno reportedly being the one that prevented a deal from being seriously pursued. The club didn’t consider trades in the offseason either and had planned to give contention another try, hoping to both capitalize on Ohtani’s contributions while also convincing him to stay beyond the 2023 season by showing him they could win.

With the club now once again floundering outside of contention, they will have to pick their poison soon, with all signs pointing to the fact that the club’s performance in the next few weeks could push them in one direction one way or another. Ohtani’s unique abilities, not to mention marketability, would be highly sought after by all contending clubs. The Angels will undoubtedly have offers that will allow them to completely restock their farm system, which could help them in future seasons. But doing so would mean trying to win without Ohtani in those future seasons, and with Trout now into his 30s with injuries becoming a more frequent issue.

Trading the most uniquely-talented baseball player of all time would undoubtedly be incredibly painful, not to mention a potential public relations nightmare, which perhaps might lead the club to holding on and hoping for the best down the stretch. It’s worth reiterating that all reporting indicates a deal is still unlikely, merely that the club is listening to offers that other clubs are making, not that they are shopping him around. However, not trading him contains what is surely the worst-case scenario of missing the playoffs and then seeing him depart in free agency for next to nothing. The club would be able to issue him a qualifying offer and recoup a compensatory draft pick, but the value of that will be far less than whatever offers will be on the table in the next few weeks.

All things considered, it doesn’t seem hyperbolic to say that the future of the Angels will be determined in the coming weeks. Although a deal still seems unlikely, it doesn’t seem to be completely off the table. If they flounder in their upcoming games and decide to on a trade, it will likely be some kind of franchise-altering return that’s difficult to predict since a trade of this nature has never happened before. Last year, the club reportedly wanted “something like your top four prospects” in trade talks. The price may well have dropped now that Ohtani has just a few months of remaining control, but it would likely still be very high. Given the dilemma that the club’s decision makers are in, it stands to reason that they would want to give a thorough assessment to all offers so that they know exactly what their options are.

But perhaps they stay close enough to decide against such a move, trying to compete without Trout for at least part of the near future. If it works, perhaps they can convince Ohtani to re-sign, though he hasn’t tipped his hand one way or another as to whether that’s something he would seriously consider or what his priorities will be in free agency beyond winning. The Angels start a homestand tonight against the Astros, Yankees and Pirates, then go out on the road to Toronto, Detroit and Atlanta before the August 1 deadline.

Angels Select Trey Cabbage, Outright David Fletcher

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The Angels announced a number of moves before tonight’s game with the Astros. Los Angeles selected first baseman/corner outfielder Trey Cabbage, recalled infielder Michael Stefanic and reinstated Zach Neto and Matt Moore from the injured list.

In corresponding moves, the Halos placed Anthony Rendon, Jo Adell and Sam Bachman on the IL. All three placements are retroactive to July 11. The position players will be eligible to return a week from now, while Bachman is out until at least July 26. In a final transaction, infielder David Fletcher has already cleared waivers and was outrighted off the 40-man roster to clear a spot for Cabbage.

On the positive side, Cabbage gets his first MLB look. The left-handed hitter was a fourth round selection of the Twins out of a Tennessee high school back in 2015. He played in the Minnesota system through 2021, topping out at Double-A. After becoming a minor league free agent, he joined the Halos.

Cabbage has spent the entire season at Triple-A Salt Lake. He has demonstrated interesting physical tools, connecting on 23 home runs and stealing 24 bases in 84 games. Even in the Pacific Coast League, his .287/.358/.576 batting line is better than average. He and Adell share the league lead in homers, and he’s fifth among 68 PCL hitters (minimum 200 plate appearances) in slugging.

He’ll add a left-handed power bat to Phil Nevin’s bench. Cabbage has gone down on strikes at a lofty 31.3% clip in Triple-A and has posted elevated strikeout totals throughout his career. The swing-and-miss has kept him from reaching the majors before his 26th birthday, but the huge power production in the upper minors earns him a look.

Cabbage is the latest member of an Angels’ infield that has gone through numerous recent iterations. Injuries to Neto, Gio Urshela and Rendon led the club to acquire Mike Moustakas and Eduardo Escobar. Neto is back at shortstop tonight after a month-long absence because of an oblique strain. That pushes Andrew Velazquez to the bench, while Luis Rengifo draws in at third base.

