The Angels have some outfield depth, especially after breakout years offensively from Taylor Ward and Jo Adell, but they lack a true everyday center fielder after superstar Mike Trout was moved off the position last year.
Bryce Teodosio rated as an elite defender (10 outs above average) in his 50 games at the position, but he slashed just .203/.248/.304 with one homer in 150 plate appearances. And while it’s fair to expect some improvement from the 26-year-old, he struck out in 31.3 percent of his plate appearances and doesn’t seem ready to be a regular in center.
It’s why the Angels are looking to possibly add a center fielder to the mix this offseason to join an outfield that includes Trout, Ward, Adell and Jorge Soler. Trout won’t be heading back to center after his move to right field last year — especially after sustaining a bone bruise in his surgically repaired left knee in late April that kept him out a month and then caused him to serve as designated hitter the rest of the season.
Soler was forced into more action in right field than expected and he indicated it was a reason why he dealt with back issues in the second half, including two stints on the injured list and missing the final 60 games of the season.
The Angels could look to move Soler, who is in the final year of his deal and is set to earn $16 million in 2026. But they likely wouldn’t get much of a return unless they eat much of his salary, because of his down season in ’25. Soler slashed .215/.293/.387 with 12 homers and 34 RBIs in 82 games while producing minus-0.5 wins above replacement, per Baseball Reference.
Soler, though, does have a history of performing in contract years, including winning World Series MVP honors with the Braves in ’21 and being an All-Star for the first time in his career with the Marlins in ’23.
But the big question is whether the Angels would be willing to deal either Ward or Adell, as Trout isn’t going anywhere because of his no-trade clause and his contract, which ends in 2030. Ward, though, has garnered a lot of trade interest in the past and is heading into his last year under team control, while Adell will be a free agent after the ’27 season.
Both Ward and Adell offer tantalizing power, as Ward had 36 homers and 103 RBIs in 157 games, while Adell had 37 homers and 98 RBIs in 152 games. Ward has established himself as the club’s primary left fielder, while Adell started last year in center but moved back to right field once Teodosio became the club’s regular in center.
Adell could be asked to handle center again, but he rated as below-average defensively at the position (minus-8 outs above average) according to advanced metrics, and he looks more comfortable in right. But Adell’s offensive numbers were similar at both positions, as he slashed .236/.294/.475 in 86 games as a center fielder and .231/.289/.484 in 65 games as a right fielder.
If the Angels trade either player, they would be likely to add a true center fielder via free agency or trade. Free agent Trent Grisham stands out as a potential fit, especially because he hits left-handed, while Cody Bellinger is expected to command too large of a contract. Grisham is also expected to garner plenty of interest.
Otherwise, Cedric Mullins is a free agent and a left-handed bat coming off a bit of a down year with the Orioles and Mets. But Mullins, who attended Campbell University like shortstop Zach Neto, has had some solid seasons in the past and might fit the Halos’ price range better. Harrison Bader is another option, but he hits right-handed and the Angels haven’t shown much interest in recent offseasons.
Internally, the Angels still have Kyren Paris in the mix — but he cooled down after his hot start and has prove that his new mechanics can work at his size. He modeled his swing after Aaron Judge, but the 6-foot-7 Judge has much better plate coverage than Paris at 5-foot-11.
The Halos also have Nelson Rada, ranked as their No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, who reached Triple-A Salt Lake despite being just 19 years old. He’s their center fielder and leadoff hitter of the future, and he will get a chance to show what he can do in Spring Training.
Given the Angels’ propensity to push prospects, nothing can be ruled out with Rada, who seems likely to make an impact at some point in 2026.