Rendon is dealing with a left shin contusion after fouling a ball off his leg a week ago. He told reporters the injury hasn’t healed as hoped and declined to answer when asked if he was engaged in any baseball activities (via Sam Blum of the Athletic). Adell has a left oblique strain. Bachman has inflammation in his throwing shoulder; Nevin told reporters he’ll be shut down for a brief period but isn’t expected to require a long-term absence (relayed by Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com).

Neto’s return squeezed Fletcher off the roster for the second time this season. The Halos also ran him through waivers in April. They re-selected his contract in late June but sent him back down after 11 games. Fletcher has gotten into 19 MLB contests on the season, hitting .213/.245/.298. He’s been far better in Salt Lake, putting up a .383/.431/.478 slash with more walks than strikeouts over 197 plate appearances.

Fletcher is making $6MM this season and under contract for the same amount through 2025. The $24MM extension he’d signed two years ago has given him ample financial security but ensured the Angels can send him through waivers without losing him. No other team is going to assume that money on a claim.

The latest demotion is timed so that the Halos can keep Fletcher in the organization as a non-roster player. He entered the season 61 days shy of the five-year MLB service threshold. He has picked up around 39 more days this year. Players with over five years of service time can decline a minor league assignment while retaining their entire contract; those with between three and five years would need to forfeit their guaranteed money to do so. Fletcher certainly isn’t going to pass on the money remaining on his deal, so the preemptive outright before he gets to five service years will keep him in Salt Lake.

Angels Agree To Terms With First-Rounder Nolan Schanuel

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The Angels have agreed to terms with first-round pick Nolan Schanuel, reports Carlos Collazo of Baseball America. He’ll receive the full slot value of $5.253MM for his No. 11 overall selection.

Schanuel, 21, is a left-handed-hitting first baseman whose bat is his carrying card. In three years at Florida Atlantic University, the 6’4″ infielder turned in a .386/.516/.698 batting line — highlighted by a comical .447/.615/.868 slash with 19 homers, 18 doubles and four triples in 289 plate appearances this past season. He draws particularly strong reviews for his preternatural contact abilities and plate discipline; Schanuel struck out in just seven percent of his plate appearances in his three years at FAU while walking at a 17% clip. In his final season of college ball, he posted a ridiculous 71-to-14 walk-to-strikeout ratio — a mammoth 24.6% walk rate against just a 4.8% strikeout rate.

Despite the tantalizing offensive profile, Schanuel was ranked a bit lower than his ultimate selection on most prospect lists heading into the draft. Keith Law of The Athletic listed him as the draft’s No. 18 prospect, while Schanuel sat 22nd at ESPN, 26th at MLB.com, 30th at Baseball America and 33rd at FanGraphs. That’s largely due to defensive limitations — Schanuel is a pure first baseman with an outside chance handling some corner outfield work — and a hit-over-power profile. Some scouting reports give Schanuel the chance to eventually develop plus power, but most peg him for average or above-average pop (50- to 55-grade on the 20-80 scale). Presumably, based on this selection, the Angels are in the camp that believes he can reach that plus power ceiling.

Schanuel’s advanced approach gives him the potential to sprint through the minor leagues and contribute at the MLB level in short order. Kiley McDaniel’s scouting report at ESPN suggests he could be in the Majors within a year’s time — a much swifter path to the big leagues than most prospects in a given draft class.

The Angels have had uncertainty at first base in each of the past two seasons, as Jared Walsh has been unable to replicate his 2021 breakout (due largely to health troubles). Schanuel gives them a potentially fast-tracked prospect who can provide sound defense and at least average power and speed — all while excelling at putting the ball in play and getting on base.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Top Deadline Trade Candidates, Ohtani Trade Potential and the Slipping Rays

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • With the Cardinals being sellers for the first time in 20 years, who do you anticipate to be moved? And what is realistic return with an eye on 2024 contention? (23:30)
  • Who trades for Joey Bart? (26:00)
  • Are the Yankees buyers or sellers? And what, if anything, do you see them doing in either position? (28:40)

Check out our past episodes!

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